What fast food chains are most popular in New Jersey?

I need to preface this opinion piece with “I am pro-fast food.” Whether I’m in a rush or not, if I want a cheap, tasty meal, I definitely have my go-tos.

That said, if a study by Restaurant.eatapp.co is to be believed, one of New Jersey’s favorite chains is baffling to me.

The new research was done by analyzing regional Google search volume data to determine each state’s preferences when it comes to a quick bite to eat.

I’ll give you our top two spots before revealing the surprising third-place restaurant.

Photo by Jurij Kenda on Unsplash

New Jersey’s most popular fast food chains

McDonald’s took the lead as the Garden State’s favorite fast food spot (in addition to 21 other states). We shouldn’t be surprised, in my opinion, it’s the G.O.A.T.

Americans are so eager for their cheeseburger, McNuggets, or apple pie that it averages 14.8 million searches each month.

The second most popular in New Jersey is Starbucks.

Whether it’s a Frappuccino they’re looking for, a macchiato, or one of those complicated orders that go viral, when you’re in a state that’s so on the move, you need your caffeine fix.

Nationwide, the coffee chain averages 10.6 million monthly searches.

Here’s the part of the study I couldn’t believe….

Photo by Miroslav Denkov on Unsplash

New Jersey’s third most popular fast food chain is Domino’s.

Domino’s??

The “pizza” place?

In a state with so many delicious mom and pop pizza joints, how are so many New Jerseyans searching for Domino’s?

We have pizza places with rave reviews from Barstool’s Dave Portnoy, and this is what people are searching for in the Garden State?

Don’t get me wrong, Domino’s has its place in my heart. But that place is when you’re out of state, and you need a thick chunk of dough with cheese on it that you can dip in garlic sauce.

When I’m at home in New Jersey, I’m going to my local pizza joints.

Though I’m not here to “yuck” anyone’s “yum,” if you’re a Domino’s person, go for it, but I’ll be having a classic Trenton pie.

Here's a taste of the NJ pizza joints Dave Portnoy has reviewed

Dave Portnoy, commonly known as El Presidente, is the founder of Barstool Sports. Somewhere along the way, he decided to start reviewing local pizzerias, and the concept took off. This isn't the entire list, but it's a small sample to get you started.

Gallery Credit: Joe Votruba

These Are America's 10 Most Unhealthy Fast Food Restaurants

NJ fast food: If you don't have these apps, you're losing money

What's better than a free item at your favorite New Jersey fast or quick food spot? With so many loyalty programs, it can be tough to keep up, so we did the work for you.

Gallery Credit: Erin Vogt

10 Best Affordable NJ Restaurants — That Aren't Fast Food

Looking to make dinner plans but don’t want to break the bank? OpenTable has a list of the Top 10 New Jersey restaurants for unbeatable value.

Gallery Credit: Jen Ursillo

The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5's Kylie Moore. Any opinions expressed are Kylie's own. You can follow Kylie on Instagram.

Report a correction 👈