The best is almost always full size candy bars, though everyone’s personal favorites are different.
As for the worst, people might rag on the orange and black peanut butter things, candy corn, or circus peanuts. I personally like them all and I feel most of the hate is memetic.
The real bad candy? Peppermints. Even worse and strange? Peppermint candy canes.
Sure, I like them in December, but seeing those mixed in with other candy is an insult and reminds you of Christmas creep. It’s a breath mint. There might be one freakish kid who likes those hard minty disks of Christmas flavor around Halloween, but really, no one is excited about these restaurant give aways. Even hating on the candy you don’t like is part of the Halloween experience, but peppermint just feels wrong in a trick or treat bag.
My MIL used to work for a dentist. One year he encouraged? required? the employees to hand out toothbrushes on Halloween. My hubby begged his mom not to do it, to just fib and tell her boss she had. But… she went through with it. They got egged that night & their pumpkin was smashed. She fucked around and found out.
Worst: Those peanut butter chews wrapped in orange or black that have a weird soft but chunky feel that reminds me of something half digested. Anything healthy. Anything not candy (stickers, pencils, etc).
I think they are actually molasses flavoured toffee if it’s the ones I’m thinking of. Always left to the very last, only to be consumed in the more dire of candy draughts
If the reaction of the kids who come to my door is any indication the best is ring pops. You can sometimes hear kids shouting to other ones down the street “hey, this place has ring pops!”
Worst: those molasses toffees with the orange/white/black wrapper