What Is the Favorite Cookout Food in Arizona?

With the first 100-degree day in the rearview mirror and months of searing summer temperatures ahead, now’s a great time to head outside and grill in the Grand Canyon State.

In Arizona, that go-to meat choice is the same as many of the state’s neighbors.

BetArizona.com, which provides complete coverage of Arizona sportsbooks, utilized Google Trends to determine the most searched main meal for cookouts in each state.

The following meals were included once the top 5 most popular cookout foods were determined, based on search history in the summer — wings, hamburger, hot dog, ribs and grilled chicken.

After completing the trends over the past five years (from April 1 to Sept. 1 each year), we were able to average out the results to get the top cookout foods for each state.

Bet $10, Get $150 If You Win

Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (Available in the US) Call 877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY) Call 1-800-327-5050 (MA), 1-800-NEXT-STEP (AZ), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA), 1-800-981-0023 (PR) 21+ only. Please Gamble Responsibly. See BetMGM.com for Terms. Subject to eligibility requirements. Bonus bets are non-withdrawable. In partnership with Kansas Crossing Casino and Hotel. This promotional offer is not available in DC, Mississippi, New York, Nevada, Ontario, or Puerto Rico.

Favorite Cookout Meal By State

Ribs (19 states): Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nevada, Oregon, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming
Hamburgers (10 states): Alabama, Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico and Oklahoma
Hot Dogs (10 states): Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Maine, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Rhode Island, Virginia and West Virginia
Wings (6 states): Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York and Pennsylvania
Grilled Chicken (5 states): Hawaii, Indiana, Montana, North Dakota and Vermont

Bet Match Up to $250

Must be 21+ and physically present in AZ, CO, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MO, NJ, NY, NC, OH, PA, TN, VA, WV, WY or Washington, DC. New users only. Must register using eligible promo code. First wager after registration must qualify. Min. Odds: -500. Max. Bonus Bet: $250. Awarded as non-withdrawable Bonus Bet that expires 14 days after receipt. Bonus Bet amount not returned for winning bets. Void where prohibited. See http://Caesars.com/promos for full terms. Know When To Stop Before You Start®. Gambling Problem? CO, IL, KY, MD, MI, MO, NJ, OH, TN, VA, WV, WY, KS (Affiliated with Kansas Crossing Casino), ME (Licensed through the Mi’kmaq Nation, Penobscot Nation, and Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians, federally recognized tribes located in the State of Maine), NC (Licensed through Tribal Casino Gaming Enterprise), PA (Affiliated with Harrah's Philadelphia): If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537) or MD: visit http://mdgamblinghelp.org or WV: visit http://1800gambler.net ; AZ: Call 1-800-NEXT-STEP; IN: Call 1-800-9-WITH-IT; IA: Call 1-800-BETSOFF; LA (Licensed through Horseshoe Bossier City and Caesars New Orleans), Washington, DC (OLG Class A licensed Operator): Call 1-800-522-4700. ©2025, Caesars Entertainment Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER DC, LA: Call 1-800-522-4700 MA: Call 1-800-327-5050 or visit http://gamblinghelplinema.org NY: Call 877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369)

Ribs Are an Arizona Favorite

In the 48th State, the consensus favorite when it comes to grilled meats is a nice rack of ribs slathered with whatever sauce the average Arizona resident prefers.

Overall, ribs beat out other BBQ mainstays, such as hamburgers, hot dogs, wings and grilled chicken. Arizona joined 18 others, including neighboring states California, Colorado, Nevada and Utah in preferring ribs over the other meat options.

New Mexico, on the other hand, went with hamburgers as their grilling choice. In total, ribs were the most popular choice by total state count at 19 — one favorite you can’t find on Arizona betting apps — followed by hamburgers and hot dogs (10 apiece), wings (6 states) and grilled chicken (5 states).

It’s safe to say the Grand Canyon State has good company in residents’ choice for cookout foods, with Arizonans toeing the popularity line by going with a slab of ribs as their barbecued meat of choice.

Author

Christopher Boan

Christopher Boan is the lead writer at BetArizona.com after covering sports and sports betting in Arizona for more than seven years, including stops at ArizonaSports.com, the Tucson Weekly and the Green Valley News.