April 15 is National Banana Day, so what better time to take at an American fruit debate? An ongoing CivicScience poll pits bananas against apples, and the latest update among Americans 18+ with an opinion shows nearly half prefer bananas. Eleven percent, meanwhile, say they don’t want either one.

This preference varies across demographic groups. Gen Z, aged 18-29, are by far the least likely among age groups to prefer bananas, while their Millennial counterparts are most likely. Americans aged 65+ are the next most likely to lean toward bananas over apples. The region in which Americans live also appears to play a role. Residents of the Midwest and West are the most likely to prefer apples (40% each), while Americans in the Northeast lead in banana preference (56%).

But demographics aren’t the only thing that sets consumers apart in the apple vs. banana debate. CivicScience data reveal several differences in lifestyle  habits and routines between those who prefer bananas and those who prefer apples:

• • How to open a banana: 87% of those who prefer apples over bananas say when they do eat a banana, they typically open it from the top, compared to 75% who say the same among those who prefer bananas to apples. This means that 25% of those who lean toward bananas open it from the bottom, compared to 13% among those who prefer apples who do the same.
  • Snack time: When it comes to snacking, Americans who prefer bananas over apples are most likely to say they snack in the evening after dinner (37% to 33%). Conversely, apple fans are most likely to snack between lunch and dinner (32% to 28%).
  • Trying new foods: 41% of adults who prefer apples say they seek out and try new foods more than most other people you know, outpacing those who prefer bananas by four points (37%).
  • Streaming subscriptions to watch sports: Those who lean toward bananas over apples are 12 points more likely than those who prefer apples to say they have at least one video subscription specifically to watch sports (42% to 30%).
  • Athletic shoe buying frequency: Nearly half of apple fans say they typically wait until their athletic shoes wear out before buying new ones, eight points higher than those who prefer bananas who do the same (48% to 40%). Banana fans, on the other hand, are more likely to say they buy new athletic shoes once per year (24% to 17%).

Where do you stand? Take this poll now and see how you compare with others who share your preference:

Whether it’s the way they peel their fruit or how often they refresh their sneakers, it turns out that banana and apple lovers approach their daily lives with surprisingly different rhythms. For most, picking a favorite fruit is more than just a quick snack choice because it often aligns with a specific set of habits that shape how they shop, snack, and spend their free time.

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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.