The History of Popcorn: From Ancient Origins to Movie Night Staple

Popcorn has been around far longer than the microwave — or the movies. This humble snack has a rich, surprising story that begins thousands of years ago in the Americas.

Let’s pop back in time and explore how popcorn went from ancient rituals to worldwide domination.

Popcorn's Ancient Beginnings

Popcorn didn’t start with butter and a movie screen. Long before concession stands, ancient cultures across the Americas were cultivating popcorn’s wild ancestor: a grass called teosinte.

Unlike modern corn, teosinte grew in tiny ears with only a handful of hard-coated kernels. Over generations, early farmers selected plants that produced larger, more poppable ears—eventually giving rise to the modern popcorn varieties we know today.

But how early civilizations figured out that these little kernels would explode into something crunchy and edible? That’s still up for debate among archaeologists and food historians.

What we do know is this: popcorn is old. Really old.

Archaeological Popcorn: 5,000 Years and Still Crunchy

Some of the earliest physical evidence of popcorn was found in bat-filled caves in New Mexico. In the late 1940s, archaeologists unearthed tiny ears of corn, some dating back more than 5,000 years. That makes popcorn one of the oldest snack foods in human history.

Further south, tombs in Peru held popcorn that was nearly 1,000 years old, and remarkably, some of those kernels still popped. (Seriously!)

In southwestern Utah, a single, popped kernel was discovered in a dry cave once inhabited by ancestors of the Pueblo Indians. That little puff was over 1,000 years old.

A Sacred Snack in Pre-Columbian America

Popcorn hasn't always been just food. In pre-Columbian times, Indigenous peoples across Central and South America used popcorn in religious rituals.

The Aztecs used popcorn in ways that went far beyond snacking. Scientists have found evidence that it was worn: woven into ceremonial headdresses, necklaces, and clothing, as well as eaten.

Some early preparations may even have been mixing popcorn with honey or nuts. It's not too different from today’s kettle corn!

Popcorn and the First Thanksgiving?

When European settlers arrived in North America, they found that Indigenous peoples had been growing and enjoying popcorn for centuries. Some accounts suggest that popcorn may have been offered at early Thanksgiving feasts, though whether it appeared on the actual table remains unconfirmed.

Either way, by the 1700s and 1800s, colonists had adopted popcorn as a home snack, popped in pans on the stovetop and occasionally sweetened with molasses.

Popcorn Heats Up in the 1800s

By the 1800s, popcorn was showing up at fairs and circuses, on farms and inside home kitchens. People popped it in wire baskets over stoves and sometimes added butter or sugar.

As popcorn grew in popularity, inventors saw opportunity. In 1885, Charles Cretors of Chicago patented the first steam-powered popcorn machine—a mobile cart that let vendors sell hot, freshly popped corn on the street.

That signature buttery smell that filled the air and drew crowds of buyers? It started with Cretors’ wagons.

The Great Depression and Popcorn’s Movie Moment

During the 1930s, theater owners were hesitant to bring popcorn indoors. It was seen as messy and too lowbrow for the elegance of early cinemas.

But the Great Depression forced a shift as Americans clamored for an affordable treat. At the time, popcorn sold for only 5 or 10 cents a bag and was favored by Americans struggling in the economy. Vendors began selling it outside movie theaters, doing brisk business. Eventually, theaters gave in and added popcorn machines inside.

The result was that popcorn became a fixture of movie going and still is to this day.

Popcorn During Wartime

During World War II, sugar was rationed across the U.S., making sweets like candy and soda hard to come by. But American farmers were growing popcorn that was cheap and plentiful, and best of all, didn't need sugar to be turned into a snack.

Americans turned to popcorn in droves. According to the national trade group The Popcorn Board, U.S. popcorn consumption tripled during the war years. It became a symbol of resourcefulness and comfort on the home front, showing up in lunchboxes, movie theaters and living rooms alike.

