Top 10 states with the best fast food scenes in the US

Fast food is a popular choice of meal among Americans of all ages. People in the United States frequent fast food restaurants not only because of their perceived taste, but also because of their speed, affordability, and convenience.

Often seen as a quick and easy way to eat, it makes a convenient and on-the-go grab option for individuals and families with busy schedules, especially for those who do not have time to cook or eat at sit-down joints.

According to Food & Wine, a new study reveals that there are some states in the United States that really enjoy the quick food scene. The esteemed Escoffier School of Culinary Arts recently released a report on the U.S. states that consume the most fast food.

As the United States is one of the quick food capitals of the world, the institute determined the convenience food capitals of the country. Notably, the data was analyzed on the number of restaurants and consumption in all 50 states.

Here are the top ten fast food capitals of America

1) Maryland

The US state of Maryland consumes the most fast food (Image via Freepik)

As per the study, Maryland has the best food scene in America. The state secured the No. 1 spot, boasting the highest percentage of restaurants in the entire country.

In the state, nearly half, that is 46.76% of restaurants are quick serving food restaurants. As the national average is 35.70%, the number of restaurants in Maryland is 31% higher than the national average. The state has 87.57 restaurants per 100,000 people.

2) Nevada

In-N-Out Burger is one of the most popular fast food chains in Nevada (Image via Getty)

Nevada ranks second in the list of boasting the best quick food scene in the country. Notably, the state has a score of 97. 24.

Meanwhile, as per Audacy, Pricelisto, a price-monitoring website, also conducted research in 2024, ranking convenience food capitals in the US. The research revealed that Nevada has 38.95 food restaurants per 100,000 people.

3) Illinois

Kentucky Fried Chicken is a favored fast food joint in America (Image via Getty)

Illinois came in third place of being the best fast food state in America. The state got a 95.70 score.

Notably, Pricelisto revealed that there were 42.66 food establishments per 100,000 residents in their 2024 survey. This has risen up to 87.42 restaurants per 100,000 people.

4) New York

McDonald's fast food restaurant (Image via Getty)

The Big Apple was fourth on the list. The city scores 95.58 in this study’s evaluation. Meanwhile, the Empire State, New York, after Hawaii, boasts the highest number of restaurants per capita with 90.87 restaurants per 100,000 people.

5) Hawaii

Starbucks is one of the largest food chains in Hawaii (Image via Getty)

The Aloha State, Hawaii, ranked 5th with a score of 94.85. This state also ranked highly in the study’s per-capita evaluation as it boasts the most spots per 100,000 people. According to the report, the destination has 95.11 restaurants per 100,000 people.

Kirk Bachmann, Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts provost, told Food & Wine on March 22, 2025:

“With a population of fewer than 1.5 million people and nearly 10 million tourists visiting each year, it’s no surprise that Hawaii rose to the top in terms of fast food restaurants per capita.”

Bachmann added:

“Other factors, like a high cost of living or even a large community of active duty and veteran servicemembers, could play a role — but Hawaii simply has a lot of hungry tourists to feed.”

6) California

Taco Bell In San Diego (Image via Getty)

The Golden State of America, California, ranks sixth on the list of Escoffier School of Culinary Arts. The state has a score of 84.62. Meanwhile, as per Pricelisto's 2024 survey, there are 30.05 quick serving establishments per 100,000 residents. This number is expected to go up now.

7) Ohio

Pizza Hut Photo Illustrations - Source: Getty

In the seventh rank is Ohio with a score of 79.33. Meanwhile, this state ranks fifth in the study’s per-capita evaluation of several restaurants. Ranking 40th on that same metric, Ohio has 82.42 restaurants per 100,000 people.

8) Massachusetts

In Massachusetts, Chick-fil-A is a popular fast food chain (Image via Getty)

Massachusetts ranks 8th on the list with a 74.99 score. Notably, the state ranks 5th on the study’s evaluation of states with the highest spending share.

Massachusetts has a low number of quick food restaurants per 100,000 people, at 37.35, as per Pricelisto's 2024 survey.

9) New Mexico

A look at Whataburger offerings (Image via Getty)

New Mexico ranks 9th on the list with a score of 73.39. Notably, the number of fast food restaurants in this state is comparatively high compared to Massachusetts.

Pricelisto's 2024 study revealed that New Mexico boasted 42.05 food franchises per 100,000 people.