15 States That Spend the Most on Takeout — Surprise! It Isn’t Who You Think

March 10, 2024

2 min Read

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Prices for takeout and restaurant dining increased by 5.1% year-over-year in January 2024, according to the most recent Consumer Price Index data. Despite rising costs and fear of recession, Americans still love their pizza, Chinese food, sushi and tacos — to name just a few most-searched takeout cuisines.

Despite the disparity between the cost of eating at home, where prices only rose 1.2%, versus grabbing takeout, convenience seems to win. Or maybe it’s simply that you can’t replicate New York or Chicago-style pizza at home — searches for a good slice top 300,000 a month nationwide.

Perhaps the lure of pizza puts New Yorkers at the top of the list when it comes to loving takeout. Forty-five out of 1,000 residents of the Empire State search Google and other sites for takeout food in the state each month.

Surprisingly, though, New Yorkers do not spend the most on takeout. That honor goes to our nation’s capital, Washington, D.C., according to research shared by Betway Insider, a blog for the sports betting website. Washington, D.C. residents spend $6,241 per household on takeout food annually, whether they pick it up or have it delivered.

However, D.C. didn’t make the list for the most searches for takeout. This could indicate D.C. residents already know the type of food they want and have their go-to restaurants in mind.

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Similarly, Vermont residents had the fewest searches for takeout options out of all 50 states and Washington, D.C, with less than 16 per 1,000 people. But Vermont residents spend a hefty $4,443 per household on takeout food every year, putting the northern state fourth on the list.

The states where residents spend the most on takeout were primarily clustered in the New England area. Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Connecticut all made the top 10.

Find the 15 states that spend the most on takeout annually below.