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Imagine this: you're standing in front of your grill, the smell of hickory smoke wafting through the air, and your mouth watering in anticipation of that perfectly cooked brisket or ribs. Now, what if we told you that you could have high-quality, premium meats delivered right to your doorstep on a regular basis?
That's the beauty of BBQ subscriptions for true meat-lovers: it's like Christmas morning (or maybe the 4th of July?) every time a new shipment arrives. First, let's talk about why BBQ subscriptions are an absolute game-changer for grill masters like you.
Sunday, February 9th
Pig of the Month brings the deliciousness of backyard-style BBQ meats and sauces right to your doorstep, delivering nationwide. With a motto of "We put love in our BBQ. You bring it to the table," the company's founder recalls fondly how family vacations always revolved around seeking out local BBQ hot spots. Disappointed by other mail-order meat services, Lea and her family were inspired to create something better.
You'll always know what you're getting
Pig of the Month doesn't leave you in the dark about what you'll get in their BBQ subscription boxes: each month is planned in advance, and every delivery includes at least one meat, plus sauces and/or sides. Take a look at the schedule:
Packaged to stay cold, then store it in fridge or freezer
Whatever's scheduled for your delivery, it'll come in an insulated cooler with plenty of dry ice (and you can even recycle the cooler when you're done). Everything is shipped fresh and can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 weeks, or pop it in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Ship now or later, it's up to you
We also love that you can either have your first delivery sent as soon as possible (within 2-3 business days, usually) or have it held for a future delivery date. (We didn't see a limit to how far out in the future you can schedule your first BBQ subscription box to go out, so "go you” if you're planning waaaaaaaay ahead!) You can enter a gift message in the checkout if you're planning this as a tasty surprise, too.
Takes requests
In the checkout, you can also indicate if you have any special requests. That's really unusual for a BBQ subscription provider, and we're here for it. And look how nicely they put it: "Do you have any allergies, flavor preferences, or want some extra sauce on the side? Here's your chance to let us know and we will do our best to make it happen”. That's some great customer service right there!
Surprisingly affordable
We hear you asking, "What's the damage?” This delicious BBQ subscription club isn't as expensive as you might think: $297 for a 3-month subscription and $595 for a 6-month plan, with all shipping costs included (though you may want to add the one-time $5 for 100% Hassle-Free Shipping Insurance to "protect your package from damage, theft, and delays”). If you figure that each box contains enough for a meal serving at least four people, and then run the numbers on what you'd normally spend to get good BBQ out somewhere, then add in the convenience of getting all that dig-in, finger-lickin' goodness at home? We'd say it's worth it.
Satisfaction guaranteed
We were a little surprised to see that Pig of the Month only offers customer service from Monday through Thursday, 9A-5P EST. Guess they get their grill on offsite from Friday through Sunday! But we're not concerned that their team won't help out if there's an issue: they offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee, offering either a replacement or a store credit if you're not happy with anything you get.
Nearly 2,000 five-star reviews
How about reputation? The Better Business Bureau doesn't have enough information to offer a rating for Pig of the Month. No news is good news? Fortunately, there's plenty to go on outside of the BBB: we found over 1,800 reviews averaging out to 4.94 out of 5 stars. While most of the reviews are for specific products (and not always related to ones you'll get in the BBQ subscription box), it's still encouraging to see how well-loved Pig of the Month's offerings are. Comments include things like "I have been ordering BBQ ribs from POTM for as long as I can remember”, "best ribs I've ever had”, and "great customer service”.
Best all-around BBQ subscription box
So now you know why Pig of the Month is our #1 pick among BBQ subscription boxes. The meats are amazing, the packages come with plenty of sides and extras to take your meal above and beyond, and the customer service here is absolutely on point. You won't regret making Pig of the Month your go-to source of monthly meat deliveries.
