This Online Group Shames Overly Pretentious Dishes That Are Just Stupid And Here Are 50 Of Their Funniest Posts (New Pics)
When your spaghetti bolognese gets served in separate jars that are supposed to represent the restaurant's own deconstructed version of the meal, you can’t help but feel confused. After all, paying good money for a dish that looks like something you’d find in your grandma’s pantry is far from anyone’s idea of an ideal dining experience. But the food industry is brutal, and establishments will do everything in their power to impress you.
Thanks to the internet's beloved corner of Reddit called 'Stupid Food,' we get to see just how far they’re willing to go. This online community successfully calls our restaurant owners and chefs who come up with pretentious ways to serve their dishes, overwhelming and repulsing their customers along the way.
"A place to lambast idiotic methods of serving food, or any other epicurean inanity worthy of ridicule," says its description, and you know it’s gonna be good. Scroll down below to devour this crazy collection of absurd food creations we’ve gathered from the group, upvote the best of the worst, and let us know what you think in the comments. And don’t miss the chat we had with food blogger and journalist Ellen Manning about the importance of presentation in dining.
Psst! For more arrogant dishes that ever left a restaurant kitchen, check out our earlier pieces of this feature here and here.
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"What's Wrong...?"
"Food. Point. Laugh," says the subreddit’s tagline, and hey, thanks for being a source of entertainment we didn’t know we needed! The 'Stupid Food' online group has been calling out arrogant and ridiculous dishes since 2015, and they definitely don’t hold back. With a following of more than 800k members, the community seems to have an enormous appetite and is always hungry for new monstrosities to grace their screens.
Getting your edible rocks (yes, that’s a thing) served on a bed of real rocks sounds crazy — because it is. But if you consider yourself a foodie, you’ve definitely noticed that bizarre food servings are all the rage now, particularly at luxurious restaurants. This begs the question, however, why is it so annoying when establishments genuinely try to stand out and impress us?
We were curious about this phenomenon and wanted to learn more about the difference between aesthetic dishes and plain eyesores restaurants serve their patrons. So we reached out to an expert in the field, a food lover, writer, and journalist Ellen Manning. Being the author of the acclaimed Eat With Ellen blog, she was more than happy to share her thoughts on the matter.
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Stupid Doesn’t Necessarily Mean I Wouldn’t Eat It
"We've all heard the saying, you eat with your eyes, and the reason why it's so often said is because it's true," Ellen told Bored Panda. "Food is always about more than the taste — it's how it looks and smells too. That means presentation is key." The expert explained that this doesn’t mean that it has to be complicated — the dish simply has to look appealing to the diner and just make you want to eat it at once.
"So whether it's a delicate plate of food that's intricately arranged or a big fat burger that makes your mouth water the minute you see it, presentation matters. We also can't ignore the fact that in the world of Instagram, clever or pretty presentation matters and can act as marketing for your restaurant," Ellen added.
I Don't Think That's What Zero Waste Means
A Blt My Mother Was Served At A Diner In Michigan
Upside-Down Meat Cone
What's more, the food blogger said that overly excessive and weird-looking displays can detract diners from the meal.
"In the same way that flavors need to work together, the presentation needs to work with, rather than against, the dish as a whole. If everything's a bit too fussy, it can be distracting, so it needs to be appealing, well balanced, and look good enough to eat."
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When it comes to the pretentiousness in food, everything lies in the chef, not the actual dish itself. "Food is often art, but when it gets to the point that you're being distracted from the flavor by the way it looks, that could be a problem," Ellen explained.
"You've also got to think about your audience — if the people eating your food want traditional food that's recognizable, then you aren't necessarily going to win them over if it looks weird or too unusual. However, in some restaurants, this is what people come for — so they can really go crazy with the presentation."
If the creators want to find that fine line between a beautiful and over-the-top presentation, Ellen said they must think about balance, know their audience, and ultimately make sure that the presentation adds to the appeal rather than detracting from it. "Creativity is great, but when it starts becoming more important, or detracting or distracting from the flavor of the food itself, that's a problem," she noted.
