Utah Ranks Third In Burger Love On National Hamburger Day
It's National Hamburger Day, and apparently Utahns have some explaining to do.
A recent study by the food website Pantry & Larder ranked America’s most burger-loving states, and while Utah placed high on the list, the Beehive State only managed third place. Third. Behind Oregon and Arizona. For a state that treats fry sauce like a constitutional right, this feels at least mildly embarrassing.
The study combined burger-related Google searches, burger restaurant density, and estimated burger consumption to determine which states are the most devoted to America’s favorite sandwich. Oregon claimed the top spot with residents estimated to consume 78 burgers per person annually. Arizona landed second at 77 burgers per person, while Utah came in at 75 burgers a year.
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Now, to be fair, 75 burgers annually still represents impressive dedication. That averages out to more than one burger every five days, which suggests Utah residents are doing their patriotic duty. Still, losing to Arizona may sting a little considering Utah’s deeply established burger culture. This is, after all, the home of local burger institutions, drive-ins, and enough pastrami burgers to keep cardiologists fully employed for generations.
The Pantry & Larder report analyzed Google Trends searches involving the word “burger,” including searches for burger recipes, burger restaurants, and burger delivery. Researchers also used restaurant data from OpenStreetMap to calculate the number of burger restaurants per capita in each state.
Arizona earned the highest burger restaurant density score, while Nevada generated the strongest burger-related online search interest. Meanwhile, states like New York and Washington D.C. finished near the bottom of the rankings, perhaps because residents there have become distracted by fancy cuisine options that involve words nobody can pronounce.
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Utah’s strong showing probably comes as no surprise to anyone who has driven past a packed burger stand on a Friday night. Southern Utah alone offers enough burger options to fuel a month-long road trip, from classic roadside diners to towering specialty burgers loaded with bacon, onion rings, and enough cheese to trigger structural concerns.
The study itself should probably be viewed as more fun than scientific fact. Pantry & Larder is a food and recipe website rather than an academic research institution. Still, the rankings offer a tasty snapshot of America’s enduring burger obsession.
And while Utah may have finished third this time around, there is always next year. Somewhere in the state, a double bacon cheeseburger is already being prepared in the name of civic pride.
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Gallery Credit: Erica Russell