Food has always been a way to bring people together. Folks will literally throw together a meal for any possible celebration. Someone is pregnant? Baby Shower. Someone isn’t pregnant? Relieved potluck. Someone had a vasectomy and will never impregnate anyone? Wine and cheese gathering.
But food can also be pretty divisive, as anyone who has thoughts on pineapple as a pizza topping can tell you. So it’s no surprise that Hater — the dating app that matches users based on mutual disdain for things like celebs and TV shows — has published a list of their users’ most hated foodstuffs.
Using data gathered from over 600,000 members, Hater assembled an infographic declaring the most hated food in every state in the nation. As with last year’s map of the most hated things in every state (which includes some of the same entries), this offering gets eyes on the app, but also serves as a pretty interesting jumping off point for heated food debates.
Some of the answers feel obvious. For example, given that Washington state is known both for its coffee and its environmental consciousness, the fact that residents recoil at the mention of Keurig K-cups is a gimme. No one can feign surprise when they find out that Vermonters known for their delish cheddar shudder at the thought of spray cheese. Given Oklahoma’s ties to the beef industry, haters are gonna hate veggie burgers. And it’s a lot more likely Californians hate the politics of Chick-fil-A than that they are anti-waffle fries.
But it’s totally worth remembering that the aim of Hater is to enable romantic pairings, so it’s not just about what a user hates. It’s also about nixing potential mates who like the hated foods. Those foods represent something verboten. Do people in Montana really hate pumpkin spiced items or is it more likely that they hate the stereotypical PSL basic? It’s unlikely the fine people of Wyoming are gathering up pitchforks and torches to take to the streets in opposition to celiac-friendly foods. It’s a lot more likely they are just sick of people proselytizing about faddish eating.
Also, what is with Missourians and the last bite of a hot dog? Is that a real problem when dating? You swipe right on a Tinder chick and things seem fine until you hit the fair and she’s finishing hot dogs left and right? And Maryland residents hate the corner piece of brownies? What? Those are the best part. If you live in Maryland and hate brownie corners, please send them to Uproxx.
