Walk into any store and you’ll find yourself staring at rows of candy bars, each one begging to be your next snack. But here’s something most people don’t talk about: some of these supposedly classic treats are actually pretty disappointing. In fact, when experts recently tasted and ranked popular candy bars, one famous name landed at the very bottom of the list. The worst part? A lot of regular shoppers seem to agree with this harsh verdict. Turns out that brand recognition doesn’t always equal great taste, and some candy bars we’ve known our whole lives might not deserve their spot in our shopping carts.
Hershey’s Milk Chocolate takes the bottom spot
When professional tasters ranked candy bars from worst to best, plain Hershey’s Milk Chocolate landed in dead last place. The main complaint wasn’t about nostalgia or packaging, it was about the actual chocolate quality. Compared to other brands, the chocolate tastes cheap and bland, missing that creamy richness you’d expect from a decent candy bar. Instead of smooth chocolate taste, what you mostly get is an overwhelming amount of sugar that tries to cover up the lackluster base. This isn’t about being snobby about chocolate either. Even other budget-friendly candy bars manage to taste better because they include extra ingredients like caramel, nuts, or crispy pieces that distract from lower quality chocolate.
The problem with plain Hershey’s bars is that there’s nothing else going on. When a candy bar is just straight chocolate with no other textures or add-ins, the quality of that chocolate becomes impossible to ignore. If you haven’t tried many different chocolate brands, a Hershey’s bar might seem perfectly fine. But once you’ve tasted chocolate from other companies, even ones at similar price points, going back to Hershey’s feels like a downgrade. Regular shoppers seem to notice this too. When asked to rank popular candy bars, many people described basic Hershey’s as just decent at best, with some saying the version with almonds is way better because at least it has something extra to make it interesting.
PayDay gets mixed reactions for being chocolate-free
Some candy bars try to stand out by doing something completely different, and PayDay definitely qualifies. This unusual bar skips chocolate entirely, instead wrapping salty peanuts around a sticky, caramel-like center. For people who actively dislike chocolate or have sensitivities to it, PayDay offers something rare in the candy aisle. The combination of salty peanuts pressed into that chewy, sugary core creates an experience that feels almost old-fashioned, like something from decades ago. Some tasters found this surprisingly satisfying, describing it as better than expected despite its naked, chocolate-free appearance. One group of experts even called it the best option for chocolate haters, though they admitted it might surprise chocolate lovers too.
But not everyone feels warm and fuzzy about PayDay bars. The caramel center tends to be tough and incredibly sticky, the kind that glues itself to your teeth and makes you work way too hard to chew through it. Your dentist probably wouldn’t recommend eating these regularly. The peanuts themselves don’t add much beyond saltiness, and while that salt does help balance out the sweetness, the overall result still isn’t amazing for many people. The good news is that PayDay now makes a chocolate-covered version for people who want those salty peanuts but also need their chocolate fix. That version actually ranked much higher when tested against other candy bars, proving that sometimes covering something in chocolate really does make it better.
Butterfinger ranks low despite its loyal fans
Butterfinger definitely has its devoted followers, but in official rankings, this peanut-heavy candy bar sits pretty close to the bottom. The main issue comes down to that intense peanut butter flavor that dominates everything else. For people who find peanuts to be the least interesting nut option, Butterfinger becomes almost unbearable. That peanut butter filling is so bold and overpowering that you can barely taste anything else, even though there’s a layer of chocolate coating the outside. At least the chocolate keeps it from ranking even lower than it does. The texture does deserve some credit though. That crispy, layered peanut butter interior covered in relatively thick chocolate creates something unique that you won’t find in many other candy bars.
What makes Butterfinger interesting as a case study is how strongly opinions differ. Some people absolutely love this bar and would rank it near the top of their personal lists. Others find it genuinely unpleasant and avoid it completely. This massive gap in preferences explains why Butterfinger keeps selling despite consistently ranking poorly in professional taste tests. There’s also the ice cream factor to consider. Many people who wouldn’t necessarily buy a Butterfinger bar on its own will specifically request it as a mix-in for ice cream or blizzards. Something about crushing it into smaller pieces and combining it with cold, creamy ice cream seems to tame that aggressive peanut flavor and make the whole thing more enjoyable. In that context, Butterfinger actually shines.
