Overview
- The Bovada study, reported May 28–29, found Houston averaged $18.03 for an eight-piece takeout wing order, placing it third behind New York City and San Francisco.
- The same analysis put Houston eighth for cheeseburgers at $14.73 and identified San Antonio as the eighth-most expensive city for wings at $16.43.
- Other Texas cities were much cheaper for some items, with El Paso averaging $12.95 for eight wings and $14.54 for a large cheese pizza while Fort Worth and Dallas ranked among the nation’s cheapest pizza markets.
- The data come from DoorDash menu listings for five takeout restaurants in each of the 50 largest U.S. cities collected in April 2026 and exclude taxes, delivery fees, and tips, so listed prices are a snapshot not the final customer cost.
- Reporters and the study point to inflation, higher labor and supply costs, and surges in demand around big sporting events as drivers of volatile wing prices and possible short-term price spikes during World Cup watch parties.