San Clemente, CA — In 2011, 34% of the population in Dallas patronized a quick-service restaurant 20 or more times a month, making it the No. 1 market for incidence of super-heavy fast food users in the United States. These findings are based on the quarterly syndicated Quick-Track® Study conducted by Sandelman & Associates, a San Clemente, Calif.-based market research firm that monitors attitudes, awareness and usage for the restaurant industry.

In 2011, the study tracked quick-service and fast-casual restaurant attitudes, awareness and usage in over 90 U.S. media markets.

Three of the Top 10 super-heavy user markets are in Texas and three are in the Carolinas. Nine of the Top 10 markets are in the South. Providence, R.I., is the only northern market with such a high incidence of super-heavy fast food usage. Sandelman analysts point to Dunkin’ Donuts’ deep penetration in New England for the preponderance of super-heavy fast food users in Providence.

At the other end of the spectrum are the Top 10 markets with the least amount of fast food users. Nonusers have no fast food visits in the past month.

Monterey/Salinas, Calif., has the greatest incidence of fast food nonusers (19.4%). Nine of the Top 10 fast-food nonuser markets are in the North or West; West Palm Beach, Fla., is the only exception. In all of these markets at least 15% of the population has not been to any fast food restaurant in the past month.

Quick-Track® is a syndicated research study that tracks attitudes, awareness and usage for all major fast food, fast-casual and pizza chains in individual media markets. Quick-Track has been conducted continuously and reported quarterly since 1988 by Sandelman & Associates, a San Clemente, Calif.-based market research firm.