Holidays in the U.S. generally involve spending time with loved ones, commemorating special events and of course, eating a tasty spread of festive foods.
In anticipation of the Fourth of July, the folks at Instacart put together a report detailing Americans’ Independence Day favorites, based on data from the online grocery platform. A particularly interesting component is the state-by-state breakdown of potato chip preferences.
“While a lot of our insights highlight the classic Fourth of July staples you’d expect, like hot dogs, watermelon and baked beans, potato chips are fan favorites all year long, and they get plenty of love around Independence Day, too,” Alex Orellana, Instacart’s trends analyst, told HuffPost.
Although Ruffles came out on top in the highest number of states, it turns out there’s a lot of regional pride around smaller names.
“One of the most surprising and fun findings was how strongly some local chip brands resonated in their regions,” Orellana said. “Hawaiian Kettle Style Chips, for example, were over 2,500% more likely to be purchased in Hawaii ― showing just how deep that local loyalty runs.”
Instacart’s analysis reflects the brands that had the highest difference between the state and national order share in each state, based on potato chip orders between June 28 and July 4, 2024.
Cape Cod Chips ruled in Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Maine, while the Zapp’s took the top spot in Louisiana and Georgia. Meanwhile Coloradans are all about Boulder Canyon, and the mid-Atlantic-based Utz dominated in Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Delaware and the Carolinas.
“It’s fascinating how taste and tradition can vary so much across the country, even during a shared celebration like the Fourth of July,” Orellanos said. “We hope this data shows America’s regional pride and serves as a playful reminder that even something as simple as your favorite chips can reflect where you’re from.”
Read the full report for more insights into Americans’ food preferences around the Fourth of July, as well as the methodology behind these findings.