Americans may disagree about politics, sports and the proper way to make barbecue, but food arguments can become just as heated. Put pineapple on a pizza, bring canned fish into the office or serve a plate of raw oysters, and someone nearby will probably have a strong opinion.
A 2025 YouGov survey offers a revealing look at the foods Americans reject most often. Researchers first asked people to name foods they despised and then created a list of 40 frequently mentioned choices. In a separate survey, 2,239 U.S. adults were asked whether they loved, liked, disliked or hated each one.
The results show that powerful smells, challenging textures, and intense flavors drive many of America’s biggest food grudges. Seafood dominates the list, but organ meat, tofu and one famously funky cheese also earned unwanted places near the top.
Anchovies
Anchovies officially claimed the title of America’s least-liked food in the survey. An extraordinary 56% of respondents said they either disliked or hated the tiny fish, placing them ahead of every other option.
Their reputation is easy to understand. Anchovies are intensely salty, noticeably fishy and often served in ways that make them difficult to ignore. A few pieces scattered over a pizza can affect the flavor of the entire pie, which is why ordering them during a group dinner can feel like declaring war on the table.
Yet anchovies are more complicated than their reputation suggests. Used sparingly, they can dissolve into sauces, dressings, and stews, adding savory depth without leaving an obvious fish taste. Traditional Caesar dressing, for example, frequently relies on anchovies for its signature character.
That subtle role hasn’t rescued their public image. For many Americans, seeing a whole anchovy stretched across a slice of pizza is enough to ruin their appetite before the first bite.
Liver
Liver came remarkably close to taking the top spot, with 54% of Americans saying they disliked or hated it. However, when YouGov counted only respondents who chose the strongest response, “hate,” liver ranked first at 40%.
Unlike ordinary beef or chicken, liver has a dense texture and a deep, metallic flavor. It also carries the unavoidable identity of being an organ, a detail that can discourage people before it reaches the plate. Childhood memories do not always help. Generations of Americans grew up with liver and onions cooked until the meat became tough, dry and difficult to swallow.
Fans argue that proper preparation changes everything. Thin slicing, careful cooking and strongly flavored accompaniments can make liver far more appealing. Nevertheless, it remains one of those foods people rarely feel neutral about. Diners either appreciate its distinctive richness or want it removed from the kitchen entirely.
Sardines
Sardines finished third, with 52% of respondents rejecting them. Like anchovies, they suffer from the powerful smell that escapes as soon as someone opens the container.
Their appearance creates another obstacle. Sardines are commonly sold whole, packed tightly in a small can, sometimes with visible skin and bones. That presentation is far removed from the neat, anonymous fillets many American diners prefer. Even people who regularly eat seafood may hesitate when the meal still looks unmistakably like a fish.
Sardines also have a rich, oily texture and assertive flavor that can linger long after the plate has been cleared. People who love them may eat them on crackers, add them to salads, or build entire meals around them. For everyone else, the smell alone can send them looking for another lunch table.
Tofu
Tofu may seem mild compared with liver or canned fish, but 46% of Americans surveyed said they disliked or hated it. Its problem is rarely an overpowering flavor. In fact, the opposite may be true: Some diners find tofu disappointingly bland.
Texture is another major complaint. Depending on the type and preparation, tofu can be silky, soft, springy, chewy or crisp around the edges. Someone whose first experience involved a pale, watery cube may struggle to understand why anyone gets excited about it.
Tofu is designed to absorb surrounding seasonings, which means preparation matters enormously. You can marinate it, grill it, fry it, scramble it, or blend it into other dishes. A well-seasoned, properly browned piece of tofu is completely different from one dropped straight from its package into a meal.
Still, first impressions can be stubborn. For nearly half of the country, tofu has apparently failed to overcome its reputation as a flavorless block with a strange consistency.
Squid
Squid earned disapproval from 44% of respondents. While fried calamari appears on restaurant menus across the country, the ingredient underneath that golden coating remains deeply divisive.
The biggest complaint is usually texture. Overcooked squid becomes rubbery and can feel as though it requires endless chewing. Tentacles may also make cautious diners uncomfortable, especially when their shape remains clearly visible on the plate.
Properly prepared squid should be tender rather than tough, but there is little room for error. It generally needs to be cooked very quickly or slowly for an extended period. Anything in between can create the tire-like experience that gives calamari its bad name.
Crisp breading, lemon and dipping sauce can make squid approachable. Once the coating falls away, however, some diners remember exactly what they are eating and immediately lose interest.
Caviar
Caviar may symbolize luxury, but its high-end reputation does not guarantee affection. The survey found that 43% of Americans disliked or hated it, while another 26% were unsure how they felt.
The uncertainty is understandable. Genuine caviar can be expensive, and many people have never had the opportunity or the desire to try it. Those who do encounter it face tiny fish eggs that burst in the mouth and release an unmistakably salty, marine flavor.
Supporters describe that sensation as delicate and luxurious. Critics see an overpriced spoonful of cold, salty beads. Caviar’s appearance also works against it, particularly for diners who are uncomfortable eating eggs taken from a fish.
Its glamorous image may inspire curiosity, but America seems far from convinced that caviar deserves its prestigious status.
Oysters
Oysters were disliked or hated by 42% of Americans. Their flavor can be briny, mineral-like and strongly connected to the sea, but texture is what truly divides the table.
A raw oyster is cold, slippery and usually swallowed with minimal chewing. Enthusiasts celebrate its freshness and subtle flavor differences. Skeptics see a gray, wet object sitting in a shell and wonder why anyone would voluntarily slide it into their mouth.
Fried, grilled or baked oysters may appeal to people who cannot tolerate them raw. Cooking changes their appearance and creates a firmer texture. Even then, their soft center and ocean flavor can still challenge cautious eaters.
Oysters are therefore more than a food preference. Eating one can feel like a test of nerve and millions of Americans would rather not take it.
Blue Cheese
Blue cheese completes the top eight, with 39% of respondents saying they disliked or hated it. It was also the only dairy product included among the 40 foods tested.
The cheese does not hide what makes it different. Blue or green veins run through it, its aroma can fill a room, and its flavor ranges from sharply tangy to intensely funky. Those qualities are exactly what enthusiasts treasure, and critics find unbearable.
Even the name can make hesitant diners suspicious. The visible mold is part of the cheese-making process, but that knowledge doesn’t necessarily make the first bite easier. Its crumbly texture and lingering aftertaste add to the challenge.
