Whole chicken wholesale price — $1.59 / lb
quoted August 31, 2026
Whole chicken is quoted at $1.59 / lb in the week of August 31, 2026. That is the lowest wholesale quote we recorded that week from the single New York distributor we track — not a market average, and not an official terminal quotation. This item is quoted by the pound, as invoiced.
Price history
11 weekly quotes over 3M · lowest wholesale price observed, per lb
Over the last 12 months
Over the last 47 weekly quotes, whole chicken ranged from $1.29 to $1.59 per lb, averaging $1.48. Today's $1.59 / lb sits at the top of that range. The quote is up 23.3% from a year ago, when it stood at $1.29. Across our series, whole chicken was cheapest in September (average $1.29) and dearest in February (average $1.59). That is one year of observation, not a seasonal rule.
- Low
- $1.29
- High
- $1.59
- Average
- $1.48
- Quotes
- 47
What is in the case
Whole chicken is quoted in two pack sizes this week, from $1.59 for the lb to $1.59 for the lb. The quotes are not comparable per pound — the supplier does not publish a weight for every pack — so we list them side by side rather than ranking them.
About Whole chicken
Whole birds are bought in New York by rotisserie programs, roast-chicken menus and kitchens that break the bird down in house, and they are specified by average bird weight rather than by brand: a smaller bird cooks faster and plates as a half, a larger one yields more usable breast. Because the whole bird carries every part, its price behaves differently from any single cut — it tracks the overall cost of the bird instead of the demand pressure sitting on breasts or on wings.
Buying notes
The supplier quotes more than one average bird weight, so pick the size the menu needs before reading the price — the difference between sizes is a specification, not a discount. Priced by the pound, so this number is directly comparable with the cut-up chicken references on this site.
Frequently asked questions about Whole chicken
How much does whole chicken cost wholesale in New York?
Whole chicken is quoted at $1.59 / lb in the week of August 31, 2026, the lowest wholesale quote we recorded that week. This item is quoted by the pound, as invoiced.
Is whole chicken expensive right now?
Against our own series, no reference price: over 47 weekly quotes whole chicken ranged from $1.29 to $1.59, averaging $1.48. Today's $1.59 / lb is at the top of that range. That compares this item to its own history, not to another supplier.
When is whole chicken cheapest in New York?
In our series the monthly average was lowest in September ($1.29) and highest in February ($1.59). That is one year of weekly observation from one distributor, not a seasonal rule — a single cold season or a freight event can move a month.
What is in a case of whole chicken?
Whole chicken is quoted in two pack sizes this week, from $1.59 for the lb to $1.59 for the lb. The quotes are not comparable per pound — the supplier does not publish a weight for every pack — so we list them side by side rather than ranking them.
What is the price per pound of whole chicken?
$1.59 / lb. This item is invoiced by the pound, so the quote is already a price per pound — we did not derive it from a case weight.
How much has the price of whole chicken moved this year?
Up 23.3% over twelve months, from $1.29 to $1.59 / lb. The sharpest single week was 14.4%, in the week of February 2, 2026.
Are these the official Hunts Point prices?
No. $1.59 / lb is the lowest of 47 weekly quotes we recorded from one distributor serving New York. The USDA publishes the official New York terminal market quotations; we link to them from our methodology page.