While it's certainly true that life has gotten a little more expensive over the past twelve months, many Americans aren't willing to cut costs from their travel and leisure budget.
In fact, the rise of the post-covid revenge travel has more Americans taking to the sky than in past years, and when they get where they're going, they aren't shy about opening their wallets for the fun stuff.
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Concert tickets are at record prices this summer, and airlines like Delta Air Lines (DAL) -) saw record revenue and profit in its most recent quarter ending June 30.
"Premium travel is the number one priority for the consumers that we target. They’re [travelers are] not interested in buying houses or cars or boats or electronics, but they are interested in traveling," CEO Ed Bastian said on the earnings call.
If and when folks are traveling, they may want to consider a newly compiled list of top spots for food tourism and so-called foodies, or people who actively seek out high-cuisine enclaves and trending dining spots.
The best food cities in the U.S. aren't where you think they are
When you picture a food lover's paradise, you might consider somewhere like Los Angeles or New York City. Both places are hubs of culture and tourism, and have benefitted from decades of mass migration patterns that brought in all sorts of delicacies many of us enjoy today, like boba, gelato, dim sum, chana masala, and pho.
But if you'd guessed that either of these two cities might be in the top 10 list of best food cities in the U.S., you'd be wrong.
Wallethub recently compiled a list of the 2023 Best Foodie Cities in America -- ranging all the way from number one to 182 -- and the top 10 might surprise you.
They are:
- Orlando, Fla.
- Portland, Ore.
- Sacramento, Calif.
- Miami
- San Francisco
- Tampa, Fla.
- San Diego
- Las Vegas
- Austin, Texas
- Seattle
Wallethub assessed a variety of factors in its decision-making, including accessibility, variety, cost, and even what sort of diverse celebrations a city might host, such as food festivals.
New York City landed at number 20, Washington, D.C. was placed at number 17, and Los Angeles clocked in at 13.
Pearl City, Hawaii claimed number 182, last place.
