Where is the Best Place to Buy Popcorn Online? Popcorn has been a popular snack dating back to ancient civilizations, possibly even as early as 4700 BCE. Indigenous tribes like the Incas and Aztecs believed that the popping sound represented the spirits of their ancestors being released, so it was used in religious ceremonies, for decorating, and in their food.
Best Option
Al's Delicious Popcorn hand-prepares every order right in their store. The company is based out of Columbus, Ohio and is family-owned by the Baird Family. They boast that they're grounded in tradition and have maintained the highest standards of popcorn since 1985. In addition to selling popcorn online, Al's Delicious Popcorn also hosts locals for tastings and tours and caters events and parties around the area.
Over 65 flavors
There are over 65 flavors of popcorn available from Al's Delicious Popcorn at all times. You can choose to browse their original popcorn flavors, savory flavors, cheesy and sweet flavors, specialty and exclusive popcorn flavors, and even gluten-free or vegan popcorn flavors. They have sealed and personalized bags as well as gift boxes that make it easy to send a fancy and thoughtful present to a loved one.
Mouth-watering flavors
To give you a small idea of what unique flavors you could explore from Al's Delicious Popcorn, they have parmesan garlic, pumpkin pie, vanilla butternut, buffalo ranch, Cincinnati style chili, dill pickle, sriracha lime, chocolate churro, caramel cashew, gingerbread cookie, horchata, brie and jam, and so much more. How would you ever decide?
Reasonable price range
When you're browsing popcorn flavors, there's a price range you can view. For example, the savory flavors range from $6 to $37.25. A small bag that equals about 6 cups of popcorn is $6, a medium bag is 20 cups for $10, a medium large bag is $16 for 40 cups, a large bag has 75 cups for $24.50, and an extra large bag is $37.25 for about 125 cups. We like that there are so many size options and the pricing for each is quite reasonable, especially considering how fun and unique these flavors are. The cheapest choice is the original flavors that start at $3.75 for a small bag and the most expensive are the exclusive signature popcorns that start at $8.75 and go up to $68.50.
Steep shipping costs
Where the real cost comes in is mostly through shipping. Unless you're one of the lucky ones who lives near a store and can order online and do free in-store pickup, you'll need to pay for shipping. The cost for this will vary based on where you live. For us the cost to ship a medium bag of popcorn was $19.98. They don't specify if free shipping is available over a certain order amount or if you actually have to pay more for shipping if you place a bigger order. You'll just have to play around with pricing based on your zip code to see how to get the most value from your purchase.
No refunds on orders
Nowhere does Al's Delicious Popcorn mention a return policy. If for some reason you had an issue with your order or quality, we are confident that they would be responsive and help you out if you contact them by phone or email. Otherwise, since they sell food as their product, it's not unusual for returns to not be accepted.
"A+" BBB rating
It would be nice if Al's Delicious Popcorn opened up their product pages for customers to leave reviews on flavors. It's helpful to get different opinions on ingredients and tastes from people when you're buying something flavored on the internet. However, this company does have an "A+" rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB) and all the third-party ratings for this gourmet popcorn shop are extremely high. People are thrilled with the flavors and never get bored trying new things here.
Try at least once
Al's Delicious Popcorn has a user-friendly website that's attractive and straightforward. When you select a flavor, you can see a description of it, all the nutrition facts, and a full list of the ingredients. We trust this company and could hardly choose which flavors to try first. It really would make a lovely gift or party favor (since you can print customized labels on individual bags), so it's worth at least trying once, even though you may pay a bit more for shipping than we usually like to. Al's Delicious Popcorn is our favorite option for buying popcorn online.
Great
Great American Popcorn Company began in 1994 in Galena, Illinois. Founders David and Catherine Lewis left behind corporate jobs for a different way of life. They opened Great American Popcorn Company with a focus on top-notch customer service. Later the store was passed down to their children, who still operate it today. All of their popcorn is non-GMO and sourced from American family farms. The gourmet popcorn is made fresh daily, so whether you shop at their store or online, they guarantee that you'll be satisfied.
Flavors galore
There are a staggering number of popcorn flavors available from Great American Popcorn Company. They've got your staples like white cheddar, caramel corn, and classic butter, but there are also tons of mouth-watering flavors we've never heard of or tried before. Cracked pepper and herb, espresso oreo (seasonal flavor), honey mustard, pickle me ranch, Sicilian pizza, stuffed potato, toffee crunch, and twisted taco are just a few that piqued our interest.
6-bag bundles
A single bag of popcorn starts at $11.95 and goes up to $12.95, depending on the flavor. The cost of shipping is $9 if you spend under $65 on your order. Otherwise, it's free. There are 6-bag bundles available if you like a certain type of popcorn and want to try a variety of it. For example, starting at $60.98, Great American Popcorn Company offers a cheese lovers box, puffs box, most popular box, sweet tooth box, and staff favorites.