Heath bars stick around despite toffee troubles
Toffee might be one of the most divisive candy ingredients out there, and Heath bars put it front and center. These bars take pieces of English toffee and cover them in milk chocolate, creating something that sounds better than it actually tastes for many people. When you bite into a Heath bar, you’ll mostly taste the chocolate at first since the toffee flavor isn’t very pronounced. But then you’re left dealing with sticky, somewhat flavorless pieces of toffee glued to your teeth. It’s not exactly the pleasant eating experience you want from a candy bar. Beyond the sticky tooth situation, you also have to worry about potential dental damage from the hard, brittle toffee pieces. This combination of blandness and dental hazards lands Heath bars low on most ranking lists.
The chocolate quality doesn’t help matters either. Since Hershey makes Heath bars, you’re getting that same lower-quality chocolate that causes problems for the plain Hershey’s bar. At least with Heath there’s something more going on than just chocolate, which keeps it from being the absolute worst option. Interestingly, when Heath was compared directly to its competitor Skor, most tasters preferred Skor’s deeper, more developed toffee flavor. Heath did have a slightly crisper texture, but one taste test detected a weird off-flavor that Skor didn’t have. If you’re going to eat a toffee candy bar, most experts suggest reaching for Skor instead. But honestly, with so many better candy bar options available, you might want to skip the toffee category altogether unless you’re absolutely crazy about it.
Milky Way feels too sweet and forgettable
Ask someone to name candy bars off the top of their head and Milky Way will probably make the list eventually, but it’s rarely anyone’s first choice. These bars pack caramel and nougat under a milk chocolate coating, but the whole thing comes together in a way that’s just kind of meh. The biggest problem is the caramel, and there’s way too much of it. That excess caramel creates a sticky texture that makes the bar harder to chew than it should be. This is definitely not the candy you’d want to eat if you have braces or any dental work that sticky foods might damage. The nougat doesn’t really contribute much either, adding a gummy texture that’s not particularly enjoyable and almost no distinct flavor of its own.
Then there’s the chocolate coating, which doesn’t taste very high quality. Combined with all that caramel and nougat, the result is an overwhelming sweetness that’s just too much for most people. Milky Way bars aren’t terrible, they’re just not exciting enough to seek out when there are so many better options sitting right next to them on the shelf. These are the kind of candy bars that show up in mixed variety packs of fun-sized bars, and you eat them because they’re there, not because you’re genuinely excited about them. If someone offers you a Milky Way, you probably won’t refuse it, but you’re also unlikely to go out of your way to buy one. They’re the definition of forgettable, occupying that unfortunate middle ground where they’re not bad enough to hate but not good enough to love.
Regular Snickers disappoints compared to other versions
Snickers bars are incredibly popular and sell like crazy, but in blind taste tests, they don’t perform as well as you might expect. These bars are basically Milky Way bars with peanuts added, which does make them slightly better thanks to that extra crunch. If you really love peanuts, regular Snickers might be one of your top picks. But for most people doing actual taste comparisons, Snickers has some serious flaws. The main issue is a complete lack of balance. Everything tastes way too sweet, with nothing to cut through all that sugar. Even the peanuts seem to be missing the saltiness that makes peanuts worth eating in the first place. Without that salty contrast, the whole bar just tastes like sugar with some nuts thrown in.
The chocolate quality is similar to Milky Way, meaning it’s not great and lacks that creamy texture you’d get from better chocolate. However, there’s good news for Snickers fans who want something better. The Peanut Butter Snickers version absolutely crushes the original. The peanut butter makes a much bigger impression than regular peanuts do, and it helps the caramel texture stand out more too. If you’re loyal to Snickers but willing to try something slightly different, grab the peanut butter version next time. On the positive side, regular Snickers are quite filling compared to lighter candy bars, so they work well if you’re super hungry and need something quick and sweet to hold you over until your next real meal.