We Ran Out Of Regular Bowls And Plates, And This Was The Only Way To Set Up The Grilled Cheese. He Reminded Me Of A Hot Tub So I Added Arms
I Think That Punishment Should Be The Bare Minimum
Actual Dish From The Adult Menu In A Lithuanian Restaurant
As you scroll through this list, you inevitably notice that the questionable meals and ridiculous plating some establishments come up with are amusing. But what lies behind their urge to stick out and go out of their way to impress the customer?
"In the world of Instagrammable food, it's understandable why some people are pushing the boundaries further and further when it comes to the way they plate food, the dishes they put together, and the weird and wonderful creations they come up with," Ellen told us. "After all, standing out from the crowd can mean more attention, more publicity and ultimately more customers."
I Feel Like People Are Running Out Of Ideas
Veggie Taco From Taco Festival...da Fuq
This belongs in malicious compliance. “They want a veggie taco? Oh, I’ll give them a veggie taco”
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The food blogger also noted that at the core of any chef's philosophy should lie the fact that their food has to be edible. "Ultimately, if people are looking at your food, they're going to want to eat it, and crazy plating or weird flavor combinations that look good but taste awful could end up being the opposite of what you're after if you want people to come back again and again."
So while professionals think their efforts will be noticed, they often backfire in glorious ways. "Being noticeable is great, but ultimately food has to deliver on flavor as well as looking good," Ellen added.
Deconstructed Spaghetti Bolognese
Easter Lambspic. I’m So Sorry
I'm Also Turning Myself In. Totino's Birthday Pizza Cake (8 Layers)
To chefs and restaurateurs who miss by a long shot with their meals and are tired of confused patrons’ looks, Ellen had a few pieces of advice. "Presentation doesn't have to be crazy or over-the-top. In the same way as putting flavors that complement each other together, it's about making sure the elements on the plate look good together."
"Color is good, as is a bit of tidiness and care when it comes to arranging them. The basic rule of thumb is, does it look like you want to eat it? If so, you've nailed it. If not, you need to think again," Ellen concluded.
Proof Of Man’s Hubris
I Waited A Total 1,5 Hours At A Pretentious Ski-Lounge And Paid €8,90 For This
Deep-Fried Watermelon
I Despise This Trend
This is something I'd do if I had a group of friends over. It's not so bad and looks fun. And you don't have to clean up afterwards.
Edible Rocks Served On A Bed Of... Real Rocks
This Garfield Style Sandwich
Not Totally About The Food, But, Why?
Britain We Need Answers And We Need Them Now
Glazed Donut Grilled Cheese Hanging Over Tomato Soup
Stupid Hamburger Serving At A Supposed Sophisticated Restaurant
Mackerel Pizza
Friend Made A Vegan Cake For Vegan Friend’s Birthday. Both The Hot Dogs And Jelly Are Fully Plant Based Substitutes
A Chicken Sandwich I Ordered That Was Impossible To Eat Normally. Didn’t Expect The Size. (Had More Chips On The Side)
Behold. A Creation So Stupid It May Actually Come Full Circle And Be Smart. (Definitely Gotta Go Easy On The Jelly)
Ooooohhhhhhh yeeeeaaaahhhhh is that banana with PB&J as a sandwich??? :D
Yeah, it’s awesome. Next level, a sprinkling of regular, salty potato chips to offset the sweet a bit.
Load More Replies...I like it. Banana goes very well with Nutella, so why not with Peanutbutter and Jelly? I would use a real Brötchen tough (we use that thing in the photo only for Hot Dogs).
This is not stupid. Now, dip it in batter and fry it and you might win some state fairs.
This is not pretentious. A little weird, maybe, but OK and belongs on a different list.
Used to eat something like this all the time. I would split the bananas and fry them in butter while the bun is under the broiler to toast up. The peanut butter would melt and the jelly would ooze into the bun. Total Tummy YUMS!
I used to eat these all the time. Lay the bun out flat and toast it a bit before adding the toppings. They are Total Tummy YUMS!
Actually my daughter and I did this when she was sick and could go to the party, I did toast the bun!
replace the jam with chocolate spread and then toast the whole thing in the oven. youre welcome!
