How Do Meat Delivery Services Work?

Meat delivery services vary but tend to fall into two categories: à la carte or subscription. The former is ideal if you want total control of your order; subscriptions can be less customizable, though you can typically control your delivery cadence to suit your needs. All meat delivery services require you to input payment and shipping information before choosing how quickly you want your meat to be delivered.

Where Can You Buy Meat in Bulk Online?

Many meat delivery services offer options for customers who want to stock up their freezer. Out of the companies we reviewed, we found that Omaha Steaks and Goldbelly had the most to offer in terms of variety packs and bulk orders. Kansas City Steaks also offers variety packs and steak-of-the-month clubs for devoted carnivores.

How Much Do Meat Delivery Services Cost?

Pricing depends on the proteins and how that protein is sourced. For example, chicken is typically cheaper than beef, as it is somewhat less labor-intensive to bring chickens to maturity. How the meat is raised is also a factor, with more time-intensive methods like grass-fed and pasture-raised meats tending to cost more.

Is It Cheaper to Buy Meat Through a Meat Delivery Service Versus the Grocery Store?

A meat delivery service may be cheaper than going to the store if you factor in time and associated costs like gas. It also depends on the kind of meat you purchase; typical grocery-store chicken breasts will probably be less expensive than pasture-raised chicken, but you have to factor in features like sustainability efforts on the part of the supplier as well as quality into the price of meat delivery services.

Best Meat Delivery Services of 2023

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Cut steak on a plate on a wooden cutting board — Photo:
Claudia Totir / Getty Images

If you don’t have easy access to a local butcher shop, or you want a cut of meat that your grocery store doesn’t offer, then a meat delivery service might be right for you. With these services, you can have restaurant-quality meats delivered right to your home, saving you the hassle of reservations and budget-busting upcharges. Whether you’re looking to stock your freezer or locate a finely marbled cut for a special dinner, there’s a meat delivery service for you. To help you decide, we’ve rounded up our top choices.

Best Meat Delivery Services of 2022

Best Overall: Omaha Steaks
Best for Special Occasions: Kansas City Steak Company
Best Steak Delivery: Holy Grail Steak
Best for Chicken: Rastelli's
Best Variety: iGourmet
Best for Gifts: Goldbelly
Best for Pork: Porter Road
Best for Pasture-Raised: Snake River Farms

Best Overall: Omaha Steaks

Omaha Steaks

Key Specs

Delivery Area: 50 states
Free Shipping? Yes, with minimum order or rewards membership
Products Arrive: Frozen

Why You Should Try It

Omaha Steaks has come a long way from its humble beginnings, expanding to offer an impressive variety of meats for any occasion. Shoppers will also find an assortment of appetizers, sides, and even wine to round out their orders.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Tons of variety
Meats last up to three months in the freezer
Easy gifting options

Cons

No subscription option
Vague sourcing standards

Overview

What started as a small butcher shop in Omaha, Nebraska, has since expanded into a global company that offers so much more than just steaks. Customers have options for just about any standard protein you can think of, with the option to add starters, sides, desserts, and wine. Proteins are flash-frozen and shipped with dry ice to arrive frozen, so you can thaw them right away (instructions for this are provided) or store in your freezer for up to three months.

While there is no subscription option, customers can sign up for the company’s Steaklover Rewards program, which grants you free shipping and allows you to earn points you can use toward gourmet food items. Looking to stock your freezer? Omaha Steaks has a “Bulk Proteins” section just for this purpose. Regardless of quantity, items are packed with dry ice and shipped in a reusable insulated cooler to ensure your items remain frozen in transit.

Best for Special Occasions: Kansas City Steak Company

Kansas City Steak Company

Key Specs

Delivery Area: 50 states
Free Shipping? No
Products Arrive: Frozen

Why You Should Try It

For those looking to host a special dinner, Kansas City Steak Company has a variety of specialty cuts of beef that are bound to impress. And while beef is its specialty, the company also features a selection of sides and extras to make it a one-stop shop for a memorable meal.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Premium cuts
Money back guarantee
Offers bundles for events and holidays

Cons

Expensive in comparison with other companies
Meat does not ship free

Overview

Kansas City Steak Company has a lot to offer customers looking for premium cuts of meat. The company is especially proud of its wet-aged steaks; this is a process by which meat is sealed in an anaerobic environment, allowing it to age in its natural juices. The enzymes create beef that is both tender and flavorful. All meats arrive vacuum-sealed and frozen and can be shipped overnight if you need a meal in a hurry.

For those looking for other proteins, the company offers pork, chicken, turkey, and seafood. For the steak lovers in your life, there is even a Steak of the Month Club, giving customers the option to have some of the company’s finest cuts delivered to their door. Need accompaniments? Kansas City Steak also offers seasoning, sides, desserts, and a whole section devoted just to potatoes (we approve!).

Best Steak Delivery: Holy Grail Steak Co.

Holy Grail Steak Co.

