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With summer heating up across the country, we asked Canadians to share their top BBQ food picks—and the results reveal some clear favorites. From hamburgers and green salads to scoops of ice cream, the top Canadian BBQ food preferences show both classic tastes and surprising regional quirks. Whether you’re grilling in Ontario or plating up in Newfoundland, here’s what Canadians say makes the perfect BBQ meal this summer.
No surprise here, Canadians love hamburgers on the grill, with four in ten picking burgers as their go-to protein option. Chicken comes in second, chosen by one-quarter of Canadians, followed by ribs with 16 percent. Interestingly, veggie burgers are a more popular choice than either sausages or hot dogs, although overall fewer Canadians opt for any of these three.
The Ideal BBQ Plate
Newfoundland residents seem to be keeping a BBQ secret, as they are more likely than any other region in Canada to say their ideal protein is something different. We wonder what it could be!
When it comes to salad, green salad and potato salad are top picks, with approximately four in ten each saying one of these are their ideal salad. Brocolli salad is less popular overall, though it is more favored in the Atlantic region compared to the rest of Canada. However, this added love for brocolli salad may come at the expense of green salads, since green salad is less popular in the Atlantic provinces compared to elsewhere. Across generations, Gen Zers seem to be the least likely to eat their vegetables, as they are most likely to opt out of salad entirely.
The Ideal BBQ Plate
And thinking about desserts, Canadians are most likely to choose ice cream, with four in ten selecting it as their ideal BBQ dessers. This is followed by about two in ten each who prefer healthier options like watermelon slices or fruit salad, while only 15 percent opt for brownies. Interestingly, men are more likely to choose ice cream, while women tend to prefer watermelon as their ideal dessert. Across provinces, Quebec residents are more likely to choose brownies, whereas Newfoundland residents are once again more likely to choose other types of dessert. Brownies appear to have a younger fan base, while Boomers tend to prefer fruit salad.
These results show that the perfect BBQ plate for Canadians is a hamburger, green salad, and ice cream.
Results are from an online survey conducted in partnership between Narrative Research and the Logit Group. The survey was conducted between July 9th and 10th, 2025 with 1,230 Canadians, 18 years of age or older from the Logit Group’s online Canadian Omnibus. Data were weighted based on the 2021 Census, by gender, age, and region to reflect actual population distribution.
For more information, please contact:
Margaret Chapman, COO & Partner, Narrative Research – 902.493.3834, mchapman@narrativeresearch.ca or Sam Pisani, Managing Partner, Logit Group – 416.629.4116, sam.pisani@logitgroup.com.
Narrative Research is a non-partisan, 100% Canadian-owned research company, certified as a Women Business Enterprise (WBE). Narrative Research provides clients with state-of-the-art research and strategic consulting services.
The Logit Group is a leading North American data collection and market research execution company headquartered in Toronto, conducting large-scale projects for a variety of well-known research agencies and brands. Logit employs industry-best technologies.
