Last updated 5 days ago | Originally Published: April 4, 2025
To determine the best candy brands according to Gen X (Americans born between 1965 and 1980), we relied on our email subscribers here at Candy Retailer, of which we have over 200k and growing! So, to figure out the answer to our question, we emailed 120k Candy Retailer customers, gave them a massive list of 170 candy brands, and asked if they’d vote for their favorite one out of the bunch! To our surprise, 42,780 people responded, much more than we anticipated. Nevertheless, the good folks of that generation have spoken, and now we have our answer! Speaking of results, of the 42,780 people who responded, 28,972 voted for one of these top 10 brands listed below, now the official list of best candy brands according to the greatest generation that ever lived, Generation X.
- M&M’s: 9,876 votes
- Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups: 3,065 votes
- Snickers: 2,765 votes
- Kit Kat: 2,503 votes
- Jolly Ranchers: 2,266 votes
- Milky Way: 2,052 votes
- Almond Joy: 1,858 votes
- Skittles: 1,683 votes
- Twix: 1,524 votes
- Starburst: 1,380 votes
1. M&M’s Candy
Securing 9,876 votes. M&M’s are, without question, the #1 candy brand according to most Gen Xers! As someone born in 1980, at the end of the Gen X era, I would’ve gone with Reese’s, and M&M’s would’ve taken the #3 seat, but that’s just me! However, regarding most Gen Xers, the facts could be more transparent; M&M’s are best. Nowadays, M&M’s come in many flavors, including original milk chocolate, peanut butter, peanut butter & jelly, cruncy cookie, peanut, caramel cold brew, caramel, almond, and pretzel. Plus, several other limited-edition holiday flavors. I bet original is the best according to most, but for me, it’s peanut butter! How about you?
2. Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups
I’m not going to lie—this one caught me off guard because we recently ran a poll asking Gen Xers their favorite candy bar, and Reese’s blew it away with the most votes. However, when it came to the best candy brands, it fell a little short, but it still secured the #2 spot with 3,065 votes, making it the second-best candy according to Gen X. Reese’s is the biggest brand made by Hershey’s in terms of product size, flavors, package options, and revenue! Speaking of flavors, Reese’s offers too many to list, but a few popular ones include caramel, pretzel, white creme, peanut butter & grape jelly (or strawberry), cruncy cookie, and many more! I’m a simple man, I just like the original ones. What is your favorite Reese’s flavor?
3. Snickers
Snickers may be the #1 best-selling candy bar in the world, but it’s the third best candy brand according to Gen X, who know these brands like no other generation! With 2,765 votes, Snickers, once again, proves that ‘you’re not you when you’re hungry!’ Although it ranks #3, it’s still the first traditional candy bar on our list, which is debatable, but it is the first bar! Today, Snickers comes in a few flavors, such as original, almond, pecan, white chocolate, and brownie. When I’m in the mood for a Snickers, it’s either original, almond, and nowadays, pecan, which just hit the market in 2024, so not too many people know about it yet, but now you do!
4. Kit Kat
Racking up 2,503 votes, our Gen X crew made it official; Kit Kat is the fourth best candy brand in the USA! However, it was a close race with Snickers, but still out-beating Jolly Rancher, which is, spoiler alert, next on our list. Made by Hershey’s in the US, Kit Kat also comes in several exciting flavors, such as original milk chocolate, birthday cake, dark chocolate, mint dark chocolate, frosted donut, and more! You can see the complete list here. It’s not too often that I get in the mood for a Kit Kat bar, but when I do, it’s original milk chocolate! I also haven’t tried any other flavors, but I hear many good things about their lemon crisp flavor, which kind of sounds appealing to me! How about you, have you tried this flavor before?
5. Jolly Rancher
Once again, Hershey’s sneaks up on our list with Gen X’s favorite hard candy brand, Jolly Rancher, which bagged 3,065 votes to secure the #5 spot on our list of the best candy brands according to the best generation of all time! However, Jolly Rancher is a much bigger brand with a much wider selection of candies than what was available to us back in the days! Nowadays, they offer filled ropes, chews, gummies, lollipops, freeze-dried, and, of course, hard candy, which is still a top-seller for them! As with all the candy on this list, I’m a fan, especially of Jolly Rancher Fruity Bash hard candy, a special mix of fruit-inpored flavors, such as orange, lemon, pineapple, and strawberry!
