For many Americans, the morning just isn’t complete without sausage. That’s because new research commissioned by the National Hot Dog and Sausage Council (NHDSC), Washington, D.C., and conducted online in September by The Harris Poll, Rochester, N.Y., shows breakfast is the meal Americans say is their favorite for sausage.

Overall, 89% of Americans eat sausage, and among those, nearly three in four (74%) like to eat sausage for breakfast, followed by 59% who like it for dinner. A majority of those who eat sausage (61%) like it savory, while 54% like their sausage spicy.

“Americans clearly enjoy waking up their taste buds with sausage. And, with so many different choices and flavor profiles, it’s no surprise that Americans love sausage and enjoy eating it throughout the day,” says Eric Mittenthal, president of NHDSC. “It’s the perfect food to give any meal an extra burst of flavor and protein’s nutrition.”

Survey methodology

This survey was conducted online within the United States Sep. 17-19 among 2,003 U.S. adults ages 18 and older among whom n=1,801 say they eat sausage. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated.