Dots® are gumdrop candies manufactured by Tootsie Roll Industries, a large American candy company which produces a broad assortment of candies. Many people consider Dots® to be an old-fashioned candy, since they have been around since the 1940s, and some people have fond memories of eating them in their youth. Dots® come in a number of packaging options, ranging from small boxes of mini-Dots® for Halloween to large movie theater boxes of traditional Dots®, and most candy stores and large markets carry Dots®.

This candy was first released in 1945 by the Mason Company. Dots® were originally known as Mason Dots®, and the Mason company also released a black licorice version of Dots® known as Black Crows. In 1972, Tootsie Roll Industries acquired the Mason Company and started making Dots® on their own, releasing a number of experimental flavors including Tropical Dots®, Hot Dots®, and Ghost Dots®, a special variety released just for Halloween.

The traditional Dots® flavors are strawberry, lemon, lime, orange, and cherry. They are theoretically distributed randomly in the packaging, which means that consumers sometimes encounter a package which only has one or two flavors. Like many artificially flavored fruit candies, there is some debate as to how different the flavors really are. Some people claim that the flavors are distinct enough to be distinguished on a blind taste test, while others doubt this.

The texture of Dots® is quite unique. Like other gumdrops, they are sticky and soft, but they can sometimes approach a granular texture, thanks to the absence of gelatin in the ingredients. They also lack the powder coating which is often used to coat gumdrops, and they are extremely sweet, thanks to the first ingredient, which is corn syrup. Because Dots® do not contain gelatin, they are safe for vegans and vegetarians.

Many people associate Dots® with the movie theatre, since most movie theatre concession stands carry Dots®, and more rambunctious movie viewers may remember tossing Dots® at the screen or other patrons. They are also a popular Halloween candy, since they come in fun-sized packages which are easy to hand out to trick-or-treaters. Because of the packaging, these candies can also allay fears about adulterated candy, since trick-or-treaters can just discard opened boxes.