Hamburgers lead the list for favorite 4th of July foods for Americans according to a recent survey. However, Texans have a different take. BBQ leads the Texans list for favorite food and a cookout or picnic is their favorite activity. The US favorites in the food category include: burgers first at 31%, BBQ at 25%, Hot Dogs 14%, Chicken 11%, with sides at 10%, and desserts at 8%. Activities include cookout/BBQ/Picnic 34.1%, watch fireworks 30.8%, hanging out in the water 13%, going to a parade 10.4%, hosting a party 6%, going shopping 4%.
Bodacious Bar-B-Q’s Owner Jay Isonhood sat down with KSST to talk about how busy his restaurant will be over the 4th of July holiday weekend. Isonhood said the increase of customers is around “30% to 40%”. Normally the store serves 200-300 customers daily, but on holidays Isonhood expects to have close to 500 orders. “On the 1st and the 4th I’ll get [to Bodacious] around 3:00 in the morning instead of 7:00 am. We usually sell out as early as 3:00 pm.”
Isonhood expects to be more busy on the 1st of July, since most people celebrate with the Independence Day Concert on the square. His best selling menu items in Sulphur Springs are: #1 Brisket, #2 Ribs, and #3 Turkey. Isonhood explained that different cities prefer different types of meat. “You can tell by talking to people what they prefer and know what big sellers will be.” Isonhood’s brother who runs a Bodacious out in Marshall’s best seller is ribs.
This year Jay plans on leaving a little earlier than usual to celebrate the 4th of July “because my wife is conducting the orchestra.” Patty Isonhood is the guest conductor at the Independence Day Concert.
The Isonhoods want their customers to know they are very patriotic: “Both of my grandfathers and my dad and uncle served in the military.” The Bodacious Staff also appreciates their customers. Jay continued “If there’s ever something not right, just find myself or Clint or Kim and we’ll make it right.”
KSST took to the streets to find out how Sulphur Springs residents celebrate the 4th of July.
Emily Durig and family plan on celebrating with friends. Their 4th of July traditions includes cookouts, water fun, and fireworks. “Sometimes our Church family has a gathering that we go to!” Emily said. Her favorite 4th of July foods include “Anything on the grill-hamburgers and hot dogs, and watermelon!”
Rhonda Bechhold was out with her grandchildren Mackenzie and Nick. They plan on traveling to Canton before coming back for the the fireworks. Her typical 4th of July routine is “getting together with the family and cooking out, before meeting up for the firework show [on the square].” Her must have food for the holiday is “Bar-B-Q”.
Angela Curry and T. Singletary and Azariah were visiting the square from Austin, and talked about their 4th of July plans. They’ll be back in Austin for a softball tournament. Curry said a 4th of July tradition she had as a kid was “going to the fair”. Singletary’s traditions include “firecrackers, and eating Bar-B-Q with Family.” Azariah’s favorite 4th of July food is “Bar-B-Q”, which Curry and Singletary both agreed is the best kind of food for the holiday .
