Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) on Thursday argued that National Hamburger Day has become expensive under President Donald Trump‘s policies, citing sharp increases in prices of beef, buns, and pickles.
National Hamburger Day is celebrated on May 28 every year and is associated with the start of the summer grilling season.
In a post on X, Warren said, "Donald Trump ruins everything" as "Beef? Buns? Pickles? Everything costs more this year." "Even National Hamburger Day."
She criticized Trump for not caring about these higher costs and the financial situation of Americans, saying, "Donald Trump doesn't think about Americans’ financial situation."
Hamburger Price Rises
The Massachusetts senator cited higher prices across hamburger categories, with tomato, ground beef and lettuce seeing double-digit increases. Tomato spiked 22% year-over-year while ground beef jumped 20%. Lettuce climbed 19% from the year-ago levels.
Ground beef prices recently hit a record of $6.90 per pound, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, owing to the historic shortage of cattle. Trump has not yet fulfilled his Day One promise to slash beef prices.
Despite the sharp increases in beef prices, Americans continue spending heavily on steaks and burgers, according to celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck.
Prices for tomato ketchup increased 14%, while pickles saw a 12% rise from the year-ago levels.
Buns and mustard are up 4% and 1% year-over-year, respectively.
Restaurants Unleash Wave of Offers
In an effort to tap Americans' love for the day, restaurants from fast-food giants to fast-casual, including Burger King, Buffalo Wild Wings, Shake Shack (NYSE:SHAK), and Jack in the Box (NASDAQ:JACK), unleashed a wave of promotions on burgers.
Among some, Buffalo Wild Wings offered 50% off any burger ordered through Buffalo Wild Wings GO for takeout or delivery on May 28. Shake Shack offered one free burger for the purchase of $10 or more.
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