KC's Halloween candy craving
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As you stock up for trick-or-treaters, here's what sets your neighbors apart from the rest of the country: Missourians buy more Twizzlers and Kansans buy more SweeTarts.
The big picture: Halloween candy is more regional than you'd think. DoorDash's new map of each state's most distinctive candy, based on last October's orders, has 14 different winners.
How it works: DoorDash looked for the candy each state buys at a higher rate than the rest of the country.
- Before anyone on the Missouri side gets defensive, you still buy plenty of Reese's. You just buy more Twizzlers than people in other states do.
Zoom in: Only one other state shares Missouri's taste for Twizzlers, and it's Wyoming.
- Kansas has more company, with Oklahoma, New Mexico and Idaho also landing on SweeTarts.
Yes, but: Kansas also loves candy corn. Kansans bought it far more often than the rest of the country in Instacart's data from October 2024.
- Ew. But OK.
Zoom out: Iowa and Nebraska are part of a five-state Laffy Taffy bloc across the Midwest, while Illinois picked Sour Patch Kids and Colorado went with Haribo.
- Just south of Missouri, Arkansas and Tennessee are among seven Southern states that picked Sweet Smiles, a Dollar General candy assortment.
- Out West, California and Arizona chose Red Vines, Twizzlers' longtime licorice rival.
- Nationally, Reese's stood out in 17 states and is the country's top Halloween candy for the third year in a row.
💭 Abbey's thought bubble: Illinois and Connecticut have the right idea. I'd trade every Twizzler in my bag for Sour Patch Kids.
What we're watching: Your grandparents' candy dish is back. Orders for Circus Peanuts and Lemonheads at least tripled last October from the year before.
- Raisins were up 60%, too, which means somebody out there is handing out raisins on purpose.
Reminder: Your candy money can stay local this Halloween. KC is home to Russel Stover, André's Confiserie Suisse, Annedore's Fine Chocolates, and Laura Little's Candy Kitchen, just to name a few.
🍬 Is DoorDash right about your side of the state line? Reply and tell us what's going in your candy bowl.
- Raisin people, please explain yourselves.