At Carnivore Style, we want a few simple things for our meat delivery service deals - fresh meat; fast (and free) delivery; and good sourcing practices.
But, selecting the best online service can be a bit tricky. We've had our share of late orders, wrong packages, and smelly meats.
That's why we did in-depth research to come up with reputable and trustworthy brands. You don't have to worry next time when you want fresh and quality meat on your table, because we have listed the best meat delivery services for you to try without worry.
The Best Meat Delivery Services
- Best Overall Meat Delivery Service: ButcherBox
- Cheapest Meat for Regular Deliveries: Crowd Cow
- Beast Wagyu Meat Delivery Service: Snake River Farms
- Best Steak Delivery Service: Holy Grail
- Best Pork Meat Delivery Option: Good Chop
- Best Grass-Fed Meat Delivery Service: ButcherBox
- Best Seafood Delivery Service: Thrive Market
- Best Free Shipping Meat Delivery Service: ButcherBox
- Best Customer Support Meat Delivery Service: Holy Grail
- Best Subscription for Regular Meat Deliveries: Good Chop
Top 11 Online Meat Delivery Service Companies
1 - ButcherBox (Best Overall, Grass-Fed and Free Shipping)
- Free shipping even for mixed box
- Order can be canceled anytime
- You can select a delivery frequency
- Focused on caring about animals and improving livelihoods for farmers
- Lacks better control of what’s in the box
If you are looking for the best meat delivery service, you should definitely consider ButcherBox.
They deliver 100% grass-fed and grass-finished beef, free-range organic chicken, and heritage breed pork directly to your door.
They source their products from partners with high standards for quality, and this is something that you will see from their package to flavor.
You can get a range of different cuts, from ground beef, and American Wagyu, to filet mignon, at a good value.
Their claims of sending only ethically sourced meats are true, as every cut is of high quality. Not only that, but their cuts are also easy to prepare, each with a rich and flavorful taste. Their home delivery service is highly customer-oriented, as they go the extra mile to answer all your questions and meet your needs.
ButcherBox’s meat selection review gives you the option of selecting from 4 curated boxes or creating your custom box full of high-quality products for your meat subscription orders.
2 - Crowd Cow (Budget-Friendly Meat Selection)
- Humanely raised hormone-free beef
- Supporting local and independent producers
- Recyclable and compostable boxes
- Shipping is not free
Crowd Cow is the marketplace for quality craft beef and pork from farms and ranches around the world.
They work only with farms that they know personally.
Crowd Cow considers it very important to know where and how animals were raised and proudly discover new, independent farms to work with.
This is something that matters to me, and I was excited to try their offer – and they didn't disappoint. Meat was juicy and fresh.
They have various options like ground beef, wagyu beef, and dry-aged ribeye steak. You can search for Crowd Cow meat delivery products by the farm or by cut.
3 - Good Chop (Best Pork & Delivery Subscription)
- Locally sourced meat
- Wide range of beef and pork cuts
- Free shipping
- Only two subscription boxes
Good Chop found its spot on the list of best meat delivery services because they only sell meat from domestic family farms and fisheries.
All Good Chop animals are raised responsibly, without any hormones or antibiotics.
Good Chop only works with farms and fisheries that provide sufficient space, water, and a healthy diet to the animals.
This online meat delivery service provides two subscription boxes to choose from, one of which lets you choose which cuts you want to receive. No matter which box you go for, you’ll get free shipping, and this claim comes from our experience. Next to delivery on time, this was a plus.
They also provide a 100% satisfaction guarantee, so you can shop for quality meat with ease of mind.
4 - Snake River Farms (Best Wagyu)
- Snake River Farms has good quality products
- Dry-aged technique which maximizes the flavor and texture of the beef
- Monthly subscription
- Snake River Farms can be pretty expensive
Snake River Farms is a family-owned and operated business, selling and shipping high-quality products like beef, pork, and poultry.
They are not outsourcing but controlling their entire supply chain from the ranches where the cattle are raised to in-house customer care teams.
Through this, Snake River Farms can ensure quality and consistency. From easy ordering online, over delivery on time, and delicious steaks, they are really worth the extra pay. We loved that ordering online is simple and fast, while products are fresh and rich in flavor.
Snake River Farms have impressive service and high-quality products like dry-aged American wagyu.
5 - Porter Road
- Pasture-raised, grass-fed beef with no hormones or antibiotics
- Most of their products are not frozen
- Sustainable practices in packaging
- Strange smell when the product comes out of the vacuum-sealed bag
Porter Road specializes in selecting the best ground beef from local farms and doing their butchering.
Porter Road sources all their meat directly from family-owned farms and just from communicating with them you can feel how much care they put in every segment of their delivery, from ordering to packaging. Every meat was carefully packed and fresh upon delivery.
All their animals are farm-raised with the highest animal husbandry and environmental standards outside on pasture, free-range, never in a concentrated animal feed operation or feedlot. It's a practice that Porter Road continues to uphold [1].
