Survey: Casual nights and outdoor living reshape home life

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Americans are looking for a relaxed, low-pressure spring and summer — with plenty of time outdoors and full of backyard BBQs and pizza nights.

A survey of 2,000 Americans, evenly split between men and women, revealed that nearly half (47%) said their perfect season is relaxed and low-pressure, while 30% want to spend as much time outdoors as possible.

Another 30% are looking forward to simple moments like backyard BBQs or pizza nights, with 24% describing their ideal vibe as social but easygoing.

Commissioned by Current (https://currentbackyard.com) and conducted by Talker Research, the survey suggests this shift goes beyond seasonal preferences — reflecting a broader change in how people gather and connect.

When asked about their ideal get-together, respondents favored casual, low-effort hangouts (42%) and small groups (40%), while more than a third (36%) pointed to outdoor cooking with friends as a key part of their experience.

Six in 10 (59%) said outdoor cooking is part of their home’s overall “aesthetic.”

“This is signaling that grilling and outdoor meals are becoming embedded in everyday life. Outdoor cooking is shifting from a standalone activity to something that’s more fully integrated into how people live and gather,” said Anna Grant, General Manager at Current. “For a long time, it’s been constrained by fire, fuel and space, but advancements in electric cooking are beginning to remove those limitations — making the experience more flexible, more accessible and better suited to modern living.”

At the same time, gendered perceptions around grilling persist. About a third of respondents believe a negative stereotype exists about women grilling (37%) and a similar number think men should take the lead (35%).

In reality, while men are more likely to take the lead, many women are also grilling (79% of men and 43% of women).

Regardless of who is cooking, ease remains a key desire. Nearly half of respondents (47%) said they have skipped grilling or outdoor cooking because it felt like too much hassle or mess (45% of men and 49% of women).

For these respondents, they highlighted that the biggest challenges include cleaning the grill (54%), dealing with unpredictable weather (46%) and managing the mess of outdoor cooking (31%).

Many respondents who cook outdoors also pointed to common grilling mishaps, including food sticking to the grill (42%), falling through the grates (41%) and burning the food (38%).

Perhaps as a result of this, three-quarters said they want grilling to feel easier (74%) and cleaner (76%).

“Grilling should enhance your time outdoors — not complicate it,” added Grant. “Simple steps like prepping ahead, keeping cleanup minimal and choosing tools designed for ease can make all the difference. The goal is to spend less time managing the process and more time enjoying the moment.”

Survey methodology

Talker Research surveyed 2,000 Americans, split evenly between men and women, who have access to the internet; the survey was commissioned by Current and administered and conducted online by Talker Research between April 6–9, 2026. A link to the questionnaire can be found here.

To view the complete methodology as part of AAPOR’s Transparency Initiative, please visit the Talker Research Process and Methodology page.

Survey questions

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