US moviegoers prefer movie theater popcorn, Coke and Twizzlers

Survey says: filmgoers prefer to munch on longtime staples when ordering from concession stands at movie theaters.

On Thursday, Fandango released its annual survey, Concessions Confessions, and of the 2,500 people polled, movie theater popcorn and Twizzlers are top choices.

As audiences are returning back to movie theaters in droves — see Tom Cruise’s record breaking Memorial Day box office debut — the survey sought out to find out their snacking preferences.

Some 83% of participants claim movie theater popcorn tastes better, while 72% say Coke (regular, diet, Coke Zero or flavored Coke) is their top drink of choice. And while 58% prefer a mix of sweet & salty snacks, and nearly half enjoy mixing their popcorn with candy at the movies, 55% would like to see healthier (and more vegan) options at the theater.

“Summer moviegoing season is in full swing, and it’s that time of year when fans are craving those spectacular ‘popcorn movies,” Fandango managing editor Erik Davis said in a statement. “We call them ‘popcorn movies’ for a reason: because concessions are an essential part of the theatrical experience.”

Other customer-driven data revealed the specifics of moviegoers’ favorite candies, with the iconic licorice candy Twizzlers at the top non-chocolate based candy, Junior Mints voted the top retro candy brand and Peanut M&M’s ranked as the favorite overall and chocolate-based candy.

Concession Confessions is the latest survey to be released by the nation’s largest movie ticketing service, following their Moviegoing Trends and Insights Study.