- Tacos are the most popular NHL snack across the U.S. and Canada
- Hot Dogs and Cheesesteaks are most popular in the Northeast
- Donairs are most popular in Alberta and British Columbia, whilst Poutine claims Quebec.
As the NHL season launches on October 7th, on the same week as National Taco day, many fans will be looking forward to engaging game day experiences. And for many, the highlight starts with the food.
With this in mind, a new report from Hard Rock Bet reveals the best NHL snacks in the U.S. and Canada, ahead of the new season. The study analyzed the number of Google searches related to NHL snacks in all the states and provinces who are currently the home of at least one NHL team.
From tacos in Texas to Poutine in Quebec, every state and province brings something unique to the table. Only one question remains: Is your go-to snack on the list?
The Most Popular NHL Snacks in North America
| Rank | Food | Search Volume |
| 1 | Tacos | 1,011,600 |
| 2 | Wings | 616,000 |
| 3 | Hot Dogs | 430,600 |
| 4 | Popcorn | 321,500 |
| 5 | Poutine | 270,600 |
| 6 | Nachos | 165,980 |
| 7 | Lobster Rolls | 143,440 |
| 8 | Cheesesteaks | 139,730 |
| 9 | Perogies | 90,560 |
| 10 | French Fries | 88,480 |
Tacos rank 1st as NHL fans’ favorite snack, with over 1 million searches across North America. In fact, Tacos are the most popular NHL snack in 10 out of the 19 U.S. states that host at least one NHL team.
Wings (616K searches) take the second spot in front of Hot Dogs (431K searches). They were found to be most popular in California, Minnesota, New York, Illinois, and Utah.
Despite only having 7 teams in the NHL, Canadian delicacies such as the Poutine and Perogies also make an appearance in the top 10, ranking 4th and 9th respectively. Whilst Donairs are the most popular snack in Alberta and British Columbia, Poutine is always a solid second choice.
On the flip side, BBQ sandwiches came in last with only 4,780 searches across the 32 NHL teams.
The Most Popular NHL Snacks in the U.S.
| State | Popular Snack | Search volume |
| New York | Hot Dogs | 110,000 |
| New Jersey | Cheesesteaks | 33,100 |
| Ohio | Popcorn | 27,100 |
| Massachusetts | Lobster Rolls | 18,200 |
| Nevada | Tacos | 22,200 |
| Pennsylvania | Cheesesteaks | 33,100 |
| North Carolina | Tacos | 33,100 |
| Florida | Tacos | 110,000 |
| Minnesota | Wings | 18,100 |
| California | Wings | 223,000 |
| Tennessee | Tacos | 18,100 |
| Colorado | Tacos | 40,500 |
| Illinois | Hot Dogs | 74,000 |
| Texas | Tacos | 246,000 |
| Utah | Hot Dogs | 14,800 |
| Washington | Tacos | 40,500 |
| Michigan | Tacos | 27,100 |
| Washington D.C. | Tacos | 8,100 |
| Missouri | Tacos | 14,800 |
Source
- Google Keyword Planner
Methodology
This study aimed to find the best NHL snacks in the U.S. and Canada ahead of the 2025-2026 season. To do so, the number of Google Searches for typical NHL snacks across the following states and provinces was conducted: New York, New Jersey, Ohio, Massachusetts, Ontario, Nevada, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Florida, Quebec, Minnesota, California, Tennessee, Colorado, Illinois, Texas, Utah, Washington, Alberta, Michigan, British Columbia, Washington D.C, Manitoba, and Missouri.
The snacks included in the study were: Donairs, Tacos, Poutine, Beavertails, Perogies, Popcorn, Wings, Hot Dogs, Nachos, Butter Tarts, Lobster Rolls, French Fries, Clam Chowder, Cheesesteaks, Pizza, Pretzels, and BBQ Sandwiches. The data is accurate as of 30/09/2025 in regard to the sources.