Fast food, once again, Oklahoma is number 1

[Townsend]

http://finance.yahoo.com/blogs/big-data-download/states-spend-most-fast-food-180357748.html

The amount of fast food that restaurant-goers eat tends to vary from consumer to consumer, but new data reveal state-by-state trends showing similarities in fast food spending habits in pockets across the country.

Fast food eaters who spend the most on average on their quick-service outings are in middle America, according to the Intuit Consumer Spending Index, which draws on credit and debit card data from Intuit's consumer budgeting tool, Mint.com.

Residents of Oklahoma spent the most per month on fast food compared with all other states, Intuit found. Oklahomans shelled out more than $101 per month on average in May, according to Intuit's data, which includes more than 2 million Mint.com users who opt into sharing their demographic information. Residents of Arkansas spent close to $84 a month on fast food and Kansas residents spent close to $83 per month on fast food in May.

[Conan71]

It shows.

[dbacksfan 2.0]

Interesting study, though not an absolute, but interesting. This got me to thinking of my spending habits on fast food, the number and type of fast food places compared to other places, and the number of fast food/national places compared to local places here.

Here is a list of fast food/national places in the area of Myrtle Point, Coquille, Coos Bay/North Bend, Charleston and Bandon Oregon (approx. population 60,000 people):

Domino's - 2
Dairy Queen - 4
McDonalds - 3(one inside of Walmart)
Burger King - 2
Wendy's - 1
Taco Bell - 2
Subway - 3
Pizza Hut - 2
Little Caesar's - 2
Papa Murphy's - 2
KFC - 1
Sizzler - 1 (not fast food but national)

So there are 25 national places. The approximate total of restaurants that are regional/local to the area is 80.

I spend maybe $20.00/month on fast food for my self. I have found that I don't like the way that I feel after eating fast food after about 20 minutes. Found this out on my last trip to Portland when I ordered Papa John's one night, and stopped at Jack In The Box a couple of days later. Mind you it has been almost two years since I had Papa John's, and I have had JIB 3 times in the last year. Can't stand McD's, and Taco Bell I have been to three times in the last year and a half. Wendy's is slightly ok, it seems to be the one that does not affect me physically after eating it.

I realize how easy it is to just run through the drive through, and spend cheap money on the family, and I am guilty of doing it in the past, but there is so much, slightly better, and less crap in it out there. I would rather have a fresh made BLT on wheat with coleslaw at the local place, the a sourdough burger and onion rings at JIB. The BLT might be $1.50 more, but not feeling the crap from the processed food is worth it.

I will admit I am slightly spoiled, because my fishing licenses cover both shellfish and sport fishing, and for approximately $40.00 in fees, I fish salmon, halibut, trout, tuna, Dungeness and red rock crab, as well as clamming for razor, butter, and soft shell clams.

(Your mileage may vary, unscientific results, not available in all states, unprofessional testing involved, viewer discretion advised)

[dbacksfan 2.0]

A funny side note to this, I went to Phoenix in January on a vacation to see friends, and my best friend told me about his wife raving about a salmon BLT at Four Peaks Brewery. I had to remind him that I live in an area that I can get salmon within 5 miles from where I live, and cook it three hours after it's pulled from the water.

OK, no more gloating. Back to the original thread.