ButcherBox vs Omaha Steaks Review

About ButcherBox

ButcherBox takes a holistic approach to selling meat. What the brand does isn’t just about the end product—instead, it’s about the entire process from the way its farmers treat animals to what it packages orders in.

ButcherBox was founded in 2015 by Mike Salguero with the mission to deliver better quality meat in a more humane, sustainable, and ethical way. The Boston, MA-based subscription service offers curated and custom boxes filled with a high-quality selection of 100% grass-fed beef, free-range chicken, wild-caught seafood, and more.

About Omaha Steaks

Omaha Steaks is a family company with roots extending back all the way to 1917. Initially founded as Table Supply Meat Company, the brand has been passed down through the Simon family and is now run by its fifth generation.

Though it probably goes without saying, Omaha Steaks is situated in Omaha, NE—a place where it also sources its high-quality beef. Offering a wide range of poultry, pork, and seafood, it also carries everything you need to make an incredible meal, from side dishes to desserts and wine.

What can you expect to find in this ButcherBox vs Omaha Steaks review? All the tender details about the two brands and their most popular boxes. You’ll discover value, promotions, and what customers have to say. Let’s dig in.

What to Consider

If you’re someone who typically heads to the grocery store and grabs whatever chicken breast, steak, or pork chop that you see, believe me when I tell you that there are better options out there. Both ButcherBox and Omaha Steaks have innovated the meat industry in different ways, but both offer their customers convenience, quality, and passion.

Ethically sourced meats that meet the quality standards of consumers is a great way to expand the palate and introduce new varieties into daily consumption practices.

According to this review, evidence from large cohort studies and from meta-analyses of epidemiological studies indicates that the long-term consumption of red meat and processed meat is associated with an increased risk of total mortality in both men and women.

Taking these statistics into consideration, it is important to diversify and explore a different variety of meat products.

In this ButcherBox vs Omaha Steaks review, you’ll read about what both services can bring to the table (literally). Below, I’ve outlined some key points to keep in mind when you decide which brand to serve up for your next meal.

Product range

Looking for something specific? This ButcherBox vs Omaha Steaks review will just scratch the surface of what each company has to offer.

Depending on what you want, you may find one more appealing. A quick look at both sites reveals that Omaha Steaks has a more varied selection that even includes dessert and wine options. On the other hand, ButcherBox is committed to providing ethical, high-quality meats.

Target audience

Believe it or not, even meat companies have a target audience in mind. You can usually pinpoint it by looking at the practices behind the brand.

In this case, you’ll find that ButcherBox has a more humane approach which means it’s targeting those who care about animal welfare. The review suggests that while the slaughter of animals cannot be avoided, all effort should be made to ensure that animal welfare remains as high as possible.

The removal or minimisation of pain or suffering is of the highest importance while implementing these practices.  On the other hand, Omaha Steaks fuses quality with convenience to offer its customers a range of top products, including already-prepared meals, all in one place.

Preparation time

You love to cook, but sometimes it’s nice to have something you can just throw in the oven on a whim. These two companies are different in that regard, Omaha Steaks serves up a range of ready-to-heat dishes while ButcherBox leaves more room for your personal creativity in the kitchen.

Sustainability practices

Making the simple choice to eat meat from a sustainable source can make a huge difference for our planet. While reading this ButcherBox vs Omaha Steaks review, keep an eye out for sustainable practices from each brand if this is a concern for you, including what its ethics are like and where the meat is sourced from. 

Sustainability can be seen when meat is produced by farms that use low impact farming practices. These practices include grazing which allows livestock to graze on grass in one pasture to another so the soil recovers naturally.

This review reveals that the general population in Western countries have less inclination to stop eating meat for environmental reasons. Even for those practicing veganism or vegetarianism, ecological concerns are more of another motive to further justify their dietary pattern than an original motivation to give up animal products altogether.

Accessibility

These are both e-based, direct-to-consumer companies, meaning that you can only get your boxes delivered through the brand’s website. The locations that either brand ships to may mean that you pick one over the other.

Another thing to look out for is the price of each order. If high, do they have discounts? If prices are low, does it offer a good value? You’ll find that Omaha Steaks has pricier products, but that’s because it offers top cuts of expensive meats, like steaks—but generally, you’ll find a more extreme range of prices from this brand because of its huge selection of products.

