Fast food capital of the US, study reveals

One state is lovin’ fast food more than the others.

New data from QR Code Generator has revealed which states are considered the fast food capitals of America — and which chains are the most popular in each.

To figure this out, the team of experts compared the number of popular fast food restaurants in each state to its population to determine which state had the most per 100,000 residents.

West Virginia came out on top, with 49.04 fast food chains. If you ever visit the Mountain State — be prepared to see many Subway, McDonald’s and Wendy’s restaurants there.

Good old Kentucky came in second with 47.21 fast food restaurants per 100,000 people. The most common chain there is Subway.

Kansas took the third spot on the list thanks to its 47.1 fast food chains. Pizza Hut, Domino’s and Papa John’s are all beloved spots in the Midwest state.

Mississippi ranked No. 4 with almost 47 restaurants per 100,000 people. What are residents here munching on? Sonic Drive-In, Wendy’s and Burger King.

Rounding out the top 5 is Ohio with almost 47 fast food establishments. The most popular one here is Starbucks — the Buckeye State sure loves its coffee.

Meanwhile, with the countless food options in the Big Apple — New York ranked far down on the list, coming in at 48th place with 29.47 fast food restaurants per 100,000 people.

“America is famous for its fast food culture – not only is it convenient, but it’s also affordable, and the data highlights which states particularly benefit from this,” explained Marc Porcar, CEO of QR Code Generator PRO S.L.

“However, according to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, West Virginia, Mississippi, and Arkansas have the highest prevalence of obesity in the US at 41.2%, 40.1%, and 40%, respectively, reflecting a correlation between fast food accessibility and adverse health outcomes, with these three states ranking among the top ten,” he added.

America’s top 10 fast food capitals

1. West Virginia
2. Kentucky
3. Kansas
4. Mississippi
5. Ohio
6. Indiana
7. Arkansas
8. Louisiana
9. Tennessee
10. Wyoming

While these states clearly love their fast food — they might want to steer clear of McDonald’s as the Golden Arches’ chicken tenders were recently ranked as the worst fast food in the country, according to a recent study by Restaurant Furniture Plus.

“Their tenders clearly need improvement,” said a spokesperson for the furniture retailer, which set out to analyze why “certain items consistently underperform” in an effort to help fast food chains.

“Our analysis reveals clear patterns in customer satisfaction, highlighting which fast-food items consistently fall short of expectations, and where brands have the greatest opportunity to improve,” a rep for the company said.