Consumers plan to spend $86 over Memorial Day weekend, down sharply from $289 a year ago, according to a new survey from coupon platform RetailMeNot. Top categories include outdoor cooking gear, summer apparel and home goods or décor.
The survey found 35 percent of consumers are “very likely” to wait for Memorial Day sales before making a major purchase while another 31 percent are “somewhat likely” to do the same. Despite the projected decline in overall spend, 54 percent of respondents plan to purchase something over Memorial Day, up from 36 percent last year.
“Consumers aren’t stepping back from holidays. They’re getting more disciplined about how much they let those holidays cost them,” said Stephanie Carls, retail insights expert at RetailMeNot. “People are arriving with a number already in their head, buying what they came for, and moving on. For retailers, that changes the math. Higher participation with lower spend per person means competition for each dollar is more intense than the foot traffic numbers suggest.”
This year’s top 10 categories consumers surveyed are planning to purchase over the weekend include grills and outdoor cooking gear, cited by 28 percent; summer apparel, 27 percent; home goods and decor, 21 percent; pool and beach gear, 18 percent; electronics, 18 percent; home improvement supplies, 16 percent; patio décor or outdoor accessories, 16 percent; sports and outdoor recreation gear, 16 percent; outdoor furniture, 15 percent; and appliances, 15 percent.
“Memorial Day 2026 is shaping up to be a holiday where showing up and spending big are two different things,” added Carls. “Consumers are engaged. They’re timing purchases around the weekend, they have categories in mind, and they’re ready to buy. They’re just doing it on their own terms, with a number already in their head before the first sale banner goes live.”
RetailMeNot surveyed 1,023 U.S. adults on March 24, 2026.
Image courtesy Solo Stove
