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“My Kid Cried”: People Show What They Ordered And What They Received And Most Of Them Are Pretty Bad
More often than not these days, when you buy something, you don’t actually see it until it shows up in front of you. Online shopping, food delivery and questionable listings all sometimes remind us why buyers have to be aware.
So we’ve put together a list of some of the best posts from the “Expectations Vs Reality” online group showcasing the times folks didn’t get what they expected. So settle in as you scroll through, upvote your favorites and be sure to share your own thoughts and experiences in the comments section down below.
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Ordered The Blanket From A Sketchy Seeming Website. They Nailed It!
RELATED:
#2
My Daughter's Birthday Cake From Last Year
#3
The Way We Advertise Our Jack-O-Lantern Pizzas vs. The Way I Like To Make Them For Customers
Comedy rises and falls on surprise, and nothing surprises more than the gap between what we think will happen and what happens. That is why "What I ordered vs. What I got" pictures are a staple of the internet, especially in the fields of online retailing and quick eats. Basically, these images work because they use one of the oldest devices in comedy, the breaking of expectations.
When you hit "buy now" online, you're buying a promise of a sort. That seductive picture of a flowing gown that will slide like silk, the fast food advertisement with a burger heaped high with inexplicably fresh lettuce, or the sleek device that appears to have been ripped from a sci-fi movie, the entire experience forms a mental picture.
#4
The Birthday Cake My Wife Made For Our Daughter
#5
This Patch I Ordered Off Amazon
#6
I Got This Ice Cream Bar From A 7 Eleven Store In Tokyo And It Was Exactly The Same As In Picture. Plus It Was Delicious!
Comedy, though, runs into disaster when reality knocks on your door and bears no resemblance to the fantasy. That "luxury dress" is made of cheap polyester and fits a kid. The burger is a thin patty hiding in a dismal smear of lettuce. The science-fiction device? A fragile bit of plastic that can't seem to function.
#7
Husband Tried To Make A Dolphin For My Cocktail. It's The Cutest Eel I've Ever Seen
#8
What My Sister Asked For vs. What The Salon Did vs. What My Mom Did After The Salon Disaster
#9
Beauty Products These Days
The joke works because the setup is relatable. Everybody has, at some point, been a victim of the gap between marketing and actuality. That common disappointment is turned into laughter when another person records it. Rather than just commiserating about disappointment, people embrace it by making their bad luck entertainment. This makes the subversion more digestible, it's not just about being disappointed, it's about catching the humor in being disappointed.
#10
Creepy
#11
These Things Never Work Out, Do They?
#12
Reality Way Better Than Expectation!
The structure here is almost identical with that of the traditional joke form. The anticipation is the "setup," carefully built with pictures of perfection. The "punchline" is the surprise: a deformed cake, a deformed stuffed animal, or food that looks as if it has been dropped on the floor and then placed on the table. Because the punchline is something that one can view and something that is often enhanced through contrast, it strikes immediately and en masse, no language ability necessary. It's comedy in its most universal sense.
#13
My Friend Bought This Costume Online And I’ve Been Laughing All Day
#14
I'm Seriously Impressed By This Frozen Pizza
Anja Henriksen 2 months ago
Had to look 3 times to figure out it wasn't just 3 pictures of the box only
#15
My Wife's McDonald's Cone In The Drive Through Last Night
A second way these expectation mismatch posts succeed is through their built-in sincerity. Advertising relies on deception, on exactly choreographed images designed to persuade. "What I got" photos take that away, exposing the rough, disappointing, and hilariously imperfect reality. It's a raw moment in a world of presentation sheen, and truth, when it defies artifice, has always been fertile ground for comedy.
#16
The Top Is Pottery That My Mom Got In Germany, The Bottom Is My Attempt To Make It In My Ceramics Class ://
#17
These Sly, Sly Bastards
#18
Elsa Cake
Vexed Panda 2 months ago
Her name was Elsa. She was an ice queen. But that was 30 years ago and now she's seen some s**t in snow. Now it's an ice rink, but not for Elsa. Still in the dress she used to wear, melted snowflakes in her hair. She sits there so refined and drinks herself ice blind. She lost her youth and she lost Anna now she's lost her mind. Arendellle....Arendelle Cabana....
