Skip to main content

Mega fries? Peking ravioli? A look at different cities’ peculiar take-out tastes

top 15 most comfort food crazed cities for renters best
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Winter is only weeks away, though it already feels like it in some of the country (though it’s been warmer in New York City the past week than it has in Portland, Oregon). Whether it’s the lack of sunlight, the listlessness the onset of a cold brings, or just being separated from family during a festive season, comfort food is on the menu for lots of people. Winter is the busiest season for food delivery, according to GrubHub and Rent.com. The food delivery site and apartment rental service recently paired up for a poll of 1,000 renters to find what different cities are ordering when it comes to comfort food.

To get the results, the sites compared “the relative lift a market sees in comfort food orders in November and December and ranked them according to the difference in lift on a national basis.” The first thing the poll found is that while 20 percent of those ordering in just don’t want to leave their home, 36 percent have a less seasonal reason for getting delivery: not wanting to cook. What everyone’s ordering depends on what city you’re talking about. Apparently Seattle loves its cheese bread (though we know lots of our neighbors to the north and have never heard this is thing), while Philadelphia is into something called mega fries. (As far as we can tell, it’s fries topped with bacon, Cheez Whiz, and either mozzarella or provolone.)

The mega fries appear to be something of a regional delicacy, as they’re found in the Philly area’s delivery orders 7,375.9 percent more often than the rest of the country. Likewise for cheese curds and the Milwaukee, Wisconsin, area, where it’s 3,012.8 percent more common than anywhere else, according to the poll. The most interesting part of the poll? Discovering food we’d never tried before. Thanks, Stamford, Connecticut, for pointing us toward lomo saltado. You can check out the rest of the results below:

Champaign and Urbana, Ill. — Cheese dip

Cheese-dip_
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Cheese dip is 8,076.9 percent more commonly ordered than the rest of the country.

Atlanta, Sandy Springs, and Roswell, Ga. — Chicken coconut soup

Chicken-coconut-soup_
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Chicken coconut soup is 3,412.3 percent more commonly ordered here than in the rest of the country.

Ann Arbor, Mich. — Gourmet pizza

Gourmet-pizza_
Jacek Nowak/123RF

Gourmet pizza is 3,028.4 percent more commonly ordered than the rest of the country.

Trenton, N.J. — California cheeseburger

California-cheeseburger_
Image used with permission by copyright holder

California cheeseburger is 5,509.4 percent more commonly ordered than the rest of the country.

Washington D.C., Arlington and Alexandria, Va. — Oven-roasted wings

Oven-roasted-wings
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Oven-roasted wings are 2,961.8 percent more commonly ordered than the rest of the country.

Providence and Warwick, R.I. — Buffalo chicken calzone

Buffalo-chicken-calzone_
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Buffalo chicken calzone is 1,078.4 percent more commonly ordered than the rest of the country.

Denver, Aurora, and Lakewood, Colo. — Vietnamese egg roll

Vietnamese-egg-roll_
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Vietnamese egg roll is 7,701.3 percent more commonly ordered than the rest of the country.

Bridgeport, Stamford, and Norwalk, Conn. — Lomo saltado

Lomo-saltado_
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Lomo saltado is 2708.6 percent more commonly ordered than the rest of the country.

Chicago, Naperville, and Elgin, Ill. — Chicken vesuvio

Chicken-vesuvio_
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Chicken vesuvio is 16093.4 percent more commonly ordered than the rest of the country.

Los Angeles, Long Beach, and Anaheim, Calif. — Baked salmon roll

Baked-salmon-roll_
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Baked salmon roll is 11,411.1 percent more commonly ordered than the rest of the country.

Ithaca, N.Y. — Vegetarian spring roll

Vegetarian-spring-roll_
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Vegetarian spring roll is 4,173.7 percent more commonly ordered than the rest of the country.

Milwaukee, Waukesha, and West Allis, Wis. — Cheese curd

Cheese-curd_
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Cheese curd is 3,012.8 percent more commonly ordered than the rest of the country.

Philadelphia, Penn.; Camden, N.J.; and Wilmington, Del. — Mega fries

Mega-fries_
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Mega fries is 7375.9 percent more commonly ordered than the rest of the country.

Boston, Cambridge, and Newton, Mass. — Peking ravioli

Peking-ravioli_
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Peking ravioli is 45671.5 percent more commonly ordered than the rest of the country.

Seattle, Tacoma, and Bellevue, Wash. — Cheese bread

Cheese-bread
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Cheese bread is 5,753.2 percent more commonly ordered than the rest of the country.

Jenny McGrath
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Jenny McGrath is a senior writer at Digital Trends covering the intersection of tech and the arts and the environment. Before…
Are robotic pool cleaners worth it?
The Airper Seagull SE robotic pool cleaner at the bottom of a swimming pool.

The worst part of owning a swimming pool is taking care of it From filter maintenance and skimming debris from the surface to managing chemicals and more, you'll likely find yourself hanging out around the water more often than you're actually in the water. Robotic pool cleaners are designed to alleviate this pinch point of pool ownership by giving you back your time and automating most of your tasks.

But are robotic pool cleaners worth it, or are they a gimmick that still require heaps of manual input? Here's a closer look to help you decide if one would be a good addition to your backyard.
Budget-friendly devices are often a hassle

Read more
Best Buy cut this air fryer’s price in half, down to just $25
The Bella Pro Series 3 Quart Air Fryer near food.

If you want your food crispy all over without having to deal with draining a ton of oil, your best bet is to use an air fryer. They're never too expensive and there are always great air fryer deals going on, but you'll rarely find one with a price like this. Right now, the Bella Pro Series 3 Quart Analog Air Fryer is half off, moving its price from $50 to $25. To pick yours up today all you need to do is tap the button below. If you're interested in our take, however, be sure to keep reading.

Why you should buy the Bella Pro Series 3 Quart Air Fryer
The Bella Pro Series 3 Quart Air Fryer holds up to about 2.5 pounds of food, heats up to 400 degrees, and has easily-removable dishwasher-safe parts. If you notice it is "analog" that is because it has a 60 minute shut off timer to give you peace of mind and an easy way to time your cooking. Of course, this means there aren't a ton of digital options, buttons, and settings. However, this can be a plus for some and possibly you. Not every item in the home needs to be "smart" and less can certainly feel like more.

Read more
Revolution Cooking’s high-speed smart toaster is $100 off today
Someone using the Revolution Cooking InstaGLO R180 smart toaster in the kitchen.

If you're thinking about getting a new toaster for your kitchen, why not go with a high-speed smart toaster? Best Buy is currently selling the Revolution Cooking InstaGLO R180 smart toaster with a $100 discount, slashing its price to $250 from $350 originally. There's no telling how much time is remaining before this offer expires though, so if you're interested, it's highly recommended that you proceed with the purchase right now in order to secure the savings.

Why you should buy the Revolution Cooking InstaGLO R180 smart toaster
Are smart kitchen gadgets worth it? The answer is a resounding yes, and the Revolution Cooking InstaGLO R180 smart toaster will show you why. With this kitchen device, you'll no longer suffer from burnt or uneven toasts as it's powered by the brand's InstaGLO heating system. The technology will start toasting your bread in just two seconds without any need for preheating. You'll get bread that's crunchy outside and moist inside every single time, which is a huge upgrade over the inconsistencies of traditional toasters.

Read more