Nestled in the picturesque rolling Iowa River bluff country of rural Louisa County, Iowa, Acorn Bluff Farm is home to the coveted Mangalitsa Pork, often dubbed the Kobe Beef of Pork. The farm is named for its idyllic setting, steeped in nearly two centuries of sustainable agricultural tradition.
Steward of the land and its products
Acorn Bluff Farm is more than just a pork producer; it's a steward of the land. With Seth, one of the owners, residing in an 1830s farmhouse on the property, the farm embodies a commitment to preserving its local food heritage. From cultivating pumpkins and Indian corn to raising their renowned Mangalitsa pork, Acorn Bluff Farm embraces its rich history while epitomizing the ethos of the modern local food movement. As the farm looks toward the future, it eagerly anticipates continued growth and evolution, staying true to its roots while adapting to meet the demands of discerning palates and sustainable agriculture practices.
Nothing precooked: add your own spin on your own time
One of the ways Acorn Bluff Farm has moved into the new millennium is through its BBQ subscription boxes. But, don't come expecting anything pre-cooked and already slathered in sauce: the meats you get here are meant to go into your fridge or freezer, so that you can prepare them in your favorite ways. The "BBQ” really refers to the fact that you could be cooking them barbecue-style, so keep that in mind.
4 subscription box choices
Good news: shipping is included on all of the BBQ subscription boxes here. Here are your options with Acorn Bluff Farm:
Refunds are for shipping problems only
What about customer satisfaction? While you can get a refund if something went wrong with shipping and your meat arrived spoiled, that's about it. If for some reason you don't like the way the bacon tastes, or the sausages aren't spiced to your liking, Acorn Bluff Farm regretfully won't be able to give you your money back.
Highly praised pork
Fortunately, it's really unlikely that's going to happen. From the Testimonials page to the reviews left on individual products, everyone raves about the pork products from Acorn Bluff Farms. "Best brat I've ever had.” "100% worth the hype.” "Best pork chop I've ever had in my 65 years.” And those are just a few of the many compliments you'll find. Of course, if you're not sure about jumping into a recurring subscription, you can always visit the a la carte shop and order some of those brats, chops, or other cuts as a one-off first.
A BBQ subscription box that's ethical and affordable
So, while this BBQ subscription box option goes a little outside of what's provided by most of the other options on our list, it's definitely a winner. Why not save yourself a trip to the farmer's market (if there's even one near you) and have the most succulent Mangalitsa pork brought right to your home several times a year? We're all about the way Acorn Bluff Farms takes care of the land and the animals, and we give them a very high rating as a BBQ subscription box you'll feel good about ordering.
Maurice's Piggie Park, a third-generation family business, specializes in gourmet pit-cooked BBQ, crafting hundreds of pounds of meat daily at their restaurants. To bring that authentic South Carolina flavor to your dinner table, they provide the BBQ of the Month Club, offering meats, sides, spices, rubs, and sauces enjoyed by their loyal restaurant customers.
See exactly what's in each month's delivery
The monthly BBQ subscription here delivers all of the restaurant's best-sellers, including not only the St. Louis-style ribs and tender pulled pork, but also sides like Carolina hash, their famous sauces and rubs, and so on. And, they don't keep it a secret what's in each box. You can subscribe for 3, 6, 9, or 12 months, but once you see what's included, you'll have a hard time resisting that full-year subscription. See for yourself:
You'll love the price
Wondering what it costs? Maurice's Piggie Park is crazy affordable. You can get 3 months for $199 (total, not per delivery), 6 months for $389, 9 months for $549, or 12 months for $699. No, we're not kidding! Yes, there's a one-time shipping fee of $47 (2 business days) or $90 (1 business day) regardless of subscription length, but do the math and you'll see what a great value that actually is.
Restaurant patrons are enthusiastic
As for reputation, you'll have to rely on what others say about the restaurants since there's no specific feedback available for the Piggie Park BBQ subscription club. However, if you're a BBQ enthusiast, particularly fond of Carolina-style flavors, chances are you'll enjoy what they offer: the restaurant patrons sure do.
