For Pi Day, Instacart Dishes Out States’ Pie Preferences 🥧

It’s that delightfully delicious time of the year again – 3/14, our favorite math-meets-dessert holiday: Pi Day! While we normally tip our hats to the endlessly mysterious mathematical constant π, we also appreciate the tastier side of the pie equation; a day when bakers and mathematicians alike can agree, there’s no problem a well-baked pie can’t solve.

As we celebrate Pi Day this year, we’ve crunched the numbers and analyzed the most recent Instacart purchase data. Extending our search beyond the fifty states of America to include our pie-appreciating friends in Canada, we’ve discovered that the taste for pie – just like the number it celebrates – knows no bounds.

Here are each state’s uniquely favored pie flavors:

• Alabama – Key Lime Pie
• Alaska – Pumpkin Pie
• Arizona – Pumpkin Pie
• Arkansas – Cherry Pie
• California – Pumpkin Pie
• Colorado – Peach Pie
• Connecticut – Blueberry Pie
• Delaware – Lemon Meringue Pie
• District of Columbia – Sweet Potato Pie
• Florida – Apple Pie
• Georgia – Apple Pie
• Hawaii – Pumpkin Pie
• Idaho – Pumpkin Pie
• Illinois – Cherry Pie
• Indiana – Cherry Pie
• Iowa – Cherry Pie
• Kansas – Cherry Pie
• Kentucky – Cherry Pie
• Louisiana – Pecan Pie
• Maine – Chocolate Pie
• Maryland – Sweet Potato Pie
• Massachusetts – Blueberry Pie
• Michigan – Cherry Pie
• Minnesota – Cherry Pie
• Mississippi – Pecan Pie
• Missouri – Cherry Pie
• Montana – Pumpkin Pie
• Nebraska – Pumpkin Pie
• Nevada – Pumpkin Pie
• New Hampshire – Chocolate Pie
• New Jersey – Blueberry Pie
• New Mexico – Cherry Pie
• New York – Blueberry Pie
• North Carolina – Pecan Pie
• North Dakota – Pumpkin Pie
• Ohio – Cherry Pie
• Oklahoma – Chocolate Pie
• Oregon – Pumpkin Pie
• Pennsylvania – Lemon Meringue Pie
• Rhode Island – Blueberry Pie
• South Carolina – Key Lime Pie
• South Dakota – Pumpkin Pie
• Tennessee – Key Lime Pie
• Texas – Pecan Pie
• Utah – Pumpkin Pie
• Vermont – Blueberry Pie
• Virginia – Chocolate Pie
• Washington – Pumpkin Pie
• West Virginia – Cherry Pie
• Wisconsin – Cherry Pie
• Wyoming – Cherry Pie
• Alberta – Lemon Meringue Pie
• British Columbia – Lemon Meringue Pie
• Manitoba – Lemon Meringue Pie
• New Brunswick – Lemon Meringue Pie
• Newfoundland and Labrador – Lemon Meringue Pie
• Nova Scotia – Lemon Meringue Pie
• Ontario – Strawberry Rhubarb Pie
• Prince Edward Island – Lemon Meringue Pie
• Quebec – Lemon Meringue Pie
• Saskatchewan – Lemon Meringue Pie

After diligent analysis, here are the results fresh out of our statistical oven:

• Cherry Pie reigns supreme, with an impressive 14 states, primarily located in the Midwest, opting for this classic red fruit filling.
• Pumpkin Pie maintains its popularity, becoming the top choice for 13 states, most notably on the West Coast and in Alaska.
• Six states, namely Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and Vermont, are indulging in the sweet and tarty goodness of a Blueberry Pie.
• Key Lime Pie has found its staunch supporters in Alabama, South Carolina, and Tennessee.
• The rich indulgence of Chocolate Pie is the sweet sin of Oklahoma, Virginia, Maine, and New Hampshire,.
• Across the border in Canada, Lemon Meringue Pie has established a stronghold by becoming the favorite in all provinces save for Ontario, which endorsed the tangy-sweet combo of a Strawberry Rhubarb Pie.

Regardless of our preferred fillings, one thing is clear: our love for pie is as infinite as π itself, transcending flavors and borders. Here’s to hoping your Pi Day is as well-rounded and satisfying as your favorite pie! 🥧

*Methodology: 

Using data from February 2023 to January 2024, Instacart identified the most uniquely popular pie in each state by evaluating which pie type had the greatest difference in state-wise order share compared to the national average.

Instacart

Instacart is the leading grocery technology company in North America, partnering with more than 1,400 national, regional, and local retail banners to deliver from more than 80,000 stores across more than 14,000 cities in North America. To read more Instacart posts, you can browse the company blog or search by keyword using the search bar at the top of the page.