What's IL's Least Favorite Candy: Poll Results

Patch asked readers what they hate to see in their candy bags during Halloween. Here's what they said.

Most of the country agrees; Reese's Peanut Butter Cups reign supreme, but others detest the taste of peanut butter. According to Instacart, Illinoisans especially like seeing Kit Kats in their candy bags.

Some Patch readers who weighed in said they can’t stand anything gummy, while others said to keep chocolate far away from them.

Here's a breakdown of the poll choices from most hated to least:

• Black licorice: 34.7% (560 people)
• Candy corn: 19.9% (321 people)
• Red Hots: 9.2% (148 people)
• Almond Joy: 7.5% (121 people)
• Bubblegum: 7.3% (118 people)
• Smarties: 6.2% (100 people)
• Dots: 5.5% (89 people)
• Other: 4.6% (74 people)
• Tootsie Rolls: 2.9% (47 people)
• Jellybeans: 2.4% (38 people)

One respondent who said they hate black licorice said they always ask themselves: “Why was that invented?”

One option not on the list, but well represented in the poll, was Brach’s Peanut Butter Kisses. The candies in black and orange wrapping were especially unpopular, with respondents saying they dislike them for their molasses and peanut butter flavor profile, as well as their tough texture.

Readers disliked Almond Joys specifically for containing coconut, alongside general objections to other traditional treats like Tootsie Rolls, Smarties, and Red Hots.

Some key takeaways from the poll results:

• Candy corn and black licorice were frequently cited as the least favorite Halloween candies due to their texture, waxiness, and polarizing flavor.
• Circus Peanuts and Dots were mentioned repeatedly for their unusual texture, artificial taste, and rubbery consistency.