Flavor of the Month
If you're like us and want to try all the fun flavors here, the Flavor of the Month Club should do the trick. With your subscription, you'll receive 2 bags of their top flavors each month, most of which hold 8-10 cups of popcorn. You can buy it for yourself or check "Make it a Gift" at checkout to send it to someone else. The cost is $21.95/month and you can select to have deliveries monthly, every other month, every 3 months, every 6 months, or every 12 months. This will continue until your subscription is cancelled.
Pick your flavors box
Another subscription option is to create your own box and get all your favorite chosen flavors in a delivery. You can switch out flavors as often as you like and add as many bags to each delivery as you want. You'll save 15% on flavors when you do this, so it's a great option if you're a big fan of Great American Popcorn Company.
Periodic discounts
Every so often, the company runs promotions where you'll save a little bit of money or even get free popcorn. When we were shopping, they offered a code for buying 3 bags of popcorn and getting a 4th mystery bag free.
Guaranteed satisfaction
If you have questions about a purchase or inquiries about special event orders, Great American Popcorn Company provides an email address and phone number for you to reach out. They promise that you'll love your popcorn and if you don't, they'll give you a guaranteed replacement or refund.
Family favorites
Great American Popcorn Company does not have ratings for their popcorn on their website, but they do have an "A+" rating from the Better Business Bureau. Customers have left reviews other places online and all of them are sky high. Many people say the flavors here have become a family favorite and they're always coming back for more. Customer service is said to be phenomenal and deliveries come right on time.
Almost perfect
We like almost everything we see from Great American Popcorn Company. Their flavors have us dying to place a big order and it's kind of nice that all bags are the same size so we don't have to choose how much to order. Being able to order single bags, bundles, flavors of the month, or our own curated box gives us all the flexibility we're looking for. The only thing lacking here is an ingredient list for those who may have allergies or food sensitivities. We appreciate transparency with ingredients and nutritional facts, so we do wish they had that here. Otherwise, we are thrilled with this popcorn company and highly recommend them.
Very Good
The popcorn served during the 90s at the Shannon Theater in Bluffton, Ohio became quite the crowd pleaser in its day. People came back night after night for more popcorn without even wanting to watch a movie, so the theater knew they needed to do something about it. Named after the theater's most beloved employee, Shirley, Shirley's Gourmet Popcorn was born. The company has grown to offer far more than just movie theater butter flavors that can be enjoyed by anyone who shops online from their store.
21 flavors
There are "main flavors" and "regional flavors" you can choose from at Shirley's. The classic flavors start at $10 and the regional ones start at $12. Some flavors are mild or sweet, while others will scorch your taste buds right off, so be sure to read the description of each flavor before ordering. Some of their top flavors include the afterburner, bourbon chocolate pecan, buckeye, cheddar, jelly bean, klondike crunch, s'mores, and windy city. In total there are 21 flavors, so you'll have a decent selection.
Up to a 6.5 gallon tin
There are a lot of sizes of popcorn bags to choose from when you shop online here and all orders over $50 ship for free. A small bag is your cheapest option, and from there you can choose a large, ½ gallon tin, 1 gallon tin, 2 gallon tin, 3.5 gallon tin, 6.5 gallon tin, micro bag pack (25 bags), or a 5-gallon bulk bag. Pricing will vary a bit based on whether you're interested in a main or regional flavor. The most you'll spend on a single kind is $150 for the 6.5-gallon tin. We wish that we knew how many cups were in the small and large bags so we could better decide how much popcorn we wanted to order for the price.
Try a spread of flavors
If ordering a 2 gallon, 3.5 gallon, or 6 gallon tin of a single flavor is boring to you, Shirley's has a pick 3 popcorn sampler where you can order 3 different flavors in one. It's no more expensive than ordering a single flavor, so why not? To dive even deeper into their flavors, their popcorn of the month club ships in 3, 6, or 12-month increments so you can enjoy different flavors throughout the year.
Pricey subscriptions
For the upcoming year, Shirley's lists all the flavors that will be going out in their popcorn of the month shipments so you can look ahead and see what to expect. Each shipment contains 2 flavors in large bags. A 3-month program is $119.95, 6 months is $229.95, and 12 months is $399.95. We can't imagine spending nearly $400 on popcorn and the subscriptions here seem more expensive than their competitors, but if you're a diehard Shirley's fan, it would be worth it... Right?
30-day returns
Surprisingly, Shirley's Gourmet Popcorn says they offer a 30-day return policy. Usually with food items, we've come to expect that no returns are accepted, but according to their website, they are here if everything is in its original packaging. You'll need to send your receipt or proof of purchase along with your popcorn to the company's store in Bluffton, Ohio.
