US households purchase a considerable amount of sugar‐sweetened beverages (SSBs) from the nation's largest chain restaurants, particularly when combination meals or kids’ menu items are ordered, and there are disparities by age, race/ethnicity, and household food security, according to a recent study. Data were obtained from the US Department of Agriculture National Household Food Acquisition and Purchase Survey, 2012 to 2013. Survey‐weighted multiple regressions assessed correlates of purchasing a SSB, purchasing a low‐calorie beverage, and per capita beverage calories and grams of sugar among purchases from US restaurants (n=14,669). Researchers found:

• Dining at a top fast‐food chain (OR=1.9 vs small chain or independent restaurants) and ordering a combination meal (2.8) or from the kids’ menu (2.1) were positively associated with purchasing an SSB.
• Age (young adult and adolescent vs older adult; 0.7 and 0.4, respectively), race (black vs white; 0.4), ethnicity (Hispanic vs non‐Hispanic; 0.8), and household food security (very low vs high; 0.7) were associated with purchasing a low‐calorie beverage.
• Caloric beverage purchases contained the most calories and grams of sugar per capita when purchased by Hispanic and non‐Hispanic black adolescents.