A Noodles & Company survey, its “2013 National Noodles Poll,” found some 59% of U.S. adults eat noodles or a pasta dish at least once a week. The shape of the favored noodle also proved interesting, with spaghetti leading the way with 68%--but a near-tie for second place between fettuccine (42%), penne (41%) and elbows (40%). Some 78% of noodle or pasta eaters prefer a meat, such as meatballs, to top their noodle dish, while 74% put marinara/tomato sauce at the top of their noodle-topping list.
Of those who consume noodles or pasta overall, 68% prefer spaghetti, while 79% chose Italian as their favorite noodle dish option. Registering a strong second to spaghetti was macaroni-and-cheese, which garnered 52% of the vote. And, while it may seem like an utterly mature segment, macaroni has seen some noteworthy adjustments of late.