You'll be back for more
Since there is no rating for Shirley's from the Better Business Bureau, the unfiltered customer reviews straight from their website are the most reliable bits of information we can go off of. One reviewer called Shirley's "the best popcorn in the world" and how do you compete with that? People say it's a go-to gift for friends and family and they crave different flavors throughout the year. Those who have had Shirley's popcorn definitely always come back for more.
Gourmet without the fuss
Although the spread of flavors isn't as extensive as what we have been excited by from other companies, the customer reviews for Shirley's alone have us sold on what's offered here. Plus, we do love the heartwarming origin of this company. We like that they have so many size options, a subscription service, and shipping is free on orders over $50. Although they don't have the fancy packaging of some rival companies, if you're just looking for delicious popcorn without the fuss, Shirley's Gourmet Popcorn is your answer.
Very Good
Popinsanity started in a basement in Rockland County, New York. They are a specialty popcorn store that sells artisan popcorn made from non-GMO mushroom corn kernels grown in the USA. The company is committed to showing the world that popcorn isn't just a movie theater snack, but rather a delicacy to be savored. From personal indulgence, to catering a party, to gift giving, Popinsanity provides both small and large orders with individualized packaging and flavors to fit your needs.
Fancy flavors
Like many popcorn shops, Popinsanity has an assortment of flavors that are available both year-round and seasonally. While we were shopping, we were able to choose from apples & honey, blueberry scone, caramel chocolate drizzle, chocolate peanut butter, cinnamon baked apple, cinnamon swirl, classic caramel, cookies & cream, maple french toast, pecan praline, peppermint hot chocolate, pomegranate, rocky road, s'mores, sweet & salty, and toasted coconut. All of these flavors scream "dessert!" to us, so if you want something fancy, surely one of these options will fit the bill.
Starting at $3.95
In addition to being non-GMO, all the popcorn flavors from Popinsanity are dairy-free, kosher, and hand-crafted daily. A full list of ingredients can be viewed with each flavor along with a list of allergens, nutrition facts, and FAQ. Each individual flavor of popcorn comes in either a 2.5 oz bag ($3.95), 6 oz bag ($7.95), 12 oz bag ($13.95), or a 6 oz acrylic box ($13.95). There are some gift bundles that include candied nuts or multiple flavors in a pack for a bit more if that's something you're interested in. If you sign up to receive emails from Popinsanity, they'll provide you with a 10% off coupon to use towards your next order.
High-end packaging
For bulkier orders, Popinsanity has options to create your own popcorn tin from sizes between 1 gallon to 6.5 gallons. You can add between 1 and 3 flavors per tin to design your own personalized gift. They also have sampler boxes with multiple flavors and sizes starting at $48.95. This would be something fun to give out to guests at a company party or other celebration. There are a variety of packaging options too, with colorful cups, pretty ribbons on bags, or sturdy acrylic boxes - the popcorn here comes with a beautiful presentation and looks very high-quality.
Flexibility for gifting
When you spend at least $65 on popcorn from Popinsanity, your order will ship for free. If you need your order to be delivered on a specific date, you can use 2-day shipping (which will likely come at a price, depending on your zip code) and add the "arrive by" date in your order notes. Need to send gifts to all your friends and family? No problem. Popinsanity will also ship gifts to over 10 recipients if you need them to. Simply give them a call and they'll send over a spreadsheet for you to fill out with the delivery information for each recipient. All orders are shipped in heavy-duty mailers to ensure minimal breakage.
Honest customer opinions
Popinsanity has been featured by Men's Health, Entrepreneur, Inc., USA Today, Yahoo News, Glam, Daily Mail, The Independent, Newsweek, iHeartRadio, The Oprah Magazine, Good Morning America, Fox News, and other well-recognized sources. They don't have a Better Business Bureau rating, but we appreciate that there are reviews from customers for each flavor listed. It gives us a better idea of what to expect with the ingredients, taste, and how one kind compares with another. Customers never have anything bad to say about Popinsanity, so we're not concerned about freshness or variety of flavors at all.
A classy gift option
Nowhere does Popinsanity mention a return policy or even customer satisfaction guarantee, but their customer service seems to be reliable and willing to help if any issues arise. We feel that this company is one of the best options for gifting popcorn since their packaging is classy, rather than cheesy. Their flavors are delectable and their pricing is reasonable. Plus, we are glad to see that you can get free shipping here too, so Popinsanity is one of our top options for buying popcorn online.
Good
Poppington's Gourmet Popcorn opened their doors during 2012 on Main Street in Greenville, South Carolina. The nostalgia of sharing popcorn with friends and family or enjoying it with a favorite movie is what inspired the founders to open their own shop. From savory to sweet, Poppington's offers a variety of popcorn flavors in tins, pails, and snack bags, and caters to weddings and special events.
