Taco Bell has “Fourth Meal.” Jack in the Box has “Munchie Mash-Ups.” White Castle has an entire stoner comedy franchise. Although they don’t outright admit it, fast food chains seem to tacitly understand that hungry high customers make up a notable percentage of their sales. But of the many options available, from burgers to tacos to fried chicken, which franchise is the preferred place to quell the munchies?
Green Market Report partnered with Consumer Research Around Cannabis to analyze multiple fast food marketplaces in areas with both a sizable population and legal cannabis. The result: while Taco Bell’s “Late Night Munchies” practically feel like a stoner stereotype, they’re no match for the iconic golden arches.
Most popular fast food restaurants among cannabis consumers (courtesy of Green Market Report)
Over 43% of adults polled who recently purchased legal cannabis visited a McDonald’s within four weeks of their dispensary purchase. Taco Bell and its ridiculously huge menu came in second, with just over 18% of cannabis customers making a “run for the border.”
Granted, McDonald’s has nearly 15,000 locations in the United States compared to Taco Bell’s 7,000, so “elevated” consumers may find it more convenient to find a nearby Mickey D’s than some Doritos Locos action. Subway, however, has almost 27,000 locations nationwide, yet peckish stoners prefer Burger King (which has about 7,500 locations) or Wendy’s (about 5,700 locations) over a footlong sub. (As they should; who craves Subway while high? Actually, their cookies are pretty legit.)
McDonald’s proved most popular in each of the major markets Green Market Report analyzed: Denver, Las Vegas, Portland, Sacramento, and Washington, DC. Lest you think the franchise is surprised by this revelation, recall earlier this summer when one location put up this wink-wink billboard in Colorado:
PHOTO: @McDonalds billboard joke goes viral https://t.co/dAqwqGgqx7pic.twitter.com/vxUMxnPUmt
— KRON4 News (@kron4news) June 3, 2017
(Sadly, the billboard was removed because it did “not meet [the company’s] standards.” You’re no fun, corporate headquarters.)
Check out Green Market Report’s full summary and see where franchises like Jack in the Box, Carl’s Jr, Chick-fil-A, and KFC stack up in certain cities. In the meantime, what’s your go-to fast food place when your bowl is cashed and your stomach’s rumbling?
