The Most Famous Chocolate Bar In The US Isn't Hershey's Or Reese's, According To Report

When it comes to the confectionery industry, there are an overwhelming number of chocolate brands. From childhood classics to Julia Child's choice of the best chocolate in the United States (Scharffen Berger), it's estimated that the U.S. chocolate market is worth $24 billion as of 2025 (per Statista). Many options, including Hershey's Milk Chocolate and Reese's, are chocolate bars that have been around a lot longer than you realize — 1900 and 1928, respectively. Although these have been around a little longer, statistics say that Snickers reigns supreme as the most famous.

In an online survey of 6,242 adults in 2025, the participants were asked, "Do you know this brand, even if only by name?" Statista reports that a staggering 94% of the respondents knew of Snickers, which is part of the Mars company. In fact, a few Mars chocolate brands were among the top three most recognizable to U.S. adults, including M&M's at 93% and Twix at 92%. KitKat ranked highly, too — tying for second at 93% — and it's owned by Nestlé. Owned by The Hershey Company, both Hershey's and Reese's ranked fourth by brand awareness, with 91% of the surveyed adults saying that they knew of the brands.

Snickers might not be among the chocolate brands with the highest quality ingredients that chefs like to use, but it might be no surprise that it's the most recognized. That's because it was also the most popular candy bar in the U.S. in 2020 (per Statista). While Hershey's was the most consumed (51%) among the aforementioned surveyed respondents in 2025, according to Statista, Snickers could be more famous among consumers because of its strategic partnerships and marketing.

Snickers was the official sponsor of the L.A. Olympic Games in 1984, and then it was the official sponsor of the USA Olympic team in 1992. Since 2002, the brand has been an official sponsor of the National Football League, and it partnered with MVP quarterback Josh Allen in 2025 to launch limited-edition collectibles. Snickers also became an official partner of the Washington Spirit in 2024, a team in the National Women's Soccer League.

Plus, the marketing surrounding those partnerships and other advertising has been solid over the years. Its iconic 2010 Super Bowl commercial, which is Daily Meal's top-ranked Super Bowl food commercial, starred "Golden Girls" actress Betty White and "The Godfather" actor Abe Vigoda. Coming at a time when sales had declined, this ad kicked off the "You're Not You When You're Hungry" campaign. It has not only increased sales but also won numerous awards ever since, solidifying Snickers as a more satisfying snack than competing candy bars in people's psyche.