Sufficient variety
The first thing we do to get a feel of where a popcorn company falls in our book is check out all their flavors. Are they unique? Are they diverse? Can we possibly resist placing an order? Poppington's has a little bit of everything, though we have seen companies with far more options. Here you can shop by flavors that include kettle corn, caramels, cheeses, chocolates, seasonal flavors, original recipes, signature mixes, sweet, savory, traditional popcorn, and healthy options. Some of their unique, standout flavors include havarti dill pickle, blackened bacon cheddar, beer cheddar, sweatin' bullets, birthday cake chocolate caramel, and peppermint mocha crunch, among others.
Transparent nutrition facts
When you select a flavor that strikes your fancy, you can read through all the nutrition facts, see the ingredients, and view a list of possible allergens. Poppington's flavors are all gluten-free, dairy-free, and nut-free, which is important for a lot of people.
Wide range of popcorn box sizes
We always love to save money where we can, and getting 10% off your next Poppington's order with an email signup is a good way to do this. All popcorn flavors start at $7.99 for a small package and go up to $129.99 for a 7-gallon tin. In between are sizes medium and large, and a 1, 2, 3.5, 4, or 7-gallon pail. There are a lot of options here, so that leaves some room for meeting your budget where it's at.
Gifting options
Besides individually flavored bags or tins, Poppington's has boxes that include samplers (up to 10 per box), 25-piece favor bags, a teacher tin with 20 bags, and more. This way you could order smaller bags in bulk for small gifts or party favors. Plus, Poppington's offers a subscription box for $35.99 (one-time purchase) or $30.59 on recurrent deliveries. You can set up your account for a 1 month subscription, 3 month subscription, or 6 month subscription. Each month you or your giftee will receive 4 new popcorn flavors. The company releases the full calendar year of monthly flavors, so you know what to expect in your future deliveries.
Unclear shipping prices
The cost of shipping on all orders is calculated at checkout. Poppington's doesn't clarify what you should expect as far as delivery fees anywhere on their website, so it will be somewhat of a surprise to all customers at the end of their shopping experience. For us, the cost of ground shipping was $10.01 and went up from there if we wanted faster shipping. It's unclear if the more you spend, the more you pay for shipping or vice-versa. This is something we wish Poppington's would address on their site somewhere.
Final sale
Everything from Poppington's online store is considered final sale since they are perishable food items. If you've received the wrong item or something gets damaged in transit, you can reach out to the company for an exchange or refund; otherwise these things are not accepted.
Consume within 30 days once opened
Upon arrival, for long-term storage of unopened Poppington's popcorn, they recommend keeping it in a resealable plastic or dry container in a cool place. If kept in something like a large mason glass container, the popcorn could remain fresh for up to 4 years in some cases. Once opened, it's best to enjoy your Poppington's treat within 30 days for optimal freshness.
Reassuring ratings
In addition to praiseworthy reviews from customers on their website, Poppington's Gourmet Popcorn has an "A+" rating from the Better Business Bureau. Reports of optimal freshness and delicious flavors give us confidence that this is a good place to make one-time purchases or sign up for a popcorn subscription.
Good, but not a top contender
There's no reason you shouldn't consider Poppington's Gourmet Popcorn: it's a solid company with a good overall reputation. We just aren't as thrilled with the variety of flavors, prices, or shipping details as we are with some other companies, which is why Poppington's has earned a just above average rating from us.
Good
Harry & David have been a popular choice for gourmet gifts since 1934. From handpicked gift baskets of fresh fruit to baskets with yummy treats, the company boasts their commitment to premium quality and excellence. Harry & David is part of a family of brands you may recognize like 1-800-Flowers, Shari's Berries, Simply Chocolate, Fruit Bouquets, The Popcorn Factory, Wolferman's Bakery, and more. Whether you're looking for gourmet food to give as a special gift or plants and flowers, you can find something beautifully and thoughtfully curated here.
Moose Munch
All the popcorn from Harry & David is called Moose Munch. It's been a fan-favorite treat since 1995 and comes in all sorts of flavors, some seasonal and some available year-round. A few of the flavors include confetti, cookies & creme, dark chocolate, maple bacon, milk chocolate, s'mores, white chocolate cranberry almond, milk chocolate hot cocoa, dark chocolate churro, and more. You'll notice that the popcorn flavors from Harry & David cater to those who prefer sweet, chocolatey flavors rather than those who like zesty kinds like cheese, ranch, or jalapeño.
Multi-popcorn packs
There are 13 options for buying popcorn here. All of them include multi-packs of the 10 oz bags in seasonal packaging. For one-time purchases, the cheapest option is a Moose Munch holiday drum for $44.99 that includes 3 premium bags of popcorn. For $109.99, Harry & David sells a 12-pack of their premium popcorn holiday flavors or a 12-pack of their most popular picks. There are options in between to better cater to your budget and give you the flavors and quantity that you're looking for.
