Consumers Adapt Summer Traditions as Food Prices Climb Rising grocery costs are fundamentally reshaping how Americans host summer gatherings. According to a new survey conducted by The Harris Poll on behalf of Flashfood, a grocery savings app, more than half of Americans (53%) are concerned about the cost of hosting summer events this year because of food prices. The data underscores the scale of the shift: 85% of respondents expect hosting a BBQ or cookout to be more expensive this summer compared to last year. Even more striking, 34% of Americans with summer hosting plans say they will ask guests to bring something instead of providing all the food themselves—a marked move toward potluck-style gatherings.

Record-High Cookout Costs Fuel Behavior Change The timing of the survey reflects genuine economic pressure.

The American Farm Bureau Federation reported that the average cost of a Fourth of July cookout for 10 people reached a record $73.82 this year, up from the previous year. The U.S. Department of Agriculture forecasts food-at-home prices will increase in 2026, with several summer cookout staples expected to see continued price pressure.

Industry Implications "Summer gatherings are special moments that bring families and communities together, and our mission is to make sure that rising food costs don't disrupt those connections," said Jordan Schenck, CEO of Flashfood. "Food is how people show up for each other, and Flashfood is how they do it without compromise." The survey included 2,007 adults ages 18 and older, with 1,728 respondents who have plans to host summer gatherings. The Harris Poll conducted the survey online June 15–16, 2026, with a sampling precision of +/- 2.7 percentage points at a 95% confidence level.

Why It Matters

For foodservice operators and grocers, this data signals that consumers remain committed to entertaining—but are trading hosting strategies rather than abandoning summer traditions. Retailers and app-based discount platforms are seeing growing demand for value-driven fresh food options, a trend likely to persist as long as food-price inflation remains elevated.

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Written by FBM Publications Editors