Baked Potatoes Or Mashed? America's Favorite Way To Eat The Spud Is Neither

Parlez-vous français? For foodies in America, the answer seems to be a resounding and enthusiastic "yes." Baked potatoes may dazzle the steakhouse realm, and mashed potatoes may be a staple at Thanksgiving. But, according to a 2026 YouGov survey, the spud's fried form ultimately reigns supreme. In a study of nearly 8,000 U.S. adults, the firm found that the country's preferred way to eat potatoes is in the form of French fries, which aren't actually as "French" as their name suggests. 

In the YouGov survey, 30% of respondents named French fries as their favorite way to chow down on a potato. Mashed potatoes (17%) and baked potatoes (16%) trailed in second and third place. Ubiquitous to burger joints and fast food drive-thrus, the versatile fry can arrive thick, thin, curly, waffled, shoestring, smiley, or crinkle-cut. It can also be loaded with toppings, from chili cheese fries to Southwest salchipapas, East Coast disco fries, and more.

Within the U.S., regional French fry preferences tend to vary somewhat. Another study published last year by Talker Research found that the majority of American foodies nationwide name straight, seasoned fries as their fave. Other go-to fry shape preferences varied heavily by geographical area.

The Talker Research study also found that Virginia is the top fry-eating state in the U.S., with residents putting away an average of 21 pounds per person per year. Close behind, foodies in Maryland, Georgia, and Alabama eat an average of 20 pounds of flavorful French fries per capita every single year. Collectively, per the study, that shakes out to an estimated 5.6 million pounds of fries consumed in the U.S. each year. 

From the agricultural side of the plate, most of U.S. potato production happens in Idaho, Washington, and Wisconsin, per the National Potato Council. According to the USDA, roughly a third of all potatoes grown on U.S. soil get turned into frozen fries. That's a lot of fries, to be sure, but America's affinity for the humble spud doesn't stop there.

Beyond fries, the U.S. is currently the third-largest potato-eating country in the world (via World Population Review), consuming an estimated 19 million kilotons of spuds annually. The only outperforming potato fans are in China (69.8 million kilotons) and India (40.1 million kilotons). Have we piqued your starchy appetite? Tasting Table rounded up the hands-down best French fries in every single U.S. state to help steer discerning fry-lovers straight.