# Franklin BBQ, Goldbelly and the Ripoff of Shipping Fees



## Daba's BBQ (Jul 12, 2021)

Good morning.

As a service to all members, I give you the following true story.

On Saturday I decided to try and order a brisket from Franklin's place. I learned that they work with a company called Goldbelly. Apparently, Goldbelly handles shipping for several dozen food companies, Franklin being just one of many. I click on "brisket" and they are charging - now hold onto your tongs everyone - $249 to ship a 5-pound brisket!!! I could drive to Memphis and get an entire brisket from the Rendezvous for less money. Being a New Yorker, I had to contact them to see if dementia had finally kicked in. Below is the verbatim (abridged) email exchange I had with Chelsea from Goldbelly.

*Me:* _I want to be sure i am reading your order page correctly. I am looking to purchase the Whole Brisket + Texas Barbecue BBQ Sauce, which I know is currently sold out. Per your website, it states 4.5-5 pounds for $249. Am I reading its right? You are charging $249 for a 5-pound brisket? If this price is correct, how the hell do you have the gall to charge a price that is short of criminal?_

*Chelsea:* _Thanks for reaching out and sharing your thoughts. We've been in business for over 7 years now, and many of our customers know shipping can be expensive. Shipping perishable food across the country next day air is even more so! We fight hard to get the shipping rates down as much as possible, but unfortunately, an overwhelming majority of that markup goes into shipping fees (directly to UPS and FedEx) and packaging costs to keep the items cold.

But more than that, the food we're offering isn't just something you can walk into your local supermarket and purchase. For many of our customers, the taste of what we offer is connected to a memory of theirs. Maybe they had an amazing trip to NYC and ate at Ess-a-Bagel every day. Maybe it was a bite of BBQ that they had on a trip to Texas when they were in college. One of our customers from California told us how they used to go to Sarge's Deli every week with their grandfather when they were young and biting into that pastrami on rye brought a tear to their eye thinking back on the memories.

We love food and are super thankful we get to help people explore the tastes they've always heard about or have always wanted to try. If you enter the code *HOTGRILLSUMMER* at checkout, you'll receive $15 off of a qualifying order (expires 9/15/21). A lot of the merchants associated with us also add BOGO and other sales to their items - keep watch for those over time. Please don't hesitate to let me know if there's anything I can do to help along the way.

*Me:* The shipping argument doesn't hold water. I order from Wild Fork. I get a 12-pound brisket, a rack of ribs, porterhouse and tuna steaks shipped to me here in NY. total cost $13.95

I have a 12-bottle case of wine shipped from Napa - the total cost is $19.95.

No 5-pound brisket is worth $249. How much does it actually cost to ship a 5-pound item to NYC? Well, I checked. To ship a 5-pound package from NYC to Kansas City, via USPS is $25.95. Two-day delivery. So even if you choose this method with dry ice, if that is how you ship it, the total wouldn't exceed $30.00. That means I am paying $220 for a 5-pound brisket. LMAO.

My guess is that 50% of the $249 goes right into your pocket. The other 50% goes to Franklin BBQ

Please remove me from your email list. You guys are a major ripoff._

They replied saying_ thank you for your email and you have been successfully unsubscribed._

I post this because I want to make others aware of just how blatantly this company is ripping people off. I don't care how good a brisket or any other food item is, there is no way on the world anyone should charge the prices they are charging. None. I ask that you re-post this as you see fit so that folks like us aren't taken advantage of by companies such as Goldbelly.


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## Chasdev (Jul 12, 2021)

Here's my Franklin story, so you won't feel bad about missing out on that brisket.
My wife bought me one directly from Franklin's for Christmas (we live in Austin) as I had been wanting to try his offerings to compare to  my skills brisket wise, and refuse to stand in line for hours to do so.
She paid over $100 for a  8 lb (cooked) brisket which was vac sealed in a logo embossed bag.
The short version is that is sucked, big time.
Nice dark color but little smoke smell or flavor (reminded me of a pellet spitter brisket) and was dry and tasted very much like over cooked roast beef.
I'm sure his fresh offerings sold over the counter are dripping with juice and have superior post oak bark and flavor but I most certainly did not experience any of those attributes.


