$50 for a lobster roll? High prices aren't hurting demand for New England delicacy
Lobster roll prices are continuing to skyrocket, but it doesn’t appear to be hurting demand for the iconic New England delicacy. At least not yet.
According to The Boston Globe, lobster roll prices are approaching $50 at many local restaurants. There are several reasons for this, including the declining lobster catch and tariffs.
Maine’s catch of lobster catch declined for the fourth straight year, state fishing regulators announced earlier this month, as the industry continues to grapple with soaring business costs, inflation and a changing ocean.
Lobsters remain readily available in restaurants and seafood markets, though prices have been high. They typically sold for $3 to $5 per pound at the dock in the 2010s and have been more than $6 per pound in some recent years. Last year, the price at the dock was $5.85 per pound.
The Globe talked to about a half dozen Boston restaurant owners about the rising costs and the challenge they face in order to keep them on the menu without driving customers away. Especially given that it takes about six lobsters to generate enough meat for one lobster roll.
“There is a ceiling,” Row 34’s Jeremy Sewall said. “When you get over 50 bucks, I have a little twinge of guilt that we’re charging so much for food, even though it’s the correct price.”
“Eating a great lobster roll in Boston is one of those quintessential New England experiences,” Saltie Girl’s Kathy Sidell added. “That’s what people want and expect, certainly at Saltie Girl. Say Boston. Say lobster roll.”
The haul of lobsters, Maine’s best known export and a key piece of the state’s identity and culture, has declined every year since 2021, and some scientists have cited as a reason warming oceans that spur migration to Canadian waters.
The sector brought in 78.8 million pounds of lobsters in 2025, down from more than 110 million pounds in 2021, regulators said. It was the lowest total since 2008.
Inflation hit the industry hard last year, and there were more than 21,000 fewer fishing trips than in 2024, according to Carl Wilson, commissioner of the Maine Department of Marine Resources. Market uncertainty due to tariffs and a late start to the busy portion of the fishing season also played roles, he said.
The vast majority of the country’s lobsters are caught in waters off Maine, though they are also trapped elsewhere in New England.
The overall catch, among the most lucrative in the U.S., is frequently worth more than $500 million at the docks each year. Last year it was more than $461 million.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
From breaking news and local politics to art exhibitions, live music, high school sports, small businesses, and cultural events, we celebrate the people and places that make Connecticut unique.