(NEXSTAR) – Taking a friend from Wisconsin out for dinner? You might be wise to pick a place with the classic straight and seasoned fries on the menu, if the results of a new survey of America’s favorite fries are to be believed.
The survey, conducted by Talker Research and commissioned by McCain Foods, attempted to determine each state’s preferred variety of French Fries, gathering the results from 5,000 respondents via an online questionnaire administered in late May and early June.
The findings aren’t exactly surprising: “Straight and seasoned fries”— described by a representative of Talker Research as the “classic” fry often served at fast food chains — were the favorite in the largest number of states, including Wisconsin.
But other varieties had plenty of proponents: The biggest fans of shoestring fries were in Georgia, Hawaii, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New York, Texas and Washington; fans of curly fries were found in Alaska, Connecticut, Delaware, Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon and South Dakota; and crinkle-cut lovers made their voices heard in Illinois, Kentucky, Nebraska and Pennsylvania.
Again, only the respondents in one state — Colorado — voted to make waffle fries their favorite.
(Talker Research/McCain Foods)
Other findings from the survey included preferred seasonings and sauces (salt and ketchup were the runaway favorites, no surprise there), but perhaps more interesting were the behaviors those polled admitted to engaging in.
The one thing most states (72%) agreed with was that the best fries are crispy outside but soft on the inside.
In New York and California, for instance, respondents were most likely to say they “experience happiness or joy while eating fries,” Talker Research said. Sixty-five percent of respondents also admitted to stealing a companion’s fries while out to dinner.
It should be noted, however, that Talker Research did not show images or provide descriptions of each fry type in the survey; rather, a list of options was presented in a multiple-choice format. A representative for the firm said potato wedges and steak fries were included in the choices, but neither had a big enough share in any state to be designated as its preferred variety.
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Nevertheless, it was clear the survey participants loved their fries: On average, respondents estimated eating around 17 pounds per year (per person), with Virginians bringing up the average at 21 pounds annually.
“Preferences aside, it’s clear that fries hold a special place in people’s hearts across the nation,” Tracy Hostetler, an executive with McCain Foods, said in a statement included with the survey results.
