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Anyone who has worked in fast food knows that after midnight, many customers are more inebriated than the food they order. The phenomenon of late-night indulgence often leads to people craving comfort food, and it begs the question: what is the ultimate drunk food?
Is it Taco Bell, McDonald’s, or perhaps Denny’s? Do different states have unique cravings when the night rolls in?
We analyzed data to uncover each state’s preferred late-night fast food. The results? Taco Bell deserves more love, while McDonald’s reigns supreme in popularity.
Interesting Insights
- McDonald’s is the undisputed champion of late-night fast food, favored by 22 states.
- 14 states show a strong preference for Burger King when inebriated.
- Only Wyoming recognizes Taco Bell as the top choice.
- The remaining 49 states overlook the brilliance of the Crunchwrap Supreme.
- Some regions are fiercely loyal to their local favorites—like Texas with Whataburger and California with In-N-Out.
- Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina all enjoy Waffle House when intoxicated, which is totally understandable for anyone familiar with the chain.
How We Determined This
To pinpoint each state’s favorite late-night fast food, we focused on two key aspects:
1. The fast food that people crave most when intoxicated.
2. The establishments that experience the highest influx of late-night patrons.
The first aspect was straightforward. We compiled a list of popular fast food chains, excluding those with limited hours or offerings that don’t cater to late-night cravings (sorry, Subway and Chick-fil-A).
For the second aspect, we examined Google search trends during well-known “drunk days” (such as the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, New Year’s Eve, Halloween, and July 4th). While we can’t guarantee that every search corresponds to a tipsy consumer, these occasions likely yield higher instances of late-night fast food cravings. We averaged the search trends for each fast food chain across the states, with a higher volume indicating greater popularity among intoxicated customers.
For instance, although Texans enjoy a Big Mac like the rest of the country, the search interest for “Whataburger” peaks significantly compared to other states during these events, highlighting its regional popularity.
What This Means For Workers
For those working late-night shifts at these establishments, it often means encountering some particularly inebriated customers. However, after a few shifts dealing with tipsy patrons, the unusual orders and slurred requests become par for the course. Hopefully, you have a supportive manager to help manage the late-night crowd as they indulge in fries, quesadillas, or whatever your establishment offers.
If you find yourself exhausted from dealing with late-night orders—like the classic Big Mac at Burger King—consider exploring bartending. At least in a bar, the tips from happy-hour patrons may be more generous than from the late-night fast food crowd.
Author
Kathy is the head of content at Zippia with a knack for engaging audiences. Prior to joining Zippia, Kathy worked at Gateway Blend growing audiences across diverse brands. She graduated from Troy University with a degree in Social Science Education.
