How Much Does a Rack of Lamb Cost?

Updated on September 1, 2026 | Written by Alec Pow
This article was researched using 7 sources. See our methodology and corrections policy.

A rack of lamb currently costs about $20 to $26 per pound at many mainstream U.S. retailers, putting a typical 1.5-pound rack around $30 to $40. Specialty butcher and premium mail-order racks can climb to roughly $40 to $100+ per rack, depending on weight, country of origin, trimming, brand, and shipping.

Current examples range from an estimated $30.63 for a 1.5-pound Australian Frenched rack at Costco Same-Day to about $38.99 for a New Zealand grass-fed rack at Whole Foods. New York Steak sells two smaller 14-to-16-ounce racks for $78, while premium domestic racks can approach $85 to $100 each.

Article Highlights

• Mainstream rack of lamb currently costs roughly $20 to $26 (at $30 per hour, earning that amount would take about 40 to 52 minutes, before taxes) per pound.
• Costco Same-Day currently shows an Australian Frenched rack at about $30.63 for 1.5 pounds.
• Whole Foods lists a New Zealand grass-fed Frenched rack at $25.99 per pound, or roughly $38.99 each.
• USDA retail advertising data recently put conventional fresh rib racks around $21.14 per pound in a national promotional sample.
• An eight-rib rack costing $38.99 works out to about $4.87 per rib chop.
• Imported Australian and New Zealand lamb is not automatically more expensive than U.S. lamb.
• Online gourmet sellers can charge roughly $65 to $100+ per rack before any shipping charge.
• USDA recommends cooking lamb chops and roasts to at least 145°F followed by a three-minute rest.

How Much Does a Rack of Lamb Cost?

Retail example	Current price	What you get
Costco Same-Day	About $30.63 (about 1 hour of work at $30 per hour)	Approx. 1.5-lb Australian Frenched rack
Whole Foods	$25.99/lb	NZ grass-fed Frenched rack, about $38.99 each
USDA advertised retail sample	$21.14/lb	Weighted average for conventional fresh rib racks in one 2026 report
New York Steak	$78 for 2 racks	Two 14-to-16-oz, 8-rib Australian/NZ racks
D’Artagnan Australian	From $66.99	Grass-fed, Frenched 8-rib rack
Allen Brothers domestic	$169.95 for 2	Two U.S. racks, 28 to 30 oz each
Allen Brothers Colorado	$199.95 for 2	Two Colorado racks, 28 to 30 oz each

Costco Same-Day currently lists a Kirkland Signature Frenched Lamb Rack at an estimated $30.63 per package. The package weighs about 1.5 pounds and is a product of Australia, putting the estimated unit price around $20.42 per pound.

Whole Foods currently lists a New Zealand grass-fed Frenched lamb rack at $25.99 per pound and approximately $38.99 each. Its rib chops are listed at the same $25.99-per-pound rate, so buying a whole rack does not automatically create a per-pound discount at every store.

USDA’s Retail Benchmark

USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service tracks advertised lamb prices at major grocery retailers. In an April 2026 report, conventional fresh rib racks carried a weighted advertised average of $21.14 (about 42 minutes at $30 per hour) per pound.

The USDA grocery feature reports are useful because they gather advertised prices across many supermarket outlets rather than relying on one specialty butcher.

A reasonable grocery-shopping budget is therefore around $20 to $26 per pound before unusually deep promotions or gourmet markups.

Price Per Chop

A rack commonly contains eight ribs, although some butchers sell racks with a different bone count. Cutting between those ribs produces individual lamb rib chops.

Take the current Whole Foods rack at approximately $38.99.

$38.99 ÷ 8 = about $4.87 per chop.

The estimated Costco rack at $30.63 works out to:

$30.63 ÷ 8 = about $3.83 per chop.

New York Steak currently sells two eight-rib racks for $78. That equals $39 per rack and:

$39 ÷ 8 = about $4.88 per chop.

This is a much better way to compare differently sized packages than looking only at the total checkout price.

What One Rack Feeds

Serving size has a large effect on the cost per guest. New York Steak describes each eight-rib rack as enough for about two people, while D’Artagnan says one of its eight-rib racks may serve up to four.

The difference comes down to portion size and what else is being served.

If a $38.99 rack feeds two people:

$38.99 ÷ 2 = about $19.50 of lamb per person.

If it feeds four people with smaller portions and substantial sides:

$38.99 ÷ 4 = about $9.75 per person.

For a dinner where lamb is the main attraction, budgeting roughly three to four ribs per adult is safer than assuming one rack will feed four hungry guests.

Premium Mail-Order Prices

Online meat companies can charge significantly more than warehouse clubs and supermarkets. The difference can reflect sourcing, trimming, packaging, portion specifications, and refrigerated or frozen shipping.

D’Artagnan currently lists an Australian grass-fed Frenched rack starting around $66.99. It contains eight ribs and is sold with the cap removed.

Allen Brothers currently lists two domestic racks for $169.95. Each weighs about 28 to 30 ounces, making the package roughly 3.5 to 3.75 pounds total.

That means each rack effectively costs about $84.98 before shipping. The company’s Colorado version currently costs $199.95 for two, or almost $100 per rack.

Imported Can Cost Less

Buying domestic lamb is not automatically a money-saving strategy. Imported lamb plays a major role in the American market.

The USDA Economic Research Service says imports now account for more than half of U.S. lamb and mutton supply. Australia supplies about 75% of those imports and New Zealand around 24%.

Australia and New Zealand operate large export-oriented sheep industries, which allows imported lamb to compete strongly on price even after transportation.

