Do You Live in a Hamburger State or a Hot Dog State?
Although Fourth of July has come and gone, summer grilling season is just getting started. That means you’re probably going to spend many an evening this summer arguing—good-naturedly, of course—with your family about what to cook on the grill. Who wants corn on the cob? Should we try grilling fruit this year? And the most important question of you all: Who wants a hamburger and who wants a hot dog? It’s pretty polarizing. Some people will only eat a cheeseburger, while others would rather chow down on a couple hot dogs (personally, I prefer to stack my plate with one of each). Turns out preferences can actually be broken down by state lines, and thanks to Walmart, we now know where hamburgers and hot dogs are most popular.
It might not surprise you to find out that hamburgers come out on top in America: According to Walmart’s survey, only 10 states, mostly confined to the West Coast (including Washington, Oregon, Hawaii, and the outlier, Washington D.C.), prefer hot dogs. The rest are firmly team burger.
Completely understandable, given that hamburger is an American classic, a near perfect dish that is pretty much unequaled when it comes to grilled food. But the hot dog has plenty going for it: Have you ever tried a hot dog with peanut butter? It’s surprisingly good, apparently (at least according to the Food & Wine staff). Or what about with cream cheese on the bun? That’s a tradition in Seattle (where I’m from) and I’m here to tell you that it’s so good, I won’t eat a hot dog any other way.
Walmart also discovered that many millennials are choosing grilled chicken—another strong option—more and more at the grill, but only 10 percent of Americans reach for the veggie burger or the veggie hot dog.
No matter how you prefer your grilled meats, one thing is for sure: Almost nothing brings a family together like an evening spent around the grill, sharing a couple drinks, and debating how long, exactly, the burgers need to cook. It’s a classic American tradition, regardless of what state you live in.
