‘Pop’ in for National Popcorn Day in the QCA!

Whether you’re enjoying it while watching a movie or simply having and afternoon snack, there’s no denying that popcorn tops most people’s lists of favorite fun foods.

Whether salted, buttered or plain or in varieties like caramel, kettle or cheese, popcorn is so popular that January 19 is National Popcorn Day! Here are some delicious details to make the day even sweeter:

Regal Theatres is offering 50% off the price of most of its popcorn for National Popcorn Day. Regal Moline is located at 4100 38th St., Moline.

Cinemark is offering 50% the price on a large popcorn for National Popcorn Day, along with giveaways on its website here. Cinemark Davenport 18 and IMAX is located at 3601 E. 53rd St., Davenport.

In a recent Fandango consumer survey of more than 2,500 U.S. moviegoers, 81% said that theater refreshments are important to the moviegoing experience and 83% agreed that movie theater popcorn just tastes better. 66% of those surveyed said they order large or extra-large sizes of popcorn, while nearly half said they enjoy mixing their popcorn with candy at the movies.

Boom Broadcast & Media Relations

🍿 Aztecs used popcorn to decorate their clothes, create ceremonial embellishments, and also for nourishment.

🍿Native Americans have also been found to consume and utilize popcorn in their day to day lives.

🍿 In a cave in Utah, thought to be inhabited by Pueblo Native Americans, popcorn has been found that dates back to over 1,000 years ago.

🍿 French explorers who traveled to the new world discovered popcorn being made by the Iroquois Natives in the Great Lakes region.

🍿 As colonists moved around North America, and as the USA came to be, many people adopted popcorn as a popular and healthy snack.

National Today

🍿 According to NationalToday.com, many movie theaters in the 1920’s refused to sell popcorn because they believed it is too messy.

The National Today data science team surveyed 1,000 people about popcorn-eating traditions, and here are their finds:

🍿 Over 92% of Americans like popcorn.

🍿 Of those surveyed, 40.82% like their popcorn sweet, 37.76% like it savory and 21.43% of them prefer popcorn plain.

🍿 Orville Redenbacher was the preferred brand with 53%, followed by Pop Secret at 42% and Act II at 34%.

By the numbers:

🍿 3 – the number of feet that a single popped corn can fly when popping.

🍿 13.5% — the percentage of moisture content in popcorn.

🍿 31 — the number of calories in a cup of popcorn.

🍿 70% — the percentage of popcorn eaten at home.

🍿 90% — the percentage of unpopped popcorn sales.

🍿 400°F — the ideal temperature for popping popcorn.

🍿 1885 — the year when the first commercial popcorn machine was invented by Charles Cretors.

🍿 5,000 — the number of years popcorn has been in existence.

🍿 250 million — the number of pounds of popcorn produced in Nebraska every year.

🍿 15 billion quarts — the amount of popcorn consumed by Americans annually.

National Today

What’s your favorite way to eat popcorn, and how will you be celebrating National Popcorn Day?