# Higher Oil, Grain and Chicken Costs Offset Relief From Falling Cattle Prices By John Kim Canonical URL: https://www.tokenpost.com/news/business/35860 Published: 2026-10-20T18:37:19.000Z Updated: 2026-10-20T18:37:19.000Z Section: Business > Cattle prices fell 9% year over year in the third quarter, while cooking oil and grain prices also rose. Chicken breast and wing prices posted annual gains in October. U.S. restaurants have limited room to cut menu prices as lower cattle costs are offset by rising cooking-oil, grain and chicken prices, leaving key food inputs mixed. Cattle prices were 9% below year-earlier levels in the third quarter, after an annual increase of 9.8% in the second quarter. The shift offered some relief on one major restaurant input, but other food costs moved higher. Soybean oil, wheat and corn prices rose during the third quarter. Chicken prices also turned higher: breast prices in October were 4% above their year-earlier level, compared with a 36% annual decline in July. Wing prices were 2% higher year over year in October after falling 28% in July. Those changes affect restaurant chains differently. At restaurant chains outside the pizza, coffee and dessert segments, beef and chicken together make up 25% to more than 35% of food input costs. Texas Roadhouse has higher protein cost exposure than Cava or Sweetgreen, reflecting its beef-heavy menu. The restaurant cost pressure comes alongside a 1.8% annual rise in [U.S. grocery prices through September](). Together, the figures show that lower cattle prices have not brought broad declines across food costs for restaurants or grocery shoppers. Cattle futures point to a 1.4% year-over-year rise in the fourth quarter and a 3.9% increase from the third quarter. That outlook leaves cattle as another input cost to watch as restaurants weigh whether they have room for broad menu price cuts. ## Links in this article - [U.S. grocery prices through September](https://www.tokenpost.com/news/investing/35737)