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## Daba's BBQ (Jul 12, 2021)

Chasdev said:


> Here's my Franklin story, so you won't feel bad about missing out on that brisket.
> My wife bought me one directly from Franklin's for Christmas (we live in Austin) as I had been wanting to try his offerings to compare to  my skills brisket wise, and refuse to stand in line for hours to do so.
> She paid over $100 for a  8 lb (cooked) brisket which was vac sealed in a logo embossed bag.
> The short version is that is sucked, big time.
> ...


Thank you. And you paid $100 for an 8-pound brisket. These thieves want $249 for a 5-pounder


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## kilo charlie (Jul 12, 2021)

I'd rather make and eat my own brisket ...


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## flatbroke (Jul 12, 2021)

249 is just for shipping?


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## Kevin DeShazo (Jul 12, 2021)

Is it being shipped frozen or with dry ice to keep it cold, that could be the reason. Dry ice is a hazardous material, so that can drive up the shipping cost, easily.


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## Daba's BBQ (Jul 12, 2021)

No idea. Most likely Prime. no way in the world it'll wagyu


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## BaxtersBBQ (Jul 12, 2021)

You can get a 20+ pound Wagyu brisket from snake river farms right now for $209 and I think it comes with free steaks too lol. Gold belly is a major ripoff.


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## smokeymose (Jul 12, 2021)

Surely there's somewhere in NYC do buy or order a brisket.....


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## chef jimmyj (Jul 12, 2021)

Goldbelly is not for the Average Joe on a Blue Collar Salary. Goldbelly's clientele are folks that decide they have to have some food item and don't care what it cost!
I looked into Goldbelly for Yonah Schimmel Kinishes. In high priced to begin with NYC, one YS Knish is $3.50. 6 is $21. Goldbelly price? $80!!!! Thats over $13 EACH! Needless to say, I plan to make my own Knish. Maybe I start a Knish Bakery? Jimmy's FAKAKTA KNISH.....JJ


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## bbqbrett (Jul 12, 2021)

Kevin DeShazo said:


> Is it being shipped frozen or with dry ice to keep it cold, that could be the reason. Dry ice is a hazardous material, so that can drive up the shipping cost, easily.



Dry ice doesn't jack up the cost that much.  Probably wouldn't need more than 5 lbs. which wouldn't even require a hazmat placard.  The big cost is in the 2nd quote from the company: " _We've been in business for over 7 years now, and many of our customers know shipping can be expensive. Shipping perishable food across the country next day air is even more so!"_  That being said they are still probably about $75-80 over the cost of what it should cost to ship that, unless the that price includes the price of the brisket itself which is I think about $20 per pound at Franklin.


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## Kevin DeShazo (Jul 12, 2021)

bbqbrett said:


> Dry ice doesn't jack up the cost that much.  Probably wouldn't need more than 5 lbs. which wouldn't even require a hazmat placard.  The big cost is in the 2nd quote from the company: " _We've been in business for over 7 years now, and many of our customers know shipping can be expensive. Shipping perishable food across the country next day air is even more so!"_  That being said they are still probably about $75-80 over the cost of what it should cost to ship that, unless the that price includes the price of the brisket itself which is I think about $20 per pound at Franklin.


Its still a class 9 Hazard that although the trucking company may not have to placard, it still has to be shipped as a hazmat which incurs a higher shipping cost. Im not saying the cost is completely justified, just asking if it could be part of the price increase.  Air cost also increases the cost, add in the hazmat cost and it will quickly increase the costs.


