# How many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie pop? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 11, 2017, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-licks-does-it-take-to-get-to-the-center-of-a-tootsie-pop/798586 "2017-10-11T18:31:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![JJOHNSON](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/858c86/32.png) [@JJOHNSON](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JJOHNSON)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2017, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-licks-does-it-take-to-get-to-the-center-of-a-tootsie-pop/798586/1 "2017-10-11T18:31:18Z")
More than 1000 licks? ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2017, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-licks-does-it-take-to-get-to-the-center-of-a-tootsie-pop/798586/2 "2017-10-11T18:35:27Z")
Since this will vary depending on the individual, let’s move it to IMHO. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2017, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-licks-does-it-take-to-get-to-the-center-of-a-tootsie-pop/798586/3 "2017-10-11T18:40:55Z")
Of _course_ somebody has [done the research](http://www.tootsie.com/howmanylick-experiments)! Side note–customized. licking. machine. ---
**Author:** ![vtxrider](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d26b3c/32.png) [@vtxrider](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vtxrider)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2017, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-licks-does-it-take-to-get-to-the-center-of-a-tootsie-pop/798586/4 "2017-10-11T18:41:22Z")
The commercial came up with 3. I myself am somewhere between 1 and 3 (I might lick Chocolate 4 or even 5 times). ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2017, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-licks-does-it-take-to-get-to-the-center-of-a-tootsie-pop/798586/5 "2017-10-11T18:41:55Z")
Can we call you Ray, or Jay, or Johnny? Or do we have to call you Johnson? ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2017, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-licks-does-it-take-to-get-to-the-center-of-a-tootsie-pop/798586/6 "2017-10-11T18:48:32Z")
Mr. Owl says Ah-three. I won’t argue with Mr. Owl. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2017, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-licks-does-it-take-to-get-to-the-center-of-a-tootsie-pop/798586/7 "2017-10-11T19:22:24Z")
The last time I measured it, I came up with 243 licks before I started tasting chocolate. That was all licks on the same side of the pop, with no action of teeth (or beak) whatsoever. ---
**Author:** ![Aufgeblassen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aufgeblassen/32/7321_2.png) [@Aufgeblassen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aufgeblassen)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2017, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-licks-does-it-take-to-get-to-the-center-of-a-tootsie-pop/798586/8 "2017-10-11T19:25:05Z")
47 ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2017, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-licks-does-it-take-to-get-to-the-center-of-a-tootsie-pop/798586/9 "2017-10-11T19:43:54Z")
> [@Aufgeblassen](#): > > 47 The correct answer is 42. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Sigene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df788c/32.png) [@Sigene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigene)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2017, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-licks-does-it-take-to-get-to-the-center-of-a-tootsie-pop/798586/10 "2017-10-11T20:20:29Z")
When I did it in 1975 it was 444. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2017, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-licks-does-it-take-to-get-to-the-center-of-a-tootsie-pop/798586/11 "2017-10-11T20:25:29Z")
How many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie pop? The world may never know. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2017, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-licks-does-it-take-to-get-to-the-center-of-a-tootsie-pop/798586/12 "2017-10-11T20:28:34Z")
The Beast needs 666. ---
**Author:** ![JJOHNSON](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/858c86/32.png) [@JJOHNSON](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JJOHNSON)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2017, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-licks-does-it-take-to-get-to-the-center-of-a-tootsie-pop/798586/13 "2017-10-11T21:00:25Z")
Bullitt you are correct. “How many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie pop?” The world will never know. ---
**Author:** ![P-man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/p-man/32/3606_2.png) [@P-man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/P-man)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2017, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-licks-does-it-take-to-get-to-the-center-of-a-tootsie-pop/798586/14 "2017-10-11T22:41:37Z")
Depends on the tongue doing the licking. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2017, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-licks-does-it-take-to-get-to-the-center-of-a-tootsie-pop/798586/15 "2017-10-11T22:57:07Z")
When I was a kid, I kept track with tally marks on paper. It was repeated licking of the same spot. It was a little over 300 to expose Tootsie Roll. I tried sucking to see it there was a number that exposed the whole tootsie center, but the stem got weak and fell apart. It was over 200. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2017, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-licks-does-it-take-to-get-to-the-center-of-a-tootsie-pop/798586/16 "2017-10-12T02:03:32Z")
> [@P-man](#): > > Depends on the tongue doing the licking. If I meet the woman who can do it in under 100 I’ll marry her. Wait — I think I did marry her! :eek: 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2017, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-licks-does-it-take-to-get-to-the-center-of-a-tootsie-pop/798586/17 "2017-10-12T02:11:32Z")
1, 2, 3, **CHOMP** There you go. ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2017, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-licks-does-it-take-to-get-to-the-center-of-a-tootsie-pop/798586/18 "2017-10-12T05:13:13Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > 1, 2, 3, **CHOMP** > > There you go. You are a wise owl, you are. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2017, 9:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-licks-does-it-take-to-get-to-the-center-of-a-tootsie-pop/798586/19 "2017-10-12T09:03:29Z")
Lick? I always suck on them enough to make the question irrelevant. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2017, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-licks-does-it-take-to-get-to-the-center-of-a-tootsie-pop/798586/20 "2017-10-12T19:24:31Z")
> [@P-man](#): > > Depends on the tongue doing the licking. Yeah, I hear Gene Simmons did it in 23. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-many-licks-does-it-take-to-get-to-the-center-of-a-tootsie-pop/798586.md?page=2)