Hostess Brands’s earns a 1.0-star rating from 0 reviews and 812 complaints, showing that the majority of snack cake enthusiasts are dissatisfied with sweet treats.
- All
- Reviews only
- Complaints only
- Resolved
- Unresolved
- Replied by the business
- Unreplied
- With attachments
powdered donuts
Bought powdered donuts since i had a craving, bit into first one and all i could taste was grease. The donut wasnt greasy but it was like the donuts sat next to a fryer for a year and soaked it all in. I tried another trying to be positive as im pregnant and just wanted a powdered donut but the entire 6 pack tasted like grease in turn making me sick all day. I had a different brand in hand and switched when i saw hostess..big mistake!
hostess blueberry muffins
I opened the Hostess Blueberry Muffins. Brand new package. Not expires until March 2017.
Most of the packages were full of mold and very smelly. I have pictures to show proof. It was awful. I'm so glad my son didn't eat them.
That could have very scary.
I think you need to be notified about these kinds of errors so that other kids will not get sick. I've never seen anything like this before. Or smelt anything like that. It was so bad.
Wendy Johnson
[protected]@gmail.com
9300 A Kempler Dr
Austin, Tx 78748
[protected]
Yikes! It sounds like it may have been a bad batch. Take it to the store of purchase with your receipt for a replacement or refund.
deep fried twinkies
I found this product on the shelf as a display along with many other packages of deep fried twinkies at Mc Dill Air Force base commissary in Tampa, Florida today. When I got them home all of this product had mold. I had thought it was strange to see them out of the freezer section but just thought they had a product now that didn't need to be frozen. It plainly states on the box to keep frozen. I called the customer service number at the commissary and whoever I spoke with could have cared less.
product fruit pies minis
I have now purchased several packages of mini pies apple and cherry my complaint is the filling inside. It is a gummy texture and chewy. I have bought Hostess products for many years. My grand children like them for after school snack but lately they say are yuck like a stale gummybear. I hope you can correct this problem I was so excited when your products came back to the stores thanks for your help.
The mini pies by hostess the filling inside is a gummy, chewy texture. A lack of flavor but the crust is just like it has always been. I have purchased several packages from different stores and they are all the same. very disappointed.
I use to eat the cherry pies every chance I got. Last week I bought some mini cherry pies for work lunches. Terribly disappointed as well, not just because they are ridiculously small for the price, but the filling tastes like old gummy filling which is awful! As of course I was waiting to take a bite if some REAL cherry pie filling. All I can say is I will Never buy this or any other Hostess product again. And I sure hope your business is at least doing something good and useful with your Profits! So sad for the name brand!
new suzy q's
I purchased 2 boxes of the so called new Suzy Q snack cakes at Walmart. I was disappointed to the point of anger! How dare you call those tiny horribly dry as sand cakes a Suzy Q? Either bring them back right or don't bother trying to push this deceitful crap on us. Most of the outside of the cake came off on the cardboard strip! My 3 year old neighbor child nearly choked on them. This is a totally unacceptable comeback of Suzy Q's. All you wanted was to make them twice as cheap and a higher price. The Ding Dongs were so tiny in size. Will find other snack cakes for my family from here on!
i purchased two boxes of your "now even better tasting" SuzyQ's and the are disgusting. the cream filling, which was once the very best part of the treat, is now very thick and gross. why would you change the perfect treat?
please change it back. i will not buy them again. shame on you
My son just brought me home a package of the 2018 New Improved version of my old favorite Hostess Suzy Q's. Much Improved! Not quite as awesome as the ones that we grew up on in the 60's but pretty darn close. Not convinced about the "50% more cake" part but the cake tastes better and the shape better resembles the original ones AND there is a MUCH better ratio of creme filling between the cakes now. Thank You Hostess!