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## noboundaries (Jul 12, 2021)

Thanks for posting your e-mail exchange. If I ever see Goldbelly on anything I want to order, I'll give my monitor the proper single finger salute.


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## bbqbrett (Jul 12, 2021)

Kevin DeShazo said:


> Its still a class 9 Hazard that although the trucking company may not have to placard, it still has to be shipped as a hazmat which incurs a higher shipping cost. Im not saying the cost is completely justified, just asking if it could be part of the price increase.  Air cost also increases the cost, add in the hazmat cost and it will quickly increase the costs.


 I get it what you are saying but in most cases any accessorial shipping charges for dry ice in that small of a quantity is usually pretty minimal.  As an example from FEDEX

Dangerous Goods (dry ice) U.S. Express Package Services $5.85 per package $6.15 per package International Express Package Services $5.85 per shipment $6.15 per shipment.   https://www.fedex.com/content/dam/f...services/FXE_FXG_Surcharges_and_Fees_2021.pdf

Most small package shipping companies are pretty much in line with this unless something drastic has changed.  So most of the cost would still be from the overnight air.


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## Kevin DeShazo (Jul 12, 2021)

I just ship hazmat I dont look at the cost or have to pay for it, just know when I click on the hazmat button in Fedex it can add extra numbers to the cost of a shipment.


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## kilo charlie (Jul 12, 2021)

If you really want a Franklin Brisket ... watch his youtube videos or read his books and make your own and then you won't have to worry about shipping, dry ice, costs or HAZMAT - seems simple enough


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## chopsaw (Jul 12, 2021)

Kevin DeShazo said:


> shipped frozen or with dry ice to keep it cold,


Momma Tuscano's in St. Louis . Known for toasted ravioli . I was going to send a box to a buddy out of state . Shipping stated " overnight / hazard "  $150 . 
Box of Rav's was 10 bucks . He didn't get any .


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## Chasdev (Jul 12, 2021)

kilo charlie said:


> If you really want a Franklin Brisket ... watch his youtube videos or read his books and make your own and then you won't have to worry about shipping, dry ice, costs or HAZMAT - seems simple enough



The place he buys his briskets (at least $100 each) sells all of their primes to HIM so good luck with that.
And don't forget to do the thing he fails to mention in all his videos and the book...hold the brisket at 160 overnight in a steam cabinet after pulling.


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## mfatty500 (Jul 12, 2021)

I could screw up a bunch of briskets learning, for that price, and I probably will


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## dls1 (Jul 12, 2021)

Daba's BBQ - After reading your extensive commentary of complaint, and  doing some quick checking, the quoted price of $249 doesn't seem to be a ripoff at all, *assuming you're dead set* on getting a pre-cooked brisket from Franklin's BBQ in Austin shipped to your location in NYC. Possibly you haven't shipped any perishable products before and aren't familiar with the cost.

If you check Franklin's web site, you can buy the same brisket for pick it up at their location for $170. I couldn't find the price of the price of the BBQ sauce on Franklin's web site, but I have seen it on Amazon at $17/15 oz..

For shipping, Goldbelly states that they use a standard shipping box with ice packs No special container or dry ice. I checked my Fedex and UPS accounts for shipping rates and found that the cost for standard non-discounted 2-day PM delivery from Austin to NYC is $93.25 and $91.36, respectively. A proper box, ice packs, etc. would run around $10.

So, if you arranged to secure, in some manner, a brisket and sauce from Franklin's on your own, the product cost would be $187. With shipping, the total cost would be around $290.

To sum it up, if you want to play, you've got to pay.


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## flatbroke (Jul 12, 2021)

dls1 said:


> Daba's BBQ - After reading your extensive commentary of complaint, and  doing some quick checking, the quoted price of $249 doesn't seem to be a ripoff at all, *assuming you're dead set* on getting a pre-cooked brisket from Franklin's BBQ in Austin shipped to your location in NYC. Possibly you haven't shipped any perishable products before and aren't familiar with the cost.
> 
> If you check Franklin's web site, you can buy the same brisket for pick it up at their location for $170. I couldn't find the price of the price of the BBQ sauce on Franklin's web site, but I have seen it on Amazon at $17/15 oz..
> 
> ...


