A new study has been released identifying the best cities in the country for marijuana users, just in time for the unofficial weed holiday on April 20.
It used some unusual criteria: Clever Real Estate counted factors such as whether marijuana use was legal, the number of dispensaries, and average prices for an ounce of marijuana.
In addition, as part of its measurement system, the study counted the number of restaurants per capita of a familiar fast-food chain in each city.
Mixed Results
Research into the most popular restaurant for pot users experiencing the munchies has been somewhat limited.
One key analysis was conducted five years ago, while another was completed only shortly after that.
But there's no question that restaurant chains do make an effort to tap into the munchie market.
For instance, starting on April 20, TGI Fridays will offer up the Blazed & Glazed Bundle, which will be available exclusively through Uber Eats.
The deal will run through May 4, but if you order on April 20, you will get $4 off your $20 order.
Then there's Jimmy John's, an Illinois-based hoagie-style sandwich franchise of the larger Inspire Brands. It's offering freebies to customers depending on how "high" they are.
Of course, there's a catch, since its based on how high above sea level customers actually are, and not the degree to which they are under the influence.
As to the most popular fast-food chain with stoners, there is some dispute.
In a widely circulated "joint" study in 2017 by the Green Market Report and Consumer Research Around Cannabis, McDonald's (MCD) topped the list of fast-food chains popular with pot consumers.
The report found that 43% of people who had purchased marijuana legally from a dispensary or retailer in the past four weeks had gone to a McDonald's in that period.
Taco Bell (YUM), with just over half as many stores nationwide, came in second at 18.3%. Wendy's (WEN) followed close behind at 17.8% while Burger King (QSR) came in fourth at 17.6%. Subway rounded out the top five with 8.7%.
A slightly more recent study, however, conducted by rehabs.com and based on a survey of 1,000 people, found that Taco Bell was more than twice as popular as any other chain as the place to dine "when high."
Some 20.5% of respondents picked Taco Bell, vs. just 9.1% for McDonald's. Chipotle (CMG) and IHOP (DIN) tied for third at 6% each, while Chik-fil-A rounded out the top 5 at 5.6%.
Taco Bell was the most popular choice in 28 states.
Among women, the Cheesy Gordita Crunch was the most popular menu item, while for men there was a tie between the Beefy 5-Layer Burrito and the the Beefy Fritos Burrito.
Perhaps cementing Taco Bell's standing with the late-night munchie crowd was a piece in High Times rating it the most ideal stoner restaurant.
Where to Find Them
Helpfully, the Clever Real Estate study broke down the cities with the highest numbers of Taco Bells per 100,000 people.
Intriguingly, cities with the highest concentrations of Taco Bells (green pins on map below) are concentrated in the center of the country, while those with the fewest (red pins) are largely on the coasts.
As for the top weed cities, according to Clever Real Estate, they are Denver, Portland and Sacramento.
