Take a guess at the most popular food in America. I’ll bet you will guess one of the top five. I’ll give you a hint at the number one food in America: Billions Sold. It’s not apple pie, which is number 11. It’s not a nice, juicy steak, although those are certainly on the list. Have you guessed yet? The most popular food in America is the hamburger. Big surprise.
I’m surprised that it’s not the cheeseburger. According to stats gathered by YouGov, a data and analytic group specializing in consumer data, the cheeseburger has a popularity rating of 83%. The hamburger has a popularity of 85%. The people who don’t like cheese on their burgers are just edging out those who do. As of the second quarter of 2024, YouGov lists the following popularity ratings for the top 10 foods in America.
Top Ten Foods In America, 2024
1. Hamburger – 85%
2. French fries – 84%
3. Grilled cheese – 84%
4. Fried chicken – 84%
5. Cheeseburger – 83%
6. Mashed potatoes – 82%
7. Corn on the cob – 81%
8. Steak and baked potato – 81%
9. Hash browns – 81%
10. Steak and fries – 80%
Popularity is defined by the number of people who have a positive opinion of the dish. Notice that all of the items listed could be considered American dishes. This tracks with Americans’ overwhelming preference for American food, at 91%, outscoring Italian food at 88% and Mexican at 86%. 1
Only people in the Philippines like American food more than Americans themselves. The rest of the world is not exactly keen on it although it is ranked at number 7, worldwide with a popularity rating of 68%, beating out Mexican, Indian, Turkish, and many others. For the British folks who insist that American food is nasty, well, sorry, British food is ranked at 16, at least in this study, with a popularity of 50%, outranked by not only American food, but Vietnamese and German cuisine.
Among all cuisines, Italian is the most popular worldwide, followed by Chinese food, and Japanese food. 2
- “The Most Popular American Dishes in America: Consumer: YouGov Ratings.” YouGov.Com, YouGov PLC, today.yougov.com/ratings/consumer/popularity/american-dishes/all. Accessed 14 July 2024.
- Smith, Matthew, and Linley Sanders. “These Are America’s Favorite Foods from around the World.” YouGov, 12 Mar. 2019, today.yougov.com/consumer/articles/22648-americas-favorite-foods-around-world.