As the U.S. emerges from the “full-blown pandemic phase” of COVID-19, more Americans will host or are considering hosting summer BBQs and get-togethers with friends and extended family this year, according to a late-April survey of nearly 1,000 U.S. adult grocery shoppers by Advantage Sales.
Two years ago, just half of U.S. grocery shoppers hosted one or more get-togethers with people outside their immediate families between mid-May and mid-September; this year 68% are planning or considering hosting at least one summertime event.
Among those who plan to or are considering hosting a BBQ with friends and family this summer, more than half will host a Memorial Day weekend get-together; another three in 10 are considering hosting. Nearly six in 10 plan to host a July 4th BBQ for friends and family; one-fourth are still undecided.
Most shoppers (54%) who plan to host a summer BBQ say they’ll buy a majority of their food and supplies in a store; 7% will make most of these purchases online.
For their first summer get-togethers, hosts will serve up perennial BBQ favorites hamburgers (82% of hosts), beer (68%), chips (60%), meat hot dogs (59%), packaged ice cream (56%) and soda (55%). Forty percent or more will offer wine, chicken, canned or bottled water or sparkling water, chicken (other than wings), homemade desserts, dip, brownies from a mix and frozen novelties. About one-fourth will have meat substitute (27%) or veggie (23%) burgers on the menu; nearly 20% will serve veggie hot dogs.