Let’s get things started here in our ButcherBox vs Omaha Steaks review. First up, you’ll find a brief summary of how each brand operates and what you can expect with their services. If by now you’re screaming, “where’s the beef?!” Don’t worry, after that, I’ll dive headfirst into all the meaty goodness.

ButcherBox vs Omaha Steaks: How Do They Work?

Getting meat delivered isn’t exactly a new concept, but ordering it from behind a computer screen across the USA is. ButcherBox and Omaha Steaks both operate primarily online, but the way each service runs is different. I’ll explain:

ButcherBox is only available through a subscription, though you can cancel it at any time. Once you sign up, you’ll order the type of box that fits your needs best (all beef, chicken & fish, etc.), then you’ll get that box delivered to your door every month until you say pause, skip, or stop.

Each box contains 24 meals (6 oz portions) worth of meat, but if you need more or are sharing with a family, order the XL—a double portioned box with 48 meals. Want control over what you get? Try the Custom Box instead. Alternatively, its Classic box offers 30 meals, while the Big box has 60.

Subscribing to a box gives you access to the brand’s 300+ recipes and tutorials to help you create your perfect meal. You’ll also receive member exclusive deals and free meat.

ButcherBox

• Good variety of plan options
• Choice to customize
• Flexible subscription
• High-quality meats
• Transparent about sourcing
• Free shipping

On the flip side, Omaha Steak runs as an a la carte service of sorts. You don’t need to subscribe, simply head to the website and order whatever looks good. It has quite the selection of meats, meals, and packages, and you’ll even find sides, wines, and desserts.

With a more complete meal-feel, you can browse and fill up in your cart to your heart’s content. No minimums or maximums. Like ButcherBox, Omaha Steaks lets you create your own package, and I love the flexibility this service gives overall.

Omaha Steaks

• Wide variety of options
• Ready-to-heat picks
• Variety of prices & sizes of meat
• No subscription necessary
• Free shipping
• Rewards program

Though both deliver top-notch meat, what these two brands have to offer is very different. While there is flexibility in ButcherBox’s subscription, there’s a greater amount with no subscription at all. Of course, if transparency is what you’re after, one company certainly stands out from the other.

Think you know which one to choose? Keep reading this ButcherBox vs Omaha Steaks review, by the end, you may change your mind.

ButcherBox Beef Box vs Omaha Steaks Steakhouse Classics Review:

For those who can’t get enough beef, the ButcherBox Beef Box has arrived. With 8.5-11 lbs of meat, you’ll enjoy a selection of cuts that range from ground beef to chuck roast. Each delivery is different, but you can bet that your beef will be 100% grass-fed and high-quality.

Clocking in at about $5.71 per meal, your box of 24 servings totals $137 per month—and that includes shipping.

ButcherBox Beef Box

• Good variety of beef
• Transparent about where each cut comes from
• 100% grass-fed beef
• Includes enough meat for 24 meals
• Free shipping

Love beef, but also everything you serve with it? The Omaha Steaks Steakhouse Classics has you covered. Packed with all of your favorites including:

• Ribeye (4 x 10 oz)
• Premium ground beef (2 x 1lb pks)
• Steakhouse hash browns (4 x 3.75 oz pks)
• Single-serve new york cheesecakes (4 x 4 oz)

A meal fit for a family of four with a few extra burgers leftover, the brand has also thrown in a 3.1 oz jar of its signature seasoning, perfect for sprinkling on a steak before throwing in on the BBQ. It’s a total of 7 lbs of food, or 4.5 lbs of beef. Create a wonderful family night meal with this classic pack for $143 (a value of $287).

Omaha Steaks Steakhouse Classics

• 50% off right now
• Earn Steaklover Rewards points
• Includes sides & desserts
• Seasoning included 
• Nutrition facts available online
• Shipped for free
• 100% satisfaction guarantee

I thought ButcherBox was expensive until I got to Omaha Steaks. I soon realized though, that these costs are pretty standard for steak—it’s an expensive meat, especially when it’s high-quality.0

Each of these boxes has a different appeal. I love ButcherBox for anyone who wants to take care of their meat for the month. It’s easy and you know you’re getting quality, clean meat.

