Published
June 11, 2025
Every June, families gather together to celebrate the dads in their lives.
Whether it’s a backyard barbecue, a new set of golf clubs, or a power tool upgrade, Father’s Day is a moment to say thank you—with gifts that speak to who Dad is. But this year, many of those classic gifts come with an added cost: tariffs.
What happened: The U.S. put new tariffs on a wave of imports as part of a broader economic policy. The tariffs that have been imposed to date will cost the typical American household about $4,000.
Across the country, stores are stocking up on gifts that dads love—and in good time: Recent polling conducted by Occam on behalf of the U.S. Chamber found that over 84% of respondents would consider a BBQ/grill a good gift idea for Father’s Day, while approximately six in 10 are either planning to grill or thinking about grilling to celebrate the day.
But grills and many other items are being hit with double-digit tariffs. At a time when prices are already high, over six in 10 grillers told the same U.S. Chamber poll that they would rather admit that a hot dog is a sandwich than absorb the additional cost of tariffs.
Surprise Tariffs on Father’s Day Favorites
If the full cost of tariffs is passed down, here’s what families could soon see on price tags because of the highest American tariffs in 90 years.
Average price for a mid-range grill: $550
Tariff tax: $165
New price: $715
*Many grill parts are subject to an additional 25% tariff dating to 2018.
The Bigger Picture
Beyond making it harder for families to celebrate the dads in their lives, tariffs are creating serious challenges for American businesses this summer. Rising costs are threatening the survival of many companies—especially small businesses.
Here’s what one small business owner, and father, who owns a company that manufactures bug repellent products, had to say:
“There are several components of [Murphy’s Naturals] products like incense sticks that cannot be sourced in the USA. ... Murphy's Naturals entered into price-committed programs with large retailers for 2025 and 2026. Tariffs will eliminate profits and put this innovative technology into a loss position after years of research and development and a significant financial investment. Prior to the new tariffs, [we were] already working to find alternative manufacturers to move manufacturing out of China, but that will be a multi-year process.”
— Philip Freeman, founder and CEO, Murphy's Naturals, Raleigh, North Carolina, and a U.S. Chamber Small Business Council member
The owner of True Linkswear, a company that makes performance golf shoes and apparel, is also suffering from tariff impacts.
“We cannot live at these new tariff costs. If these prices remain, the same goods budgeted will cost us an additional $1.5M to bring into the U.S. That's on a budget of breakeven. We don't have enough cash to last through the summer at this rate. ... We need help.”
— Greg Wittreich, CFO, True Linkswear, Tacoma, Washington
Nothing says “Happy Father’s Day” like a hidden tax that’s costing families and businesses.
Polling source: occamTM by AlphaROC, Inc., All Rights Reserved.
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About the author
Makinizi Hoover
Makinizi Hoover is the Senior Manager of Strategic Advocacy at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. She leads the housing portfolio and mobilizes resources to address high-priority issues, ensuring effective advocacy on key legislative and regulatory priorities.
