Pumpkin patches
Sorry to all the cherry, chocolate, and sweet potato heads out there, the data doesn't lie: the top 3 Thanksgiving pies are — according to a 2022 YouGov poll — pumpkin, with 23% of the vote; pecan, with 14%; and apple, which 12% of Americans say is their favorite.
Pumpkin supremacy is only confirmed by Google data, which shows more searches for pumpkin pie than any other in almost 80% of US states, with only a few exceptions. Indeed, over the last 30 days, just 9 states searched for “apple pie” more than any other, with a strong concentration around the Big Apple itself, while pecan only prevailed in Mississippi and Alabama.
The nation’s favorite
America’s relationship with pumpkin pie goes way back. Indeed, the Library of Congress notes that colonial settlers in New England were already cooking the festive favorite by 1655, although it wasn’t until 1796 that the recipe began to take the form that (most of us) know and love today.
Interestingly, the cost of a Thanksgiving feast for 10 is down 4.5% on last year, to $61.17, according to the American Farm Bureau — although that’s still 25% higher than in 2019.
P.S. This is as close to a pie chart as we’ll ever get.