Great choice for a BBQ subscription box
Maurice's Piggie Park is a well-rounded option among BBQ subscription boxes. It's a perfect blend of meats, sauces, sides, and more, giving you a restaurant-type taste that you can enjoy right in your own backyard without ever firing up the grill. Although we'd love to see some reviews from this club's subscribers, the restaurant's track record is strong enough for us to give this subscription a high rating.
Vincent's Meat Market is a proudly family-owned-and-operated Italian butcher shop based in New York City. For over 70 years, they've carefully sourced all kinds of meat from reputable farms, offering hand-cut, never-frozen selections to loyal customers who return year after year.
Pay just $4/serving
Vincent's offers a Grilling Subscription Box that comes with all-fresh, never frozen cuts that are perfectly ready for your next cookout. Each box has 10-15 pounds of various meats, with enough servings for approximately 30 meals. At a per-box price of just $125.99, that works out to just over $4 per serving.
Nice variety of meats in every box
What kinds of cuts can you expect? Here's what Vincent's shows as a sample selection, though what you get from month-to-month will vary based on both the season and on customer feedback:
Gets spendy when you add shipping/processing
We'd say snag whatever savings you can, because the per-box cost goes up here once you get to the checkout. While it may vary based on where you're sending your BBQ subscription box, we filled in the details for a customer in FL (just to see if it would involve any special cold-packaging surcharge) and got a $3.99 processing fee and a charge of $29.99 for FedEx Overnight on each shipment. That brings the per-box price up to $155.98; do the math on 10-15 pounds of meat and you're looking at a per-pound price of at least $10.
Customer service for online shoppers isn't fantastic
Vincent's Meat Market can be a little hit or miss when it comes to customer service for online customers. For example, on the BBQ subscription box, there was a promotion for free steak pinwheels for life... but the offer expired three years prior to our review. Even the site copyright was two years out of date as of the time of this review. We also noticed that the headline on the Grilling Subscription Box said that pricing starts at $119.99 for delivery every two months, but the dropdown only showed $125.99 no matter which frequency we selected. We called during regular business hours and selected the prompt for all website/online inquiries, but got directed to a (full) voicemail box. We even emailed the customer service account given in the voicemail message, but we never heard back.
Gets a lot of love from repeat customers
However, the reputation of the store overall is excellent, averaging 4.7 out of 5 stars across nearly 300 reviews on Google alone. We double-checked to make sure those reviews weren't all from years ago, and it was good to see that quite a few were left within a few weeks of our visit. While you'll see a few complaints from online customers who didn't think the meats they received were of the quality they were expecting, the vast majority of Vincent's in-person and online shoppers come away happy. We were particularly encouraged to see reviews from loyal patrons who have been getting their meats from Vincent's for over 50 years.
Cautiously optimistic rating
Bottom line: we're not sure this BBQ subscription box is going to be the most amazing thing you've ever received. If something arrives in less-than-perfect condition or tastes off, you're not going to have an easy time getting a hold of anyone at Vincent's Meat Market to make it right. But, if you're willing to take a chance on the online department of a meat specialist with a long track record of high-quality cuts at its in-person store, this BBQ membership is worth a try. We give Vincent's Meat Market a just-above-average rating for now, with the hope and expectation that they'll work out some of the kinks in their online service in the future.
The mastery of barbecue reigns supreme at Lewis Barbecue in Charleston, SC. A journey marked by a fervent dedication to the craft, founder John Lewis' expertise stems from his roots in Austin, TX, where his culinary adventure began.
Passion meets promise
From experimenting with backyard barbecues to honing his skills on the competition circuit, Lewis's passion for smoked meats led him to Charleston, where he unveiled Lewis Barbecue in June 2016. Renowned for his expertly smoked pork spareribs, beef ribs, and legendary beef brisket, Lewis Barbecue quickly earned accolades as one of the country's best BBQ joints. Now, with nationwide shipping available through the online shop, barbecue aficionados everywhere can experience the savory delights of Lewis Barbecue's Texas-inspired fare.