By the time the war ended, popcorn had cemented its place as a beloved American staple.

The Microwave Popcorn Boom

The 1980s brought another popcorn revolution: microwave bags. Suddenly, popping corn didn’t require a pan or a popcorn cart. Sales exploded as popcorn became a fast, everyday snack.

Today, options range from organic and heirloom kernels to flavored bags, air-popped versions, and gourmet seasonings.

Popcorn Around the World

While the U.S. still leads in popcorn consumption, the rest of the world is catching on. And many of these countries are putting their own culinary spin on popcorn:

• India: Street vendors sell salted and spiced varieties, such as garam masala - a blend that includes cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, coriander, black pepper and mace.
• Japan: Soy sauce and matcha flavors.
• South Korea: Sweet movie popcorn flavors - and we've even seen folks talking about Hot Chicken Spicy Popcorn, which blends powdered chicken seasoning, garlic, onions, paprika, chili peppers, chili oil, and soy sauce.
• Mexico: Spicy and sweet blends, with chili powder, cumin, cayenne and lime zest.
• Colombia: Cheesy popcorn, as well as bowls of roasted leafcutter ants (very crunchy!)

From sacred ceremonies to movie screens, popcorn has had a fascinating journey. Whether you enjoy it salty, sweet or spiced, this ancient snack continues to pop up everywhere.

Trivia: Why Does Popcorn Pop?

Popcorn kernels contain a small amount of moisture sealed inside a hard outer shell (called a pericarp).

When heated, the moisture turns to steam, pressure builds, and the kernel explodes—flipping inside out into a fluffy puff. That’s what makes popcorn different from other corn varieties.

FAQ: Popcorn Through the Ages (Timeline)

• 4700 BCE – Popcorn used in Peru
• 1500s BCE – Aztec popcorn rituals and adornments
• 1000s CE – Popped kernel found in Utah cave
• 1885 – Steam-powered popcorn machine invented
• 1930s – Popcorn enters movie theaters
• 1940s – Popcorn booms during wartime rationing
• 1980s – Microwave popcorn hits store shelves
• 2020s – Global popcorn flavors take off

Fun Popcorn Facts (Did You Know...?)

• Americans eat 15 billion quarts of popcorn every year
• Nebraska grows the most popcorn of any U.S. state
• Popcorn kernels can pop up to 3 feet in the air
• Popcorn is a whole grain—and naturally gluten-free
• The world’s largest popcorn ball weighed over 9,000 pounds

Final Pop

From sacred offerings to street carts, from bat caves to movie nights, popcorn has earned its place as one of the world’s most beloved snacks. Whether you like it salty, sweet, spiced, cheesy or all of the above, popcorn’s story is still unfolding.

Ready to Learn More?

Explore the rest of our Popcorn 101 series for fun facts, nutrition tips, and behind-the-scenes popping science.

Or shop our bestselling Movie Theater Popcorn Kits and bring the buttery magic home.

Photo and Imagery Credits:

1. Drawing of teosinte and modern corn in comparison. Credit: Nicolle Rager Fuller, National Science Foundation.
2. Ancient popcorn kernels discovered in Peru, dating to 4,700 BCE. Photo courtesy of the University of Illinois/Popcorn Board via Popcorn.org. Used with permission or under educational fair use.
3. Aztec ceremonial dancers, Florentine Codex, Book X. Illustrated by Indigenous scribes under Bernardino de Sahagún, late 16th century. Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
4. Sioux Native Americans holding corn, 1918, USDA National Agricultural Library.
5. Restored Cretors popcorn wagon, circa 1900. Photo by Steve Shook, via Wikimedia Commons. Licensed under CC BY 2.0.
6. Dell Cove Spice Movie Theater style popcorn. Photo by Dell Cove Spices and More Co.
7. Vintage movie theater snack bar (Abilene, TX, circa 1955). Public domain photograph courtesy of Hardin‑Simmons University Library, via The Portal to Texas History.