Slicing into Pi Day: These are America's favorite pies

In celebration of Pi Day on March 14 (3/14)—a food holiday savored for making math just a little sweeter—Instacart serves up a healthy slice of its ordering data to determine which pies win Americans' hearts and stomachs, uncovering surprising regional favorites and unexpected sweet trends.

America's Most Popular Pies

When it comes to the most popular pies nationwide, apple pie earns the blue ribbon, accounting for nearly a third (29%) of all pie sales in 2024. Coming in second and third, respectively, are pumpkin pie, with 23%, and pecan pie, with 9% of all pie sales—proving there's a reason why these classics don't stay on the pie plate for long. Meanwhile, raspberry and vanilla cream pie don't get as much fanfare, with each representing only 0.02% of pies sold.

A Cut of State by State and Regional Trends

The data also shows that consumers' pie preferences differ greatly depending on the state or region they live in:

• Pumpkin passion: While pumpkin pie is synonymous with fall, West Coasters—and surprisingly, Floridians—show a year-round appreciation for its flavor.
• Cherry craze: Cherry pie dominates in the Midwest, with a "cherry belt" running from Arizona to West Virginia.
• Southern classic: No matter how you pronounce it, pecan pie is the reigning favorite in the South, from Texas to the Carolinas.
• Diverse East Coast palates: The East Coast offers a variety of pie favorites: chocolate pie, lemon meringue, and key lime stand out. New Englanders also love blueberry pie; it's the most uniquely popular pie in Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island.

City by City Taste Test

Pi Day requires a special shoutout to San Francisco, the original Pi Day "Pi-oneer." Unlike the rest of California, which has a taste for pumpkin, San Franciscans march to their own drummer, opting for key lime pie, and ordering it over six times more often than the national average in 2024. Across other cities, distinct pie preferences emerge:

• Local love: Marionberry pie shines in the Pacific Northwest, reflecting the regional berry's roots. Portland, Oregon, residents order this treat 17 times more often than the national average, followed by Seattle at 14 times.
• Something sweet: Sweet potato pie has a loyal following across Southern and Midwestern cities, including Atlanta (6.5x national average), Detroit (5.4x), Memphis, Tennessee (4.5x), and Washington D.C. (4.1x).
• A tart twist: In Philadelphia and Baltimore, lemon meringue pie takes center stage, with orders four and three times higher than the national average, respectively.
• Pulling for peach: Peach pie holds its own in Denver and Los Angeles, with sales exceeding twice the national average (2.7x and 2x, respectively).

Peeking Into Pie Prep:

What about the ingredients behind these delectable desserts? Pie-making at home has its champions:

• Scratch-made love: Vermont led the charge, buying pie crusts and fillings 83% more often than the national average in 2024. West Virginia (75% more often), Mississippi (68%), Wisconsin (64%), and Kentucky (62%) also showed a strong appetite for pie-making essentials.
• Less homemade prep: Conversely, Hawaii purchased crusts and fillings at the lowest rate—57% below the national average. California (47% less often), Washington D.C. (-41%), Nevada (-35%), and Washington State (-29%) made up the rest of the bottom five.

Sweetest Shopping Days

When do Americans buy the most pies? No surprise here—it's the day before Thanksgiving. On that day, pie sales skyrocketed, with 1,059% more carts containing pies compared to the average in 2024. But don't count out Pi Day. On March 14, 2024, Instacart orders containing pies increased 60% over the yearly average.

This story was produced by Instacart and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.