Today is National Bagel Day, and Americans have clear preferences when it comes to their favorite variety. According to CivicScience survey data from more than 25K respondents, everything bagels rank as the nation’s top choice (24%), followed closely by plain bagels (20%) and cinnamon raisin (20%). While dozens of flavors line bakery shelves, these three clearly dominate America’s bagel loyalties.
Bagel preferences vary notably by age and region. Millennials and Gen X adults are the strongest supporters of everything bagels, while Gen Z is most likely to favor plain bagels. Baby Boomers, meanwhile, lead in preferring cinnamon raisin. Regionally, cinnamon raisin is most popular in the Northeast, while Midwestern and Southern adults lean toward everything bagels. In contrast, those living in the Western U.S. are most likely to say cinnamon raisin is their favorite.
Looking more closely at the two most popular choices—everything bagels and plain bagels—reveals distinct differences in breakfast habits:
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Coffee vs. Tea: While coffee wins overall among both groups, everything bagel fans are nearly 10 percentage points more likely to prefer coffee over tea (71% vs. 62%). Plain bagel fans show the opposite tendency, being roughly 10 points more likely to prefer tea.
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Waffles vs. Pancakes: Among those with a preference, everything bagel fans are evenly split between waffles and pancakes. Plain bagel fans, however, lean toward pancakes, favoring them by six points.
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Favorite Toasted Breakfast Food: Both groups enjoy bagels, but plain bagel fans are more likely to name English muffins as their favorite toasted breakfast option. Everything bagel fans are more likely to stick with bagels as their top toasted choice.
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Skipping Breakfast: Everything bagel fans are nearly 10 points more likely than plain bagel fans to say they skip breakfast altogether.
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Cottage Cheese: Food preferences extend beyond bagels—everything bagel fans are 10 points more likely to say they love cottage cheese, while plain bagel fans are the most likely to say they strongly dislike it.
From coffee cups to cottage cheese, bagel choices align with broader breakfast behaviors. Whether it’s the bold seasoning of an everything bagel or the simplicity of plain, America’s favorite bagels reveal more than taste—they offer a glimpse into how people start their day.
What’s your favorite bagel? Take this poll now and see how you compare with others who share your opinion:
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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.