Despite peaking in popularity in the early 2000s, low-carb diets remain a staple of the fitness and nutrition industry. However, these diets have not abated America’s love of carbohydrates.
The health of the country hurts because of it — obesity rates are still rising — but the data shows that the country’s most popular foods continue to be the most carbohydrate-laden.
From pizza to sandwiches and baked goods, we can’t get enough.
Using the most recent 2014 estimates from the American Community Survey and Dun and Bradstreet, the experts at FindTheHome discovered the most popular food in every state. The food type with the highest density per 100,000 people is considered the most popular. Pizza is the fan-favorite in most states, with baked goods and Mexican food taking the lead in many others. Previously, FindTheHome used the same data providers to find the pizza capital and bakery capital of every state.
Advocates maintain that government subsidies of crops like corn, wheat and feed grains enable the production of processed food. Add in the demand from the American public, and it’s unlikely that the food industry will slow the pizza production line. However, looking at current obesity rates and the ineffectiveness of national health policies such as Healthy People 2020, a federal initiative to eliminate preventable diseases, like obesity, it’s clear that what we’re doing isn’t working.
Mississippi
No. 1 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Pizza Restaurants
No. 2 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Steak and BBQ Restaurants
No. 3 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Bakeries
No. 4 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Sandwich Shops
Population: 2,984,345
Louisiana
No. 1 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Pizza Restaurants
No. 2 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Bakeries
No. 3 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Sandwich Shops
No. 4 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Steak and BBQ Restaurants
Population: 4,601,049
Utah
No. 1 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Pizza Restaurants
No. 2 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Bakeries
No. 3 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Mexican Food Restaurants
No. 4 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Sandwich Shops
Population: 2,858,111
Alabama
No. 1 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Steak and BBQ Restaurants
No. 2 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Pizza Restaurants
No. 3 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Bakeries
No. 4 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Sandwich Shops
Population: 4,817,678
Oklahoma
No. 1 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Pizza Restaurants
No. 2 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Mexican Food Restaurants
No. 3 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Steak and BBQ Restaurants
No. 4 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Bakeries
Population: 3,818,851
Hawaii
No. 1 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Bakeries
No. 2 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Chinese Food Restaurants
No. 3 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Sandwich Shops
No. 4 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Steak and BBQ Restaurants
Population: 1,392,704
Georgia
No. 1 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Pizza Restaurants
No. 2 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Bakeries
No. 3 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Steak and BBQ Restaurants
No. 4 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Sandwich Shops
Population: 9,907,756
South Carolina
No. 1 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Pizza Restaurants
No. 2 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Sandwich Shops
No. 3 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Steak and BBQ Restaurants
No. 4 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Bakeries
Population: 4,727,273
Washington
No. 1 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Pizza Restaurants
No. 2 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Bakeries
No. 3 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Mexican Food Restaurants
No. 4 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Sandwich Shops
Population: 6,899,123
Arkansas
No. 1 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Pizza Restaurants
No. 2 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Steak and BBQ Restaurants
No. 3 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Mexican Food Restaurants
No. 4 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Sandwich Shops
Population: 2,947,036
Nebraska
No. 1 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Pizza Restaurants
No. 2 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Bakeries
No. 3 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Sandwich Shops
No. 4 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Mexican Food Restaurants
Population: 1,855,617
Wyoming
No. 1 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Pizza Restaurants
No. 2 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Mexican Food Restaurants
No. 3 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Steak and BBQ Restaurants
No. 4 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Sandwich Shops
Population: 575,251
Nevada
No. 1 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Pizza Restaurants
No. 2 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Mexican Food Restaurants
No. 3 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Bakeries
No. 4 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Sandwich Shops
Population: 2,761,584
New Mexico
No. 1 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Mexican Food Restaurants
No. 2 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Pizza Restaurants
No. 3 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Bakeries
No. 4 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Sandwich Shops
Population: 2,080,085
Arizona
No. 1 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Mexican Food Restaurants
No. 2 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Pizza Restaurants
No. 3 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Bakeries
No. 4 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Sandwich Shops
Population: 6,561,516
North Carolina
No. 1 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Pizza Restaurants
No. 2 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Bakeries
No. 3 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Sandwich Shops
No. 4 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Steak and BBQ Restaurants
Population: 9,750,405
Idaho
No. 1 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Pizza Restaurants
No. 2 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Bakeries
No. 3 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Mexican Food Restaurants
No. 4 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Sandwich Shops
Population: 1,599,464
Tennessee
No. 1 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Pizza Restaurants
No. 2 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Steak and BBQ Restaurants
No. 3 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Bakeries
No. 4 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Sandwich Shops
Population: 6,451,365
Alaska
No. 1 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Pizza Restaurants
No. 2 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Bakeries
No. 3 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Mexican Food Restaurants
No. 4 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Sandwich Shops
Population: 728,300
Wisconsin
No. 1 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Pizza Restaurants
No. 2 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Sandwich Shops
No. 3 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Bakeries
No. 4 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Ice Cream Shops
Population: 5,724,692
California
No. 1 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Mexican Food Restaurants
No. 2 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Pizza Restaurants
No. 3 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Bakeries
No. 4 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Chinese Food Restaurants
Population: 38,066,920
Virginia
No. 1 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Pizza Restaurants
No. 2 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Bakeries
No. 3 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Sandwich Shops
No. 4 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Chinese Food Restaurants
Population: 8,185,131
North Dakota
No. 1 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Pizza Restaurants
No. 2 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Bakeries
No. 3 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Sandwich Shops
