Memorial Day Jumps to Second Most Popular Grilling Holiday of the Year

PALATINE, Ill., May 25, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The new 27^th annual Weber GrillWatch™ Survey reveals that Memorial Day is now the second most popular grilling holiday of the year, with an impressive 75 percent of grill owners firing up the grill. 

For more than a decade, Labor Day remained the second most popular grilling holiday, but this year it fell just behind Memorial Day, coming in at 74 percent. The grand daddy of all grilling holidays continues to be the Fourth of July, this year topping the list at 87 percent.  Taking the fourth and fifth spots are Father's Day (55 percent), and Mother's Day (45 percent).

Gas versus charcoal preference is an age-old debate, but for special occasions—like Memorial Day—gas grills take the top spot, edging out the charcoal grillers by a narrow margin (39 percent versus 35 percent). The survey digs a little deeper into preference overall, showing that 46 percent of grill owners who own both a gas and a charcoal grill prefer using their charcoal grill during the weekends (46 percent) as opposed to their gas grill (31 percent).

Rather than choose, many people are opting to own both a gas and charcoal grill today, with approximately 30 percent of grill owners reporting they own at least two grills. Gen Xers top the list, with a whopping 40 percent reporting they own at least two grills. Millennials follow closely behind, with 35 percent owning two or more grills. 

"Today, people want the freedom and flexibility to grill anytime—whether it's during a busy work week, when gas is often more convenient, or on a weekend, when there's more time to tend the coals and fire up their charcoal grill," says Melissa Enos, vice president, Americas Marketing, Weber-Stephen Products LLC.

Weber commissioned KeyStat Marketing to field the 27th annual Weber GrillWatch Survey. Toluna provided the sample of 1,029 grill owners throughout the United States who completed the online survey. All respondents were 21 years of age or older and currently own a charcoal, gas or electric outdoor grill or smoker, and, at a minimum, share in the grilling responsibilities. The sample was balanced demographically to represent households across the U.S. 

For more information about Weber-Stephen Products LLC, visit www.weber.com.

SOURCE Weber-Stephen Products LLC

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