6 - Holy Grail (Best Steaks & Customer Support)
- The rarest and world-class steaks selection, such as sirloin steaks
- Good shipping and packaging service
- Good customer service
- No subscription service
Holy Grail is also one of the best meat shipping services. It is a premium online service, and its goal is to deliver Michelin-star restaurants and elite steakhouses the best experience at your home.
I loved that I got high-quality steak, fresh and juicy, at home that I could cook on my recipes.
They offer high-quality products such as Japanese wagyu or authentic Kobe Beef and are proud of their independently selected partners.
Plus, I really loved that you could order a portable infrared grill via their website delivered in a few business days.
If you wish to learn more about this company, be sure to read our Holy Grail Steaks review.
“A steak only tastes as good as it was raised.”
- Vigneron Cameron Hughes, Holy Grail Owner
7 - Thrive Market (Best for Seafood)
- Good prices for products like wild-caught seafood
- Follow sustainable agriculture practices allowing animals to eat their natural diet
- Variety of products
- Limited selection
Thrive Market works like an online grocery store, but they are also known for their meat section.
They deliver grass-fed meat, pasture-raised pork, free-range poultry, and wild-caught seafood.
This meat delivery service highly respects regenerative farming, rotational grazing, and the ethical treatment of animals [2].
Overall, Thrive Market has an impressive selection of various products — everything from meat, seafood, and even pet lines.
Their website really makes ordering easy, customizable, and fast. Plus, you get a significant free gift on your first order - it lets me taste even more!
Thrive Market only works with partners who can support these holistic philosophies.
8 - Carnivore Club
- Package includes a handbook with details about the product
- Free shipping and cancel anytime
- Dry-aged assortment
- Meat can be chewy and too hard to eat
Carnivore Club was the first meat delivery service that offered premium cured meats.
Every month, the company features a new artisan who creates some of the finest cured products you can order, making every box unique.
For less than $100, I received a Mega meat box containing meat sticks, jerky, and artisan salamis. It was also shipped for free.
Another convenient feature I found was the option to order accessories via their site, such as a serving board with a knife set, which is incredibly useful.
Carnivore Club offers only cured and sealed meats, so they're shelf-stable and don't require refrigeration or ice-packs during transit.
9 - Fossil Farms
- Free of antibiotics, steroids, or hormones
- Independently owned farms and ranches
- Wide selection compatible with many diets
- Poor packaging
Fossil Farms specializes in providing quality farm-raised wild game, game birds, exotic meats, and all-natural meats.
They are like a one-stop-shop meat delivery service - whether you’re looking to diversify your menu, shopping for nutritious products, or sourcing protein for specialized diets, they have something to offer.
They do offer standard poultry, but I was wowed by their game meats, ranging from ostrich to venison. They are one of the few services that provide exotics and game birds.
Fossil Farms meat delivery like to innovate and are always searching for healthy and sustainable alternatives to conventional red meat.
10 - Omaha Steaks
- Omaha Steaks has variety of beef and pork products
- Omaha Steaks offer a satisfaction money-back guarantee
- Donation to chosen charity from selected Omaha Steaks purchases
- Not 100% grass-fed beef
Omaha Steaks is one of the oldest meat delivery service businesses and one of the largest meat providers.
Their steaks could be juicier, I liked that each steak was individually vacuum-sealed. Their prices are truly budget-friendly, and they do offer free shipping.
Omaha Steaks provide quality beef, pork, and poultry, which makes them one of the best online meat delivery services today.
11 - Farm Foods
- 100% Grass feed and grass-finished beef
- Healthy food on budget
- Easy subscription
- Shipping to Alaska, Hawaii, and USVI are not free
Farm Foods meat delivery service delivers affordable products without making sacrifices on quality.
By bringing back the authentic original concept of nourishing flavorful meats, Farm Foods provides grass-fed beef, free-range organic chicken breasts, and heritage pork raised by family-run farms.
There are seven boxes to choose from, depending on your preferred cuts. You can also select the frequency and quantity of the packages you want to be delivered to your doorstep.
What to Take into Consideration When Choosing the Best Meat Delivery Service
When choosing the best meat delivery service, take into consideration the product category, brand, price, and order procedure. Whether you prefer organic or game meats, only bison or lobster, or the best meat boxes, you can find the best meat delivery service for you.
We’ve ranked them according to the mentioned criteria to make it easier for you to choose. Check them out in the table below.
There are several things to which you should pay attention before choosing the best meat delivery service for your needs.
1. Product Variety
Depending on your needs, you can select the best meat delivery services based on the product variety they offer.
If you are searching for a large quantity and weekly stock, you will definitely look for the meat delivery service that can provide different types and cuts, like dry-aged or wagyu beef.
We all like the possibility of being able to choose. But if you are searching for something specific and rare, like exotic meat Japanese wagyu, or a la carte cuts, for example, you have to be aware that your choices may be limited.
2. Meat Quality
There is no doubt that this will be your primary concern when visiting the next online butcher shop. After all, you have selected this option because you don’t want to buy convenient meat from the local grocery store.
Most well-respected companies are publishing transparent information about their products and how animals are fed and treated. You will find out precisely what kind of food they were given if they are antibiotic-free or were treated with hormones or if the meat is certified.
