Summer and backyard barbecues go hand-in-hand and a new survey finds that for two-thirds (66%) of Americans, summer grilling season is their favorite time of year. More than a quarter of respondents (27%) admit they’re already looking forward to the next summer barbecue season no matter what time of year it is.
According to the poll of 2-thousand Americans, there are some essential must-haves for a perfect summer:
- People say the season wouldn’t be complete without four cookouts, three trips, two concerts and two festivals.
- But more barbecues are even better, as the average American plans to go to five and host four this summer.
- The ideal cookout includes 11 guests, with everyone bringing something to share, as 64% agree that it’s a sin to show up empty-handed.⠀
- When it comes to the food, the most popular side dishes are potato salad (60%), corn on the cob (54%), baked beans (53%) and watermelon (48%).
- But about half of millennials (47%) and Gen Z (53%) respondents say mac and cheese is their favorite side.
- As for the star of the show - what’s going on the grill - hamburgers are the top choice (77%), followed by hot dogs (65%), chicken (55%), steak (54%), ribs (46%) and bratwurst (25%).
- Only 20% prefer to be the “grill master,” 22% would rather oversee the sides as the “sides supervisor,” while 12% like organizing desserts as the “sweets specialist,” and another 12% enjoy being in charge of drinks as the “cooler captain.”
- But being the grill master isn’t for the newbies, as 61% who take that role have been grilling for more than 20 years and 45% fire up their grill at least once a week.
- Along with all the cooking and eating, people like to play games at cookouts, with the favorites being cards (27%), corn hole (26%), swimming (24%), horseshoes (22%) and frisbee (16%).
Source: Talker⠀