So here it is june 17, 2018 and thought I would see if you guys changed the crap you call now even better tasting! did I say crap! I wrote about these when they came back out in the stores. well nothing has changed they still taste like rubber! the cake part is so so, the cream is so rubber and thick it stinks. take these things off the shelf, they are a big disgrace to the original suzy q. for the stars if it could not show stars that would be even better. box of 6 and 5 are going to the trash, yes that's how bad they are. hostess you need to take that [censored] cream out and put in the twinkie cream that would be alright or even way better. wont buy these pieces of crap again!
Just want say thanks for the recent improvement to more cake and creme in your 6 pack. Reminds me of the way it was years ago. Now I'm back as fan of Suzy. Have you considered a further improvement like an 8 pack?
Apparently you never had a real SuzyQ from the 70s or 80s before Hostess sold out to these peeps. The new ones are a major disappointment
Truly horrible and disappointing
I grew up for several decades on Suzy Q's. It was the only Hostess product I ever bought or ate. Loved them.
When they went away, it was a bad day.
Now that they have tried to bring them back in an altered form, an even worse day.
Just finished one, and it will be the last I ever buy.
Whoever owns the Hostess Brand needs to address the complaints of their consumers before the brand ends up failing again.
It's a shame when a product is ruined like that.
You just lost another customer.
Looks like TastyKake will be getting 100% of my business from now on.
You could learn something from them.
These are an insult to the original. rather you not make them at all. was my favorite of all the hostess products.
Might as well not make the suzy q's for an insult and really bad imitation!.
they were awful - not creamy or chocolately!
I purchased a box of your suzy q's on 11/7/2016 and the best by date is 11/26/2016 and after opening the product and eating one it was hard and dry and stale. I was so disappointed in the product. I wanted to try something different I always buy the cupcakes and zingers but I will never buy the suzy q's again
food
My wife purchase two bags of mini donuts, one powdered, one glazed. Both had a terrible taste, like Kerosene. Both were old tasting. Bot had ok dates. One was dated June 02, 2016, the other was dated May 20th 2016.
we ate a couple from each bag. Did not finish donuts at all. We still have bags and donuts. Not good at all and tasting terrible. We would some sort of response.
their cookies were almost old
I have bought cookies from the company www.hostessbrands.com. I received two packages and was shocked that the expiry date was almost due. I emailed the seller and told that I wouldn’t happy to get almost old cookies, and I would love to get money back or change these packages for new one. But the seller told me that they wouldn’t send new order, because they haven’t had time for me and my problems. Awful attitude.
out of date
I opened my Twinkie today to find a large amount of green slime inside the packaging and on the cake itself. Prior to this I ate another bar which had no problems (as far as I was aware anyway), I am utterly disgusted. I don't know whether a mishap happened with the individual bar being out of date or in the box, but it makes me feel as if one of their employees had a cold at the time of packaging. Kinda ruined twinkies for me. PS. I bought this product yesterday, in date.
Terrible quality, taste
The New Hostess Bakery, Hostess Brands, etc., is foisting its old brand name, but selling terrible quality snacks. So far I've tried the old Hostess labeled traditional chocolate cupcakes and their Fruit (Lemon) fried pies. The new stuff is of excessive sugary content and lacking texture and flavor. Yecch! I suppose the buyers (Little Debby?) need to pay for their purchase, but it won't be with my money!
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
Basicly, your product is smaller, does not taste good, & overpriced.
The quality overall has gone down hill immensely.
I don't mind paying extra for something that's good quality & taste good, but I agree with most of the complaints from others, I couldn't eat it, I threw it away.
Thought I’d try some Ding Dongs, since I hadn’t purchased them in a long time. Very small, and horrible tasting. Inside is dry cake with barely a squirt of tasteless cream filling. Waste of money and calories. I will not buy them again. Sad, they used to be so moist and creamy.
Ding Dongs are definitely different. I brought a box last week that is still at my house. In the days of old, a box would disappear in a couple of days. My kids and I agree that they are not the same and need to go back to the old recipe. My grandchildren don't like them either. Sorry Hostess, you have falling down on the job with this revamp! I won't be purchasing any more.