Recurrent deliveries
If you want recurrent deliveries of Moose Munch, Harry & David offers a subscription service for $29.99/month + shipping. Each shipment includes 2 10 oz. bags that are shipped during the third week of each month. Shipments will arrive each month with surprise flavors and continue coming until you cancel your subscription.
High shipping prices
When you sign up for emails, Harry & David will send you a code for 15% off an order. This is a good thing to take advantage of upfront if you want to try out Moose Munch to see what you think. Bear in mind that none of the costs shown online reflect the price of shipping. For us to buy a 4-pack of Moose Munch, the cost to ship was a whopping $20.98. Shipping costs start at $8.99 and go up to 17% of your order subtotal for orders over $150. The more you order, the more you pay in shipping and ultimately the cost will depend on your zip code.
Celebrations Passport membership
If you want to avoid the high shipping costs from Harry & David and plan to make repeat orders or sign up for a subscription, you could sign up for their Celebrations Passport membership. It's $19.99 your first year and $29.99 yearly in subsequent years. It ensures free standard shipping on eligible items and no service charge for 2-day deliveries. This makes sense in most cases, so consider signing up.
Live chat
To reach Harry & David, a live chat is available, but they don't provide their phone number or email address. They say that if you or your giftee isn't delighted with what they receive from the company, they will make it right with a replacement or a refund. To take care of this, you'll need to hop on the live chat and hope you get through to someone.
High ratings, but lacking ingredient information
Customers can leave unfiltered reviews of their opinions about the different popcorn options from Harry & David. We noticed a lot of them are from people asking about ingredients, so we wish the company would just post their nutrition facts for everyone to see. Aside from this, the hundreds of reviews from buyers all give us reassurance that Harry & David provides high quality popcorn that people love. They have an "A+" rating from the Better Business Bureau as well, which is great.
For chocolate lovers
Harry & David has good popcorn choices if you love the sweet, chocolate-based flavors. If you want more natural popcorn or those with cheesy, salty flavors, then you won't find that here. Also, we don't love the shipping situation here at all. It's really expensive and you do have to sign up and pay for a membership through their website if you want free shipping on future orders. This isn't ideal, but if you shop here a lot, it will definitely be worth it. Harry & David's Moose Munch is a well-liked product, so we don't see any reason not to give it a try, but this isn't going to be an all-around favorite popcorn company.
Good
The original Fisher's Popcorn opened in a stand in Ocean City, Maryland in 1937 under the entrepreneurship of Everett Fisher. When his father was drafted into the war, Donald Fisher took over the stand and continued to run it even after his father's passing. Today, Donald's daughter Marty and her husband Bill run the Delaware location and the online store that we're interested in here.
Great seasonal gifts
When you shop at Fisher's Popcorn, you're shopping to share. You don't really order anything here that's in a tiny, personal-sized bag unless it comes in a case with multiples. The company has holiday tubs, tins, and bundles with festive Christmas packaging like snowmen, ornaments, jingle bells, and more. Holiday tubs range from ½ gallon to 3.5 gallons. They're perfectly curated to give as a neighbor gift or to someone else during the holiday season. You can order everything from Fisher's Popcorn in cases of 6 or more, so there is plenty to go around.
9 flavors
The flavors of popcorn from Fisher's includes caramel, butter, kettle corn, caramel peanut, OLD BAY caramel, caramel dusted w/ white cheddar, white cheddar, 3-way split (caramel, white cheddar, butter), and pumpkin spice. This isn't nearly as extensive or unique of a list as we've seen from other companies, but they're staple flavors we've all become accustomed to when we think of sweet or savory popcorn.
Gluten-free with up to a 1-year shelf life
None of the flavors from Fisher's Popcorn contain any gluten. Their caramel-based flavors are air popped, so they don't use any oil. For white cheddar, butter, and kettle corn, they are all popped in pure coconut oil. You can view the full ingredient list for each flavor in their FAQ section. The official shelf life for an unopened, airtight container is 1 year. Once it has been opened, the air it is exposed to can quickly dry it out and make it stale, so as long as you always put the lid back on, it should stay fresh to enjoy for up to 6 months.
Buy singles or bundle
When customers sign up for Fisher's email marketing list, they will get a code to use towards their next order for 10% off. Prices start at $11.75 for a small, ½ gallon tub of popcorn from Fisher's Popcorn. Their bags of popcorn come in cases of 12 or 50 and start at $29.99. A one gallon tin is $27.99, but goes up from there if you want bigger quantities. You can mix and match with different bundle sizes, flavors, and quantities to meet the needs of why you're shopping for popcorn. If you spend at least $50 here, shipping is free too.
