Here’s What Your State Googles on Father’s Day

Mark your calendars: Father’s Day is almost here. People are starting to scramble for gifts and make plans to celebrate the special fathers in their lives. And what better way to plan than to consult Google, the keeper of all knowledge?

We were curious if search results from the past could give us insight into what people are planning for Father’s Day this year—so we did some digging.

Read more about our methodology.

It’s important to let Dad know how much you care, and people seem to know it. But a simple Hallmark card doesn’t always cut it. Some places, including Nevada and the District of Columbia, searched for traditional greeting cards, but others got a bit more creative. Many folks searched for Father’s Day memes, messages, jokes, and even songs to spread the love in a more modern way.

Greeting cards weren’t the only type of card folks searched for. Retailers like Best Buy, The Home Depot, BJ’s Wholesale Club, and Tractor Supply Co. were common queries—probably because people were hunting down deals on gift cards. When in doubt, let Dad pick his own gift.

Apparently not everyone knows when Father’s Day is. The top search in Missouri was “When is Father’s Day,” and people were still googling that question on the actual day. Luckily, it doesn’t take long to search for an emergency meme to fire off to Dad!

Several states were looking to get Dad some grub on Father’s Day. A few states hunted down barbecue and other meaty recipes. But if you’d rather take Dad out and let someone else handle the cooking, don’t worry, you’re not the only one. Restaurants were also a popular search topic, with Outback Steakhouse, Steak 'n Shake, and IHOP making the list.

But, surprisingly, the great state of Texas passed on the barbecue and hit up Wingstop instead. Meanwhile, Utah may be planning something a little fancier for dinner—they wanted to know how to tie a bow tie.

Sports fans aren’t letting the special day derail their plans—especially in North Dakota, where NBA Finals searches were popular. In Washington, MLB searches took the lead. Whether people just weren’t worried about Dad or wanted to share the experience with him, we don’t know. We’ll just hope it’s the latter.

Golf was also a popular search. Several states, including Colorado, Connecticut, Michigan, and more, searched for info on golf. A relaxing day on the links could be a great chance for some fatherly bonding.

Movies were also a hit on Father’s Day. Whether you head down to the theater or settle in for a cozy night at home doesn’t seem to matter—what’s important is spending that time with Dad. Searches for movie times and Redbox locations were frequent in Oklahoma and New Hampshire respectively.

Remember, Father’s Day is Sunday, June 16 (there, we saved you a google this year). Now is a perfect time to start making plans. Whatever you decide to do, take some time to slow down and enjoy the day with Dad if you can. And if you are a dad, happy Father’s Day!

Here’s the complete list of state searches if you’re looking for some validation (or inspiration).

We used Google Trends to find the most popular search terms on Father’s Day over the last five years. Then we ran that list through Google Trends again to see which states were searching for specific terms most frequently on Father’s Day in 2018. This gave us a pretty good idea of what folks should be looking for this year.

Edited by Cara Haynes