I bought a box of raspberry zingers the other day and they totally ruined the taste and texture of the original zingers. The cake tasted like a poor example of a Twinkie with the outward appearance of a raspberry zinger. I was thoroughly disappointed. Won't be buying again.
This is about Hostess Donettes. They don’t taste the same as they used to, but even worse, there is some new ingredient that upsets my stomach and gives me a stomach ache. I could not at first believe this product was the cause, but it is, because there’s no other common variable. First it was the chocolate ones I had to stop eating. They did not taste good anyway. But now the powdered white ones are having the same effect. I should also say that this is the last time I will buy any bakery products of your brand. They are pretty tasteless and expensive, and now make me physically ill.
I just bought powdered sugar donettes from Hostess and they taste and smell like chemicals. After some research I found that this complaint has been around for at least a decade and they refuse to do anything about it. I’ve noticed a change in taste before but this package is so gross that I literally can’t eat them. I won’t buy them again. Lil Debbie gets my business from now on.
Hostess Ding Dongs have definitely changed for the worst . The taste is awful, something fake tasting about the chocolate outer layer, even the color is different. The inside sponge is dry and the white filling has no taste . The entire cake leaves an after coating in the mouth . Also Twinkies have no taste at all , the filling is tasteless and the sponge is dry . The size of both are smaller yet the price is higher . Very disappointed with Hostess.
I ate two ding dongs because they are very little now and they were fine. Next day I bit into one and got a mouthful of some kind of nasty chemical taste. I couldn’t spit it out fast enough. Scared me bad. I can’t even try the rest. Have to toss them out 😥
I have a box of ding dogs that taste horrible
I had the same problem. Trying to find out what I ingested. I purchased mine in December but they were expired in August. It wasn’t just bad sugar either. I got terrible stomach ache and diarrhea. Two of mine were ok but one I opened just about knocked me over with a chemical smell.
Bought some of the Halloween themed cakes - filmy, waxy dry and the taste? Yuk.
One bite and it all went in the garbage - not giving that as a treat to my family.
Use quality ingredients? You get a quality product.
Terrible product lately. Doesn't taste the same texture is bad also. Expensive. Now I need to throw the away
What happened to hostess?
They are terrible. I bought ho ho s
They are awful. Not chocolate at all and a waste of my money. The texture was wrong also. I could have bought a different junk food but hostess was always good. I won't purchase ever again
expired on 10/25/10
It is understandable why you would not want to check the expiration date on all of the products that you purchase. People who tell you to do this are irrational. However, the complaint should be made toward the grocery store that you purchased the item from, they are the ones in charge of taking items off the shelf that are beyond expiration date. They are the ones who put out an expired item in the first place.
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
False, a lot of companies frito, hostess and coke to name a few stock the shelves at grocery stores they should not leave expired products or push items to the back for a quick stock. They are not off the hook...
I bought a Twinkie bar, yesterday, I just ate one and opened a next to find green slime all over the bar and inside the packaging. Whether this individual bar was put in a batch out of date or something, I don't know. At the moment I'm trying to convince myself the rest of the box weren't the same and that one of their employees didn't have a cold at the time of baking/packaging... Really ruined twinkies for me.
Hate hearing the word "EXPIRED". This is why us Americans waste over a billion dollars in food every year. pre-packaged snacks do NOT "expire" Those are Best By dates which simply mean the product may not taste as good as it did before the posted date. 99% of the time these best by dates are very Misleading as most products last well beyond there best by dates. Products like Hostess and Drakes and even Entermanns can and do last up to 14 days beyond best by dating without suffering any taste loss. Another example are snacks like Bugles and Chex Mix. These products last 2-3 months past there posted best by dates without suffering any noticeable taste loss.
Some folks in the industry admit many Manufacturers use these dates as a means of fooling the customer into thinking the product is no longer editable so they will throw it away and purchase more.
I check all of the dates on the products I buy. It takes a split second to glance at it. Why is it irrational to expect people to do this? It may not be fun, but it's smart.
But the complaint, as mbcamp said, really should be towards the place of purchase.
