Old App Finds Affordable Crawfish Prices in Louisiana and Texas

Lafayette, LA (KPEL News) - Spring is in the air in both Louisiana and Texas, stirring the envie for crawfish. However, the word crawfish and affordable haven't been in the same sentence since the 2023 season. People who usually start popping heads and peeling tails in January haven't had their first platter yet in 2024 because the supply is low and prices are high. Crawfish farmers across Louisiana have been struggling to fill the sacks because the drought killed the rice remains that mudbugs feed on and, in some cases, the crawfish themselves. They are called mudbugs for a reason. They burrow deep in the mud in the off season, and there was no mud to speak of in much of 2023.

Consumers have been searching for them and keeping an eye on prices so that, when they become affordable, they can go snatch up their 3 or 5 pound order.

Thanks to a Louisiana couple, there's now an app for that. The Crawfish App allows you to check prices in your area. It's a relatively old app that simplifies the way we search for the most affordable prices on our favorite springtime treat.

Ryan and Laney King of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, would spend time calling around for the best price. In 2013, Ryan, in their quest for the best and cheapest crawfish, decided there needed to be an app for that, so they created one! The Crawfish App launched in 2017.

With crawfish prices so high and people waiting to dine on their favorite Cajun delicacy, The Crawfish App has gained popularity across Louisiana and Texas.

With Easter right around the corner and families in Louisiana and Texas wanting to have a big crawfish boil, folks are paying close attention and praying that prices drop into a more appetizing range.

Laney told BR Proud (WVLA TV) in Baton Rouge that we could see that dip in cost soon.

As recent as last week, prices for boiled crawfish were hovering around $9 per pound. That cost could drop to about $8 this week for boiled.

The news for live crawfish is good, too. King told BR Proud that the average for a pound is expected to be about $6. That's not great, but it's certainly more affordable.

The app lists the restaurants serving crawfish, has a cute icon that indicates how big they are, and how affordable they are. Easy and convenient!

In Louisiana, we joke that our seasons are summer, Christmas, Mardi Gras, and crawfish. Natives are accustomed to paying about $35 on average for a 5 pound order at a restaurant, and around $2-3 per pound for live crawfish. The year 2024 has been much different, and a bit depressing for those of us who would eat them any other year at least once a month between January and June.

If you want to monitor the prices without having to make dozens of calls to local restaurants, download The Crawfish App and look for a price you can stomach.