Do Amish eat at McDonald’s?

The short answer: yes. Burger King, Pizza Hut, and Wendy’s too.

The bulk of the Amish diet still consists of home-prepared meals.

Amish farmers have traditionally eaten a diet based around dairy products and home-raised foods. Most Amish today, regardless of occupation, have an extensive garden at home. Amish housewives still do a lot of canning.

Amish diets have changed

But with occupational changes, Amish diets have changed somewhat.

amish mcdonalds
Amish parking outside McDonald’s in Sugarcreek, Ohio

Amish construction workers or market stand owners are often on the road. This can mean eating foods prepared at food stands or at fast food establishments.

Members of a carpentry crew might grab a breakfast sandwich at a gas station while the driver fills up for the day’s journey to the job site.

Amish may visit fast food restaurants as an occasional treat as well. For example, an Amishman in Ohio takes his children roughly ten miles by buggy to the Burger King in Millersburg. The children enjoy the trip, and the ice cream.

Higher incomes (due to non-farming jobs) also means Amish have the financial means to eat outside the home more often.

More on Amish eating habits, including store-bought foods, the Sunday meal, and alcohol consumption.

Get the Amish in your inbox

Join 15,000 email subscribers. No spam. 100% free

    Similar Posts

    Leave a Reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    5 Comments

    1. Katie Troyer

      30-40 years ago very few Amish youth were over-weigh in Holmes County but now that has changed. Part is due to getting off the farm which means less exercise.

    2. They not only eat at McDonalds, but become engrossed in the televisions that are blaring at McDonalds. Personally, I can’t stand those televisions and have walked out of McDs where they are especially obnoxious, and either go hungry or find a quieter place to eat. I don’t watch television at home, either. So I probably watch less television than some Amish people do (except perhaps during the NCAA men’s basketball tournament, when I watch with my wife).

    3. That is so fascinating! When I hear the Amish name I would never think of them eating at a fast food restaurants and I LOVE that McDonalds sign!!

    4. I’ve never seen a similar sign on fast food places elsewhere. McDonald’s is ahead of the curve on this one 😉

    5. Katie it’s funny that there have been new stories about Amish keeping weight off lately (due to genetics I believe?) but you make a good point that the trend against farming must be working in the opposite direction, at least a bit. Although most Amish trades are still manual ones.

      Spokesrider, hear hear 🙂