No monthly BBQ deliveries offered
What do you get in your BBQ subscription box from Lewis Barbecue? We wish we could tell you, but they're pretty tight-lipped about what's inside each box. But here's what we do know. First, it's a seasonal delivery. So, when it talks about a 3-month or 6-month subscription, they're telling you how often you'll get your meat-in-a-box (so quarterly or twice a year). If you want a monthly membership, Lewis Barbecue isn't the place for you.
All you'll know is how many servings are in the box
Next, your subscription options only vary by the number of servings. You'll pay $150 for a box that serves 8-10, $300 for one that has 12-14 servings, and $500 for 14-18 servings. Servings of what? All Lewis Barbecue reveals is that it's designed specifically for their customers in this "VIP program”, and might include seasonal products like Prime Rib in December. That's it. They don't disclose what previous boxes have included, or show photos of happy customers munching down on some amazing BBQ. It gives the impression that this subscription box isn't exactly Lewis' bread-and-butter.
Don't forget the shipping fees
Lewis Barbecue ships out its boxes from Monday through Wednesday via FedEx Overnight, but you can schedule when your order will leave Charleston (within those parameters) so that your delivery arrives when you're ready. Oh, and by the way: shipping is not included in the subscription price. So, on that $500 Gold tier subscription, you should anticipate paying about $45 per delivery. $545 for a mystery meat box? Maybe not...
You'll have to get at least two shipments
We thought it was interesting to see this stipulation: "Please note that a subscription will run at least twice before cancellation is applicable.” On the one hand, we like that Lewis Barbecue lets you pay as you go, so that you're not stuck with a huge upfront cost for something you might not like. On the other hand, it seems a little iffy to say, "Hey, too bad if you don't like what you got the first time; you're getting (and paying for) the next delivery either way.”
Restaurant-goers give it 5 stars
We're pretty confident that Lewis Barbecue overall is a crowd-pleaser. Looking at nearly 2000 reviews for the restaurant on Yelp, most of them are 5 stars. People absolutely rave about the brisket, compliment the meats as "real deal TX BBQ”, drool over the pulled pork, you get the idea.
Not enough info on the subscriptions
But does that translate into an amazing BBQ subscription box? It could, but Lewis Barbecue doesn't really do anything to make that apparent. They don't even tell you what you'll get or how much.
Room for improvement that we hope to see
Until this restaurant puts as much effort into its membership plan as it puts into its in-person service, we can't give it a higher rating. You've got other options for great BBQ subscription boxes, ones that do a lot more to show you what you're getting and why you should hurry and sign up. Lewis Barbecue has a ways to go (but we're hopeful that they'll do better in our next review).
Founded on the belief that great food knows no boundaries, Goldbelly offers a mouthwatering array of gourmet delights, from New York-style bagels to Memphis barbecue to San Francisco sourdough. With a simple online platform, hungry customers can browse and order their favorite regional specialties, all shipped fresh to their doorstep. Whether you're craving a taste of home or eager to explore new culinary frontiers, Goldbelly brings the flavors of America's best eateries right to your kitchen, including BBQ meats via subscription.
Really light on the details of what's in each box
Goldbelly doesn't give you too many details about their Monthly BBQ Subscription. You can choose a 3- or a 6-month plan at $109.95/month (with shipping included in the price). What's inside? It's a surprise every time, but it "could” have things like North Carolina's King's BBQ Ribs & Pulled Pork, Mighty Quinn's BBQ from NYC, Central BBQ's Dry Rub Ribs from Memphis, and so on. We assume that it comes either fresh and well-insulated/chilled or maybe even frozen, but Goldbelly's details don't offer any clues.
Can serve at least 4
How much is included in each subscription box? Great question, because Goldbelly only says it's enough to "serve at least 4 people”. Are we talking about people-with-a-big appetite? Because $109.95 works out to be more than $25 per serving. Will each box have more than one type of meat? We doubt it, and we wish Goldbelly went into more detail.
