The peak backyard grilling season is approaching, and to celebrate the American tradition of outdoor cooking around the Fourth of July, Char-Broil surveyed 3,000 people across the United States to learn what they plan to cook and how they’ll celebrate.
Here are the key findings:
While hamburgers and hot dogs remain nationwide favorites, regional preferences stand out. Nearly half (46%) of backyard cooks in the Midwest plan to grill brats and sausages this year, while 53% of households in the Northeast say they will be serving chicken.
In the Southeast, ribs are more likely to appear on the barbecue menu than in any other region.
Family-focused gatherings dominate this year’s cookouts: 69.5% of Americans plan backyard barbecues limited to family members only. On the West Coast, however, a larger share—33.2%—intend to host both family and friends.
Northeastern residents expect to spend the most time at the grill, with almost a quarter (23%) planning to be cooking all day.
Grilling itself is the top recreational activity during the cookout for most respondents (51.7%). Watching fireworks is less common nationwide, with just 21% saying it’s part of their plans; the Midwest reports the highest interest in fireworks at 25.3%.
Music choices vary by region. About 23% of the country—especially in the Southwest—say they’ll listen to rock while grilling, but the most popular “soundtrack” to a cookout remains the natural ambience of the outdoors.
When asked which person—living or deceased—they would most like to share one more meal with at their grill-side this Fourth of July, Americans most often named a parent. Other frequently mentioned figures included President Obama, Jesus, celebrity chef Bobby Flay, Ronald Reagan, and John Wayne. Several respondents also listed public figures such as Mitt Romney, John F. Kennedy, and country singer Toby Keith.
For historical figures they’d invite to a cookout, respondents narrowly preferred Abraham Lincoln over Benjamin Franklin, with George Washington close behind. Survey options included Ben Franklin, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, Susan B. Anthony, and Martin Luther King Jr. Western respondents showed a slight variation, placing Thomas Jefferson in their top three instead of George Washington.
The Char-Broil Sizzle Study was conducted online in June 2012 and surveyed more than 3,000 Americans across the Northeast, South, Southwest, Midwest, and West Coast regions.