Survey Reveals America's Favorite Peeps
The season of sugar-dusted, marshmallowy Peeps is upon us. Despite how inextricably linked to the beginning of spring the pastel-colored treats may already be, the brand took it upon itself to find out exactly how Americans feel about the snack. After teaming up with Wakefield Research to conduct a survey about the country's Peep preferences, it has shared the results in a press release.
Out of 1,000 respondents, 81% said Peeps' Chicks and Bunnies remind them of Easter, while 57% consider them "the first sign of spring." Which animal shape is the country's favorite? A clear majority of 64% prefers the original chick-shaped marshmallow (established in the mid-1900s) over its bunny counterpart (introduced in the 1980s, per Vox). These results are in line with Mashed's ranking of Peeps items, in which original Chicks reign supreme. The Peeps survey didn't stop there, though: One question united a whopping 88% of participants.
Where Peeps are loved most
According to the survey, the largest number of people to agree on any Peep-related question — Do you prefer your marshmallow treats fresh and pillowy or "gracefully" aged? — is 88%, who said they'll take their Peeps soft, not crunchy, thank you very much. And where do these Peeps fans reside? Based on the survey, we don't know, for example, whether the candy is more popular in the South or the Northeast. However, we do know the one place that probably loves Peeps the most: Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
Bethlehem is the site of the Peeps factory. Naturally, the sugared marshmallows form a part of the city's local culture. They have such a large impact, in fact, that residents celebrate PeepsFest every New Year's Eve. At the stroke of midnight, a 400-pound Peep drops to commemorate the new year (via WGAL). In a press release, the "chick drop" was called "synonymous with New Year's Eve" in Bethlehem. While the company's recent survey found that about 68% of Americans experience Peeps by the age of 9, it seems likely that number jumps much closer to 100% in the Lehigh Valley area.