Fast food dominates Americans' takeout choices, new study confirms: 'Easy, ready to enjoy'

A typical weeknight for an American family can be hectic for both parents and children after a long day at work and school, plus after-school sports practices, art classes, homework and more. 

No wonder takeout food is often a go-to choice for many families — not to mention couples and individuals. The convenience, variety and price point are hard to beat. 

Recent data draws a very clear picture.

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To learn more about Americans' habits when it comes to restaurants and takeout, the Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts in Boulder, Colorado, analyzed 2024 consumer dining trends by compiling statistics from a variety of sources. It found that fast food dominates takeout, with 60% of Americans preferring to eat it at home.

"Americans are spending more than ever on food prepared away from home, with fast food clearly leading the way," said chef Kirk T. Bachmann, who serves as president and provost of Escoffier's Boulder campus. 

"Over the past few years, the data suggest a continuing shift toward meals that are fast, easy and ready to enjoy – a clear sign of how people are adapting their eating habits to fit their busy lives," he also told Fox News Digital.

Emily Irwin, head of advice and planning with Wells Fargo's Planning Center of Excellence in Minneapolis, was not connected to the study about spending on fast food, but said she's not surprised at how Americans rely on it. 

"Given the frenetic pace that can consume our days and the intense pressure for many families on cost and convenience, it's not shocking that 60% of takeout food is fast food," Irvin told Fox News Digital. "Fast food can solve many of our 'pinched' moments – pinched for time, pinched for money, pinched for convenience." 

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Many families may experience overscheduling, she said, as they go from one activity to another; sometimes those activities even overlap and conflict.

"Fast food becomes a way to quickly grab and go," she added. "We're present in the office more and may have less time to organize meals thoughtfully for that day or week."

Fast food is so popular that there's an entire day dedicated to it. National Fast-Food Day is observed on Nov. 16 each year.

While dining out is appealing, more than half of Americans prefer takeout, with 57% of consumers choosing it over sitting down at a restaurant, according to Escoffier's analysis. 

Further, 76% of respondents said takeout is more enjoyable to eat at home, while 75% value the convenience it offers. The reasons span from being able to watch TV while eating to skipping cooking.  

While fast food dominates the takeout space, fine dining accounts for only 2% of takeout orders — showing that when convenience is the goal, fast food is king, the study suggested.

"Fast food is decidedly the most popular choice for delivery and takeout, with 60% [of people] opting for it regularly," Bachmann told Fox News Digital. 

"While we weren't surprised to see convenience top the list of reasons why people choose takeout, one thing that jumped out from the data was that the pleasure of eating at home was equally important to consumers," he also said. 

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"This seems to suggest that the traditional experience of sharing meals at home remains important – even if someone else is doing the cooking."

Lisa Moskovitz, an author and registered dietitian with NY Nutrition Group in New York, said not all fast-food meals are bad. 

"Despite the common beliefs about fast food, you can eat relatively healthily even if sourced from a drive-thru window," she said. 

She added that "meals like salads, grilled chicken sandwiches and burrito bowls are a fraction of the price compared to those at sit-down restaurants."

No matter where you end up or what's around you, there is always a healthier menu option, Moskovitz noted. 

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"Opting for grilled proteins over greasy breaded versions, sides of fresh apples, soups or salads instead of onion rings and french fries, and sticking to water or club soda for hydration can significantly improve the nutritional quality of your fast-food meal," she said.

Food delivery services are exploding in demand, mostly among younger Americans, according to Escoffier's data analysis. 

Delivery apps such as GrubHub and Uber Eats lead the market, with 51% of Americans regularly using third-party apps for delivery, the data indicated. 

"Fast food has always been about convenience and with the rise in delivery services, it's becoming more convenient than ever for people to enjoy their favorites without even leaving the house," Bachmann said. 

But these delivery conveniences come at a cost. 

Irwin with Wells Fargo cautioned those who rely on food-delivery services to consider the surcharge fees and tips.

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"It's so easy to simply click to order that many of us forget how frequently we're actually doing it," Irwin said.