Americans have a complicated relationship with fast food. They'll complain about it. They'll post about eating healthier. Then they'll pull into a drive-through on the way home. Honestly, it's one of the most relatable habits in the country. America is the leading consumer of fast food globally, generating roughly 38% of the fast food industry's $1.1 trillion in global revenue in 2024, despite making up only 4.2% of the world's population.
The numbers are genuinely staggering. More than one-third of adults living in the USA eat fast food every day, and the vast majority of American families feast on fast food at least once a week. So which states are leading this charge? The answers might surprise you more than you'd expect. Let's dive in.
#8: California - The Giant With a Massive Appetite
You might not immediately picture California as a fast food powerhouse. Hollywood green juices and avocado toast have built a strong health-conscious image for the state. The reality, though, is a very different story.
The state-wise consumption distribution reveals a highly concentrated landscape of fast food demand across the U.S., and California stands out as the largest fast food market by total volume, contributing roughly one in six dollars of overall U.S. fast food demand. This prominence is attributed to its extensive population base, dense urban areas such as Los Angeles and the Bay Area, high workforce participation, and substantial tourism.
Despite a strong narrative around health-conscious consumer choices in California, fast food remains robust, bolstered by diverse menus, premium offerings, and the rise of fast-casual and "better-for-you" quick-service restaurant concepts. In other words, the state has found clever ways to make fast food feel like a lifestyle choice rather than a guilty indulgence. Think of it as fast food in disguise.
California ranked sixth in the top ten on the Escoffier School's comprehensive study with an overall score of 84.62, though the West Coast state didn't make it into the top five of any individual categories. A likely explanation is that California is the third most visited state in the country, with over six million international visitors annually. Tourism, in other words, does a lot of heavy lifting here.
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#7: Ohio - The Midwest's Fast Food Machine
Ohio doesn't get the glamour. It doesn't have Vegas lights or Hawaiian beaches. What it does have is an enormous, hungry population and a deep, almost philosophical commitment to fast food culture.
Ohio nabbed the seventh spot in the fast food nation with a score of 79.33. The midwestern state ranked fifth in most fast food restaurants per 100,000 people, with 82.42. Ohio's high ranking is likely due to the state's total population, as there are simply "enough consumers" to support large numbers of fast food restaurants.
Ohio is the seventh most populous state in the country, with approximately 11.9 million residents. Fast food is also quite popular across the Midwest broadly, with chains like White Castle, Culver's, and Portillo's thriving in those states. Regional chains are arguably what drive Ohio's fast food culture in a way you won't see in coastal states.
Ohio sits among a tier of states with a market share of roughly four and a half percent nationally, exemplifying a mature yet stable fast food market anchored by major metropolitan areas. These markets enjoy balanced demand across value meals, family dining, and convenience-driven consumption, supported by strong franchise penetration and regular weekday traffic from working professionals.
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#6: New Mexico - The Overlooked Southwest Contender
New Mexico rarely shows up in conversations about fast food heavyweights. Tuck that assumption away, because the data tells a surprisingly bold story about this southwestern state's dining habits.
New Mexico came in ninth place overall in Escoffier's broader ranking with a score of 73.39. The southwestern state has the second-highest percentage of fast food restaurants overall, at a whopping 42.02%, just five percent behind Maryland. It is probably because, like Maryland, New Mexico's total number of restaurants is not very high and ranks among the bottom five states in terms of total restaurant count statewide.
The top states in the fast food percentage category are among the bottom five states in terms of the total number of restaurants statewide. This indicates that, while these states may not have a high demand for restaurants in general, they have a disproportionately high demand for fast food in particular, qualifying them as fast food capitals in their own right.
Think about what that actually means. When the restaurant scene is limited, fast food fills that vacuum almost completely. If a town only has a handful of dining choices, and two of them are chain restaurants, the consumption data skews dramatically. It's less about love of fast food and more about, well, the available options.
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#5: Illinois - Chicago's Drive-Through Empire
Chicago is one of the great food cities of the world. Deep-dish pizza. Chicago-style hot dogs. Yet Illinois as a whole lands firmly in the top tier for fast food consumption, and it's not even close.
Illinois is the fast food capital of the Midwest and third overall nationally on Escoffier's scale with an impressive score of 95.70. The state, home to one of the largest cities in the country, ranked fourth in most fast food restaurants per 100,000 people with 84.32.
Residents of Illinois allocate approximately $2,904 per year to fast food, ranking it seventh highest in the USA. Illinois has its own culinary traditions, with local favorites like Chicago-style hot dogs, and some fast food chains provide regional variations to cater to these preferences. It's a state where fast food is not just convenience, it is genuinely woven into local identity.
Illinois holds roughly 6.20% of the entire U.S. fast food market by spending, placing it among the biggest fast food markets in the country alongside states like Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Georgia. For a single state, that is a remarkable slice of a very large pie.
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#4: New York - Fine Dining and Drive-Throughs, All at Once
New York has Michelin-starred restaurants on virtually every block in Manhattan. It also has an almost insatiable appetite for fast food. Somehow, both things are true at exactly the same time.