There is this awesome thing they do now where they print the expiration dates on products. All you have to do is read it.
mold
Just purchased at Wal-Mart on 08/19/2015, opened next morning and there was a large amount of mold on one. Would like a replacement or refund. My phone number is [protected].
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
I bought a box of Iced Vanilla Zingers on February 2nd 2020 at my local Walmart in O'Fallon IL and when I got home and opened the box everyone of them are burnt. And they don't just look burnt, they taste burnt too. Why did Hostess quality control not catch this, I'm sure it's not just one box?
Bought a box from local Dollar General Store in Bronson Michigan at least half the box was so hard couldn't eat them I have bought from there several times this has been the same over and over I have been a buyer of Hostess for many years thinking of a new brand to turn to if this continues they claim to be fresh but in my case they haven't been
I recently purchased an 8 pk of Hostess Donettes on the go. Exp. date 1/7/20. Code G102421000 297 18:58. These donuts have a strong chemical taste. I have been a purchaser of Hostess for many years and have never had product with a taste like this. I have not seen a recall for this but there is definitely something wrong with the product.
then are as hard as a rock and tasteless i have two boxes of 6 individually wrapper pastries iced cinnamon rolls uneatable best by feb 03/2020
[protected] 334 07'22 waste of money i will not buy them agent
I purchased a bag from family dollar got home my wife had a big dinner on the table I ate a donut and they was stale I got sick allover the table
Hello i purchased some donuts today at wal mart and they are stale and not very good im including photos i think they expired in October i am very disappointed in this experience with your brand
The bag was over powering! Like finger nail polish remover. I was going to feed my 3 yr old and 8 yr old. I felt so bad because I argued with them to eat their breakfast and then I checked it out and THATS WHAT I WAS TRYING TO MAKE THEM EAT. Poison!
I purchased the hot cocoa and marshmallow donuts...3 of the individual packs only had 2 donuts while the others had 3 donuts in the packs.
these donuts were stale and expiration date is Jan o8, 2020 these were totally sealed UPC [protected]
Diane Dudenhoeffer
61 Kensington Palace Dr.
Troy, Mo. 63379
I bought them 3 times and every time they was old and hard and waste of my money i buy hostess cakes all the time I'm very disappointed I'm to the point of not buying from hostess anymore
thays not zinger
Kentucky Fried Chicken, MAURITIUS ISLAND - quality of food has deteriorated
Complaints.com received the following consumer message on June 7, 2002:
From:
RE: Kentucky Fried Chicken, MAURITIUS ISLAND - quality of food has deteriorated
IF POSSIBLE FORWARD THIS MESSAGE TO
Customer Service Head office. OF KENTUCKY FRIED CHICKEN of US. AND those responsible for KFC in the INDIAN OCEAN. SIR
== The service of the employees of KFC in MAURITIUS are OK.
BUT the FOOD SERVICE has drastically deteriorated during the last THREE years. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.! Example:-
The ZINGER/ROUNDER has lost its great taste; WIth just ordinary bread and ordinary fried chicken;that I myself can make at home.
KFC in MAURITIUS is now being viewed as money maker rather than offering good service. Can YOU REMEDY this situation as fast possible through BETTER advice to KFC STAFFS in MAURITIUS. and offer us BACK that product with its GREAT TASTE.
THANKS!. MAURITIUS ISLAND is situated in the INDIAN OCEAN
From: Message Author (click here to email author)
Date: Sunday, 09-Jun-02 00:00:00 CDT
kfc need to improve money is gud but great food will make good money
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
I purchased a box of 8 hostess cupcakes. Two of them were not filled with any creme. Very disappointing..upsetting!
This is not the special childhood memory I remember! Very sad .
Looks nothing like the picture and barely 2 bites. These are so small. I added a picture to show the size of the actual cake. I think Hostess should reconsider the size and make this bigger.
