Traditionally a strong performer in the fall and holiday TV season, Food Network is sizzling this summer, too.
From Memorial Day on May 27 through July 20, Food Network content has drawn more than 50.6 million total viewers across the linear TV channel, as well as Warner Bros. Discovery-owned streamers Max and Discovery+.
The boost in viewership coincides with the ongoing WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes in Hollywood, work stoppages that affect scripted programming, which is not Food Network’s bread and butter.
Looking at linear alone, Food Network is among the Top 5 non-news/sports cable networks across total day ratings for adults aged 25-54 and women aged 25-54, behind Nick at Nite, TNT, USA Network and TBS.
Per Nielsen’s Live + 3 Day data, Food Network is currently averaging 113,000 viewers in the 25-54 demo. Additionally, Food Network has seen average weekly time spent viewing during primetime rise 4% year over year among the 25-54 group and 6% among all viewers.
Sunday primetime competition “The Great Food Truck Race” is leading the pack with more than 8.9 million total viewers across Food Network, Max and Discovery+. In linear, the season is currently averaging a 0.8 L+3 rating across all viewers and a 1.05 rating among women over 18.
Monday night show “BBQ Brawl” has been watched by more than 8 million viewers across linear and streaming through the first two weeks of its new season, while Network/Max/discovery+), while Tuesday’s “Supermarket Stakeout” has reached more than 11.4 million viewers, pacing 11% above its previous season.
Other shows bringing in more summer viewers than usual for Food Network include “Guy’s Grocery Games,” “Beat Bobby Flay,” “Outchef’d,” “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives,” “The Kitchen” and “Girl Meets Farm .”
To finish out the summer, Food Network will launch new seasons of “Worst Cooks in America” Aug. 6 and “Bobby’s Triple Threat” Aug. 22.
“When you look at Food Network this summer, with more than half a dozen series performing strongly in primetime and time spent viewing on the rise, they have good momentum going into the fall and holiday seasons,” said Warner Bros. Discovery’s executive vice president of ad sales Marybeth Strobel. “That’s a good thing because Q3 and Q4 are traditionally when the network sees an increase in audience.”