No. 4 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Ice Cream Shops
Population: 704,925
South Dakota
No. 1 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Pizza Restaurants
No. 2 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Steak and BBQ Restaurants
No. 3 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Sandwich Shops
No. 4 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Bakeries
Population: 834,708
Missouri
No. 1 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Pizza Restaurants
No. 2 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Bakeries
No. 3 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Steak and BBQ Restaurants
No. 4 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Sandwich Shops
Population: 6,028,076
Kansas
No. 1 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Pizza Restaurants
No. 2 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Bakeries
No. 3 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Mexican Food Restaurants
No. 4 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Steak and BBQ Restaurants
Population: 2,882,946
Oregon
No. 1 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Pizza Restaurants
No. 2 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Bakeries
No. 3 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Mexican Food Restaurants
No. 4 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Sandwich Shops
Population: 3,900,343
Maryland
No. 1 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Pizza Restaurants
No. 2 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Bakeries
No. 3 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Sandwich Shops
No. 4 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Chinese Food Restaurants
Population: 5,887,776
Minnesota
No. 1 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Pizza Restaurants
No. 2 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Bakeries
No. 3 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Sandwich Shops
No. 4 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Ice Cream Shops
Population: 5,383,661
Colorado
No. 1 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Pizza Restaurants
No. 2 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Mexican Food Restaurants
No. 3 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Bakeries
No. 4 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Sandwich Shops
Population: 5,197,580
Kentucky
No. 1 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Pizza Restaurants
No. 2 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Bakeries
No. 3 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Sandwich Shops
No. 4 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Steak and BBQ Restaurants
Population: 4,383,272
Illinois
No. 1 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Pizza Restaurants
No. 2 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Bakeries
No. 3 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Sandwich Shops
No. 4 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Mexican Food Restaurants
Population: 12,868,747
Montana
No. 1 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Pizza Restaurants
No. 2 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Bakeries
No. 3 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Sandwich Shops
No. 4 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Steak and BBQ Restaurants
Population: 1,006,370
Maine
No. 1 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Pizza Restaurants
No. 2 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Bakeries
No. 3 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Seafood
No. 4 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Sandwich Shops
Population: 1,328,535
Texas
No. 1 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Mexican Food Restaurants
No. 2 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Pizza Restaurants
No. 3 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Bakeries
No. 4 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Steak and BBQ Restaurants
Population: 26,092,033
West Virginia
No. 1 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Pizza Restaurants
No. 2 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Sandwich Shops
No. 3 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Ice Cream Shops
No. 4 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Bakeries
Population: 1,853,881
Vermont
No. 1 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Pizza Restaurants
No. 2 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Bakeries
No. 3 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Chinese Food Restaurants
No. 4 Most Popular Restaurant Type: American Food
Population: 626,358
Indiana
No. 1 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Pizza Restaurants
No. 2 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Bakeries
No. 3 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Sandwich Shops
No. 4 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Mexican Food Restaurants
Population: 6,542,411
Iowa
No. 1 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Pizza Restaurants
No. 2 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Bakeries
No. 3 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Sandwich Shops
No. 4 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Steak and BBQ Restaurants
Population: 3,078,116
Michigan
No. 1 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Pizza Restaurants
No. 2 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Bakeries
No. 3 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Sandwich Shops
No. 4 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Ice Cream Shops
Population: 9,889,024
Florida
No. 1 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Pizza Restaurants
No. 2 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Bakeries
No. 3 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Sandwich Shops
No. 4 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Steak and BBQ Restaurants
Population: 19,361,792
Delaware
No. 1 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Pizza Restaurants
No. 2 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Bakeries
No. 3 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Sandwich Shops
No. 4 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Chinese Food Restaurants
Population: 917,060
New York
No. 1 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Pizza Restaurants
No. 2 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Bakeries
No. 3 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Chinese Food Restaurants
No. 4 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Bagel and Donut Shops
Population: 19,594,330
New Jersey
No. 1 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Pizza Restaurants
No. 2 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Bakeries
No. 3 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Chinese Food Restaurants
No. 4 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Bagel and Donut Shops
Population: 8,874,374
Ohio
No. 1 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Pizza Restaurants
No. 2 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Bakeries
No. 3 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Sandwich Shops
No. 4 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Ice Cream Shops
Population: 11,560,380
Connecticut
No. 1 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Pizza Restaurants
No. 2 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Bakeries
No. 3 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Bagel and Donut Shops
No. 4 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Chinese Food Restaurants
Population: 3,592,053
Rhode Island
No. 1 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Pizza Restaurants
No. 2 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Bagel and Donut Shops
No. 3 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Bakeries
No. 4 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Sandwich Shops
Population: 1,053,252
Massachusetts
No. 1 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Pizza Restaurants
No. 2 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Bagel and Donut Shops
No. 3 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Bakeries
No. 4 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Chinese Food Restaurants
Population: 6,657,291
New Hampshire
No. 1 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Pizza Restaurants
No. 2 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Bakeries
No. 3 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Bagel and Donut Shops
No. 4 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Sandwich Shops
Population: 1,321,069
Pennsylvania
No. 1 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Pizza Restaurants
No. 2 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Bakeries
No. 3 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Sandwich Shops
No. 4 Most Popular Restaurant Type: Chinese Food Restaurants
Population: 12,758,729
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