Dine After Dark
America's Favorite Night Shift Bites
America’s Favorite Late-Night Food Stops
National chains or a hidden gem diner? A late-night food stop on a road trip is one of the great American traditions.
But which restaurant ranks highest of them all and earns the crown as the number one American favorite? We’ve conducted extensive research to answer this highly pertinent question and discovered the US truly backs its biggest names in fast-food! Read on to find out.
The Night Shift
Black Coffee and Apple Pies
Is there any country in the world that has a more bustling late-night food scene than the USA? You can guarantee to find a steaming cup of black coffee and tangy apple pies at pit stops in every state.
Of course, though, some cities are superior to others in this regard. Detroit, Michigan is one of the top places to visit for a midnight snack, with its restaurants averaging an impressive score of 4.55 stars on TripAdvisor. You can also find great value there, with a score of 3.8 out of 5 in that category.
Phoenix, Arizona is another hotspot, and one you’ll want to include on your next road trip. Why? Because it’s got the best review score in the country with an average of 92 percent positive. There’s a notable blend of cuisines in the city, with the Chinese restaurant Clever Koi among the hidden gems. You’ll also want to check out the popular Mexican restaurant, Barrio Queen.
Jersey City, New Jersey caps off the list of essential night shift locations, known for having some of the best quality in the States. It's famed for having a bustling gambling scene with late-night events and promotions, to boot. Arguably that has added to the number of people in search of late-night cuisine, and they're certainly a good match for each other.
Where's the best place to go in the city? City Diner. Indeed, from 553 reviews, 461 are highly positive. American food rules the roost in the Garden State, but you will find some European and seafood options as well.
These aren’t the only spots you’ll want to stop off at on your next road trip, though. In our extensive research, we also found that New Orleans, Las Vegas, and Los Angeles all score highly across the most important metrics. You’ll find different preferences in each of these places too. For instance, the top late-night food in New Orleans is from Waffle House and Sonic Drive-In, while Vegas visitors go for McDonalds or Taco Bell after a night on the slots.
Large Chains or That Small Town Feel?
The main finding of the study was that McDonalds reigns supreme. The legendary fast-food chain is America’s best late-night food spot, popular across the board in almost every state, suggesting Americans prefer big fast food chains over quaint, independent spots with a small town feel.
It seems like a lot of Americans love a spot of Mexican as well, with Taco Bell coming in second. To truly back up that preference for big names, Wendy’s rounds off the top three as the USA’s third-favorite late-night food spot.
You may also be interested to know that Del Taco is the most hated late-night spot - especially among Gen Z. Baby Boomers prefer the likes of Denny’s, Waffle House, and iHop, but these aren’t as highly rated among the younger generations.
Don’t get us wrong, though. American foodies still love a spot with a small-town feel. However, these hidden gems can’t compete with the big corporations from a statistical standpoint. For example, the most popular restaurant in Jacksonville Florida is TacoLu, with 808 glowing reviews on TripAdvisor. It's clear that the people there love their spicy peppers!
Columbus, Ohio is home to quite a few specialist American grills as well. If you ever find yourself in that part of the country, Melt Bar and Grilled, Little West Tavern, and Brothers Bar and Grill all have excellent star ratings.
