Top 7 Chicago-Style Popcorn Brands on Amazon, Ranked

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Whether you’re from the Windy City or not, you’ve probably heard of Chicago deep dish pizza and Chicago-style hot dogs. However, the city is also known for its legendary popcorn, and oh man, it is a crave-worthy snack. Or wait, is it a treat? Actually, it’s both, and that’s one of the reasons people have been seeking it out from all corners of the United States for decades. Made with a mix of caramel and cheese popcorn, it’s the ideal blend of sweet, salty, and savory. Basically, it has it all.

If you can’t visit one of the iconic popcorn shops that grace the streets of the Windy City in person, Amazon can help you get a taste of the good stuff from wherever you happen to be. The site offers several reputable options, too — but if you’re like me, you probably want to know which ones are the best. I mean, you can’t always rely on Amazon reviews, and you don’t want to waste your money on a dud, right?

In an effort to find which Chicago-style popcorn options on Amazon truly stand out from the competition, I taste-tested seven top-rated brands and ranked them from worst to best. I’ll go more in-depth on my methodology at the end, but for now, I’m sure anyone in the know is wondering: Will Garrett Popcorn, the brand that started it all, hold the crown, or has its legacy been surpassed by an up-and-coming brand? Let’s find out!

Angie’s Boom Chicka Pop must be doing something right, because you can find it in tons of stores. However, when it comes to Chicago-style popcorn — you know that perfect mix of caramel and cheese-flavored kernels — the brand didn’t have what it takes to score higher than last place in my ranking. For starters, the brand isn’t Chicago-born, it is originally from Minnesota. Even so, this ranking is about the “style” of popcorn, and Angie’s definitely makes a mix with cheddar and cheese — it just isn’t nearly as good as the other products available on Amazon.

Angie’s Boom Chicka Pop Caramel & Cheddar Popcorn Mix is just okay. It’s far from bad, but the flavors are significantly muted. Upon first taste, I detected a nice buttery flavor, but the cheese popcorn in particular simply wasn’t very cheesy. Actually, there wasn’t much cheese to speak of at all. Sad, but true. The caramel-coated kernels had a pleasing, rich flavor and a touch of crunch from the candy-like coating, so they were yummier than the cheese ones. However, overall, the product was simply bland compared to the brands we will discuss coming up. Some of you aren’t going to like this, but I think it would taste better if you sprinkled some boxed mac and cheese powder over the top.

Signature Popcorn is a family-owned business with roots in Illinois, although it now operates from Florida. Regardless, it’s born and bred in the right part of the nation to know a thing or two about Chicago-style popcorn. Just by looking at it, I could tell it was going to be much tastier than the lowest-ranking brand, Angie’s Boom Chicka Pop, because the cheese popcorn had the bright orange color of a real cheddar cheese. The caramel kernels looked darker as well, indicating a richer flavor.

After my first taste of Signature Popcorn’s Perfect Duo, I knew my predictions were spot-on. The cheese was cheesing, and the caramel was as it should be, sweet and rich. Neither flavor was over the top, but the proper taste was achieved. No complaints on the texture of these kernels, either. Even so, a lack of complaints doesn’t always equate to a top-ranking position. Does Signature Popcorn hit the mark? Yes, but it didn’t blow me away. It certainly looked the part, but I prefer way more flavor, and that’s something the upcoming picks provided. Moving on …

G.H. Cretors has been making handcrafted small-batch popcorn for more than 130 years, that’s five generations of experience — wow! It’s one thing for a company to boast longevity like this, but it’s another for it to live up to the expectations that come along with it. Fortunately for us, this is one of those cases where it does.

I tried G.H. Cretors Cheese & Caramel Mix and instantly fell in love with the caramel-flavored kernels in particular. Compared to the Boom Chicka Pop, which I just so happened to taste first, the caramel was infinitely richer and it had a really nice crunch thanks to the delicious caramel coating. The cheese popcorn was yummy, and the kernels were appropriately soft as well. All in all, the Cheese & Caramel Mix is a crave-worthy snack, and its mass appeal is not lost on me. All this being said, though, it turned out I didn’t really know how good Chicago-style popcorn could be just yet. What I learned as I continued tasting is that G.H. Cretors is good, some might even say great, but the popcorn on this list only gets better from here.

Coming in fourth place is Pop’N Popcorn, or should I say JD’s Snack Factory? I’m still not sure, but whatever we call it, it’s tasty Chicago-style popcorn. The discrepancy behind the name comes from me ordering Pop’N Popcorn from Amazon and receiving JD’s Snack Factory popcorn. However, after some research, I believe Pop’N Popcorn is just a generic Amazon branding name, JD’s has an online presence outside of Amazon. Regardless, the bag of popcorn that arrived at my front door had all the hallmarks of a delicious Chicago-style popcorn, even though it is from Pennsylvania.

