Consumer Trends: Top World Cuisine

DALLAS (PRNewswire) Hotels.com® has long been an authority on lodging around the world, but savvy travelers know that there is more to finding the perfect place than just the hotel property alone. That's why vacationers rely on the experts at Hotels.com to provide insider information on key trip-planning elements, such as food and activity trends, to make their journey a success. Today, the online booking expert has released the results of a global survey of 27,000 travelers that discovered some core facts about American food preferences internationally and domestically.

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Over 1,000 Americans participated in the global survey and 63 percent of the respondents specified food as an important factor when selecting a hotel for various types of leisure travel, from city escapes to romantic rendezvous and family getaways. Below are some key findings from the survey that may help to point future globetrotters in the direction of the world's best food:

The Best of the Best (according to Americans)

• Italy was voted number one for best overall local food across all age groups, genders and geographical regions.
• France came in second place for best overall food in the world, followed by Mexico, and the U.S. following closely behind.
• The consensus is that the U.S. is the best destination for family dining, followed by Italy and Germany.

Foodie Budgets and Best Values (according to Americans)

• On average, Americans spend 25-49 percent of their daily budget on food when traveling abroad.
• With 14 percent of the total response count, the United States emerged as the leading country for a good value when it comes to meals while traveling.
• The U.S. was also voted number one for street food – unsurprising with the surge of gourmet food trucks in recent years, which likely served as a contributing factor to the country's budget-friendliness.
• Mexico came in second for both the best value and street food categories.
• Other countries that topped the list for cheap (but good) eats include: Italy, China, India, Canada and Spain.

Best Luxury Menu (according to Americans)

• All age groups, genders and geographical regions agreed that France is the best country in which to find superior quality dining.
• Italy came in second for the most posh eating experience, except among respondents in the Northeastern part of the U.S. and those in the 55-64 age group, which each picked the U.S. as second best.

'Must Try' American Dishes

• Most Americans (56 percent) would recommend Barbeque as the "must try" dish of the United States – a decision that was consistent across all geographical regions.
• Burgers and fries is the second most recommended dish overall, followed by fried chicken.
• Respondents in the 16-24 age group said burgers and fries are best, even over barbeque.
• Hot dogs are the least recommended dish.
• Apple pie is the only dessert item to make the list and it even ranked above other long-time American classics like macaroni and cheese and chili.

The U.S. portion of the survey is a regional segment of an even larger global food survey from Hotels.com, which polled more than 27,000 travelers. The global edition of the survey shows that international travelers also favor Italian and French cuisine overall, taking first and second spot in the rankings respectively. However, the global survey differs from the regional U.S. findings in that it  indicates that dishes from Japan that are gaining popularity around the world, with popular dishes such as Sushi, Tempura, Ramen and Japanese Soba helping it to snag the third most favored county for cuisine overall on a global scale.