Do you agree with your state's top pick?
The Most Popular McDonald’s Food in Each State
Published on Feb. 27, 2025
If there’s one thing that brings Americans together, it’s McDonald’s. It doesn’t matter how old you are or what you do for a living—everybody has a favorite McDonald’s food. Of course, the debate starts around what, exactly, that favorite food is. But you may be in good company (literally) because each state has a distinct preference, according to data collected from Google Trends and analyzed by financial-services company Coventry Direct.
So let’s play a game: Guess which McDonald’s item you think tops your state’s list. Is it the perfectly salted, fresh-out-of-the-fryer fries? The iconic Big Mac? Your morning Egg McMuffin? Or maybe it’s a McFlurry (at least when the ice cream machine isn’t broken).
Read on to find out the most popular McDonald’s food in every state, the overall top choice in the country and which fan fave is shockingly missing from the No. 1 list in every state.
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How was each state’s favorite McDonald’s food determined?
To calculate the top McDonald’s food in each state, Coventry Direct made a list of 25 of the most popular foods from McDonald’s menu, from Big Macs to Baked Apple Pies to the World Famous Fries. Then, analysts looked at search data from Google Trends over a one-year period, from December 2023 to December 2024. They analyzed that data, comparing how much search interest each menu item garnered across each state and region. If a particular McDonald’s menu item had a lot of search interest, it was a key indicator that it was popular in an area.
Which McDonald’s food is the most popular in the country?
The most popular McDonald’s food in the United States is—drum roll, please—the Quarter Pounder! The classic sandwich topped the lists of nine different states, and it’s not hard to see why: This bestselling item is filling, endlessly customizable and absolutely delicious! What else could you possibly ask for in a fast-food sandwich? Nothing, according to the residents of Colorado, Florida and Louisiana, among others.
The McCrispy sandwich came in second place overall, earning the top spot in six states, including New York, Iowa and Massachusetts. And trailing just a wee bit behind the McCrispy, in third place, is the simpler McChicken, which reigned supreme in five states. What’s the difference between these two seeming doppelgängers? The McCrispy is a crispy chicken fillet, topped with crinkle-cut pickles and, if you get a deluxe, shredded lettuce, Roma tomatoes and mayo. A McChicken is a patty topped with lettuce and mayo. Mystery solved!
What are the most popular McDonald’s foods in each state?
OK, it’s time to see if you guessed right. Here’s the complete list of the McDonald’s foods that came out on top in each state:
- Alabama: Sausage, Egg & Cheese McGriddles
- Alaska: Double Quarter Pounder
- Arizona: Sausage McMuffin with Egg
- Arkansas: Quarter Pounder
- California: McChicken
- Colorado: Quarter Pounder
- Connecticut: Fries
- Delaware: Big Mac
- Washington, D.C.: Fries
- Florida: Quarter Pounder
- Georgia: Double Cheeseburger
- Hawaii: Happy Meal
- Idaho: McChicken
- Illinois: McCrispy
- Indiana: McChicken
- Iowa: McCrispy
- Kansas: Quarter Pounder
- Kentucky: McDouble
- Louisiana: Quarter Pounder
- Maine: Sausage Burrito
- Maryland: McCrispy
- Massachusetts: McCrispy
- Michigan: Hash Browns
- Minnesota: McChicken
- Mississippi: Sausage, Egg & Cheese McGriddles
- Missouri: McChicken
- Montana: Quarter Pounder
- Nebraska: McFlurry with Oreo Cookies
- Nevada: Sausage McMuffin with Egg
- New Hampshire: Fries
- New Jersey: Fries
- New Mexico: Quarter Pounder
- New York: McCrispy
- North Carolina: Baked Apple Pie
- North Dakota: Cheeseburger
- Ohio: Hash Browns
- Oklahoma: Quarter Pounder
- Oregon: Sausage McMuffin
- Pennsylvania: Big Mac
- Rhode Island: McFlurry with Oreo Cookies
- South Carolina: Hotcakes
- South Dakota: Egg McMuffin
- Tennessee: Hotcakes
- Texas: Quarter Pounder
- Utah: Spicy McChicken
- Vermont: Hamburger
- Virginia: Hotcakes
- Washington: McCrispy
- West Virginia: Big Mac
- Wisconsin: Big Mac
- Wyoming: Sausage McGriddles
Which foods are the most popular by region?
Even if your favorite menu item didn’t make it to the top of the list in your state, it might still be the most popular in your region.
The Northeast
In the Northeast, McDonald’s fries are where it’s at. Even though they’re a side and not an entree, they’re still the most popular item in states like New Hampshire and New Jersey. Plus, they’re one of the least expensive items on the menu, and you can get them for free every Friday in 2025!
The Midwest
The humble McChicken is the most popular choice in the middle of the country. It’s a classic, tried-and-true favorite that won’t break your budget—just as practical as a Midwesterner. Who needs a fancy sandwich when you’ve got a trusty McChicken? Not these commonsense types, that’s for sure!
The South
Southern states are partial to the Quarter Pounder. It’s unsurprising considering it’s also the national favorite: It’s hard to resist the McJoy that is a hearty burger with plenty of tasty toppings.
The West
Last but not least is the West, which had a three-way tie between the McChicken, the Quarter Pounder and the Sausage McMuffin with Egg. After all, what is McDonald’s without its impeccable breakfast fare? Honestly, we’d be hard-pressed to choose between these three top-tier menu items too.
Which popular McDonald’s food didn’t earn the top spot in any state?
There was one popular McDonald’s food that was noticeably missing from the winners circle: the McRib. The fan-favorite has been retired from the menu and reintroduced multiple times throughout the years, including in December 2024. While the McRib certainly has a following, it didn’t earn the title of “favorite menu item” in any state. Surprising, yes, but its constant disappearing act may have dinged its ranking. And let’s be honest—it also had some really tough competition!
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Source:
- Coventry Direct: “The Most Popular McDonald’s Menu Item in Every State”