There was something about the flavor of this popcorn that instantly reminded me of going to the county fair as a kid. The cheese tasted like nostalgia, and I couldn’t help but lick my fingers after gobbling a few pieces up. In addition, the caramel flavor was eerily similar to cotton candy — so yeah, it was yummy. However, it lacked the complexity of flavor that the higher-ranking picks pulled off. Was it sweet and sugary? Absolutely, but the depth achieved by a premium caramel was lacking. Still, I really enjoyed this popcorn, just not quite enough for it to breach the top three.

The first brand to earn a coveted top-three spot on my list is Pops Corn, and let me tell you: It’s nothing short of drool-worthy. Pops Corn is a family-owned business, and it’s almost like you can taste the care and attention that stems from this. I don’t even mind that it is an Indiana company; it gives some of the classic Chicago popcorn brands a run for their money.

Pops Corn comes in a big tin, and one look at it and I was instantly transported back to childhood holidays. If you know, you know. Aside from giving me the feels, Pops Corn Caramel & Cheese Mix looks fantastic, and I’m not just talking about the packaging and quantity. The cheese popcorn was bright orange, and the caramel was a rich shade of brown, so before I even tasted Pops Corn things were looking good for the brand. Thankfully, the flavor lived up to the aesthetic appeal. There was plenty of cheese and caramel, so much so that some of the caramel kernels were sticking together. Plus, the caramel flavor was so rich that you’d almost confuse it for butterscotch. As a whole, the mix is deliciously sweet, salty, crunchy, and soft — yes, please!

Just so you know, I really struggled ranking my top three. Each brand that made it this far is freaking fantastic, so don’t get it twisted. Purchasing any one of the top three will make your taste buds ecstatic.

Garrett Popcorn is the brand credited with initiating the Chicago-style popcorn trend. It got its start way back in 1949, and it’s one of the companies that actually has popcorn shops in the Windy City. It didn’t start serving a mix of cheese and caramel popcorn until 1977, but there’s no denying it helped define Chicago-style popcorn. After tasting seven popular brands, I’m happy to inform you that its long-standing success is anything but hype — this popcorn was phenomenal.

I sampled Garrett Popcorn’s Garrett Mix, which consists of the brand’s world-famous cheddar and caramel popcorns, and it didn’t disappoint. Both flavors were rich and potent, just how they should be. The cheese popcorn blew most of the lower-ranking picks out of the water, and you know what? So did the caramel. It is a touch saltier, and the caramel flavor has a satisfying depth that kept me coming back for more. After a few bites of this delicious blend, it was easy to see why Garrett Popcorn is not only a Chicago tradition but remains wildly popular to this day.

Garrett Popcorn may not have clinched the first-place spot on my list, but it is a force to be reckoned with. If you’ve never had the pleasure of munching on some of the iconic popcorn, do yourself a favor and order some. You won’t regret it.

The absolute best Chicago-style popcorn brand available on Amazon is … Argires Snacks! Just one bite of the brand’s delicious popcorn and I was sold for life. No, really. It was hands-down the tastiest popcorn I tried, maybe ever. Plus, the texture gave my mouth all the feels. It’s basically a master class on what flavored popcorn could and should be.

Argires Snacks Popcorn may come in a plastic bag or container (depending on the size), but it tastes like it came fresh from being popped. I don’t know how Argires pulled it off, but I wish they would show everyone else how it’s done. As for flavor, both the cheddar and caramel kernels were second-to-none. The caramel has it all. It’s rich, salty, sweet, and complex — delish! And the cheddar cheese? It will bowl you over with savory, cheesy goodness. The cheese flavoring has become part of the popcorn, too, so while some of it sticks to your fingertips, most of it stays put. I’m in love.

In addition to the classic cheddar and caramel mix of flavors, Argires Snacks makes a spicy cheese flavor, and it further cemented my newfound obsessions with the brand. You can purchase it separately or mixed in with the caramel and cheddar — either way, it’s enough to make anyone who likes a bit of heat swoon. Seriously, though, no matter what flavor of popcorn you prefer, Argires makes the best around. Get some!

As far as snacks go, popcorn has somewhat of a cult following, and I’m definitely a member of the club. It’s salty, crunchy, light, and, of course, delicious, so tasting and ranking Chicago-style popcorn brands available on Amazon was nothing short of a treat for me. Full disclosure: I didn’t actually order all the products from Amazon; Signature Popcorn, Pops Corn, and Argires were all generous enough to send me samples. Even so, I ranked each brand based on its popcorn and made sure not to let any free samples sway my opinion.

Each of the seven brands of popcorn I tried had redeeming qualities, and none of them were bad. Still, some products had way more flavor than others. The most potent and rich-tasting products quickly earned a top spot on my list. After all, we want to taste the cheddar cheese and caramel, right? In addition to the potency of flavor, I also considered texture. Brands with the softest, fluffiest cheese kernels and slightly crispy caramel ones took the lead. In the end, for me, the only winner could be Argires. It far exceeded my expectations.