Conventional wisdom states that low-income families buy more fast food and even rely on it. With fast food, you get more calories for the dollar, making it an essential part of the survival of on a small budget. This perception is so widespread that laws have been passed limiting new fast-food establishments in poorer neighborhoods, like one passed in 2008 by the city of Los Angeles. 1 Few question whether this assumption is true.
Thousands of articles have been written about why low-income people eat more fast food. Failing to start with the most pertinent question has rendered these articles moot. In truth, this perception that fast food appeals more to low-income families is incorrect. Fast food is enjoyed by all demographics, regardless of income or race. However, statistically, higher-income Americans eat more fast food than low-income Americans.
Studies and surveys show that fast food is most popular among those with an upper-middle income of $75,000 or more. Over 50% of wealthier Americans are likely to eat fast food at least once per week. Among those making $20,000 or less, only 39% are likely to eat it at least once per week. 2,3
A CDC study in 2018 backed up this data, reporting that more people with a higher income choose to eat fast food more often than those below the poverty line. 4
Did the percentage of adults consuming fast food on a given day differ by family income level for 2013–2016?
The percentage of adults who consumed fast food increased with increasing family income level (Figure 3). Overall, 31.7% of lower-income (less than or equal to 130% of the federal poverty level [FPL]), 36.4% of middle-income (greater than 130% to less than or equal to 350% of FPL), and 42.0% of higher-income (greater than 350% of FPL) adults consumed fast food on a given day. A similar pattern was observed for both men and women.
Within each income level, there was no significant difference in the percentage between men and women who consumed fast food.
In simplest terms, fast food consumption rises as income rises from the lowest to middle ranges. Fast food consumption dips as income rises above the middle quartiles. I.e. truly rich people don’t eat as much fast food.
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- “Study: Fast-Food Ban Is No Fat Cure.” Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 6 Oct. 2009, www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2009-oct-06-fi-fastfood6-story.html.
- Zagorsky, J. L., & Smith, P. K. (2017). The association between socioeconomic status and adult fast-food consumption in the U.S. Economics & Human Biology, 27, 12-25. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ehb.2017.04.004
- Dugan, Andrew. “Fast Food Still Major Part of U.S. Diet.” Gallup.Com, Gallup, 4 June 2021, news.gallup.com/poll/163868/fast-food-major-part-diet.aspx.
- Fryar CD, Hughes JP, Herrick KA, Ahluwalia, N. Fast food consumption among adults in the United States, 2013–2016. NCHS Data Brief, no 322. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. 2018.