With so many diners turning to takeout, it's not surprising that there's been an increase in one takeout menu item, in particular: Fried chicken. And it's not just fried chicken, takeout lovers are ordering it any way they can get it as of late, and this has caused a significant increase in chicken sales over the last year or so.
Fast-food restaurants that specialize in fried chicken such as Popeye's, Wingstop, and Chik-Fil-A saw an increase in roughly 20% or more in sales since April, according to Eat This, Not That!. While there are plenty of popular menu items at fast-food chains that people love ordering, none are nearly as popular as that warm, crispy plate of chicken that comes in a slightly greasy bag from our favorite fast-food restaurants. You might also be thinking that we strictly mean the US and Canada when it comes to loving chicken so much, but this would be inaccurate - as it turns out, the rest of the world is just as in love with the idea of chicken in whatever shape or form it comes in. And out of all the countries in the world, these are the ones that truly love it more than nearly anything else.
Australia
Considering Australia's diverse cuisine, it is surprising to see that this country is one of the top-rated, if not the highest-rated, country in terms of chicken consumption. As a whole, according to El Pollo Norteño, Australia consumes roughly 205 pounds of chicken per person, per year. This is more than any other country in the world including the US, which is believed to be the best place on earth to get fried chicken, of all things. The chicken in Australia also sells in supermarkets better than any other meat option, meaning it's not only popular as takeout but popular in home cooking, too.
The United States
While it's surprising that the US isn't coming in first place in terms of chicken consumption, it's not surprising that this country is on the list, in general. In fact, the number of pounds of chicken consumed by the average person in the US is not that strikingly different from that of Australia - roughly 201 pounds of chicken per person is consumed annually, only different from Australia by four pounds. It's also estimated that roughly eight million chickens are consumed annually in the US and this is an upward trend that has been going on since the 1960s.
Argentina
Despite the fact that Argentina is known for its barbecue and many other exotic dishes, chicken is still one of the meats that's consumed more than any other. With an average of 187 pounds of chicken consumed per person per year, the country has seen signs of a significant decline in the interest in beef as opposed to poultry. It's unclear what has caused the sudden change other than the evolution of a cuisine and a general shift in dish ingredients, but the change has brought about a noticeable deviation from the country's profit on red meat.
Israel
Supposedly, Israel was the first country to ever eat chicken so it's not surprising that it continues to be one of the largest consumers of poultry in the world. When the Romans took Israel's cuisine back to their empire, according to El Pollo Norteño, this is how the idea of eating chicken and the cooking process was shared with other countries, thus chicken was the dish that made its way slowly around the world. In terms of who eats chicken in Israel, it's estimated that roughly 80% of the country incorporates this poultry into their diets, and it's overwhelmingly the choice of meat of the country both at home and when dining out.
The United Kingdom
Coming in last is the United Kingdom which is also surprising considering the love for traditional menu items such as mince pie and shepherd's pie. Regardless, the United Kingdom has held up their love for chicken with an estimated 50% of all the meat eaten in this country being poultry. It's also estimated that more than two million whole chickens are consumed throughout the country annually, further backing up the support that the United Kingdom has well-earned the fifth spot on the list. It's also one of the number one protein items on many a local's shopping lists, with many United Kingdom residents stating that they'd choose chicken over beef or another red meat any day of the year. Of these people, those who say 'yes' to chicken every day and all-day account for 95% of the population.