On the other hand, I adore the idea of an Omaha Steaks box for a special occasion. Taking care of the seasoning and fiddly bits of a meal, it’s a convenient and tasty option.

ButcherBox Mixed Box vs Omaha Steaks The Perfect Gift Review:

Variety is the spice of life. If you love mixing things up, this ButcherBox vs Omaha Steaks review found that both have an intriguing selection to appease your appetite.

With the ButcherBox Mixed Box, you’ll get one of each of the proteins the brand offers. Enjoying 100% grass-fed beef, free-range organic chicken, cage-free pork, and wild-caught seafood, you’ll get the best of all worlds.

This box includes 8.5-11 lbs of meat and seafood. Some weeks you may get lobster tails with your beef and pork, and another week you may get a mix with chicken. Boxes will vary by region, but you can count on a total of $137/month and high-quality choices.

ButcherBox Mixed Box

• Great variety of protein
• Transparent about sourcing
• 100% grass-fed beef
• Free-range chicken & crate-free pork
• Wild-caught seafood
• Free shipping

My oh my, the Omaha Steaks The Perfect Gift has quite the selection. It’s packed with luxurious, steakhouse favorites including:

• Bacon-Wrapped Filet Mignon (4 x 5 oz)
• Boneless Chicken Breasts (4 x 1lb)
• Gourmet Jumbo Franks (4 x 3 oz)
• Omaha Steaks Burgers (4 x 5 oz)
• Individual Scalloped Potatoes (4 x 3.8 oz)
• Caramel Apple Tartlets (4 x 4 oz)
• Signature Seasoning (3.1 oz jar)

You’ll have a quick and easy gourmet meal whenever the mood strikes. Flash frozen and vacuum packed, you can keep this one for a special occasion or get it cooking as soon as it arrives. And right now, this set is only $100—but it’s a $238 value.

Omaha Steaks The Perfect Gift

• Shipped for free
• 100% satisfaction guarantee
• Includes desserts & sides
• 58% off right now
• Can pay with 4 interest-free installments
• Includes ready to cook options
• Comes with seasoning

These boxes are both great ideas for any single person or family that eats a variety of meats. It’s great that the ButcherBox option will include seafood some months, but the concept of having a full meal at our fingertips with the Omaha Steaks pick is super exciting.

With the current discounts, Omaha Steaks brings greater value, but I also like the freedom to cook whatever you’d like that comes with ButcherBox.

ButcherBox vs Omaha Steaks: Quality

You’ve likely come to this ButcherBox vs Omaha Steaks review because you’re looking for high-quality meat. If so, this is the section you’re going to really want to pay attention to, as I’ll outline the quality practices of each that directly impact how meat will taste and chew. I’ll start off with ButcherBox.

By now, you know that ButcherBox does things differently than other butchers. With a focus on animal welfare and giving customers the very best out there, you won’t find a single antibiotic or hormone added to any of its meats. Here’s a rundown of the meats you’ll find with the brand:

• 100% grass-fed and finished beef, pasture-raised
  • This means cattle received a grass or forage diet their entire lives. According to this study, comparable lean beef cuts from cattle consuming mostly grass or forage appear to be lower in fat than those from grain-finished beef. Grass or forage-fed beef and grain-finished beef contribute omega-3 fatty acids to the diet.
• Free-range, USDA certified organic chicken
• Crate-free pork, vegetarian feed
• Wild-caught seafood, no additives or artificial coloring

Partnering with farms across America, ButcherBox cares about the entire raising, butchering, and processing path from start to finish, ensuring the farms it works with treat their animals humanely and pay their workers fairly.

There’s less information about where Omaha Steaks’s meat comes from aside from its beef.  Its beef comes from Nebraska farms, places it says have the highest quality of meat in the world. Selected by its experts, this brand brings over 600 years of collective expertise into its business, ensuring it only offers the best of what’s out there.

Its experts look at the integrity, marbling, and quality of the beef before buying it, and the company will only sell grass-fed and grain-finished beef for the richest, most buttery-tasting bits. This technique is said to make the beef slightly sweeter and gives it amazing marbling.

