Philly cheesesteak maker challenged by the ever-rising cost of beef
July 23, 2025
Ken Silver knows beef because he knows Philly cheesesteak. He hopes that a summer spike in how much he pays for his restaurant’s main product doesn’t cause heartburn. Silver is president of Jim’s South St., a popular eatery in Philadelphia. Silver says the price of beef from his supplier now is about $1 more per pound than it was a year ago. And that is on top of a roughly 50% increase when he reopened in 2024 after a fire. Beef prices have been steadily rising over the past 20 years because the supply of cattle remains tight while beef remains popular.
