With the help of Google, Wallethub, and AAA, we’ve assembled the vital statistics to help you kick off the start of summer — or make you win big at the pre-BBQ small talk.
62
The percentage of Americans who will have a barbecue on Memorial Day weekend.
818
The number of hot dogs that are consumed every second between Memorial Day to Labor Day.
54
The percentage of Americans who would rather not travel on holiday weekends.
39
The percentage of Americans who do.
80
The percentage of holiday travelers who drive to their destination.
99.9*
The percentage of us who regret that decision once we hit traffic.*NBC was not able to officially verify this number
50
The amount, in cents, by which a gallon of gas is cheaper this year than last year.
70
The percentage of drivers worried about potholes
20-90
The range of discounts, in percent, that holiday shoppers can expect this weekend.
45
The percentage by which traffic police presence is increased over the Memorial Day holiday.
So how will we be spending our weekends? Well, for the last three Memorial Day weekends, the most Googled question has been “Is the zoo open on Memorial Day?” So, do what you will with that information — but if you’re thinking of avoiding the zoo and going to a theme park to beat the crowds, you’re out of luck there, too. Six Flags is the top searched Memorial Day destination, just ahead of Kings Dominion, Yosemite, Cancun, and Lake George, according to Google.
The most searched Memorial Day activity, says Google, is “fireworks,” closely followed by “cookout,” “party,” “festivals,” and “BBQ.” Cupcakes and salad are what you’ll most likely be eating this weekend at your fireworks-cookout-party, based on the most-searched dessert and recipe on Google this past week. (It seems we’re a sweet-toothed bunch: Cookies, cake pops, and rice crispy treats also topped the list.)
And, be careful on the way home: Travelers this weekend are most likely to get into an accident on Tuesday, according to traffic app Waze.
