A Brief History Of Popcorn

When you think of classic American snacks, popcorn is probably right at the top of the list. It’s one of those foods that feels timeless—something you grab during a movie, at a fair, or just while lounging on the couch. But popcorn’s story in the U.S. is actually pretty fascinating. Long before it became a staple in theaters and microwave bags, Indigenous peoples across the Americas were popping corn over open flames and using it in everything from food to decoration. So yeah, popcorn has some serious roots.

Fast forward to the late 1800s, and popcorn really started pop'n off (pun intended). Thanks to a guy named Charles Cretors, who invented a steam-powered popcorn machine, it became a go-to snack at circuses, parks, and city streets. It was cheap, easy to make, and super tasty—what’s not to love? Even during the Great Depression, when money was tight, popcorn was still affordable enough to be a comfort food for millions of Americans. It basically became the snack that never let people down.

And of course, we can’t talk about popcorn without mentioning movie theaters. That buttery smell is practically part of the cinema experience now, but it wasn’t always that way. Early theater owners actually didn’t want food inside, thinking it would make the experience feel less classy. But once they saw how much money popcorn brought in—especially during World War II when candy was harder to get—they changed their minds fast. Today, whether you like it sweet, salty, or drowned in butter, popcorn is still holding strong as one of America's all-time favorite snacks.