32% of Americans never tried sushi, Pei Wei survey says

Fast casual wok-based concept Pei Wei released its national survey results detailing attitudes and behaviors toward sushi. The company found that nearly one third (32 percent) of Americans have never tried sushi, according to a press release.

Key findings:

• 62 percent of people who haven’t tried sushi are willing to give it a shot
• 11 percent of sushi eaters consider themselves a black belt in sushi eating and 27 percent of sushi eaters consider themselves a white belt in sushi eating
• 43 percent would start eating sushi if they were able to take baby steps, and 22 percent of sushi eaters took baby steps when they first sampled rolls
• 51 percent of those who have tried sushi say it was better than expected
• More women than men (36 percent vs. 27 percent) have never tried this dish
• Those in the Midwest are more likely than those in regions closer to oceans to have never tried sushi. Those who have tried sushi include: 80 percent in the West, 55 percent in the Midwest, 69 percent in the Northeast and 67 percent in the South.