Grits are an 'acquired taste'...I didn't meet any till I was in Mississippi, and I have to dose them liberally with cinnamon and honey..or similar...(If you read how they are prepared, you are even more reluctant)

They are a VERY southern dish...a friend & I were touring southern Missouri many years ago, eating breakfast each morning 10-30 miles further South. The first morning, grits were not on the menu. The second morning, they were an option. The third morning, they were served automatically, unless you knew to specify "No Grits"....I suppose that 2nd cafe defined the Mason-Dixon line.