After selection, Omaha Steaks are aged a minimum of 21 days for tenderness, then are flash-frozen to retain their flavor, and vacuum sealed.  If the brand goes to this extent for its beef, it’s safe to assume they do the same for every other kind they carry.

ButcherBox appears to be more transparent than Omaha Steaks about where its meat comes from. Though the latter brand goes into specific details about its steak, I found it tricky to track down where it sources its other meats (chicken, pork, etc.) and how they are raised.

Is one of higher quality? Well, I’ve read some really great reports on either side that play in each brand’s favor—for example, a preference of either grain-finished or grass-fed beef. Transparency is important and admirable, but it doesn’t always speak to high quality.

I’ve found both brands deliver on quality and customers seem to be very pleased with what they get.

ButcherBox vs Omaha Steaks: Price & Value

We all have different budgets, and spending $50 on a single steak may be too much for you on a regular basis, but you want the option for a special occasion. Price and value are two very different things. Price is the flat-out cost, and the value in the example here would be the option to buy for a special day.

In this section of our ButcherBox vs Omaha Steaks review, I’ll take a look at both. Kicking things off with ButcherBox, you’ll find a few different prices for a range of its boxes below:

• Custom Box: 9-14 lbs of meat $159/month
• Curated Box: 8.5-11 lbs of meat: (Mixed, All Beef, Beef & Pork, Beef & Chicken) $137/month

So let’s take a look at its value. The ethics of the company come into play here, and so do perks like free meat and shipping, but I’d say it’s the morals behind this service that make it truly valuable.

That’s the main thing customers seem to appreciate about it most, so even before you ever take a bit of steak, the value of ButcherBox is going to be high. Add on a high-quality product, delicious taste and variety of meat, and a convenient subscription, and you have yourself a winning combination.

So how about Omaha Steaks? In our wanderings, I found that buyers appreciate the quality and variety that the brand has to offer. Since the brand has so much to offer, here’s a roundup of a few different products and their prices:

• The Perfect Gift: 7 items, about 7 lbs of meat plus sides and desserts $100 (a $238 value if you bought the items separately)
• Steakhouse Classics: about 5 lbs of meat plus sides and desserts $143 (a $289 value if bought separately)

The value for Omaha Steaks comes by way of what it packs into each order. You’re getting very high-quality meats, but you’re also getting a full meal. Its packages are a great idea for special occasions and gifts, and that’s where I see its true value, not in everyday ordering—and I can see that from the fact that it doesn’t run as a subscription.

With Omaha Steaks, you could order large packs of meat on your own accord, but I get the feeling that ButcherBox is more convenient for monthly ordering, though I enjoy the flexibility of the other brand. It’s a tough one.

ButcherBox vs Omaha Steaks: What Do Customers Think?

This section is the bread and butter of our ButcherBox vs Omaha Steaks review. It certainly comes in handy when making your final decision about a brand. Ahead, I’ll show you what I found after an intense search for feedback around the web, starting with ButcherBox.

The modern meat delivery service had some impressive reviews across the board, with customers speaking out about the high-quality meat received in their monthly delivery. In love with the taste, texture, and caliber of meat, people say they can really tell the difference in quality when compared to grocery store picks. Here are a few ratings:

• Influenster: average of 3.6/5 stars from 385 reviews
• Carnivore Style: average of 4.7/5 stars from 192 reviews

I headed outside of those websites to find more feedback. Looking in on in-depth reviews and comments, there seemed to be the same things mentioned again and again. Here’s what I noticed:

• There is a significant difference in taste
• They love the brand’s ethics
• Saves time and money

With Omaha Steaks, I checked out the two same sources as I did for Butcher Box and the ratings are pretty much flipped. Take a look:

• Carnivore Style: average of 3.7/5 stars from 95 reviews
• Influenster: average of 4.5/5 stars from 58 reviews
• Facebook: average of 4.2/5 stars from 26,446 reviews

I saw that Omaha Steaks has much more feedback available online than ButcherBox does, but that may just be because that company is only 3 years old. After sifting through a handful of other sources to look in on common feedback, here are the three main threads I found throughout each review:

• Very tender and delicious meats
• They love the variety
• It’s convenient to order

There weren’t any major issues with either brand but one review I read brought up an important point—your experience with the brands’ meats will depend on how you cook them. You can grill a fine steak to oblivion and make it tough, you could choose the wrong seasoning for your fish.

