ButcherBox released their 2nd annual Grill Index, which is survey data on the grilling habits of Americans. There are many ways to interpret the data, but one interpretation is that griddles could be poised for even more growth.
Breakfast Grill Useage
With 90% of respondents grilling for dinnertime, it will always be the top meal for grilling. Breakfast is creeping up though, especially in the south. 40% of Southern residents report using the grill for breakfast, followed by West Coast residents at 21%, Midwest residents at 21%, and Northeast residents at 18%.
It is clear there is a cultural shift happening around the grill and how Americans are incorporating the appliance into more of their everyday lives. The fact that folks are finding use for the grill during breakfast is inspiring, especially for the team at ButcherBox, as we’ve really focused on increasing our breakfast selection to ensure we’re offering a wide variety of protein for every meal of the day.
Mike Salguero, founder and CEO of ButcherBox
With how the popularity of griddles has exploded over the last five years, I’m honestly surprised those breakfast numbers aren’t higher. The overall usage, and the spread between the Southern states and others should be encouraging for griddle manufacturers.
Confidence Grilling
A big area of focus for grill companies, especially tech focused grill companies, is to make grilling less intimidating. With guided recipes and tons of social media presence, pellet grill manufacturers have done a great job with this.
Confidence behind the grill has remained steady for both males and females in the new study. 43% of females are “very confident” behind the grill, while 64% of men reported the same level of confidence.
For the large segment of the population that aren’t confident behind the grill, griddles again are a great option. While a traditional grill can feel foreign from cooking in the kitchen, a griddle is very intuitive.
It likes cooking on a giant pan, so the learning curve is easier. Plus, anyone that has worked in a restaurant has likely been around a griddle.
Seafood Can Be Tricky
When it comes to what people are the least confident in cooking on the grill, seafood is number one. Nearly a third of Americans report feeling not at all confident when grilling seafood, which isn’t surprising.
Salmon is the most forgiving, but I’ve annihilated plenty of fish on the grill trying to flip or move it. It’s hard to beat the flavor of grilled fish though.