Pepto-Bismol and Sperling's BestPlaces Uncover the Top 10 Best Places for Thanksgiving Celebrations

CINCINNATI, Nov. 18, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Pepto-Bismol & Sperling's BestPlaces announced today national study findings that identified the ten best places you should be when the bird comes out of the oven this Thursday.

Consumers beware: Thanksgiving excitement does not lie in the heart of Manhattan along a parade route. This study found that the best place to spend time, give thanks and devour Thanksgiving's finest feast is the rather unexpected city of Akron, Ohio. According to the study, the Akron population lives by "the more, the merrier" ideal, with lots of mouths to feed and lots of pies to feed them.

Not to worry, if making the trip to Ohio doesn't scream turkey and trimmings to you, there are nine other major cities that compete among the best of them:

Looks like people also enjoy visiting grandma at her winter escape in West Palm Beach and eat plenty during their stay. This number two-ranked best city had the highest percentage increase of inbound airport traffic and a high use per capita of Pepto-Bismol to relieve stomach issues after polishing off their Thanksgiving feast.

"We're not surprised to learn that a place like West Palm Beach will see an influx in traffic and a high intake of Pepto," said Jane and Michael Stern, authors, foodies, Thanksgiving fanatics, and the duo that make up the "Roadfood" empire. "We never leave home without our Pepto-Bismol when traveling to delectable dinner celebrations, even if we forget to bring a side dish."

Not too far behind in the rankings was Las Vegas, at number five, where people would rather eat at the table than hit the tables on Thanksgiving, with the highest turkey consumption out of all cities in the top 10. One glaringly obvious study result: a large parade does not a party make. There is one thing for sure, New Yorkers, ranking low at 80^th, need to deflate the balloons and fire up the oven if they want to make the top 10 next year.  

"I wasn't surprised to see my city, Cincinnati, fall behind major metros known for their food – Philadelphia, Houston, New Orleans – but I was surprised to see we fell right underneath the number 80-ranked New York City," said Kristen Stutz, assistant brand manager for Pepto-Bismol. "Regardless of where your city falls on the list, we're here to remind everyone that Pepto has you covered for Thanksgiving celebrations and beyond."

In addition to the specific cities' findings, the study found overall that celebrating Thanksgiving in the Midwest is a bigger deal than it is in the rest of the country.  Midwesterners host traditional celebrations that include larger parties and healthier appetites as well as unique group activities that go beyond the food-family-football stereotype.

The study ranked America's 100 most populated metro areas based on the following criteria: increase in inbound airport traffic, amount of turkey consumption and tracked Pepto-Bismol sales. Also weighed into the study findings were results from a consumer poll of 4,800 Americans which inquired about the number of people attending Thanksgiving, the number of dishes served and ways people intended to celebrate.

To join the conversation, go to www.facebook.com/peptobismol.

About Pepto*

Pepto-Bismol is the only leading brand that can provide soothing relief for five different stomach symptoms: nausea, heartburn, indigestion, upset stomach and diarrhea. Manufactured and distributed by Procter & Gamble, Pepto-Bismol is available in multiple forms and flavors: liquid, chewables, caplets, InstaCool, Cherry and Original flavor, Regular and Maximum. The brand also offers Children's Pepto Antacid. For additional information, please visit www.pepto-bismol.com.

About Procter and Gamble

Four billion times a day, P&G brands touch the lives of people around the world. The company has one of the strongest portfolios of trusted, quality, leadership brands, including Pampers^®, Tide^®, Ariel^®, Always^®, Whisper^®, Pantene^®, Mach3^®, Bounty^®, Dawn^®, Gain^®, Pringles^®, Charmin^®, Downy^®, Lenor^®, Iams^®, Crest^®, Oral-B^®, Duracell^®, Olay^®, Head & Shoulders^®, Wella^®, Gillette^®, Braun^® and Fusion^®. The P&G community includes approximately 135,000 employees working in about 80 countries worldwide. Please visit http://www.pg.com for the latest news and in-depth information about P&G and its brands.

About Sperling's BestPlaces

Bert Sperling has been helping people find their own "Best Place" to live, work and retire for more than 20 years. His firm, Sperling's BestPlaces, puts facts in the hands of the public so they can make better decisions about best places to live, work, retire, play, or relocate. His bestselling books, Cities Ranked and Rated and BestPlaces to Raise Your Family, are published by John Wiley & Sons. More information about Bert and his work is available at www.bestplaces.net.

*Use as directed

SOURCE Procter and Gamble