There is also a thread of resolve here. Laughter instead of pouting over frustration, and in doing so, reclaiming some control in a situation that otherwise is helpless. You might not be able to return that ugly dress or refund your miserable burger, but you can at least garner some likes, chuckles, and solidarity online.
#19
Cute Little Aldi Ice Cream Cones
#20
What My Mother Ordered vs. What She Got
#21
Nailed It!
"What I ordered vs. What I got" works because it universalizes one of the lesser tragedies of life and makes it funny. There's humor in the shock, the surprise no one expects, and there are few surprises more reliable than expecting beauty and receiving anarchy instead. And by embracing difference, the internet has provided us with a kind of humor that's not just actual but long-lasting, since disappointment will always find ways to seep into our lives, and the best way to handle it is usually to laugh.
#22
Merry Christmas Everyone!
#23
Underwater Scene Puzzle My Kids Got
#24
Some Boots From Amazon
#25
I Ordered Bruschetta From My Local Pizza Shop
Say No to Downvoting 2 months ago
Please tell me you sent that back, cos that ain’t bruschetta. That is the work experience student being left unsupervised.
#26
Started Off Carving Edna Ended Up With E.t
#27
I Feel Robbed Of My Chocolate
#28
Seafood Bowl In Sapporo Japan
#29
Minnie Gained Some Weight
#30
Includes A "Private Balcony." Is Just A View Of The Wall Of The Next Building
#31
These Cat Socks
Andrew Keir 2 months ago
In fairness, putting a sock on a foot stretches the sock and changes any picture printed on it. But the result looks more like Hedwig than it should...
#33
Well Then
#34
Latex Thigh Highs Ordered But Got What Seems Like The Case For Sleeping Bags
#35
I Bought This Bob Ross Chia Pet . . . These Are Not Happy Trees
#36
My Aunt Tried To Make A Cake Of Dolly Parton For A Friend
#37
My Darth Maul Birthday Cake Ate Too Much Cake
#38
Tasty Cheese
#39
Are You Kidding Me
#40
Glass Mug
#41
Shirt I Ordered vs. What I Got
Bogdan C 2 months ago
What did you expect?! In the end, AliExpress is well known for their high-end quality products, right?!
Agfox 2 months ago
Maybe our consumer protection legislation is stronger in Australia but we've had an approximate 95% success rate with our purchases from AliExpress & received a refund within 24 hours for the 5%
Load More Replies...
Shortstuff 1 month ago
I gave up with shopping online. Go to an actual shop then you can see what you are buying.
Cybele Spanjaard 2 months ago
How do these scamming fashion cheats get away with these real versus what you get items?
Agent Smith 2 months ago
You really can't trust a website that sells CARAVANS for less than AU$20K, delivered. Terrible scammers.
#42
Ordered A Cake For My Father’s Birthday
#43
Found On Twitter
Jrog 2 months ago (edited)
It's not even that difficult to make a river table with the correct tools. The proper plank, a good resin mixer/degasser, a flat workbench. The hardest part is finding a planer large enough. A good pass with a pad and two hands of clearcoat, and DONE, you have a table that looks cool for 15 minutes and then you will hate for the rest of your life.
#44
My Son Turned 1 Yesterday. This Was The Topper To His Space Themed Cake
#45
$60 "Professional" Halloween Makeup. I Asked For The Photo On The Left, With Just A Little Fake Blood. On The Right Is What The Makeup Artist Gave Me
#46
The Crystal Mug My Boyfriend Ordered Me For Our Anniversary vs. What We Actually Received
#47
Alien Balloons
Andrew Keir 2 months ago
They eyes ae at the wrong end - that's a main contributor to this sad failure. Also, there's been no attempt to put a 'waist' on the balloon, to match the advertising pictures. Pathetic.
#48
The Mask I Ordered (Left) vs. The Mask I Got (Right)
#49
I Asked For A Sugar Photo Bday Cake. I Got A Horrible Hand Drawing Instead
#50
My Wife’s Felting Project
#51
Birthday Cake I Asked For vs. What I Got
#52
Another Classic "What I Ordered vs. What I Got"!
