Most consumers plan Memorial Day cookouts

Numerator’s 2026 second-quarter holiday preview, reported by HomePage News on May 18, said most consumers planning to celebrate Memorial Day expect to do it at home, with 65% saying they plan a barbecue. The survey lands as retailers push early holiday promotions across furniture, appliances, mattresses and outdoor goods ahead of the May 25 holiday. Coverage from CNN Underscored and the Guardian shows many of those promotions were already live by May 18. Together, the reports point to a Memorial Day weekend shaped by two familiar forces: backyard gatherings and aggressive seasonal discounting. ### How many people are actually planning to celebrate at home? HomePage News said Numerator’s preview found most consumers celebrating Memorial Day planned to do so at home, and 65% planned a barbecue. That makes the cookout the clearest single format in the survey snapshot cited by the trade publication. (homepagenews.com) A separate CivicScience report published May 18 also found cookouts back at the top of Memorial Day plans, saying 33% of celebrants intended to attend or host one. The two reports use different survey frames, but both point in the same direction: consumers are still centering the holiday around food, family and home. (homepagenews.com) ### Why are retailers treating Memorial Day like a major shopping event? The Guardian described Memorial Day as a strong sales moment tied to the unofficial start of summer, highlighting discounts on warm-weather products including outdoor and seasonal items. CNN Underscored said it reviewed more than 160 sales and found many of the year’s lowest prices were already available before the holiday weekend itself. (civicscience.com) NBC Select and Forbes published similar early-sale roundups on May 18, listing promotions across mattresses, home goods, appliances, outdoor gear and electronics. Those guides suggest retailers are no longer waiting for the three-day weekend to start moving summer inventory. ### What kinds of products are being discounted first? (theguardian.com) Good Housekeeping’s shopping coverage said Walmart’s Memorial Day outdoor furniture deals were already live, with markdowns ranging from 30% off to more than 60% off. A separate Yahoo Shopping version of the same roundup said some items were marked down by more than 70%, while Bob Vila highlighted Walmart patio and backyard promotions of up to 63% off. (nbcnews.com) USA Today and Good Morning America also flagged early Walmart promotions on patio furniture, grills and other summer essentials. That product mix lines up with the at-home celebration data: if consumers are planning to host or grill, outdoor seating, tables and cooking gear become the first obvious retail categories to promote. (shopping.yahoo.com) ### Are higher costs changing the holiday, or just the way people shop for it? HomePage News said consumers were making plans against a backdrop of higher prices and economic uncertainty, even as the at-home cookout remained the dominant setup in its report. The article did not suggest consumers were abandoning the holiday; instead, it showed home-based celebration still leading the field. (usatoday.com) New York gas prices averaged $4.61 a gallon heading into Memorial Day, according to an AOL report cited in the briefing, while TODAY said the national average for regular gas had topped $4.50 a gallon. Higher fuel costs can affect both road-trip budgets and routine shopping trips, but the available Memorial Day consumer reports still show home gatherings holding up. (homepagenews.com) ### What should shoppers watch in the days before the holiday? May 25 is Memorial Day in the United States, and deal coverage from CNN Underscored, the Guardian, NBC Select and Forbes indicates retailers are likely to keep updating promotions through the weekend. Home goods, patio furniture, grills, mattresses and appliances are already among the categories getting the earliest markdowns. (homepagenews.com) Walmart, Amazon, Home Depot, Lowe’s, Wayfair and Best Buy were among the retailers named in early-roundup coverage. For consumers planning to stay home and host, the next few days are where the reporting suggests the overlap will be most visible: barbecue plans on one side, and patio-and-home discounts on the other. (goodmorningamerica.com) (theguardian.com)