AFL star sparks pub-price pile on for $58 steak
Image: @jackginnivan/Facebook
AFL star Jack Ginnivan has sparked a pub-price pile-on after venting about the cost of a steak during a recent visit to his local.
The 23-year-old Hawthorn forward took to social media while out for a walk, sharing his disbelief at what he’d just paid for a pub meal.
“Just went to the pub and bought a steak …” he said, before revealing the plate set him back $58, served with only a handful of sides.
Ginnivan said he “doesn’t care” about the money, but couldn’t get past the value.
“There’s not a world where you’re paying $58 for steak, potatoes and a little bit of rocket … I don’t know, what are you buying at the pub? Imagine if you had a few beers … cost of living …” he added, asking followers what they thought.
Plenty agreed. Former AFL player Ben Gorringe reposted the clip — which clocked up 760,000 views — saying: “He’s got a very good point. $58 is criminal”.
Others echoed the sentiment.
“He’s right – it’s not a steak house, it’s not an upper-class French restaurant, it’s a pub.”
“Jeez, the pub used to be the cheaper option for meals, $58 is taking the p***.”
Another commenter said Jack ‘Ginni’ Ginnivan was “speaking for Australia”, with pub prices now “beyond a joke”.
Some reminisced about when pub meals were the budget-friendly option and people “raised eyebrows when schnitties hit $20”.
Not everyone was sympathetic. A few pointed out Ginnivan’s reported income — some suggesting more than $400,000 a year — questioning whether he should be weighing in on cost-of-living pressures.
“Imagine a family of four …” one person wrote.
“Or imagine your income was a fifth of what it is now,” another added.
That, too, drew pushback, with others saying focusing on his pay was “missing the point”.
There were also diners who said they’re happy to pay that sort of money at a pub — if the steak is top quality and cooked properly — noting $40-plus cuts are increasingly common.
The pub in question hasn’t been identified.
Is $58 actually fair?
According to Restaurant & Catering Australia president John Hart, pub prices are rising — but largely in line with food costs, which are up about 2.5 per cent.
“The vast majority of hospitality businesses price their menus on the basis of the cost of the meal (and use about a 28 per cent cost of sale for food),” he said.
“At $58 that means the raw cost of the steak (and the rest of the meal) would be $16.24, which is about right.
“The 28 per cent cost of food is then matched by around 48 per cent cost of wages and then other costs on top. There is not a lot of margin left after all these costs are taken out.”
Once everything’s factored in, Hart said, the $58 price tag stacks up.
Ginnivan’s steak isn’t even close to the most expensive pub plate spotted recently.
In August last year, The Peakhurst — a premium suburban pub in Sydney’s southwest — came under fire for a $90 “chef special”.
The dish? A 350g Scotch fillet with a Marble Score of 4+, served with buttery mash, roasted root vegetables and Café de Paris butter.
Jonathan Jackson, 13th January 2026