Current retail shelves illustrate the point. Costco’s Australian rack is around $30.63, Whole Foods’ New Zealand rack is around $38.99, while premium U.S.-raised mail-order examples can cost substantially more.

Origin can affect flavor, size, feeding system, and production style, but shoppers should compare the actual price per pound rather than assuming imported equals expensive.

Frenched vs Untrimmed

A Frenched rack has meat and tissue trimmed away from the ends of the rib bones, producing the clean-bone presentation commonly seen in restaurants.

More aggressive trimming can remove the outer fat cap and silver skin as well. D’Artagnan, for example, sells a Frenched and denuded Australian product with the fat and silver skin removed.

That extra butcher work can affect price, but package weight matters too. A heavily trimmed rack may look more expensive per pound because the customer is buying less bone-side tissue and external fat.

If presentation does not matter, ask the butcher whether a less-trimmed rack is available and compare its unit price.

The Hidden Shipping Cost

Online rack-of-lamb prices should not be compared with supermarket prices until shipping is included. Perishable meat usually requires insulated packaging, dry ice or cold packs, and fast delivery.

Allen Brothers calculates shipping at checkout and charges extra for some expedited delivery options. D’Artagnan frequently runs shipping promotions, but the exact offer can change.

Suppose a premium rack costs $66.99 and the order adds $15 in shipping:

$66.99 + $15 = $81.99 delivered.

Shipping would add about 22.4% to the meat’s listed price. That is why the delivered total is the useful number when comparing online sellers with local butchers.

Holiday Sales

There is no simple rule that rack of lamb is always cheapest in spring or always cheapest in fall. Retail promotions can matter more to an American shopper than the biological lambing season.

USDA’s March 2026 retail report noted that as Easter approached, grocery advertising for lamb leg and rib products increased sharply, with rib racks among the cuts contributing to the jump.

That makes Easter, Passover, and other lamb-heavy holiday periods worth watching for supermarket promotions. A heavily advertised holiday week can beat an ordinary-season price even when consumer demand is high.

Check the weekly ad and compare the actual per-pound figure rather than waiting for a particular month.

Whole Rack or Separate Chops?

Buying the rack whole gives you control over portion thickness and presentation. You can roast it intact and carve afterward or cut between the ribs before cooking.

Separate rib chops do not necessarily cost less. Whole Foods currently lists grass-fed lamb rib chops at around $25.99 per pound, matching the listed per-pound price of its Frenched New Zealand rack.

For a small household, chops can still make financial sense because you only buy the quantity needed. For a larger dinner, a full rack provides a cleaner centerpiece and simpler portion math.

If you’re comparing meat costs for other meals, see our guides to ground turkey prices, venison costs per pound, and filet mignon prices.

Three Rack of Lamb Budgets

Warehouse-club dinner: One estimated $30.63 Costco rack serving two people puts the lamb portion at about $15.32 per guest. If divided into four smaller servings, it drops to about $7.66 per person.

Supermarket dinner: One $38.99 Whole Foods rack costs about $4.87 per rib. Serving three ribs to each of two people uses six ribs, leaving two for another meal or a smaller third serving.

Premium mail-order dinner: One half of Allen Brothers’ $169.95 two-rack package represents about $84.98 per rack. Serving that rack to three adults puts the meat cost near $28.33 per person before shipping and sides.

Worked eight-person example: If each guest receives two ribs, eight people need 16 ribs, or two standard eight-rib racks. Two current Whole Foods racks would cost about $77.98. The lamb portion would therefore cost roughly $9.75 per guest. Giving everyone four ribs would double the requirement to four racks and about $155.96, or $19.50 per guest.

Cooking It Safely

Rack of lamb can be roasted, grilled, or cut into individual chops. Regardless of cooking method, use a food thermometer rather than judging doneness only by color.

The USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service recommends cooking lamb steaks, chops, and roasts to a minimum internal temperature of 145°F followed by at least a three-minute rest.

External fat can be left on, partially trimmed, or removed according to the cut and personal preference. There is no rule that all of the fat must be eaten or that it should never be trimmed.

What We Verified

• Checked: Costco Same-Day currently shows an Australian Frenched rack around $30.63 for approximately 1.5 pounds.
• Confirmed: Whole Foods currently lists a New Zealand grass-fed Frenched rack at $25.99 per pound, or around $38.99 each.
• Cross-referenced: USDA retail data recently recorded conventional fresh rib-rack advertising around $21.14 per pound.
• Verified: New York Steak’s $78 listing is for two racks, not one $78 rack, and each rack contains eight ribs.
• Confirmed: USDA says imports supply more than half of the U.S. lamb and mutton market, led by Australia and New Zealand.

Answers to Common Questions

How much does a rack of lamb cost?
A mainstream grocery or warehouse-club rack currently costs roughly $20 to $26 per pound. A typical 1.5-pound rack therefore costs around $30 to $40. Premium mail-order products can cost $65 to $100+ per rack.

How many chops are in a rack of lamb?
Many retail racks contain eight ribs, which can be cut into eight individual rib chops. Bone count can vary, so check the package before planning portions.

How many people does one rack of lamb feed?
One eight-rib rack commonly feeds about two to four people. Two people can receive three or four ribs each, while four people would receive about two ribs each.

How much does rack of lamb cost per person?
A $38.99 rack costs about $19.50 per person when serving two or $9.75 per person when serving four, before sides and other ingredients.

Is Australian or New Zealand lamb cheaper than American lamb?
It often can be. Australia and New Zealand supply almost all U.S. lamb imports, and current imported supermarket racks can cost considerably less than some premium U.S.-raised mail-order products.

What temperature should rack of lamb reach?
USDA recommends at least 145°F internal temperature followed by a three-minute rest for lamb chops and roasts.