Food - Drink
The US Region That Consumes More Ranch Dressing Than Any Other
By STEPHANIE FRIEDMAN
Ranch dressing has been America’s best-selling salad dressing since 1992, and people love dipping foods like chicken nuggets, pizza, and jalapeño poppers into it. Per the Association of Dressings and Sauces, though, ranch dressing is more popular in the Midwest than anywhere else in the country, found in pizza aisles and available in kegs.
When Clorox bought Hidden Valley Ranch in 1972, they made powdered ranch seasoning easier to make (just add milk and mayo), which led to it catching on in Midwest restaurants. Detroit Metro Times suggests that the Midwest may be slower to incorporate food trends from the coasts, which may explain why ranch is still such a staple there.
New York Times reports that Twisted Ranch, a restaurant in St. Louis, serves 31 variations of ranch dressing and even makes ranch-infused vodka. According to their website, Hidden Valley also sells a now-famous ranch fountain alongside ranch hoodies, suitcases, and pet harnesses so you can "show the world you're team ranch."