Pop-up discount isn't valid on memberships
We'd like to tell you that you can save $20 on your Goldbelly BBQ subscription box by entering your email in the pop-up box. Unfortunately, when you read the terms, subscriptions are part of what they mean when they say, "restrictions apply”.
We've got some concerns right off the bat
Goldbelly's BBQ subscription box leaves us feeling a little... unsettled. Why? First off, there are absolutely no reviews. It isn't even that there haven't been any left; Goldbelly just doesn't give customers a way to leave feedback. That wouldn't be the worst thing in the world, but when we noticed the outdated information in the description (letting us know when last year's holiday orders would be delivered... ) and even a misspelling of the company email ("@goldbely.com” instead of "@goldbelly.com), red flags definitely popped up.
Reputation is bad
And yet, somehow Goldbelly as a whole still gets an "A-” rating and accreditation from the Better Business Bureau. There were nearly 200 complaints filed with the BBB over the last three years, but yes, Goldbelly did respond to them. However, the content of those complaints is telling: "our order never arrived and yet Goldbelly won't give us a refund.” We saw that kind of issue over and over, and when we looked at Goldbelly's stated policy, it's true: "Goldbelly does not offer refunds on any orders. All items are final sale.”
File a complaint if you want customer service
If your package is damaged due to carrier mishandling, they'll consider it on a "case-by-case basis”. Reviews say that even on orders that came days or weeks late (or not at all), Goldbelly would maybe offer a replacement or a store credit; it seemed to take a filed complaint with the BBB (or a dispute with the credit card company) to have any chance of a refund. And imagine prepaying for a 3- or 6-month subscription, hating it from the first month, and not being able to get a prorated refund even for what hasn't come yet?
Don't bother with this BBQ box
The Goldbelly's BBQ subscription box has earned a lower rating in our review. And, honestly, that's heavily propped up by the BBB's better-than-average rating, because everything we see elsewhere tells the story of an online retailer that is not in any way committed to your satisfaction. Lucky for you, there are plenty of rivals out there that can get the meats you want to your doorstep with no hassle. You're better off skipping Goldbelly.
Convenience is king, right? No more last-minute trips to the grocery store hoping they have the cut of meat you're craving. With a subscription service, you can often customize your delivery to include your favorite cuts, and maybe get some seasonings or sides you've been craving. Plus, it takes the guesswork out of meal planning - you'll always have a delicious protein on hand to throw on the grill. (Or, better yet, reheat-and-eat because all the hard work was done for you.)
But it's not just about convenience - it's about quality too. Some BBQ subscriptions focus on ethically sourced, pasture-raised meats, carefully curated by experts who are just as passionate about BBQ as you are. These subscriptions often partner with local farms and artisanal producers to bring you the freshest, most flavorful meats possible. And let's not forget about the variety. From classic BBQ staples like ribs and brisket to specialty cuts like wagyu beef and Berkshire pork, there's something to satisfy every craving.
And let's not overlook the fact that a BBQ subscription makes the perfect gift for your favorite meat-lover. Think about it: what could be better than receiving a box full of mouthwatering meats every month? It's like giving them the gift of endless BBQ possibilities. Whether they're a seasoned pitmaster or just a huge fan of another grillmaster's talents, a subscription service will take their BBQ game to the next level. Plus, it's a gift that keeps on giving - because every time they eat a savory mouthful, they'll think of you and your thoughtful present.
Now, when it comes to choosing the right BBQ subscription, there are a few key factors to consider. Here are five criteria to keep in mind as you compare your options:
To help you on your quest for the perfect monthly meat membership (say that three times fast!), the BBQ-loving experts at Top Consumer Reviews have reviewed and ranked today's most popular BBQ subscription boxes. With this helpful info in mind, you'll soon be well on your way to finding the perfect BBQ subscription for you or your favorite meat-lover. So fire up the grill, crack open a cold one, and get ready to elevate your BBQ game to legendary status!
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