These 10 States Have the Best Fast Food Scenes in America, According to a New Report

We often take fast food for granted. The drive-thru provides a quick, accessible bite on the cheap — but it’s likely your favorite inexpensive meal likely doesn’t often cross your mind otherwise. A new study reveals, however, that some states pay more attention to fast food than others.

According to a recent report from the esteemed Escoffier School of Culinary Arts, Maryland boasts the best fast food scene in the country. The study examines the relative proportion of fast food options (or “limited-service restaurants,” as defined by the United States Department of Agriculture) compared to the rest of the nation. The top-ranked states for fast food are typically affluent and dense, with a thriving tourist economy — however, other states lacking these contributing factors still hold strong. 

Per the methodology, Escoffier analyzed each state’s percentage of fast food in relation to all restaurants, the number of fast food establishments per capita, and the percentage of the state’s total food expenditures. By utilizing data from the National Restaurant Association and the Census Bureau, the study’s authors organized and ranked the states by their respective scores, ranging from 0 to 100. 

Curious if your state landed within the top rankings? Here’s what the numbers say. 

Maryland’s thriving fast food scene tops all of America

The Old Line State secured the No. 1 spot overall, boasting the highest percentage of fast food restaurants in the entire country. Notably, nearly half of the state’s eateries offer fast food, which surpasses the national average of 36%. As the study outlines, Maryland has a “disproportionately” high demand for fast food, along with a relatively small number of restaurants at just 187,26 restaurants per capita, compared to the national average of 211.17.

The next two spots are held by Nevada and Illinois, while New York State clinched fourth place. Rounding out the top five is Hawaii, which also ranked highly in the study’s per-capita evaluation.