“The food you eat can be either the safest and most powerful form of medicine or the slowest form of poison.”
– Ann Wigmore, Natural Health Institute
3. Packaging and Transport
Most of the services that deliver meat online send their best beef, chicken, and pork nationwide.
If you live in New York, New Jersey, or anywhere else in the US, you will receive your package straight to your door. Some of them will even send it to the rest of the world.
Meat is a very sensitive product, so to receive it fresh and with all nutrients, it needs to be packed properly.
When we were searching for the best online meat delivery services, we learned a lot about the way they are distributing their products.
Most of them will send their products frozen, and to be delivered frozen on your door, they need a specific box.
Pay attention to this when you make your next order, as this may be the most crucial reason you are not receiving the quality you have ordered.
4. Price
Expect to pay more for a mail order specific product like wagyu beef, ground beef, filet mignon, New York strip steak, or those you can’t find almost anywhere.
Some companies will charge more for their high-tier meat and grass-fed beef, specially grazed on a small local independent farm.
There are also online butchers for more convenient and well-known options, which will offer a lower price than competitors.
There are several options you can find among our recommended selection of meat delivery service.
5. Refunds
Meat is a sensitive product, and most businesses dealing with delivering online won’t consider returning or refunds.
They are giving you the option to cancel your order anytime, but you can’t do much when the order is already sent.
Some companies will still offer refunds if you are not satisfied with an order for some meat categories.
6. Subscription services
Most of the services we have mentioned offer the possibility of a subscription. If you want your favorite a la carte dry-aged beef, filet mignon, pork chops, or American wagyu beef to be delivered regularly in New York, for example, then the best meat delivery boxes that they offer will work ideally for you.
Some businesses will even provide free meat delivery for their regular meat subscription customers.
7. Online reputation
Nowadays, one butcher shop selling beef, pork, lamb, or chicken online can not hide anything.
No matter what they offer - the variety of cuts, a wide selection of boneless pork chops, lamb, and chicken products, top-notch beef humanely raised or organic chicken - everything will be commented on various websites and communities.
We did a lot of research before we selected the best 10 online services on many parameters. The online reputation of each of the companies we have examined helped me to make the final decision.
3 Ways on How to Select Healthy and Top Quality Piece of Meat
When purchasing meat from online meat delivery services, consider these three essential aspects to ensure you select a healthy and top-quality piece of meat.
1. Know Their Origin
If you eat animal proteins, it is essential to pay attention to their origin. In many countries, animals are given hormones and antibiotics to stimulate their growth and make the breeding process faster and more cost-effective.
Various additives are also added to improve the taste, smell, or color and the product’s safety and sustainability. Select healthy, antibiotic-free, and non-GMO products.
2. Avoid Meat That Contains Nitrates and Hormones
Nitrates are preservatives added to meat to maintain color and extend shelf life. They are mainly added to meat products and give them a pink hue. It is recommended to avoid them, as it may lead to many health-related issues.
3. Choose Grass-fed Meat
By using one of the best organic meat delivery services, you'll receive meat from an animal that has been raised the way nature has arranged it.
Many farmers grain feed the animals with corn and other cereals to increase their body weight, ultimately affecting the product’s quality.
Such meat has far more saturated fat than one of the grass-fed animals.
FAQs
Is Meat from An Online Service Fresh?
Online service meat is generally fresh; reputable providers prioritize their reputation, particularly those offering premium hormone-free and USDA prime products. Carefully review their website details or consider the services I recommended to ensure quality.
How Do Meat Delivery Services Keep the Food Fresh in Transit?
Many meat delivery services always keep the food fresh in transit using special packages and dry ice to preserve all products’ best nutrition. When you buy meat online, it has to be delivered right. Otherwise, they are risking sending a mail order with defective products.
Where Do Meat Delivery Services Source Their Beef, Pork, and Lamb From?
Meat delivery services primarily source from grass-fed farms, particularly for ground pork, chicken thighs, and beef. Opt for farmers who independently select animals and use ground feed to ensure antibiotic-free products. This is challenging with large retail chains.
The Best Meat Delivery Company
We have tried all the best meat delivery services we have mentioned in this article, and after months of research, we have come to the conclusion that ButcherBox stands out as the most impressive meat shipping service.
The subscription service went smoothly, we received mail confirmation very fast, and we were able to start ordering the next day.
They have various boxes to choose from, so those who prefer beef only or mixed meat are most likely to find the perfect combination. The best part is their grass-fed animals and pasture-raised chicken options.
The quality of their products, packaging, and shipping experience went well with our needs.
ButcherBox (Best Overall, Grass-Fed and Free Shipping)
Our #1 Recommendation
Rated With Carnivore Style's Scoring System
- Free shipping even for mixed box
- Order can be canceled anytime
- You can select a delivery frequency
- Focused on caring about animals and improving livelihoods for farmers
- Lacks better control of what’s in the box
References:
- https://www.cnfarmsllc.com/s/stories/benefits-of-farm-raised-meats
- https://www.ethicalfarmingfund.org/ethical-farming
With the finest meat delivery services listed above, you can get the highest-quality fresh or frozen meat delivered right to your door. They are highly commended!