Iowans' Favorite Gas Station Snack is a Strange Crunchy Classic

A new study from Hartley Law looked at the favorite gas stations and favorite gas station snacks in all 50 states. It's not surprising which gas station is the near-unanimous favorite amongst Iowans. What's more surprising is the alleged favorite snack of Iowans. Personally, I'm not sure I've seen someone eat it in person in many years.

Using Google trends over the last year, the content team at Hartley Law found the favorite gas station amongst Iowans is Casey's. This comes as no surprise. Casey's is not only ubiquitous, famous for their pizza, and practically an oasis even in the most rural enclaves in the state, it's also experiencing a year of meteoric growth.

The Most Popular Gas Station/Road Trip Snacks:

Before we pinpoint what apparently is the most popular choice amongst Iowans for a gas station snack, let's take a look at the top five most popular, based on how many states in which they're beloved:

#1: Häagen-Dazs Ice Cream — 5 states
#2: Little Debbie Swiss Rolls — 4 states
#3: Planters Trail Mix — 3 states
#4 (tie): Cheetos — 2 states
#4 (tie): Reese's Pieces — 2 states
#4 (tie): KitKat — 2 states
#4 (tie): Funyuns — 2 states

Not a single one of those snacks is the favorite amongst Iowans, however. Dare I say, Iowans' choice of snack is pretty obscure compared to any of the aforementioned ones that proved to be popular across a handful of states.

Iowans' most popular choice of snack at gas stations and/or on road trips is apparently Bugles. You know the ones. Those strange little corn snacks more famous for kids putting them on their fingertips than the flavor they possess. Bugles have been something of a Midwest staple since their inception in the 1960s, due to the fact that they were manufactured in West Chicago for decades.

That said, I don't think I've seen a single soul in real life eat a bag of Bugles, let alone opt for them. Surely, they are popular. They're still made and sold pretty much everywhere for a reason. But I have a hard time believing they are the go-to for the majority of Iowan. This is where I'd argue Google trends aren't the most accurate representation for what people are actually consuming/buying. You're telling me a bag of Bugles are more popular than Lay's or Ruffles in Iowa?