America’s ultimate grilled cheese? White bread, cheddar and a triangle cut

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 polled 5,000 Americans from across the U.S. and found that two cheese types, on average, are included in the ideal grilled cheese. When opting to incorporate multiple cheeses, Americans said a combo of cheddar (44%) and American cheese (40%) is best.

When asked about the tastiest cheese in general to use on a grilled cheese, cheddar was the hands-down winner in a handful of states, including Wyoming (81%), Arkansas (79%) and Utah (78%), and American cheese (70%) and pepper jack (40%) were also favorited across the country.

White bread (43%) cut into triangles (48%) with the crust on (80%) also came out on top as America’s grilled cheese bread of choice, followed by sourdough (24%), which actually turned out to be the West Coast’s favorite bread for grilled cheese: California (30%), Oregon (39%) and Washington (28%).

Conducted by Talker Research and commissioned by Tillamook County Creamery Association (https://www.tillamook.com) for National Sandwich Day on Nov. 3, the poll also looked to uncover which coating on the outside of a grilled cheese sandwich delivers the quintessential crispy crunch when biting in.

Seventy-one percent of respondents said that butter is best for coating the outside of the bread and 12% prefer mayonnaise. Another 12% actually use a combo of mayonnaise and butter to cover the bread, with this matchup being most popular in Delaware (24%), Idaho (23%) and Washington (20%).

Zooming out to see just how much Americans love this cheesy staple, two-thirds (62%) labeled themselves as “grilled cheese enthusiasts.” And Georgia turned out to be the grilled cheese capital of the U.S., with more Georgians than those in any other state (76%) identifying as “grilled cheese enthusiasts,” followed by those in Washington (75%) and Delaware (73%).

But regardless of what state they’re from, eight in 10 Americans (84%) admitted that biting into a grilled cheese sandwich with the perfect crispy crunch on the outside and gooey, cheesy blend on the inside is one of their favorite feelings in the whole world.

And not only are grilled cheeses widely enjoyed, but they’re regularly consumed, too. Americans are eating three grilled cheese sandwiches per month, on average, although some enjoy them more often than others, with those in Delaware and Idaho enjoying them most often (five sandwiches per month, on average).

Along with that, nearly three-quarters of respondents (72%) revealed this cheesy treat is something they like to eat when they’re feeling down in the dumps.

“The iconic grilled cheese sandwich may seem simple, but it’s so much more: dynamic, decadent and inexplicably comforting,”  said Josh Archibald, executive chef of culinary development at Tillamook. “For National Sandwich Day, we wanted to explore how Americans craft their version of the perfect grilled cheese sandwich, and although a variety of methods abound, one thing is clear from the results: the simple love of grilled cheese is universal.”

Nearly four in 10 Americans (39%) said a grilled cheese is best enjoyed when dipped into a sauce (once again with those in Idaho (66%) and Delaware (56%) most likely to feel this way), and people’s favorite sauces to dip into turned out to be ranch (19%), ketchup (14%) and honey mustard (13%).

Their favorite additions to make a grilled cheese really pop were bacon (41%), ham (39%) and tomatoes (25%), although some opt for more interesting inside additions, such as pickles (11%), pulled pork (11%), potato chips (10%) and french fries (10%).

The survey also investigated which method is the best for crafting the perfect cheesy sandwich, and using a frying pan (52%) was the clear winner, followed by cooking a grilled cheese on a griddle (18%) or even throwing one on the grill (8%).

Almost three in four respondents (72%) agreed it’s important for a grilled cheese to have the perfect “cheese pull” (when the melted cheese stretches into long, gooey strands as the sandwich is pulled apart), with 33% saying that it’s “extremely important” to them.

And the things that can most easily ruin one are when the sandwich is cold inside and the cheese isn’t melted enough (51%) or when the bread is burnt (52%) or soggy (42%).

“From adding potato chips or pickles inside a grilled cheese, or another one of my personal favorites – pesto – and opting for mozzarella over cheddar cheese, there’s no ‘right way’ to craft grilled cheese,” said Chef Josh. “For anyone looking to turn a humble sandwich into a golden, gourmet masterpiece, focus on the basics: good bread, good cheese, a combination of butter and mayo on the outside, and patience, which delivers to the perfect crispy outside and gooey, melty middle.”

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%)

RESPONDENTS’ FAVORITE GRILLED CHEESE MEMORIES

• “My best grilled cheese was actually in the hospital after having my son. It was amazing and so cheesy with tomato basil soup. This was three years ago and I think about it every once in a while.”
• “[I] love making grilled cheese with [my] grandma. The best is when we can go to the local family-owned bakery and get fresh bread to use that day. It’s the ultimate lazy day with grilled cheese, a deck of cards and grandma.”
• “It was 1983 in San Antonio, Texas. [It] was the first time I ever had a grilled cheese with fresh tomatoes… it was the best grilled cheese ever from this small food truck.”
• “My brother-in-law was a trained chef who made a special basil bread. He prepared a grilled cheese sandwich from this bread and used a combination of cheeses. It was grilled perfectly and he served it with a tomato-based vegetable soup that was equally perfect. I wish I’d learned what the blend of cheeses were before he passed away.”
• “It was [at a] restaurant. It was special because it was my first date with my present wife. It was 20 years ago.”
• “A food truck in Hawaii had grilled cheese with shredded chicken and macaroni and cheese inside it. It was so good!! I could only eat half [of it] because it was packed with chicken and macaroni. But I think [it] was definitely worth the $15 I paid for it.”