Nationwide survey reveals America’s ultimate grilled cheese sandwich

This story version has been formatted as an on-air script for broadcast outlets. See the original research story here.

AHEAD OF NATIONAL SANDWICH DAY ON NOV. 3, THE PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN: AMERICA’S ULTIMATE GRILLED CHEESE USES WHITE BREAD, IS CUT INTO TRIANGLES AND LAYERS IN TWO CHEESE TYPES, ACCORDING TO A RECENT SURVEY. 

THE SURVEY OF 5,000 AMERICANS ACROSS THE U-S FOUND THAT TWO CHEESE TYPES, ON AVERAGE, ARE INCLUDED IN THE IDEAL GRILLED CHEESE. AND THE BEST COMBO IS CHEDDAR (44%) AND AMERICAN CHEESE (40%), ACCORDING TO THE SURVEY FROM TILAMOOK.

CHEDDAR WAS THE HANDS-DOWN WINNER IN A HANDFUL OF STATES, INCLUDING WYOMING (81%), ARKANSAS (79%) AND UTAH (78%).

GEORGIA TURNED OUT TO BE THE GRILLED CHEESE CAPITAL OF THE U-S, WITH MORE GEORGIANS THAN ANY OTHER STATE (76%) IDENTIFYING AS ‘GRILLED CHEESE ENTHUSIASTS,’ FOLLOWED BY THOSE IN WASHINGTON (75%) AND DELAWARE (73%), ACCORDING TO THE SURVEY CONDUCTED BY TALKER RESEARCH.

SO ALL YOU GRILLED-CHEESE LOVERS OUT THERE, TELL US: WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE WAY TO MAKE A GRILLED CHEESE? AND ARE YOU MAKING ONE ON MONDAY?

AMERICA’S FAVORITE BREAD FOR A GRILLED CHEESE

• WHITE BREAD (43%)
• SOURDOUGH (24%)
• MULTIGRAIN (8%)
• POTATO BREAD (7%)
• BRIOCHE (5%)

AMERICA’S FAVORITE DIPPING SAUCES FOR A GRILLED CHEESE

• RANCH (19%)
• KETCHUP (14%)
• HONEY MUSTARD (13%)
• MAYONNAISE (12%)
• CHIPOTLE SAUCE (10%)

AMERICA’S FAVORITE ADDITIONS INSIDE A GRILLED CHEESE

• BACON (41%)
• HAM (39%)
• TOMATOES (25%)
• TURKEY (22%)
• CHICKEN (18%)

STATES MOST LIKELY TO SAY THEY’RE “GRILLED CHEESE ENTHUSIASTS”

• GEORGIA (76%)
• WASHINGTON (75%)
• DELAWARE (73%)
• IDAHO (72%)
• OHIO (71%)
• OREGON (71%)
• CONNECTICUT (70%)
• COLORADO (69%)
• NEW JERSEY (69%)
• PENNSYLVANIA (69%)

Survey methodology:

Talker Research surveyed 5,000 Americans (100 from each state); the survey was commissioned by Tillamook and administered and conducted online by Talker Research between Sept. 20 and Sept. 25, 2025.

We are sourcing from a non-probability frame and the two main sources we use are:

• Traditional online access panels — where respondents opt-in to take part in online market research for an incentive
• Programmatic — where respondents are online and are given the option to take part in a survey to receive a virtual incentive usually related to the online activity they are engaging in

Those who did not fit the specified sample were terminated from the survey. As the survey is fielded, dynamic online sampling is used, adjusting targeting to achieve the quotas specified as part of the sampling plan.

Regardless of which sources a respondent came from, they were directed to an Online Survey, where the survey was conducted in English; a link to the questionnaire can be shared upon request. Respondents were awarded points for completing the survey. These points have a small cash-equivalent monetary value.

Cells are only reported on for analysis if they have a minimum of 80 respondents, and statistical significance is calculated at the 95% level. Data is not weighted, but quotas and other parameters are put in place to reach the desired sample.

Interviews are excluded from the final analysis if they failed quality-checking measures. This includes:

• Speeders: Respondents who complete the survey in a time that is quicker than one-third of the median length of interview are disqualified as speeders
• Open ends: All verbatim responses (full open-ended questions as well as other please specify options) are checked for inappropriate or irrelevant text
• Bots: Captcha is enabled on surveys, which allows the research team to identify and disqualify bots
• Duplicates: Survey software has “deduping” based on digital fingerprinting, which ensures nobody is allowed to take the survey more than once

It is worth noting that this survey was only available to individuals with internet access, and the results may not be generalizable to those without internet access.