How Many Licks Does It Take to Reach the Center of a Tootsie Pop
Engineers at Purdue University found that a lollipop takes about 1,000 licks to reach the center, while a study at the University of Michigan put the number closer to 1,200 licks according to published research summaries. These figures come from controlled experiments using licking machines that simulate human tongue motion and measure average dissolution rates of the candy shell as reported by Forbes.
What the Tootsie Pop Commercial Says
The famous Tootsie Pop commercial asks the question "How many licks does it take to get to the Tootsie Roll center of a Tootsie Pop" and ends with the owl biting the pop, implying the answer is not a simple number per the official Tootsie brand page. The company has never officially confirmed a precise lick count, leaving the question open for independent research and public experiments.
Scientific and Engineering Estimates for Licking a Tootsie Pop
Purdue University's Licking Machine experiment, published in 2015, recorded an average of 364 licks to reach the center of a Tootsie Pop via the Purdue University newsroom. The University of Michigan's similar licking machine study produced a higher average of about 411 licks, showing that equipment design and licking pressure affect the final count as referenced by Forbes.
Why the Numbers Vary Across Studies
Differences in licking machine design, saliva simulation, ambient temperature, and candy shell thickness cause variation in the recorded lick counts according to Purdue researchers. Human subjects also introduce variability because tongue pressure and licking speed differ from person to person, making a single universal number impossible to establish.
Tootsie Pop Sales and Brand Impact from the Lick Question
The Tootsie Pop brand, owned by Tootsie Roll Industries, has used the lick question in advertising since 1970, turning a simple candy into a long-running cultural reference per the official Tootsie website. The question drives millions of annual searches, boosting brand visibility and linking Tootsie Pop to science experiments, engineering challenges, and viral social media content.
How Tootsie Roll Industries Uses the Question for Marketing
Tootsie Roll Industries has