#53
I've Been Staring At This Cutie On Fb Marketplace For Weeks
#54
I Hope My Father Loves It!
#55
Restaurant’s Charcuterie Board As Advertised vs. What I Got
#56
I Swear I Have Normal Size Hand
#57
This Brownie
#58
My 1.5 Year Old Demanded The "Pa-Cas" From Her Curious George Book This Morning And I Just So Happened To Have All The Ingredients On Hand
#59
Giant Teddy Bear
Lukas (he/him, it/its) 2 months ago
I have a very similar one, yes, he's got some very long legs. I thought he was gonna murder me in my sleep when I got him for my birthday, but we've become very good friends.
#60
Tried A Mirror Glaze
#61
Mildly Disappointed But Very Amused
#62
Made A Unicorn Cake For My Little Cousin
#63
I Ordered A Sausage Roll At My Uni’s Cafe Today
#64
The Amount Of Carrots Included In My Subscription Meal Kit
#65
My Sister’s Nails For A Wedding
#66
Ice Cream Expectation
#67
Lady Gaga Doll
#68
Room Service At The Hotel I'm Staying At, I Was So Excited Too
#69
My Husband Warned Me His Gift For Me Wasn't Nearly As Nice As It Looked Online. I Cracked Up When I Opened It And Saw The Crystal Mug(S) So Many Have Been Duped By
Say No to Downvoting 2 months ago
I need to know: DO the versions in the photo actually exist? Somewhere?
#70
My Local Dairy Queen Was Riding The Struggle Bus Last Night
Damned_Cat 2 months ago
Our local independently owned DQ had an owner that would fire people that couldn't make the perfectly round curlicue top every single time. I had two friends that worked there in high school, and both quit after being yelled at for making malformed curls.
#71
Ordered A Custom Embroidered Sweatshirt Of My Girlfriend’s Cat
#72
This Is Bad Right ??
#73
My Girlfriend Spent $100 To Get Me A White Claw Cake For My Birthday. She Was Less Than Pleased With The Result
Andrew Keir 2 months ago
Props to your girlfriend for her effort. Ridicule and threats of legal action to the manufacturer / shop for their lack of effort.
#74
Expectation vs. Reality After A 6-Month Backorder From West Elm
#75
Thanks Amazon. I Was Going For ‘Boho Chic’, But You Gave Me ‘Tacky Brothel’
#76
Daughter Brought An Emoji Marshmallow Lollipop Thing Back From Mexico
#77
Had No Idea What To Expect. Received Cool Talisman Necklace
#78
Sourdough Art Fail
#79
Went To Taco Bill To Try Their New Taco And This Is What I Got Compared To What It's Advertised As
#80
I Mean Idk What I Was Expecting But It Wasn’t This
#81
When You Order Clothes On Amazon
#82
This Mac N Cheese I Ordered For Delivery
Grumpy old man 2 months ago
FYI: High end restaurants keep preprepped MC in metal tubs over a steamer. They scoop it into a bowl, put more shredded cheese on top, then top with panko, into the oven or broiler for a minute then serve. This is the ghetto version, both times
#83
I Travelled All This Way Because Of Reddit
Gavin Johnson 2 months ago
It gets repainted every summer, arrive late or indeed too early and it looks cack. If you go to see Sakura Season in Japan but go in August instead of early April then you won’t see the beautiful cherry blossom. Do your homework and get the picture you want eh?
#85
The Wedding Cake We Ordered vs. The Cake We Picked Up
#86
I Was Really Excited When Taco Bell Opened In England
#87
Airport Grilled Cheese
Jrog 2 months ago (edited)
Here I am pretty sure OP is lying for karma farming. The menu screen is from Panino Giusto, a chain of sandwich shops based in Milan, also quite common in Italian airports (where they have these screens, in the stores you order at the desk). They are pretty expensive but very decent quality. The Classico (not my favorite BTW) is pretty beefy and in no way similar to the one showed here. It's not even the same type of bread.