3 Musketeers works better than similar bars
If you’re familiar with Milky Way and Snickers, then 3 Musketeers will look pretty similar at first glance. The big difference is that 3 Musketeers skips both the caramel and the peanuts, instead going with just nougat wrapped in milk chocolate. Out of these three similar candy bars, 3 Musketeers actually comes out on top. Without that heavy caramel layer, it doesn’t feel as overwhelming or sticky as Milky Way does. And without caramel’s intense sweetness, 3 Musketeers doesn’t taste quite as painfully sweet as either Milky Way or Snickers. The fluffy texture from the nougat is pleasant enough to eat, even if it’s not particularly exciting or interesting. It’s just kind of there, not offensive but not remarkable either.
That said, when you compare 3 Musketeers to candy bars that are less similar to it, this one still doesn’t rank very high. The chocolate quality remains a problem since it’s still in the Hershey family of products, and the overall flavor profile lacks the balance you’d want from a really good candy bar. Everything still leans too sweet without enough contrast. The nougat texture, while fluffy and light, doesn’t bring much to the party in terms of taste. For a mainstream candy bar that’s affordable and available basically everywhere, 3 Musketeers isn’t a bad choice. But it’s far from the best option you could grab. Think of it as a safe, inoffensive pick that won’t disappoint you too badly but also won’t blow your mind or make you excited about eating candy.
Kit Kat succeeds with simplicity and crunch
Some candy bars try to pack in every possible ingredient, but Kit Kat takes the opposite approach with great results. These bars layer crispy wafers with chocolate, creating something surprisingly light and refreshing compared to the heavy, sticky candy bars that dominate the market. Is the chocolate used in Kit Kat amazing quality? Not really, it’s still too sweet and lacks the creaminess of premium chocolate. But here’s the thing: it doesn’t matter as much because you’re not eating huge chunks of solid chocolate. The wafer layers break up the chocolate and give your mouth something crunchy to focus on. That textural variety makes Kit Kat way more enjoyable than it would be if you judged it on chocolate quality alone.
What really makes Kit Kat special is how each bite gives you that satisfying snap and crunch without feeling too heavy or rich. Some people have very specific ways of eating them too, like nibbling the chocolate off the edges first, then separating the wafer layers one at a time. This kind of interactive eating experience adds to the fun and makes the candy bar last longer. Kit Kat’s chocolate has such a distinct taste that you’d probably recognize it even if someone presented it in a completely different format. Despite not using premium ingredients, Kit Kat manages to create something that people genuinely enjoy and keep coming back to. The combination of light wafers, adequate chocolate, and that perfect crispy texture lands Kit Kat solidly in the middle of most candy bar rankings.
Reese’s cups beat their own candy bar version
Anyone who loves Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups knows they’re nearly perfect, and they’d easily rank near the top of any candy list. But here’s the catch: those cups aren’t technically candy bars, so when rankings focus specifically on bar-shaped candy, Reese’s has to be represented by their actual Reese’s Peanut Butter Bar instead. Unfortunately, that bar version just doesn’t measure up to the original cups. Some of what makes Reese’s cups so amazing is still there, particularly that signature salty peanut butter that people go crazy for. But the magic of Reese’s cups comes from the ratio of chocolate to peanut butter. Those cups have a super thin layer of chocolate on top, which lets the peanut butter be the star with just a hint of chocolate sweetness around it.
The bar version changes that crucial ratio by adding a much thicker layer of chocolate. This means you’re tasting way more chocolate than you would in a regular Reese’s cup, which becomes a problem because that chocolate isn’t actually very high quality. In the cups, you barely notice the chocolate quality because there’s so little of it. In the bar, that chocolate plays a much bigger role, so you can’t ignore the fact that it’s just not that good. The Reese’s bar is decent enough, but it’s honestly disappointing if you’re expecting it to taste like those amazing peanut butter cups. However, there’s hope for Reese’s fans: the Take 5 bar combines chocolate, pretzels, peanut butter, peanuts and caramel, and it ranks much higher than the regular Reese’s bar in most taste tests.
Not all candy bars are created equal, and some beloved classics actually taste pretty mediocre when you really pay attention. The next time you’re standing in that checkout line staring at the candy bar selection, maybe skip over that plain Hershey’s bar and reach for something with better chocolate, more interesting textures, or a more balanced mix of sweet and salty. Your taste buds will thank you, and you might just discover that some less famous candy bars taste way better than the household names you’ve been buying out of habit for years.