March01 2024 local family dollar store 3.50 a box of kazbars box says 8 mini bars why is there only 6 in my box.and 1 of the 6 was open the box wasnt rioped or anything i sent the numbers off the box i went to the store and reported it but they said i had to contact complaints
Saturday February 17, 2013 - Walmart store in San Diego purchase - Opened the box of 10 zingers for my household- they have gotten a lot smaller which is fine but one of the 10 count in box was an empty sealed plastic holder missing the zinger -
On Jan 16, 2024 I bought one box of 10 Hostess DingDongs. The box only contained 8 cupcakes not 10 like it should have. The box was missing 2 cupcakes. The box was closed and showed no signs of tampering.
I bought the Hostess DingDongs at SuperOne Store in Two Harbors, Mn. I paid $2.29 for the box.
Purchased a box of cupcakes January 3rd upon opening one of your cupcakes the frosting was dry Best used date was January 29 2024 K [protected] 324 01:20 L32 Last time we purchased your product icing was also dry Product purchased at Walmart Alcoa Tn.
Did you change the recipe or provider? They’ve changed! Very disappointing, Been eating them for 30 years, Not great anymore.
Hoy miércoles 6 de diciembre compre unas finitas en una tienda Oxxo aproximadamente a las 3 de la tarde y después de unas cuantas comidas, sentí un sabor raro y al revisar la bolsa mire que tenían hongos, después de un ratito comencé con dolor de estómago y cabeza, siento un poco de náuseas
Had a brown hair in the package. I thought it was mine but as I looked closer soonly realized it was a brown hair and I'm a blonde. I immediately threw the whole thing away. This is disgusting and does NOT need to happen again.
I bought this right off the freeway at a gas station and took a bite and no filling. There was just sticky dough on the inside and there’s no berries and cream cheese filling. This happened an hour ago October 28, 2023
About Hostess Brands

Overview of Hostess Brands complaint handling
-
Hostess Brands Contacts
-
Hostess Brands phone numbers+1 (646) 277-1228+1 (646) 277-1228Click up if you have successfully reached Hostess Brands by calling +1 (646) 277-1228 phone number 0 0 users reported that they have successfully reached Hostess Brands by calling +1 (646) 277-1228 phone number Click down if you have unsuccessfully reached Hostess Brands by calling +1 (646) 277-1228 phone number 0 0 users reported that they have UNsuccessfully reached Hostess Brands by calling +1 (646) 277-1228 phone numberInvestor Inquiries+1 (800) 483-7253+1 (800) 483-7253Click up if you have successfully reached Hostess Brands by calling +1 (800) 483-7253 phone number 0 0 users reported that they have successfully reached Hostess Brands by calling +1 (800) 483-7253 phone number Click down if you have unsuccessfully reached Hostess Brands by calling +1 (800) 483-7253 phone number 0 0 users reported that they have UNsuccessfully reached Hostess Brands by calling +1 (800) 483-7253 phone numberCustomer Service
-
Hostess Brands emailsmarketing@hostessbrandsllc.com100%Confidence score: 100%SupportHostess@clynch.com100%Confidence score: 100%Media Contact
-
Hostess Brands address7905 Quivira, Kansas City, Missouri, 66215, United States
-
Hostess Brands social media
-
Checked and verified by Rachel This contact information is personally checked and verified by the ComplaintsBoard representative. Learn moreJun 30, 2025
- View all Hostess Brands contacts
Most discussed Hostess Brands complaints
thays not zingerRecent comments about Hostess Brands company
Fruit pies and donettes




Our Commitment
We make sure all complaints and reviews are from real people sharing genuine experiences.
We offer easy tools for businesses and reviewers to solve issues together. Learn how it works.
We support and promote the right for reviewers to express their opinions and ideas freely without censorship or restrictions, as long as it's respectful and within our Terms and Conditions, of course ;)
Our rating system is open and honest, ensuring unbiased evaluations for all businesses on the platform. Learn more.
Personal details of reviewers are strictly confidential and hidden from everyone.
Our website is designed to be user-friendly, accessible, and absolutely free for everyone to use.
It might have just been one bad container. I'm sure you could take it to the store of purchase with your receipt for a refund or replacement.