The State of Steak: Cargill Report Says Consistency Drives Diner Loyalty on Beef

Reliable, clearly graded middle meats still anchor demand; programs that deliver consistent eating quality and simple, confidence-building menus capture more repeat visits—and more value—back through the beef chain.

MINNEAPOLIS, MN – Steak still signals quality and celebration, but Cargill’s first “State of Steak – Foodservice Edition” says restaurants win loyalty by nailing the basics: doneness, tenderness, presentation, and clear menu cues.

The report finds that one in four steak customers left unhappy with their last restaurant steak—most often due to inconsistent cooking or cuts—at a time when past experiences are the top driver of where guests dine.

Guests gravitate to the “Big Four” cutsribeye, sirloin, filet, New York strip—and increasingly expect visible grading, flexible portion sizes, and straightforward language that makes ordering easy and exciting.

Cargill urges operators to tighten both back- and front-of-house execution: train servers to guide customers on cut and doneness choices, empower kitchens to meet specifications consistently, highlight quality signals (e.g., USDA grade, “no artificial ingredients”), and pair steaks with promotions that tap into celebration and comfort.

Farm-Level Takeaway: Reliable, clearly graded middle meats still anchor demand; programs that deliver consistent eating quality and simple, confidence-building menus capture more repeat visits—and more value—back through the beef chain.
Related Stories
Researchers in Denmark and St. Jude Hospital submitted a new study for peer review providing new insight into how High Path Avian Flu (HPAI) H5N1 in dairy cattle differs from avian cases.
Host Janie Johnson gets an inside look at the AQHA’s “Best of the Remuda” award winning ABar Ranch as they host their annual horse sale, an exciting event you have to see to believe.
RanchHER TV Host Janie Johnson enjoys a rip-roaring time with Morgan & Scotlyn Flitner, tenacious sisters working the family ranch, raising horses & cattle on 300,000 acres of Wyoming badlands.
Tue, 4/30/24 – 9 PM ET | 8 PM CT | 7 PM MT | 6 PM PT
RanchHER TV Host Janie Johnson joins lifelong neighbors Charity Staeffler and Sarah Kropf for a cold, icy adventure herding cattle through Oregon’s Blue Mountains.
RanchHER TV Host Janie Johnson joins lifelong neighbors Charity Staeffler and Sarah Kropf for a cold, icy adventure herding cattle through Oregon’s Blue Mountains.
After months of declining consumer egg prices, buyers could be facing a sharp increase in costs as prices surge upwards once again.

Tony St. James joined the RFD-TV talent team in August 2024, bringing a wealth of experience and a fresh perspective to RFD-TV and Rural Radio Channel 147 Sirius XM. In addition to his role as Market Specialist (collaborating with Scott “The Cow Guy” Shellady to provide radio and TV audiences with the latest updates on ag commodity markets), he hosts “Rural America Live” and serves as talent for trade shows.

LATEST STORIES BY THIS AUTHOR:

Water access—not acreage alone—is driving where irrigation expands or contracts.
Credit stress is building for row-crop farms despite steady land values and slight price improvements.
The Lexington shutdown pushes national slaughter capacity utilization nearer long-run averages, underscoring how tight cattle supplies are reshaping packer operations.
Texas livestock producers face a heightened biosecurity threat as New World screwworm detections in northern Mexico coincide with FDA approval of the first topical treatment.
Working capital is tightening for crop farms, increasing reliance on operating loans even as land values steady in the broader sector.
Higher ocean freight raises export costs just as global grain competition intensifies.