Grilling - Steak - Burger - Chicken

Quest for the Ultimate Cookout

Want to throw a crowd-pleasing cookout, but don't know what to serve? We've done the legwork for you, tallying over 250,000 poll votes to determine what kind of beverages, sides, salads, hot dog toppings and main dishes folks dig. Heck - we even asked how well done they like their meat.

Read on for results and recipes and throw the best backyard BBQ in the USA!

What's your favorite beverage for a cookout?

Beer 36%
Lemonade 12%
Soda 16%
Wine / Sangria 6%
Punch / Kool Aid 1%
Iced Tea 29%

- Know your beer trivia?
- Make perfect iced tea
- Squeeze up some lemonade
- Serve primo party punch
- Get our boxed wine recommendations
- Read our best drinks tips

What's your favorite potato salad style?

Mustard-based 20%
Mayo-based 68%
Vinegar-based 12%

- See and save our Potato Salad Cookbook

What's your favorite kind of cole slaw?

Vinegar-based 26%
Mayo-based 66%
Mustard-based 1%
Spicy 6%

- See and save our Cole Slaw Cookbook

What's your favorite cold side salad?

Cole Slaw 7%
Potato Salad 48%
Pasta Salad 24%
Green Salad 17%
Three Bean Salad 3%

- Browse our Side Dish Gallery
- See and save our BBQ Sides Cookbook

What's your favorite hot veggie for a cookout?

Corn on the Cob 64%
Baked Beans 26%
Vegetable Skewers 8%
Collard Greens 1%
Grilled Eggplant 1%

- Learn BBQ Guru Steven Raichlen's Perfect Grilled Corn Technique
- Get Steven Raichlen's Grilled Corn Recipe

What's your favorite non-salad side?

Potato Chips 35%
Deviled Eggs 42%
Hush Puppies 5%
Fried Okra 3%
Gelatin / Congealed 0%
Mac & Cheese 15%

- Browse all our Deviled Egg Recipes
- Read our Plain Potato Chip Taste Test
- Read our Flavored Potato Chip Taste Test

What's your favorite hot dog topping?

Plain 3%
Ketchup 22%
Mustard 40%
Onions / Kraut 10%
Chili 17%
Relish 7%

- Explore Hot Dog Toppings Around the World
- Cheer the winners of our Hot Dog Taste Test


What's your favorite burger topping?

Ketchup 30%
Mustard 7%
Mayo 8%
Steak Sauce 2%
The Works 51%
Plain 3%

- Chow down on our Best Burger Recipes & Tips


Cheese on your burger?

Yes 81%
No 19%

- Take the Burger Trivia Quiz