Why Plumbers Call It “Brown Friday” (and How to Get Through It)

While most Americans spend the day after Thanksgiving chasing Black Friday deals or polishing off leftover pumpkin pie, plumbers are suiting up for their own niche Super Bowl.

Known aptly (albeit grossly) as “Brown Friday,” it’s the single busiest day of the year for plumbing professionals across the country. According to 2023 Yelp data, plumbing calls surge by as much as 73% the day after Thanksgiving compared to the weeks prior, as well as searches for things like “plumbing repair” and “drain cleaning services” (as for whose job it was to cull that data, we have no idea, but thank you for your service).

Between overworked kitchen sinks, jammed garbage disposals, and overwhelmed bathroom systems, it’s a day that puts just about every drain snake in the country to the test.

Why “Brown Friday”?

Plumbers’ busiest day of the year is (supposedly) so-named for the unusually high concentration of turkey drippings, grease, and potato skins dumped down the garbage disposal compared to your average Thursday. Plus, National Hug-a-Plumber Day was already taken (April 25th, as if you didn’t know).

There’s some science behind these particular food waste items contributing to clogged drains  (more on sticky starch pastes and turkey juices’ congealed fats here), though there are probably other factors at play as well; not many days of the year feature millions of people off of work, gathered in large numbers for feasting all at once — at the exact time chilly weather begins descending on the nation’s pipes, no less.

Those are conditions bound to spike the number of plumbing calls over the weekend — and spike they certainly will. 

What to do if you’re a plumber

For plumbers, this is your time to shine — and earn future business (or referrals!). That means trucks are fueled, tools are organized, and fully-charged phones are awaiting calls to come in virtually non-stop from early morning to well past dessert (that same Yelp data shows NYC’s Brown Friday searches specifically include queries for a “24-hour plumber” at a 64% higher clip than usual).

It also means the benefits of your GPS and dash cam are multiplied, as is the case anytime demand spikes put stress on your available resources. A reliable GPS that provides real-time location data makes for more efficient dispatching and route planning, with dispatchers able to quickly assign incoming calls to the nearest available tech.

Built-in dash cams also serve as a safety measure for teams on the move — which is especially helpful when navigating busy post-holiday traffic or responding to multiple emergency calls across town.

If that all sounds helpful to your business, we have a strong dash cam/GPS recommendation for you.

What to do if you’re decidedly NOT a plumber

For everyone else, the best plan is prevention. No matter how powerful your disposal claims to be, avoid sending grease, oil, or potato skins down the drain*. If you’re feeling especially bold, you can tactfully remind your houseguests that the bathroom trash bin exists for a reason.

If your sink does start burbling or the shower drain fails to do its job, resist the urge to DIY with harsh chemicals — they often cause more harm than good. Instead, take a breath, call a professional, and be thankful you’re not the one pulling out the wrench on Brown Friday.

*as well as candle wax — be sure your kids know nothing will wreck your disposal faster than trying to level off their favorite scented candle by sending melted wax down the drain. Source: We’d rather not talk about it.