6. Milky Way
Locking in 2,052 votes, Milky Way easily secures the #6 spot on our list of the best candy brands according to Gen X consumers! As many know, Milky Way doesn’t innovate very often, so whenever they step out of their comfort zone, it usually catches everyone’s attention, like when they came out with the Milky Way Cookie Dough candy bar, the one in the purplish-pink wrapper! Now, what in the heck was that? Don’t get me wrong, I love the traditional milk chocolate Milky Way and Midnight even more, but cookie dough is just too far out of my curiosity zone! However, I admit, I could be missing out on something big; it’s still one of the three Milky Way flavors currently available, which definitely says something about it. What do you think?
7. Almond Joy
Scooping up 1,858 votes, Almond Joy safely secured the #7 spot on our list of the best candy brands, according to all my fellow Gen Xers, even though I disagree on a personal note! I love this candy bar, and I would rank it #2, after Reese’s, on my opinionated list of favorite candies, but who cares about that, right? That’s only important to me, but as our polls suggest, almost 2,000 people say it’s their #1 favorite candy brand, so to all those who voted for Almond Joy, you once again proved that more people feel like than those who don’t, as Mounds didn’t make our top ten list, or top 20 for that matter! Almond Joy is another candy bar that doesn’t need to innovate, maybe candy sizes and shapes, but this candy bar is perfect just the way it is! Who agrees?
8. Skittles
At this point, it’s safe to say that Gen Xers really love candy bars! However, Skittles secured 1,683 votes, proving this generation knows its candy! I’m not sure how I’d rank Skittles on my personal list, but they’d most certainly be in my top 10; that’s a fact. Since getting on the topic of innovation, Skittles is another brand that felt it had to get a little more creative, as Skittles is a unique candy that can be innovated. I still prefer the original Skittles, but nowadays, you can get gummies and even freeze-dried Skittles, which are highly addictive, so I have to control myself when I eat them! We carry both original and sour, freeze-dried pop’d Skittles here at Candy Retailer, and they’re equally impressive! If you haven’t tried them yet, click below and scoop up a few bags and experience something new, yet original.
9. Twix
Back to candy bars (but not for long), we have Twix, an iconic candy brand that easily secured 1,524 votes to claim the #9 spot and proved to be a top 10 contender, which I couldn’t agree with more! Now, I’m not a huge fan of Twix, but I know many people are, so this ranking came as no surprise! As for flavors, Twix has been testing the water, but I’m not sure how people are responding. According to our knowledge here at Candy Retailer, Twix now comes in four flavors, including original, salted caramel, cookies & creme, and cookie dough. I haven’t tried any of the flavors other than original, and to be honest, I don’t think I want to! How many Gen Xers would say it’s a no-go for the different Twix flavors other than the original?
10. Starburst
The fact that Starburst secured 1,380 votes proves that Gen Xers know candy and will never disappoint you! I don’t know about you guys, but I have a seripu slovejones for Starburst candy. It’s another one on my top 5 list of best candy brands of all time, but that’s just my opinion, as many of you will disagree, including the 1,380 people who voted it #1, I see ya! Like most candy brands, I prefer the original; the same is true here with Starburst. However, Skittles has surely innovated over the years, as you can now find your favorite candy in chews, gummies, jelly beans, swirlers, and sours! I’ve had their jelly beans, they were fun, but I still like the original Starburst candy the most. How about you?
What’s the Best Candy Brand According To You?
Now that we know the top 10 candy brands according to 42,780 Gen Xers, of which 28,972 voted for the top 10 listed above, it’s time you make your voice heard. With tens of millions of you still unaccounted for, we invite you to come out of the shadows and let us know who has the best candy brand. Did yours make the list, or are we all just missing something special? Here are the 170 brands we presented to our subscribers again; check them out and let us know your favorites. If you choose to purchase anything here at Candy Retailer, use Promo Code: CANDY10 and enjoy 10% OFF your entire order! Thanks for being a part of the conversation!
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