Not only is New York home to New York City, the biggest city in the country, but it is also the fourth largest fast food capital with a score of 95.68. The state ranked second in terms of most fast food restaurants per 100,000 people with 90.87 and third in the highest share of spending on fast food restaurants at 20.73%.
New York is also a fast food powerhouse, ranking second in the total number of fast food restaurants per capita at 90.8 per 100,000 people. New Yorkers spend more than one fifth of their total food budget on fast food, making it clear that quick eats are a major part of the dining culture here.
Escoffier's analysis found that New York boasts one of the highest numbers of fast food restaurants per capita, a finding that could partially be explained by its vibrant tourist economy. New York is also third in terms of the ratio of tourists to residents, according to analysis of overseas tourist data from the US Department of Commerce. This suggests that its high rank could partially be explained by its booming tourist economy, with many fast food restaurants offering convenient dining options to travelers.
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#3: Hawaii - Paradise, Poke Bowls, and Fast Food
Most people picture fresh poke, grilled fish, and tropical fruit when they think of food in Hawaii. So it's genuinely jaw-dropping that Hawaii holds one of the top spots for fast food concentration in the entire country.
Hawaii claims the top spot nationally for fast food restaurants per capita, with an incredible 95.11 establishments per 100,000 people. This number represents the highest concentration of fast food restaurants in the USA. The island state also comes in second in fast food spending at 21.66%, meaning that both locals and tourists alike are fueling up on quick bites and driving Hawaii's fast food spending to remarkable heights.
According to Escoffier's research, in Hawaii, out of every $5 residents spent on food, more than $1 was spent on fast food specifically, placing it among the top five states for fast food spending nationally. That is a stunning ratio for an island known for its fresh local cuisine.
While there are data showing that fast food consumption rises with rising income, that doesn't necessarily explain Hawaii's position. Nevada and Hawaii, despite ranking in the top tier, are actually right in the middle of the pack when it comes to personal income levels. The real driver here seems to be tourism and the sheer density of visitors pouring through the islands year-round.
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#2: Nevada - Where Hunger Never Sleeps
Here's the thing about Nevada. Las Vegas is one of the most visited cities on Earth. Millions of people flow through its casinos and hotels around the clock, and a large chunk of them end up in a fast food line at 2 a.m. between blackjack hands. The data reflects exactly that reality.
In the Escoffier fast food study, Nevada scored 97.24, trailing only Maryland's perfect score of 100. That is an extraordinarily tight race for the top spot. According to the findings, Nevada was the top state in terms of the highest share of spending on fast food restaurants, with people spending 21.79% of their food budget on fast food. In Nevada, residents spend roughly $1 out of every $5 of their food budget on fast food.
Sin City isn't just for casinos but can also be considered a fast food paradise. Nevada ranks first in fast food spending, with residents allocating 21.79% of their total food budget to quick eats. That means that for every $5 spent on food in Nevada, more than $1 goes straight to the drive-through window.
Because Nevada is in the "middle of the pack" regarding total income, researchers from Escoffier concluded that this statistic shows the real dining habits of people in these states, irrespective of income or other factors. Honestly, that's what makes this finding so compelling. It's not a wealth story. It's a culture story.
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#1: Maryland - The Undisputed Fast Food Capital of America
Nobody saw this coming. When people guess which state eats the most fast food, they usually throw out Texas, California, or maybe somewhere in the Deep South. Almost nobody guesses Maryland. Yet the data is remarkably clear on this one.
A recent study by the Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts determined that Maryland, home to a little over six million people, is the nation's fast food-loving capital, beating out far bigger locales like California and New York. Maryland's high percentage of fast food restaurants helped it secure the title of America's fast food capital. After ranking states in three categories and combining their scores, researchers gave each state an overall rating of zero to 100, and Maryland snagged a perfect 100, trailed by Nevada at 97.24.
Out of all 50 states, Maryland placed first as the fast food capital of America, largely owing to the fact that it easily has the highest share of fast food restaurants as a percentage of total restaurants. Nationally, an average of 35.70% of all restaurants are fast food, in comparison to Maryland's 46.76%, the highest percentage in the country. That gap is enormous when you think about it.
According to the Escoffier School's study, Maryland doesn't actually have that many restaurants in general compared to the national average. The average is 211 restaurants per every 100,000 people, while Maryland sits at 187. Yet just because Maryland doesn't have that many restaurants doesn't mean fast food chains have taken a back seat. A whopping 48% of all restaurants in Maryland are fast food, the highest percentage in the country.
The state's love of fast food may even explain why Chick-fil-A picked Maryland as one of two states for its test pilot of a new Chicken and Waffles Sandwich. According to location data from ScrapeHero, the top five fast food restaurants with the most locations in Maryland are Subway, Dunkin Donuts, Starbucks, McDonald's, and Domino's Pizza. The full spectrum of American chain dining, concentrated into one mid-sized mid-Atlantic state.
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