A recent survey conducted by OnePoll on behalf of St. Pierre, a Texas-based bakery, found that 53% of Americans eat in their cars at least once a week. The average American eats in their car about three times a week. Many surveyed said they eat in the car because they’re short on time (38%) or for convenience (35%).
Reasons for Eating in Cars
Other reasons respondents gave for eating in their vehicle included that it’s peaceful (32%) and to eat alone (26%). Most people (53%) still prefer eating at a table at home, and 34% said they enjoy eating in the car. Lunch is the most popular meal people eat in their cars, according to the study.
Pennsylvania psychologist Geri-Lynn Utter told Fox News Digital that the trend reflects more than convenience. Traditionally, meals occurred in spaces associated with family, social connection, and intentional breaks in the day. However, the car has become a kind of psychological refuge, one of the few places where many people can be alone, decompress, and step away from the constant demands of work, caregiving, technology, and social interactions.
The survey, which polled 2,000 adults in June, found that habits varied significantly by generation. Gen Z (born after 1996) averaged 3.83 meals in the car per week, while Millennials (born between 1981 and 1996) reported eating 3.22 meals in the car each week on average. Gen X (born between 1965 and 1980) averaged 1.88 meals per week in the car, and Boomers (born between 1946 and 1964) averaged 0.84 meals in the car each week.
Food Choices
Gen Z’s most popular foods to eat in the car were pizza (20%), sandwiches/wraps (19%), and burgers and fruit (17%). Millennials most often ate sandwiches/wraps (26%), burgers (25%), and pizza (21%). Gen X favored sandwiches/wraps (27%), burgers (26%), and pizza, fruit, and chocolate (11%). Boomers most often ate burgers (29%), sandwiches/wraps (24%), and fruit (10%).
Utter noted that when eaten alone in the car, food becomes more than fuel. The car has become the modern break room where people temporarily escape from life’s stress. The food is the reward, but the solitude is the luxury. For a few minutes, there is no meeting, no email, and no obligation to perform for others. The meal becomes an experience that belongs entirely to the individual.
Original reporting: Fox News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