At the end of the day, customers were really pleased with the quality of both companies. I found many reports of tender, juicy steak and the best pork chops on the planet. I’ll be honest here and tell you that in terms of feedback, these two services received the same amount and kind of praise.

ButcherBox vs Omaha Steaks: Promotions & Discounts

I’m talking premium meats here, and if you know a thing or two about them, then you know how expensive they can get. Thankfully, both of these brands have some amazing deals to make your monthly order a little more palatable. After making out way through each of their website with a fine-tooth comb, here’s what I found:

ButcherBox

• Enter your email to get 2 x 100% grass-fed NY strip steaks for free in every single one of your boxes for a year—a YEAR!
• Refer a friend to get free meat in your next box or a discount
• All orders are shipped for free

Omaha Steaks

• Friends & Family Sale: 50% off sitewide
• Sale section with monthly specials
• New Sign-Ups get $30 off orders $160+
• Steaklover Rewards Program: shop to earn points & redeem for discounts
• Free shipping
• Deal of the Day

Both appear to hold annual sales, for example, they each have a Black Friday promotion running in November, which helps us understand that they most likely will offer other yearly promotions as well.

Omaha Steaks definitely has more deals than ButcherBox, but they have some pretty great discounts too. I mean, who wouldn’t want an extra 24 steaks each year?

ButcherBox vs Omaha Steaks: Shipping & Returns

Delivering frozen meat and seafood sounds tricky, but modern companies have found a way for it to arrive at your door still frozen—the simple method of dry ice packs. Both ButcherBox and Omaha Steaks utilize dry ice in their boxes, and below, I’ve outlined details of their shipping policies as well as some information on returns.

ButcherBox

Shipping

• Ships to the 48 contiguous states (everywhere in the US but Alaska or Hawaii)
• Shipping is free
• Processing takes about 2-3 days, shipping takes 3-5 days
• Your order will arrive around the same date each month, but you’ll be able to track it to see where it is on its way to you

Returns

• ButcherBox offers a refund policy that covers damaged items, late delivery that causes items to be defrosted, and missing items
• You’ll need to get in touch with the brand ASAP and in most cases, send pictures

Omaha Steaks

Shipping

• Ships within the US and its territories, and to Canada
• Offers Standard, Express, Rush, and Saturday Rush options
  • Standard 3-5 business days: $20 for orders up to $130/ $10 for orders up to $160/free for orders over $160
  • Express 2-3 business days: add on $20
  • Rush 1-2 business days: add on $40
  • Saturday Rush: add on $50
• Hawaii & Alaska: add $40
• Canada: add $43
• Puerto Rico: add $40
• US Virgin Islands: add $125

Returns

• Offers a Money Back Guarantee: will give you a refund for any reason whatsoever, no questions asked

Both services offer free shipping but ButcherBox always ships for free with no order minimum. This may be because its boxes are already over $100, whereas Omaha Steaks sell less expensive options.

I can see the benefits of ordering from either company, and it’s cool that Omaha Steaks will ship to Canada and all of the USA—even though it does come at a hefty price tag. In regards to returns, both will make it right if something is wrong with your order, providing a low-risk service.

Who Will You Shop With?

Just straight meat or something a little more gourmet? ButcherBox and Omaha Steaks deliver on quality, but with one, you have the option to buy more than just meat.

That’s not to say buying only meat isn’t appealing—it totally is, and that’s the reason ButcherBox was created, to offer a better kind of meat, not to include side dishes and wine (though, I’m totally digging Omaha Steak’s menu). So which one do you prefer?

You’ve read all about their promotions, policies, and feedback in this ButcherBox vs Omaha Steaks review…seen the mountain of deals the latter offers as well as the sustainable practices at ButcherBox.

Each brand holds incredible value, I guess it comes down to what you personally like to serve with your meat: gourmet extras or ethics.

---

Check out some of our other comparison articles:

Woxer vs TomboyX Review

Ipsy vs Boxycharm Review

Oura Ring vs WHOOP Review

Solo Stove vs BioLite Review