Key Specs

Delivery Area 48 states
Free Shipping? Yes, for orders over $199
Products Arrive: Frozen

Why You Should Try It

Holy Grail Steak Co. may have other proteins on offer, but the company’s ultimate goal is to provide premium steaks that bring the steakhouse to your doorstep.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Unique chef collaborations
Steak flights and gifts
Informative recipe blog

Cons

No subscription option
Limited variety beyond steak

Overview

Holy Grail Steak Co. started when its owners went to premium steakhouses, only to be disappointed in the offerings. When they started their own company, they decided that the only way to offer the best quality meat was by sourcing from the ground up, using only animals that were humanely raised, pasture grazed, and never given antibiotics or hormones.

Customers can find a range of cuts to suit just about any taste, and the company offers specialty items like Japanese and American wagyu, dry-aged rib eyes, and “upper Prime” (top-tier USDA Prime) filet mignon. The site features both a recipe and an “Art of Steak” blog to help equip customers with the knowledge they need to cook these various cuts of beef properly, and there are even steak flights that would make a wonderful gift for the (very lucky) steak enthusiast in your life. All items are shipped frozen, and the company offers instructions on how best to thaw your steaks for optimal taste and texture for cooking.

Best for Chicken: Rastelli’s

Key Specs

Delivery Area: 48 states
Free Shipping? Yes, with $200 minimum order
Products Arrive: Frozen

Why You Should Try It

Despite its size, Rastelli’s maintains a “local butcher shop” feel while offering an impressive array of chicken products, from whole birds to humble nuggets.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Good selection of whole and prepared chicken options
Easy to filter by grade/source
Re-orderable bundles

Cons

Must spend $200 to avoid shipping fees
No overnight delivery

Overview

If you’re unable to source your chicken from your local butcher’s counter, Rastelli’s may be the next best thing. Rastelli’s chicken selection runs the gamut from chicken breasts to chicken sausage and tenders, making it easy for both home cooks who want to roast a whole bird to those who just want to get something tasty on the table with a minimum of fuss. The site also lets customers sort by grade and source, making it easy to find pasture-raised or organic birds.

Most of Rastelli’s proteins arrive frozen and packaged in dry ice, and the company is careful to ensure that most of its packaging is eligible for curbside recycling. While there is no overnight delivery option, the company does offer a subscription option, as well as “super packs” that are handy for stocking your freezer. Shipping is free if you meet the $200 order minimum.

Best Variety: iGourmet

Key Specs

Delivery Area: 50 states
Free Shipping? Yes, with a minimum $125
Products Arrive: Frozen

Why You Should Try It

iGourmet has something for just about any carnivore, with both fresh and cured meats that range from common (steak, chicken) to the unusual (wild boar, venison).

Pros and Cons

Pros

Both cured and fresh meats
Next-day delivery available to most states
Lots of pantry items

Cons

Meat subscriptions are for bacon and charcuterie only
Additional fees for delivery to Alaska and Hawaii

Overview

For an impressive array of gourmet meats and more, look no further than iGourmet. Customers can find anything from ground beef to venison, and round it out with a selection of cheeses and sweets if they prefer. The offerings include proteins more in keeping with European butcher shops than American grocery stores, such as rabbit and wild boar. There is also an impressive selection of pantry items to save you a trip to the store.

Fresh meats arrive frozen, though cured meats and other perishable items may be shipped chilled. Temperature is controlled by shipping the items with gel packs, which are reusable. While there is an array of subscription options, the only meats that qualify are bacon and charcuterie, so this service may be a better choice for those looking to find unique items than those who wish to stock their freezer.

Best for Gifts: Goldbelly

Courtesy of Goldbelly

Key Specs

Delivery Area: 50 states
Free Shipping? Varies by product
Products Arrive: Varies by product

Why You Should Try It

With a huge variety of meats, including meal kit collaborations with celebrity chefs and well-known restaurants, Goldbelly is our pick for protein-packed gifts.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Big variety of food gifts
Can filter by U.S. region (e.g. Southwest for Texas-style BBQ)
Inventive chef and restaurant collaborations

Cons

Limited subscription options
Shipping varies considerably by supplier

Overview

Goldbelly’s sheer variety of meal kits and gifts can be, if anything, a bit overwhelming. The company offers gifts and care packages that ship nationwide, with iconic names like Liebman’s Kosher Deli and Pappy’s Smokehouse on the roster of options. Customers can filter by food, restaurant, region, and more, making it much easier to sort through Goldbelly’s enormous menu.

How meats are shipped varies by the supplier, though most products are shipped frozen for guaranteed freshness upon delivery. While the company offers some subscription options, these are limited to bacon and BBQ (not the worst limitations, let’s be honest). For customers looking to give more than just meat, you could send your lucky recipient anything from soups to desserts.

Best for Pork: Porter Road

Courtesy of Porter Road

Key Specs

Delivery Area: 48 states
Free Shipping? Yes, with minimum $125 order
Products Arrive: Fresh

Why You Should Try It

Porter Road prides itself on sustainable, humane sourcing practices and ensuring that the meat it sells is hand-cut and of the highest quality.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Meat is hand-cut locally in Kentucky
Sustainability a priority
Meat ships fresh

Cons

Certain items tend to sell out
Must spend $125 to get free shipping

Overview

Porter Road began when its founders were inevitably dissatisfied with the quality of meats they could procure for their catering business. With the goal of controlling its supply chain from pasture to shipment, the company ensures that its hogs are pasture raised with no added hormones or antibiotics. Once processed, all meat is hand-cut at the company’s Kentucky facility, with the goal of both furthering quality and reducing food waste.

