The US State That Eats The Most Fast Food Isn't Florida, New York Or Texas

Benjamin Franklin once wrote, "In this world, nothing is certain except death and taxes." Maybe if Ben was alive in America today, he'd append "fast food" to that idiom. The culinary landscape of the United States is dominated by fast food chains, lining highways across the country and feeding small towns and big cities alike. But while Americans are united in our shared love of quick eats, it may surprise you which state actually eats the most fast food. It's not one of the states with tens of millions of people like New York or California, but the little state of Maryland.

A recent study by the Auguste Escoffier School Of Culinary Arts determined that the home of Old Bay Seasoning was the nation's fast food capital, based on metrics measuring: the number of fast food restaurants per capita, what proportion of all restaurants in the state serve fast food, and how much money Maryland residents spend on fast food as compared to their total food budget. By that measure, Maryland — which sits in the top third of American states by population, at a little over 6 million people — beat out Nevada, Illinois, New York, and Hawaii, which filled out the rest of the top five "Fast Food States" according to the Escoffier School.

So, why do Maryland residents eat more fast food than any other state? According to the Escoffier School's study, Maryland doesn't actually have that many restaurants in general compared to the national average. The average is 211 restaurants per every 100,000 people, while Maryland sits at 187. But just because Maryland doesn't have that many restaurants doesn't mean fast food chains have taken a back seat. A whopping 48% of all restaurants in Maryland are fast food, the highest percentage in the country. So if people need a bite, there aren't that many options.

While the Mid-Atlantic state may be better known among foodies for its superior crab cakes, its fast food scene is ruled by Subway (which has a pretty aggressive expansion strategy as it is). The usual suspects — Dunkin Donuts, Starbucks, and McDonald's — also have hundreds of locations in Maryland, but the prevalence of other common national chains drops off significantly after that.

One growing national chain, the Mediterranean fast casual spot Cava (which opened as the full-service restaurant Cava Mezze in Rockville, Maryland in 2007) isn't listed in the top ten. It's still well-represented across the state, with 24 locations open. Other popular regional chains founded in Maryland include Ledo "Maryland-style" Pizza, and the Persian-inspired Moby Dick House of Kabob — both created by immigrant entrepreneurs.