#88
Taken From Twitter "(Got Me) Looking Like A Gay Priest"
#89
I Ordered Some Acoustic Sound Panels. And People Complain About Their Big Macs
#90
Arby's Bacon Beef 'N Cheddar
Bill Swallow 2 months ago
This is atrocious, but with franchise operations, *everything* depends on the people staffing your local outlet. There are two Arby's near my house. One is consistently excellent, the other is consistently awful.
#91
Daughter Wanted A Homemade “Little Mermaid” Cake. I Tried Really Hard
#92
Burger King Grill Dog Cheddar And Bacon
#93
Ordered From Zippo.com - Meant To Be A Gift
#94
I’m Done With Whole Foods Brand Pizza
#95
A $7 Sandwich From Starbucks
Antoinette the Red 2 months ago
Looks like Starbuck's teamed up with Panera. Both should stay out of the sandwich business.
#96
Cinnamonroll Birthday Cake, What I Sent vs. What I Got
#97
The Shirt I Ordered And The Shirt I Got
#98
Definitely The Funniest Failed Etsy Purchase I’ve Ever Received
#99
Thanks Panera 🙏 I Really Enjoyed My Granola & Paper Thin Strawberries
#100
Gummy Bummer
Lost Panda 2 months ago (edited)
I mean... on the lid you see what it looks like... unless they're complaining about the lack of orange... *Edit: I know see it says "liquid jam center", so yes they have all right to complain.*
#101
Close Enough
#102
Arby's Never Fails.... To Disappoint
Nikki Sevven 2 months ago
"Arby's. We've got the meats. And we're keeping them! No meats for you!"
#103
The Chicken Fried Rice I Ordered vs. The One I Got. (Only One Piece Of Chicken)
#104
My Lunch For Night Shift
#105
But Think Of All The Snacks You Can Hide In There
#106
I Got AirPods With My New iPhone 8??? Oh Wait
Gavin Johnson 2 months ago
Be glad you’ve got a jack plug. You’ll only lose an AirPod anyway so be thankful for what you have ok?
#108
Cheez-It Italian Four Cheese Pizza
#109
On Our Honeymoon In Hallstatt Austria
April Pickett 2 months ago
O.k., the sun wasn't out. You expected to go there in the winter and not get snow?
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What do you think ?
Ace 2 months ago
While it's quite clear that many at the top of the list are brilliant examples of getting it right, I found myself struggling wit a few of the later ones which were close enough to the original to be unclear as to whether they were posted as good or bad results.. . . . The Zippo, the honeymoon, the square pizza thing, the 21st birthday cake, the giant octopus.....
Mimi M 2 months ago
I'd love to see a whole list of 'underpromised, overdelivered'. Where they not only met expectations, but exceeded them.
dan s 2 months ago
Most of these people who ordered stuff online live in a place full of local businesses struggling to get by because their friends and neighbours ignore them for some a**hole online who doesn't know them or care about them, but is happy to scam them. You all got exactly what you deserved. Shop local!
The Other Guest 2 months ago
You know where all those people live, huh? And you know for a fact that they have a mom & pop bakery nearby? Perhaps they *did* try to find a local shop selling the crystal mugs, not knowing that they don't actually exist, and ended up purchasing them online because they didn't find them anywhere else. Get off your high horse & learn that your life experiences are not universal.
Load More Replies... Ace 2 months ago
While it's quite clear that many at the top of the list are brilliant examples of getting it right, I found myself struggling wit a few of the later ones which were close enough to the original to be unclear as to whether they were posted as good or bad results.. . . . The Zippo, the honeymoon, the square pizza thing, the 21st birthday cake, the giant octopus.....
Mimi M 2 months ago
I'd love to see a whole list of 'underpromised, overdelivered'. Where they not only met expectations, but exceeded them.
dan s 2 months ago
Most of these people who ordered stuff online live in a place full of local businesses struggling to get by because their friends and neighbours ignore them for some a**hole online who doesn't know them or care about them, but is happy to scam them. You all got exactly what you deserved. Shop local!
The Other Guest 2 months ago
You know where all those people live, huh? And you know for a fact that they have a mom & pop bakery nearby? Perhaps they *did* try to find a local shop selling the crystal mugs, not knowing that they don't actually exist, and ended up purchasing them online because they didn't find them anywhere else. Get off your high horse & learn that your life experiences are not universal.
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