Subscribe for popcorn monthly
If you want popcorn from Fisher's to show up at your door all year round, they have a solution for that. For either 3, 6, 9, or 12 months, you can sign up for their Popcorn of the Month Club. Deliveries come every month and you can choose to get a new flavor with each delivery or pick your favorite flavor so you get a restock every few weeks. Free shipping is included and you can choose a size anywhere from ½ gallon to 3.5 gallons. A 3-month subscription starts at $59.99.
No returns
No returns are accepted by Fisher's Popcorn, but they do ask that if a customer is unsatisfied with a product for any reason, they call by phone to discuss the issue.
Over 5,000 reviews
There is not a Better Business Bureau rating for Fisher's Popcorn, but they have unfiltered customer reviews you can read straight on their website. Over 5,000 people have left feedback about their experience with Fisher's customer service, online ordering system, popcorn quality, and flavors. It's not uncommon to see that people feel addicted to the flavors here and are repeat customers. Delivery always seems to be prompt, the popcorn always tastes fresh, and people appreciate that there aren't too many ingredients in each flavor.
Great company, few flavors
Fisher's Popcorn is an awesome place to turn for popcorn that comes in fun packaging, is easy to buy in bulk, or is ready to give as a gift. We have no doubt that this is a reliable company and their flavors are delicious. It's also an affordable option for popcorn subscriptions. We wish they had a little more variety of flavors for us to choose from, but otherwise we have no reservations with shopping here.
Average
The Popcorn Factory has been serving customers gourmet popcorn since 1979. They have coined themselves the "popcorn authority" with a wide collection of gifts and snacks. The Popcorn Factory pops over 1 million pounds of popcorn per year and all of it is certified kosher. The company is part of the 1-800-Flowers family of brands along with shops like Harry & David, 1-800-Baskets, Simply Chocolate, Fruit Bouquets, and others.
For every occasion
The categories you can choose from when you're shopping on The Popcorn Factory's website include popcorn tins, gift boxes, gourmet flavors, gift towers, fun gifts for kids, housewarming popcorn gifts, send a smile, thank you, movie night snacks, and congratulations gifts. They also have popcorn tubs wrapped for specific things like needing a sympathy gift, a get well gift, a new year's celebration gift, or a congratulatory gift.
Likeable flavors
A glimpse into the popcorn flavors from The Popcorn Factory includes Kraft Mac & Cheese popcorn, Oscar Mayer bacon cheddar, habanero, strawberry sparkling wine, cheese, butter, cracked black pepper, avocado sea salt, holiday cookie dough, cookies and creme, drizzled caramel, cinnamon sugar, and more. Nothing here is super zesty, spicy, or wild, but they offer an enjoyable selection of popcorn that will include what most people are looking for.
All shapes and sizes
The Popcorn Factory is diverse in that their popcorn selection comes in so many shapes and sizes. You can get packaging with sayings, decorated like a Christmas village, in fun reusable pails, individually packaged with The Popcorn Factory logo, in bright and colorful boxes, and so much more. There is truly something to meet every occasion. Some include other treats like Mike and Ike's, gummy bears, Skittles, and other treats to make a well-rounded selection of sweets to go with your popcorn.
Lots of choices under $40
The least expensive popcorn option we found from The Popcorn Factory was a 2-pack of Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate Drizzled Caramel Popcorn for $24.99, but for just a bit more ($29.99), you can get a ½ gallon pail of your chosen popcorn with a personalized label. A lot of what we found was under $40, so there are plenty of choices in this range. Around major holidays, The Popcorn Factory runs major sales, sometimes offering up to 50% off. If there aren't any major deals going on, you could always sign up for their email list to receive a code for 20% off your next order.
Subscribe to Celebrations Passport
The cost of shipping will vary based on how much your order total is and where you live. It can be at least $14 or more, which adds up if you place orders with one of the 1-800-Flower brands often. As an alternative, they offer something called Celebrations Passport where you pay $19.99 the first year and $29.99 after that, but all your eligible orders will get free shipping with it.
Satisfaction guarantee
The Popcorn Factory stands behind all the gifts they sell with a satisfaction guarantee. All their popcorn is guaranteed to be fresh and they want you and your recipient to be satisfied. If you're not, the company provides their email address and a chat option for you to contact them and they will rectify the issue.
Unimpressive customer reviews
The Better Business Bureau gives The Popcorn Factory an "A+" rating, which is great. At surface level, this company seems like a solid choice. However, we found more disgruntled reports from customers than we expected to. People have had issues with deliveries showing up late, customer service mixing up orders, and out-of-stock items being substituted without giving the customer a heads up. Whenever we see a company with a lot of sister brands, we do wonder if their customer service is able to keep up and it seems like that could be a problem here.
