For National Sandwich Day, the great sandwich debate this time isn’t about fillings—it’s about temperature. CivicScience polling reveals Americans narrowly prefer hot sandwiches at 23% versus cold at 21%, but the majority (51%) could go either way, with 5% having no opinion. This flexibility masks dramatic differences when we look at who firmly prefers hot versus cold.
Among those with clear preferences (excluding “either” and no opinion), older Americans strongly favor hot sandwiches—62% of those 65+ choose hot, dropping steadily to just 44% of young adults 18-29. Men overwhelmingly prefer hot sandwiches at 62%, compared to women’s 41%. Regionally, the West stands out as a cold sandwich territory, with 67% preferring cold, while the Midwest prefers it hot at 60%.
But sandwich temperature preference reveals deeper lifestyle patterns:
- Dining Habits: Cold sandwich lovers dine out far more frequently—55% eat out or order takeout more than once weekly compared to just 42% of hot sandwich fans. Hot sandwich enthusiasts are more likely to eat at home, with 35% dining out just once a week.
- Gaming Culture: Hot sandwich fans are significantly more likely to be daily gamers (24% vs 16% of cold sandwich lovers), while cold sandwich enthusiasts are more likely to never game (45% vs 41%).
- Brand Affinity: Hot sandwich lovers show stronger preference for The North Face apparel (57% favorable vs 49% for cold fans), suggesting different relationships with outdoor culture and possibly climate preferences.
- Self-Care Practices: Hot sandwich enthusiasts are notably more likely to use music for self-care (52% vs 39% of cold sandwich fans), indicating different approaches to stress management and relaxation.
Take this poll for yourself below and see how you compare with others who share your preference on many more insights like these:
Hot sandwich lovers emerge as home-oriented gamers who prefer comfort both in food and apparel, using music for emotional regulation. Cold sandwich fans appear as frequent diners who venture out more often, less tied to gaming culture but more engaged with restaurant experiences. In the sandwich divide, we’re not just choosing temperature—we’re revealing whether we seek the comfort of something warm and familiar or the convenience of grab-and-go efficiency.
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This article’s data comes solely from CivicScience’s database, which contains nearly 700,000 poll questions and 5 billion consumer insights.