Porter Road offers numerous cuts of pork, with everything from ground pork and sausages to more uncommon cuts like pork jowl and shank. Each product on the website has a quick overview of where on the animal the meat comes from, along with suggestions on how best to prepare it. Meats are shipped in cardboard boxes with biodegradable insulation and arrive fresh for quick preparation.

Best for Grass-Fed Beef: Snake River Farms

Snake River Farms

Key Specs

Delivery Area: 50 states
Free Shipping? No
Products Arrive: Both fresh and frozen

Why You Should Try It

Snake River Farms offers premium beef and pork raised under stringent standards. The resulting meat is of the highest quality, with items like American wagyu beef and kurobuta pork rounding out the menu.

Pros and Cons

Pros

Cattle are grass-fed
Offers American wagyu beef
No added growth hormones or preventative antibiotics

Cons

No poultry or seafood options
No free shipping

Overview

Snake River Farms is a company that prides itself on being a true “ranch to table” operation, feeding its cattle on a strict rotational grazing schedule in the Cascade Mountains. Besides an array of filets and rib eyes, the company also offers American wagyu beef and kurobuta pork (both wagyu and kurobuta designations are based on the rich amount of marbling found in the meat, which makes it exceptionally tender and flavorful). If you have difficulty deciding what to get, the company also offers boxes that allow you to bundle and sample different types and cuts of meat.

Meats are typically shipped frozen, though dry-aged beef is shipped fresh. Items are shipped in a recyclable cardboard box lined with a biodegradable foam. For those intimidated by cooking cuts like wagyu, Snake River Farms’ website has a comprehensive list of cooking guides to help ensure your steak is seared to perfection.

Final Verdict

While it was tough to choose a favorite from among the companies we researched, Omaha Steaks ultimately won our pick for best overall meat delivery service. The company offers a huge selection of different proteins, along with sides, desserts, and wines to make it a one-stop shopping experience for customers. The Omaha Steaks’ website allows you to filter for preferences like grass-fed or pasture-raised, has plenty of bulk ordering options, and even offers overnight delivery options for customers in a hurry.

Compare the Best Meat Delivery Services

Company	Delivery Area	Free Shipping?	Products Arrive	Same-/Next-Day Shipping?	Fixed Shipping Dates?
Best Overall: Omaha Steaks	50 states	Yes, with $169 minimum	Frozen	Yes	No
Best for Special Occasions: Kansas City Steak Company	50 states	No	Frozen	Yes	Yes (varies by region)
Best Steak Delivery: Holy Grail Steak	48 states	Yes, for orders $199+	Frozen	Yes	Yes (ships Tuesday-Thursday only)
Best for Chicken: Rastelli’s	48 states	Yes, with $200+	Frozen	No	No
Best Variety: iGourmet	50 states	Yes, with $125+	Frozen	Yes	Yes (no delivery Mondays or Tuesdays)
Best for Gifts: Goldbelly	50 states	Varies by product	Varies by product	Yes	No
Best for Pork: Porter Road	48 states	Yes, with $125+	Fresh	No	No
Best for Grass-Fed Beef: Snake River Farms	50 states	No	Frozen	Yes	Yes (ships Monday through Friday only)

Frequently Asked Questions

How Do Meat Delivery Services Work?

Meat delivery services vary but tend to fall into two categories: à la carte or subscription. The former is ideal if you want total control of your order; subscriptions can be less customizable, though you can typically control your delivery cadence to suit your needs. All meat delivery services require you to input payment and shipping information before choosing how quickly you want your meat to be delivered.
Where Can You Buy Meat in Bulk Online?

Many meat delivery services offer options for customers who want to stock up their freezer. Out of the companies we reviewed, we found that Omaha Steaks and Goldbelly had the most to offer in terms of variety packs and bulk orders. Kansas City Steaks also offers variety packs and steak-of-the-month clubs for devoted carnivores.
How Much Do Meat Delivery Services Cost?

Pricing depends on the proteins and how that protein is sourced. For example, chicken is typically cheaper than beef, as it is somewhat less labor-intensive to bring chickens to maturity. How the meat is raised is also a factor, with more time-intensive methods like grass-fed and pasture-raised meats tending to cost more.
Is It Cheaper to Buy Meat Through a Meat Delivery Service Versus the Grocery Store?

A meat delivery service may be cheaper than going to the store if you factor in time and associated costs like gas. It also depends on the kind of meat you purchase; typical grocery-store chicken breasts will probably be less expensive than pasture-raised chicken, but you have to factor in features like sustainability efforts on the part of the supplier as well as quality into the price of meat delivery services.

Methodology

We looked at over 30 different companies to determine our top picks in various categories. We used criteria such as variety, sustainability, and animal welfare standards to help ensure a range of options across different categories. Our intent was to create a list with choices to suit a variety of needs and budgets.

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