Not our go-to
The Popcorn Factory seems like a decent option for giving popcorn as a gift, aside from the issues that some customers have had. Their options are limitless for packaging and sizes here, so you can make it work for any event. Their flavors aren't exceptionally extensive and this isn't a company that's trying to cater to people just wanting to order fun popcorn for themselves. So, it's best for when you need to come up with a gift for someone else. Overall we feel like The Popcorn Factory could be a good place to buy from every so often, but it isn't our go-to place for popcorn.
Topsy's is headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri. They originally went by "Patsy's" when they started at a local country club, until they were purchased in 1948 and renamed as Topsy's. Today, Topsy's International Inc. comprises 12 franchised popcorn and ice cream shops throughout Kansas City and other nearby areas. Their shops in the Kansas City area bring in two to three times the sales that a normal popcorn shop does and they rank as one of the top 2 U.S. retailers in Christmas tin gift sales.
Choose your tin and flavor
When you start exploring options from Topsy's, you can first choose from 1, 2, 3.5, or 6.5 gallon tins, popcorn treats boxes, and sports tins (and Topsy's donates $5 to Children's Mercy Hospital on some of its popcorn sales). The full list of flavors includes butter, cheese, caramel, cinnamon, caramel & peanuts, caramel & pecan, peppermint crunch, chocolate caramel, kettle corn, and cinnamon white chocolate.
Nutrition facts given for some flavors
A simple nutrition chart is available to view on Topsy's website along with the ingredients of the flavors, but the only ones shown are butter, caramel, cheese, and cinnamon, so this is only somewhat helpful.
Basic holiday designs
When you select a size you want, you'll see the designs available to you. For us, some had just a Christmas scene and a Valentine's Day design. Others have more choices like a Happy Birthday wrap, different Christmas designs, the Topsy's logo, and of course some Kansas City designs. On bigger tins, you can either choose a single popcorn flavor or have up to 3 of your favorites.
Optional gift message
The third thing you'll do before checking out is to add the recipient information for your popcorn gift. You'll add their shipping address, who the gift is from, an optional greeting, choose your shipping method, and decide on a shipping date. The whole process is extremely straightforward. There aren't too many choices of anything, so it makes shopping here pretty easy.
Reasonable popcorn prices, expensive shipping
Shipping starts at $12.95 for ground and goes up to $48.50 for 2-day delivery. Considering that 1 gallon tubs here start at $15.95, shipping could almost be equal to your total order. You'll spend as much as $63.95 on a single tin of popcorn in a 6.5 gallon tin, so popcorn prices alone are actually quite reasonable.
Refunds within 30 days of return
If you need to return something from Topsy's within 30 days of delivery, you can contact their customer service department by email. Once the returned product has arrived at their facility, they will process a refund. We don't see return policies like this very often from stores that sell perishable foods, so we appreciate that Topsy's gives this option to customers.
Mixed customer reviews
Topsy's has an "A+" rating from the Better Business Bureau. There are no customer reviews on their own website, but we did find some ratings on third-party sites that were mediocre. Many of the people who leave feedback about Topsy's popcorn are those who visit their Kansas store. Some say that their customer service representatives are rude and that the quality has gone downhill over the years. Others feel like the popcorn is stale and they are disappointed in the quality. We found a good amount of people who really like Topsy's, but reports are mixed.
Can't compete
From Topsy's, you'll get all the classic flavors, but nothing that you've never tried or thought of before. If you're looking for an adventurous kick for your palate, that's not what Topsy's is going for. They don't have a huge range of packaging options for gifting either, so this company just doesn't hold a candle to some of the other popcorn shops we have reviewed. Topsy's is a decent option, but isn't earning a high recommendation from us.
Weak
Gourmet Gift Baskets was founded in 2002 with the desire to provide a place people could turn for exceptional gifts to celebrate life's special occasions. The company began in the basement of a flower shop and then exploded into a multi-million dollar company that has been recognized by big names like Inc. 500, Internet Retailer, Enterprise Bank, and more. Some best-selling gift baskets here include bakery treat thank-you gifts, a holiday meat and cheese tower, an Orchard's Abundance fruit basket, champagne and truffles, dried fruit and nuts, artisan meat and cheese platters, and so many others. Customers can search for gift baskets by upcoming holiday, special occasion, corporate gifts, or life events.
Simple popcorn selection
There is a whole category of popcorn gift baskets that come in packaging decorated for the upcoming holiday or for military recognition. In total there are 28 choices, but this not only includes the packaging variety but also different popcorn flavors as well. You'll find caramel, white chocolate caramel, cheesy cheddar, black truffle and sea salt cracked pepper, and kettle corn flavors here, which isn't a very diverse variety compared to what we've seen elsewhere.