No, they're awesome! My kiddo first asked for a Banana Dog when he was 3... I was like, mmmkay, whatever weirdo... But it was so good!! He's 16 now, we still eat them to this day. Fast, easy, portable. I'll even use a flour tortilla in a pinch lol
Peanut butter and jelly with turkey is actually pretty tasty. A whole sweet-savory experience
Frankly, you should always go easy on the jelly. Use too much jelly on anything and it just goes everywhere
I've eaten plenty of peanut butter, banana and honey sandwiches, which are delicious. This is a clever adaptation.
That actually looks OK. I'm right now trying to remember if I have any hot dog buns on hand (I have the PBJ and banana).
Love some peanut butter and jelly with banana slices, and I have definitely improvised worse sandwiches in, um, certain circumstances (That are totally legal where I live).
On a fresh crusty sesame seed roll with butter/peanut butter and honey. Delicious and have been eating it since I was a kid. Yum!
Many people I know like peanut butter and banana sandwiches; this is a common sandwich in the US south. Jelly isn't commonly added to the BP & B.
Imo the hotdog bun isn't a good type of bread for that combo. But other than that, nothing wrong with this!
Actually, when my kids were toddlers and we traveled, I made pb&j sandwiches for them using Hot Dog buns. Easier for their small hands to grip, no 'bleeding' through the bread, and they never needed the crusts cut off.
Banana Dogs!! I used to make these for my kids! We used different combinations of peanut butter, jam/jelly, honey, marshmallow fluff, or chocolate sauce depending on the mood. If you top it with strawberry jam, chocolate sauce and marshmallow fluff (or whipped cream) it is like a sundae.
Banana and peanut butter on bread is good. I’ve never had it with jelly, I definitely try it.
It might taste good, but soft bread + soft banana + soft PB & J = textural nightmare for me. Maybe if the bun were grilled first...
I think most of the kids I went to grade school with would quite happily eat this.
This is how I always have made them. I thought alot if people did the same.
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Absolutely Disgusting
Straight To Jail
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Lick It Up You Dirty Dirty Diner
“Homemade Ramen”
F**king Deep-Fried Water
Charcoal Cheese
Correct me if I’m wrong but isn’t charcoal consumed if you’ve accidently eaten something poisonous or toxic?
I Am Disgusted
Asked My Sister To Boil Chicken And This Is What I Came Home To
Your sister is playing dumb so she's never asked to help again. That's the only explanation for this situation.
Jagersickles To Get The Night Started
This Is A Crime Against Pizza
Bloody Hell What In God‘S Name Is This Abomination
Note: this post originally had 92 images. It’s been shortened to the top 50 images based on user votes.
Not sure, but some of the food combinations here may be something worth trying. That being said, some should be made to disappear off the face of the Earth...
I'm fairly sure these threads are self-fulfilling prophecies. People are so desperate for attention they create inedible monstrosities to appear in a thread like this, so the threads appear often because fresh content, so people think they are popular and create monstrosities, 20 goto 10.
What is will all the carbs and deepfrying? Why do we Americans do this?
I would certainly eat some of these odd combos! Heck, I'm already hungry ;-)
This prove that you can put ANYTHING on pizza. Its might be disgusting, but you still can put anything on it.
I made the mistake of reading this before making lunch. Oh, well; I’m thinking of the money I’m saving by skipping lunch. 😕
If almost any of these were served to me in a restaurant, I would walk out without paying.
Not sure, but some of the food combinations here may be something worth trying. That being said, some should be made to disappear off the face of the Earth...
I'm fairly sure these threads are self-fulfilling prophecies. People are so desperate for attention they create inedible monstrosities to appear in a thread like this, so the threads appear often because fresh content, so people think they are popular and create monstrosities, 20 goto 10.
What is will all the carbs and deepfrying? Why do we Americans do this?
I would certainly eat some of these odd combos! Heck, I'm already hungry ;-)
This prove that you can put ANYTHING on pizza. Its might be disgusting, but you still can put anything on it.
I made the mistake of reading this before making lunch. Oh, well; I’m thinking of the money I’m saving by skipping lunch. 😕
If almost any of these were served to me in a restaurant, I would walk out without paying.