LOS ANGELES -- In a national consumer poll on Fourth of July food eating and buying preferences released by Instantly, an audience and consumer insights platform provider, more than 43% of respondents named hamburgers their top food choice, compared to hot dogs, which were the second choice at 19%.
The results also show baked beans (51%), corn on the cob (60%) and potato salads (61%) are Americans' top three favorite side dishes to eat during the holiday. And 50% of Americans chose Frito-Lay/Lay's as the chip brand they most associate with the Fourth of July. A three-way tie of 11% each between popular chip brands KC Masterpiece, Kettle Chips and Doritos followed.
"Since so many people celebrate the Fourth of July with food, this holiday is huge for brands and retailers," said Andy Jolls, chief marketing officer at Instantly. "Our poll suggests that consumers strongly associate the Fourth with time-honored traditions, so marketers might be better off looking to the past for inspiration rather than going too outside the box."
When asked about the most important factor contributing to their food purchases, 34% of respondents said it was following traditions; 35% said the biggest factor was getting the most amount of food for the lowest cost. Accordingly, 70% said they plan to purchase food items and supplies for the holiday at a Walmart or Target superstore, while only 18% said they would shop at a specialty store like Whole Foods or Trader Joe's.
Instantly also looked at travel behaviors for the upcoming holiday. About 50% of respondents said they plan on staying within 25 miles of home; 76% will stop at a grocery or convenience store on their way to a Fourth of July celebration.
An overwhelming 74% of Americans who are dieting or watching what they eat consider the Fourth of July a "cheat" day.
Beyond the holiday, consumers indicated that they would like to see more food items with flavors traditionally associated with the Fourth of July, such as apple pie (18%), "BBQ" (24%) and cheeseburger (13%).
Instantly polled more than 1,000 respondents nationwide to dive into Americans' perceptions and behaviors in regard to the Independence Day holiday. To see the complete results of the study, including rankings of additional foods, click here.
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