News

Pilot Flying J names states' favorite road food

June 21, 2018

What we eat on the road is hardly unanimous in the U.S, according to Pilot Fyling J, North America's largest network of travel centers. After assessing last year's sales data by state, it found that "road food" runs the gamut from fruit to — well — not many nuts. 

Here are some of the favorite foods by state, according to Pilot Flying J customers last year: 

• All 48 contiguous states: Coffee, which is technically a beverage but if you put enough sugar, milk and other good stuff in it, it qualifies as food and it ranked in the top five for every U.S. state.
• Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Texas: Bananas, with each of those four states selling more than 300,000 of the perfect naturally packaged grab-and-go food. 
• Minnesota: Egg rolls, another packaged-for-driving item. 
• Massachusetts: Side items including green beans, corn, mashed potatoes, and macaroni and cheese.
• Connecticut, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina and West Virginia: Hot dogs.
• 20 states (and no we're not listing them): Pepperoni pizza. 

The travel centers are busy places in most areas and some even offer a sit-down or take-out fast casual restaurant called PJ Fresh Marketplace for those travelers wanting to get some time off from behind the wheel. But it appears most "road warriors" want to get on with it, which is why from now through August, the centers are featuring bonus bundles that give customers who buy any fresh food item, a large fountain drink for $1 or pizza slice for $2.