We asked over 1,700 Americans a question that has haunted candy bowls for decades:
Which Halloween treats make you smile—and which ones sit in your pantry until next year?
Our nationwide survey breaks down the most loved and most loathed candies across the U.S., with insights by state and age group. Whether you're a die-hard candy corn defender or a passionate peanut butter cup purist, the results might surprise you.
Let’s unwrap the truth about America’s Halloween candy obsessions.
We found that Americans are incredibly divisive about their candy preferences. The top four most liked candies were also the most disliked candies. We tallied up the number of likes vs. dislikes, and found that Kit Kats, Snickers, Peanut M&Ms, and candy corn were both loved and hated.
While Kit Kat, Snickers, and Peanut M&Ms all received the positive net scores, i.e. more likes than dislikes, candy corn received a net negative score, arguably making it most disliked Halloween candy in America (the irony of a candy specifically made for Halloween being the most disliked Halloween candy is not lost on us).
We found stark differences in candy preferences among people in different states.
Kit Kat is the clear national favorite, ranking first or tied for first in 20 states across large and diverse regions like California, New York, Alaska, and Missouri. Snickers is a close second, ranking as a top pick in dozens of states and frequently tied with Kit Kat.
Take a look below to find the most liked Halloween candy in your state.
Candy corn reigns as America's least favorite candy. Candy corn topped the "least liked" list in 17 states including California, New York, Ohio, and Oregon. Kit Kat shows up in multiple states that it otherwise performed well in. These overlaps suggest that even America’s top candies trigger strong opinions.
Take a look below to find the least liked Halloween candy in your state.
Kit Kat was almost unanimously the most favorite candy of all generations, but Gen Z narrowly voted more for Snickers. Its broad appeal suggests that classic chocolate bars still hold strong, regardless of age.
We finally found something Baby Boomers and Millennials can both agree on: disliking candy corn. Candy Corn is the least favorite candy for Millennials and Baby Boomers, reinforcing its reputation as one of Halloween’s most polarizing treats.
Gen X stands out for listing Kit Kat as both their most and least favorite — proof that even top candies have their critics.
We surveyed 1736 Americans about their Halloween candy preferences from October 10th, 2025 to October 12th, 2025.
We used Mechanical Turk to screen and survey participants.
We asked participants to identify their "most favorite" and "least favorite" candy (i.e. "likes" vs. "dislikes"). Based on their answers, we created a net score that subtracted the total number likes vs. dislikes.
Participants could also indicate if they didn't eat candy, and there answers were excluded from the survey results.
Questions about the report? Reach out to contact@vendingcompanyinc.com.