What’s your favorite food to eat on the road?

One of the many great things about the United States of America is the uniqueness of each state. Politically, some states are blue, some are red and some swing either way. According to Pilot Flying J food map, some states prefer bananas while other states prefer meatloaf.

Ahead of the Fourth of July, one of the busiest travel weeks during the summer, Pilot Flying J analyzed what food and drinks people are purchasing on the road in each state. Some make sense, like a gallon of water in the blazing state of Arizona. Other states’ food preferences are more of a head scratcher. See for yourself:

Iowa, Washington state, West Virginia and Wisconsin love their beer, apparently. I’d be more concerned if Washington state chose coffee. Anyone who has stopped in Washington just once will tell you, Washingtonians love their local coffee. Iowa, Washington and West Virginia love macro-brewed beers, it appears. Wisconsin is all about craft beer. I never heard of Spotted Cow beer until just now.

The Pilot Flying J food map is a fun glimpse into the variety of appetites within this country.

I would not glean too much from it though. As a lifelong Missourian, I have no idea why corn dogs are the top food in the state. And why is a hot dog the No. 1 food in New York? Is the state known for their hot dogs, or is that just New York City?

For example, as a Kansas City resident since birth, I have access to the best BBQ in the world (this is an objective fact, by the way). Accordingly, I’m not buying a BBQ sandwich at a gas station or truck stop, but folks from St. Louis might.

People in Mississippi are thriftier, with a cup of ice leading the Magnolia State.

Some more fun food and drink stats from PFJ:

• Coffee is ranked in the top five in every state
• Bananas are a big deal in 37 states, including Florida, Texas, Georgia and Indiana, which each sold more than 300,000 in 2017
• Preferred pizza? Pepperoni.

What’s your favorite food to pick up during stops?