The Massive Amount of Green Spent on St. Patrick’s Day

That’s a Lot of Cabbage

The National Retail Federation estimates the average consumer will spend just over $42 this year during St. Patrick’s Day festivities. Not surprisingly, the number of beers sold typically increase by as much as 174% for the day, while sales of spirits rise by closer to 153%. In total, upwards of $5.9 billion will be spent in celebration of the holiday.

Digging into the thirsty details, 13 million pints of the classic Irish stout Guinness will be sold. Of course, all that beer makes people hungry, and eateries are prepared. Cabbage shipments increase by 25% leading up to the holiday, and some restaurants say in order to be ready they ordered corned beef two months in advance.

State’s Irish Spirit

There’s a number of different ways to categorize St. Patrick’s Day spending, and Fox Business broke it down by state. New York and New Jersey are both in the top 10 when it comes to spending money on drinks, although high prices could be the main reason. New Jersey ranks 20th in terms of beers sold, but checks in with the most expensive average bar tab.

Pennsylvania is at the top of the list in terms of most drinks, with just over 4.25 adult beverages consumed each St. Paddy’s, on average. Rounding out the top four in that category are Minnesota, Mississippi, and Missouri — home to the country’s largest brewer, Anheuser-Busch (BUD).

Sin City Facing Shortages

It’s no surprise that St. Patrick’s Day is a big one for a party town like Las Vegas. Restaurant managers say months of planning are involved, with dozens of kegs of Coors Light (TAP) and Guinness ordered ahead of time. Still, many admit they’re facing shortages.

One cause relates to ongoing supply-chain disruptions, and the inability to get glassware. Many bars say they’ve been using plastic cups. Mexican tequila as well as whiskey from Canada and Ireland are reportedly in short supply. If nothing else, for many pubs and restaurants, it sure beats being short on beer for St. Paddy’s

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