Map shows most popular candy in each state
As the evenings grow longer and pumpkins start appearing on porches, Halloween’s candy season is getting into full swing—and DoorDash’s latest data reveals some interesting insights into what people might be ordering for this year’s trick-or-treat haul.
Nostalgia, premium picks and some surprising comebacks are among the key themes. Here’s a deep dive into last year’s changing sweet and spooky trends.
The Kings of Candy: Who’s Wearing the Crown?
Still reigning supreme as the nation’s king of candy is Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. It remains the nation’s dominant treat, America’s go-to when reaching for a fistful of candy for the boo-bucket.
But the popular food delivery service sees possible dethronement on the horizon: orders for Hershey’s Cookies ‘N’ Creme have surged in recent weeks (from August through early September 2025) enough that it may even take the top (sweet) spot.
Other perennial favorites seeing solid gains in 2024 included M&M’s (+37 percent), Snickers (+52 percent), and Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Bar (+41 percent), which are reasserting the dominance of the timeless classics over the novelty newcomers.
Candy Comeback Kids
The usual heavyweights still dominate, but 2024 also seeing a sweet blast from the past. Nostalgia has been propelling a host of old favorites back into the spotlight where they belong—here are the standout comebacks:
Baby Bottle Pop orders have exploded—up 641 percent from last year. Strawberry Bon Bons, the classic ‘grandma candy,’ are back with orders up more than 600 percent. Other retro treats such as Bit-O-Honey (+117 percent), Necco Wafers (+48 percent), Dum-Dums (+101 percent), Warheads and Lemonheads, are also showing strong demand.
Interestingly, the trick-or-treaters aren’t the only ones indulging. Adults are taking a trip down memory lane for a fix of nostalgia or to find a little emotional support.
DoorDash’s consumer trends team tries to make sense of it all: “We’re seeing a real revival of comfort classics this Halloween,” said Cristen Milliner, consumer trends expert at DoorDash. “Candy has become a kind of time capsule, with millennial parents passing down the staples they grew up with.”
Other old favorites that have gained traction but might possibly not be quite as welcome on the doorsteps for trick-or-treaters are raisins. In 2024, orders were up 522 percent during Halloween week compared with the previous year.
Savory snacks crept in, too: crackers (+339 percent) and pretzels (+93 percent) found their way into candy bowls as families tried out some less sugary alternatives.
Candy Map of America
Across the country, chocolate remains the unifying indulgence. But dig beneath the surface and a mosaic of regional tastes emerges. Reese’s still wears the crown, topping the charts in 14 states, while every state reveals a distinct Halloween candy identity.
Southern Hospitality
Across Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi, Louisiana and Tennessee, Sweet Smiles—the bargain-friendly brand mixing gummies and chocolates—rules the candy bowl. In true Southern style, value and generosity meet in fistfuls of Halloween treats.
Licorice Loyalties
The classic licorice rivalry is sharply drawn. Twizzlers claim die-hard fans in Illinois, Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania and Ohio, while out West the crown goes to Red Vines, favored in Arizona, Idaho and Montana.
The Chewy Belt
Chewy confections still have serious pull: Trolli gummies dominate in Georgia, Rhode Island and Texas, while Laffy Taffy scores top honors in Iowa, Minnesota and Nebraska.
Sour Power
Pucker-lovers prevail in New Mexico, Oklahoma, South Dakota and Utah, where SweeTARTS snag the No. 1 spot.
From grandma’s Strawberry Bon Bons to a possible coup against Reese’s crown, Halloween 2025 proves that old favorites never really disappear—they just wait for their next time to shine.