Price is in the packaging
The prices for gourmet popcorn gift baskets range from $24.99 for a holiday caramel popcorn gift (1 gallon) to $89.99 for a 3.5 gallon chocolate drizzled popcorn tin. With each purchase you can add a customized greeting card for $4.99 or a standard card for free. It seems like for the amount of popcorn you're getting, and the boring (sorry not sorry) range of flavors offered, most of the cost from Gourmet Gift Baskets is going toward their packaging. We found other companies that offered holiday packaging that had a better variety, so this just seems like an expensive option. If you sign up for their email list, you can get 20% off of a gift basket, so if you're going to shop here, at least take advantage of that.
Slow delivery, expensive shipping
Where the cost at Gourmet Gift Baskets can fluctuate a lot is with shipping. For us, the soonest the popcorn we chose could be delivered was 9 days from the day we were shopping. However, this required us to pay a $24.99 shipping fee. Delivery for the following day was $18.99, then $14.99 the next day, $18.99 the day after, and so on. You'll be shown a calendar with a cost associated with each date so you can see how much you might pay based on when you want your gift to arrive. If we were willing to wait 15 days for a delivery, then we could get standard shipping, which is between $10.99 and $26.99 depending on the order total. The more you order, the pricier shipping will be. Overall, their shipping costs are not straightforward and no matter what route you take, it will be pretty expensive and slow.
15-day return policy
This may not always be the case, but while we were shopping on the Gourmet Gift Basket website, we noticed that tons of their pages had broken links. We'd click on a popcorn gift basket to learn more about it and get an error message that the page was temporarily unavailable. This was the case with their return policy and some of their other company pages as well. Luckily we were able to search their return policy somewhere else and find that shelf-stable items could be returned within 15 days of delivery for an in-store credit, less shipping costs. If you want to return a perishable item for a refund, they will give you a 20% discount on a replacement order to try something else.
Dissatisfied customers
The Better Business Bureau gives Gourmet Gift Baskets an "A+" rating. However, like us, many customers were annoyed with their expensive shipping and we read a lot of reports from people who said food arrived stale, baskets were delivered to the wrong address, products in gift baskets that are nothing like the photo shown online, and other issues. From what we found, many customers are dissatisfied with the results of shopping here.
A last resort
Gourmet Gift Baskets has so many options for yummy gifts to send a loved one, but there isn't a particular type of food that is necessarily their specialty. Although they do have popcorn gift baskets, the flavors here won't be anything out of the ordinary. If you're looking for a diverse range of flavors, a popcorn subscription, or a lot of popcorn for a good price, Gourmet Gift Baskets isn't your store. Shipping is expensive and we were frustrated by how many issues they had on their website, so this is one of the last places we will return to when shopping for popcorn online.
Continued from above...
Popcorn has been a popular snack dating back to ancient civilizations, possibly even as early as 4700 BCE. Indigenous tribes like the Incas and Aztecs believed that the popping sound represented the spirits of their ancestors being released, so it was used in religious ceremonies, for decorating, and in their food.
If you're ready to try popcorn outside of your usual homemade flavors, there are quite a few specialty shops that will excite your palate. It's fun to test out new companies for your own enjoyment or even to find presents for loved ones. Popcorn makes a great gift for birthdays or around the holidays, so if you're hard pressed for ideas, this is a good one to try out.
The first popcorn popping machine was invented in the 1890s, making it a food that could more easily be enjoyed by people everywhere. Over time, we've even found other ways to use popcorn besides eating it plain - like making a Christmas tree garland out of it or adding it to other dishes.
Popcorn is also a snack that you should feel no guilt about adding to your regular diet, since it is high in fiber, low in calories, and contains antioxidants that can help with blood circulation, digestion, and even reduces the risk of some diseases. Aside from the occasional butter bath at the movie theater, popcorn by itself is actually quite healthy.
Another reason people crave popcorn and use it as a side at gatherings or give it as gifts is because it is so versatile. It can be sweet or salty and completely transformed by other flavors like dill, caramel, peanut butter, peppermint, ranch, spicy jalapeño, zesty cheddar, and so much more. There is probably a type of popcorn made out of just about any flavor you can imagine. Sometimes it's mixed with other ingredients or just flavored with powders or special sauces to give it a powerful and unique flavor.
Some popcorn companies offer regular deliveries in the form of subscriptions or one-time purchases of their products. They usually prioritize fresh, high-quality ingredients and if you're getting subscription deliveries, you'll get a well-rounded experience by getting to try all sorts of different flavors. Here are a few things to keep in mind when looking at different popcorn companies:
The experts at Top Consumer Reviews have researched the best companies that sell some of the most unique, gourmet popcorn you can get your hands on. We hope you'll find a company you're excited about and can enjoy fun new popcorn flavors all year round!
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