So with that in mind he would save 41 bucks using them instead of winging it


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## bigfurmn (Jul 12, 2021)

Side note to this... As a guy who works for an air freight company (not one that has been named), I want to make everyone aware that FedEx no longer has over night guarantee. That was tossed by the way side for covid and never brought back. That means if you package isn't delivered overnight even if you paid for it... No refund. I believe it might be possible this company made a fresh with FedEx that their stuff gets delivered next day for a very high price. I know they have done this for some companies but it's major money. Again I want to clarify... I have NO proof or even an idea this is true. Its just not out of the realm of possibility. Also... If you know anyone who isn't working who wouldn't mind driving a freight truck in Minnesota, hit me up!


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## daspyknows (Jul 12, 2021)

Double 8 Cattle ships Wagyu with free shipping over $250.  It was $200 when I ordered.  The brisket was $189 and shipping was about $40.  I ordered a lb of ground beef and it was $203.  Arrived frozen packed in dry ice.  

A friend of mine from Austin waited and picked up a whole brisket from Franklin's, packed in ice packs and flew out to visit in California.  It was really good.  That said paying Goldbelly is just burning money.


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## dls1 (Jul 13, 2021)

bigfurmn said:


> Side note to this... As a guy who works for an air freight company (not one that has been named), I want to make everyone aware that FedEx no longer has over night guarantee. That was tossed by the way side for covid and never brought back. That means if you package isn't delivered overnight even if you paid for it... No refund. I believe it might be possible this company made a fresh with FedEx that their stuff gets delivered next day for a very high price. I know they have done this for some companies but it's major money. Again I want to clarify... I have NO proof or even an idea this is true. Its just not out of the realm of possibility. Also... If you know anyone who isn't working who wouldn't mind driving a freight truck in Minnesota, hit me up!



Your comment is partially correct. I have accounts with both Fedex and UPS, though I rarely use UPS. In March, 2020, I received an email from Fedex stating that they were suspending their overnight delivery guarantee. The next day, I received a similar email from UPS. Under the circumstances at the time, that wasn't surprising, but it concerned me quite a bit since nearly everything I use the services for is the expedited delivery of time-sensitive documents including date specific court filings. In the end, nothing went bad because most businesses and governmental facilities, including courts, were closed anyway.

In April, I received another email from Fedex stating that they were lifting the suspension of the overnight guarantee for most their services. Again, I received a similar email from UPS the following day. The services that the Fedex overnight guarantee suspension  was lifted on are  First Overnight, Priority Overnight, Standard Overnight, International First Overnight, International Priority Overnight, and International Priority Freight Overnight. As I recall, the few services the overnight suspension wasn't lifted on at that time pertained mostly to Fedex ground freight.  That may have been lifted by now, but I don't know for sure, or even care, since I don't use their ground services at all.


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## bigfurmn (Jul 13, 2021)

I will have to double check, we run mostly freight overnights. They have been horrible lately with the driver shortage for freight.


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## Jonok (Jul 14, 2021)

I’m fairly popular as a BBQ cook, and just last night did an event  with 140+ people (who continue to text me in the wee hrs)

Aaron Franklin knows more about  the business of BBQ than I will ever know. On the other hand, I’ve had his and mine ,  but neither of them  compare to  east central Texas Q.  

I’d recommend Truth BBQ in  Brenham, (but that’s because we hunt around there)

probably a million more in the region with  really good food.

no crumbly, pulled or sour brisket, and no pink paper in sight.


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## mangalsur (Sep 29, 2021)

You can get a 20+ pound Wagyu brisket from snake river farms right now for $209 and I think it comes with free steaks too mcdvoice


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