Kit Kats and Snickers top the favorites list, but not without serious debate.
According to a new nationwide survey of 1,736 Americans from The Vending Company, Halloween candy preferences are more divisive than ever.
In fact, it appears America can only agree on one thing: everyone hates candy corn.
A Polarizing Halloween Tradition
There’s no greater example of polarizing candy preferences than the winner of the 2025 Halloween Candy Preference survey, Kit Kats. Kit Kat was named the most liked Halloween candy overall, but it also appeared frequently as a least favorite. Ironically, Gen X respondents overall ranked it as both their most and least liked candy.
The same was true for other top-performing candies, including Snickers and Peanut M&Ms.
The exception? Candy corn.
Net Scores by Candy
- Kit Kat: 251 likes vs. 162 dislikes
- Snickers: 215 likes vs. 137 dislikes
- Peanut M&Ms: 135 likes vs. 124 dislikes
- Candy corn: 102 likes vs. 158 dislikes
Candy corn was the only candy with a net negative score of -56 across all respondents, earning it the title of America’s most disliked Halloween treat. It was the least favorite in 17 states, including California, New York, Ohio, and Oregon. Millennials and Baby Boomers were especially unified in their disdain, making candy corn the one thing both generations could agree on this Halloween.
“The irony of a candy specifically made for Halloween being the most disliked Halloween candy is not lost on us,” according to researchers of the report.
The only states where candy corn won out as a top pick were Pennsylvania, Kansas, New Jersey, and New Mexico.
Snickers Finishes at a Close Second in the Chocolate Showdown
Kit Kat leads the pack in victories across all states, but Snickers isn’t that far behind. Roughly a dozen states picked Snickers as their favorite candy, and Snickers frequently tied with Kit Kat in many other states. Its dominance is especially pronounced across the South and Mountain West, with Arizona, Texas, Colorado, Utah, and Virginia all naming it a favorite.
Snickers’ consistent performance across a diverse set of regions highlights its broad appeal, offering a combination of nougat, caramel, peanuts, and chocolate that resonates with trick-or-treaters of all ages.
Snickers and Kit Kat appear as the top pick in nearly half of all U.S. states, underscoring just how dominant classic chocolate bars with a little bit of an extra kick remain in America’s Halloween candy hall of fame. These classic confections continue to win the popular vote, even in an era of niche sweets.
Peanut M&M’s and Reese’s Round Out the “Big Four”
Two more chocolate-based heavyweights made a big slash across the board: Peanut M&M’s and Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups.
Peanut M&M’s ranked as the favorite candy among Illinois, Delaware, Maryland, Arkansas, and Rhode Island. Their success may lie in the satisfying blend of crunchy candy coating, whole peanuts, and milk chocolate, beating out traditional M&Ms by a significant margin.
Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups claimed first place in Ohio, Georgia, Connecticut, Kentucky, and Tennessee, showing strong support in Southern states. While Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups have been a staple and award-winning candy for years, they didn’t manage to eek into the top spot in 2025.
These four candies — Kit Kat, Snickers, Peanut M&M’s, and Reese’s — dominate regional rankings, accounting for nearly every top spot nationwide. Even in a deeply divided candy landscape, Americans seem to agree: chocolate is still king.
Werther’s Originals Finish Last
While candy corn may be the most hated, Werther’s Originals proved to be the least popular, with just 28 out of 1,736 respondents calling it their favorite. The candy with a reputation for being loved by older generations appears to have fallen out of favor and the cultural zeitgeist with younger generations.
Less than 2% of respondents said it was their favorite candy, which puts it at the bottom of the rankings.
Generational Divide: Sweet and Sour Takes
The study also showed significant differences across generations:
- Gen Z preferred Snickers and listed Peanut M&Ms as their least favorite.
- Millennials and Boomers both united against candy corn.
- Gen X was polarized from within, putting Kit Kat on both their top and bottom lists.
With all this data, one thing is clear: Halloween candy can be as contentious as politics at the dinner table.
Methodology
The survey was conducted using Amazon Mechanical Turk and included responses from U.S. adults who reported eating candy. Participants selected their favorite and least favorite Halloween candies, which were used to calculate each candy’s net favorability score.
Want to Know Your State’s Pick?
To see which candy ranked highest (or lowest) in your state, visit the full report at The Vending Company.