What Is the Most Ordered Food in America in 2024?

In 2024, the most ordered food in America wasn’t pizza. It wasn’t burgers. It wasn’t even tacos. It was chicken. Not just any chicken - crispy fried chicken, tenders, sandwiches, and bowls delivered straight to your door. Across every state, from New York to Los Angeles, chicken dominated food delivery apps, drive-thrus, and local takeout spots. According to data from Grubhub, DoorDash, and Uber Eats, chicken orders surged past all other categories, accounting for nearly 28% of all food deliveries in the U.S. last year.

Why Chicken? It’s Not Just About Taste

Chicken isn’t popular because it’s trendy. It’s popular because it works. It’s cheap to produce, easy to scale, and fits almost every diet. A single chicken breast can be grilled, fried, baked, or smoked and still taste great. It pairs with everything - from spicy sriracha to creamy ranch, from Asian glazes to Southern barbecue. Unlike beef or pork, chicken doesn’t carry the same ethical or environmental baggage for many consumers. It’s also leaner, which makes it a go-to for people trying to eat healthier without giving up flavor.

Chain restaurants like Chick-fil-A, Popeyes, and KFC didn’t invent this trend, but they sure amplified it. Chick-fil-A alone sold over 1.2 billion chicken sandwiches in 2023. Popeyes’ Louisiana-style chicken sandwich, first launched in 2019, still drives lines out the door. And let’s not forget the rise of chicken bowls - think Chipotle-style meals with grilled chicken, rice, beans, and salsa. They’re filling, fast, and perfect for meal prep.

Delivery Apps Made Chicken King

Before 2020, most people ordered chicken for weekend dinners or special treats. Now, it’s a Tuesday night staple. The pandemic changed everything. People stopped eating out. Delivery apps became essential. And chicken, with its long shelf life and ability to travel well, became the perfect candidate. A fried chicken sandwich doesn’t get soggy like a burger. Chicken tenders stay crispy longer. Even cold chicken holds up in a container.

Apps optimized for chicken. They pushed promotions: “Buy one, get one free tenders,” “Free delivery on chicken orders over $15,” “Add a biscuit for $1.” These deals worked. In 2024, chicken was the #1 item added to carts across all platforms. A study by the National Restaurant Association found that 63% of Americans order chicken at least once a week - up from 48% in 2020.

Regional Twists on a National Favorite

Chicken isn’t one thing in America. It’s a hundred things. In the South, it’s buttermilk fried chicken with collard greens. In the Midwest, it’s chicken pot pie with a flaky crust. On the West Coast, it’s Korean-style gochujang-glazed chicken bowls. In New York, it’s halal cart chicken over rice with hot sauce and onions. In Texas, it’s smoked chicken with brisket-level bark.

Even fast food chains adapted. McDonald’s added spicy chicken sandwiches nationwide after testing them in select markets. Wendy’s brought back its chicken nuggets with a honey mustard dipping sauce after customers demanded it. Even Taco Bell jumped in with chicken quesadillas and chicken burritos that outsold their beef versions by 37% in 2024.

What’s Driving the Numbers?

Three big reasons chicken leads the pack:

1. Price - Chicken is the most affordable protein. A 10-piece bucket of chicken from a fast food chain costs less than $10. A similar portion of steak or salmon would cost double.
2. Speed - Chicken orders are ready in under 10 minutes at most places. It’s faster than making a burger from scratch or waiting for a pizza to bake.
3. Flexibility - You can eat chicken cold, hot, in a wrap, on a salad, or with fries. It doesn’t need special utensils or a fancy plate. It’s the ultimate grab-and-go food.

Parents love it because kids eat it. College students rely on it because it’s cheap and filling. Office workers choose it because it’s easy to eat at their desks without making a mess. Even people on diets pick chicken - it’s high in protein, low in carbs, and easy to customize.

How It Compares to Other Top Foods

Here’s how chicken stacks up against other top ordered foods in 2024:

Chicken wins on volume, not price. It’s cheaper than pizza and sushi, faster than burgers, and more consistent than tacos. It doesn’t rely on perfect timing or delicate ingredients. You can reheat it the next day and it still tastes good.

What This Means for Home Cooks

If you’re wondering how to make chicken taste as good as the delivery version, here’s the secret: brining and crisping. Most restaurants soak chicken in saltwater (brine) for hours before cooking. That keeps it juicy. Then they fry it in hot oil or bake it at high heat to get that crunchy skin.

At home, you can replicate this with a simple trick: salt your chicken breasts or thighs 4 hours before cooking. Pat them dry. Coat them in flour or cornstarch. Fry in a hot pan with a little oil until golden. You’ll get restaurant-quality results without the delivery fee.

Or try this: bake chicken at 425°F for 25 minutes, then broil for 3 minutes. The high heat crisps the skin. Add a sprinkle of smoked paprika or garlic powder before baking. It’s that simple.

Is Chicken Here to Stay?

Yes. And it’s getting even bigger. Plant-based chicken alternatives are growing fast, but they still only make up 4% of total chicken orders. Real chicken still dominates. New formats are emerging - chicken ramen bowls, chicken tikka wraps, even chicken dumplings. Restaurants are experimenting with global flavors, and delivery apps are pushing them harder than ever.

For home cooks, this means one thing: chicken is your best friend. It’s affordable, adaptable, and always in demand. Whether you’re feeding a family, cooking for one, or just craving something satisfying, chicken delivers - every time.