How The Peabody's lobby duck march makes Memphis hotel a 'bucket list' visit
Historic hotel's 92-year tradition makes splash with guests, drives business
Every day, just before 11 a.m. at The Peabody in Memphis, Tennessee, an employee at the hotel rolls out a red carpet.
One might assume the red carpet is for a celebrity, many of whom have visited The Peabody over the years, from Elvis Presley to Justin Timberlake. Instead, the honor is reserved for five North American Mallard ducks that march down daily to the lobby's fountain — as they've done for almost a century.
The hotel's duck march has defined The Peabody's over 100-year history, becoming not only an attraction at the hotel but a must-see Memphis experience that brings in hundreds of people a day from all around the world.
In September, the 464-key Peabody hotel — known as the South's Grand Hotel — celebrates 100 years at its current location in downtown Memphis, and the iconic duck march has been there for almost every step of the way.