According to a survey by grill maker Weber, 22 percent of tailgaters consider themselves to be "gourmet" food grillers while 28 percent consider themselves "between a gourmet and a basics" griller.
The survey found "basics" tailgate grillers spend an average of $441 in groceries per year for their parking lot parties while "gourmet" tailgaters spend an average of $1,001. That equals out to $106 per tailgate for the basics group versus $165 among the gourmets. Gourmet grillers' tailgates host an average of 20 people per party versus 14 for basics grillers.
Chicken (43 percent) tops the list of gourmet grillers' favorite foods, followed by ribs (39 percent), bratwurst (37 percent), and steak (33 percent). Basic grillers list hamburgers (70 percent), bratwurst (45 percent), chicken (42 percent), and hot dogs (42 percent). Gourmet grillers are also more likely than basic grillers to use skewers (62 percent versus 40 percent), wood chips (49 percent compared to 30 percent), and a meat thermometer (45 percent vs. 29 percent.)
Other findings
from the survey:
- Overall, 12.5 percent of Americans over age 18 have tailgated in the last 12 months, attending an average of 3.4 tailgates each. Those ages 24-34 are more likely to tailgate (19 percent), followed by those ages 18-24 (17 percent), and 35-44 (16 percent).
- When asked how they've changed their tailgate grilling style in the last year, 35 percent of respondents said they're getting "more adventurous" in their parking lot party food choices. Forty percent report they're grilling more vegetables; more sides (40 percent); leaner meats (35 percent), more poultry (28 percent); and more fish (19 percent).
- Two-thirds of all U.S. tailgate grillers bought their barbecue expressly for their parking lot parties, up from 46 percent in a 2005 survey.
- Regarding new media, 49 percent report using smart phones when tailgating;
48 percent report using grilling/food/recipe apps; and 47 percent report
using laptop computers while tailgating.
Discussion Questions: What do you think of the gourmet opportunity around tailgating? What can grocers be doing to capitalize on tailgating and football-themed parties?