The "Reheating Nachos" Meme Meaning, Explained

If you’ve been seeing a lot of talk about reheating nachos on your FYP, chances are it isn’t about actual food. Instead, the phrase is a complex meme making the rounds on social media about pop music, copycats, and clout chasers.

To help explain the lore, you have to go back to 2023, to a scene from the show Baddies West. A well-known clip from the series of Natalie Nunn staring longingly at Stunna Girl’s plate of nachos while the two chat is the origin of the now-popular meme. The video, which has been posted on TikTok since its release, has received hilarious comments. “LMFAO. The eye contact with the nachos was heavy,” one person said. Another wrote, “I mean, they do look good.”

In a viral video posted Feb. 17, TikTok creator @sam_ondeck8 said the Baddies West clip then turned into a meme used to describe people who are seemingly copying each other or channeling one another’s vibe. To use it in a sentence, you might say, “Oh, she wants her nachos.” It’s the perfect phrase to use when a friend copies your ‘fit.

A Dextero article by Kawter Abed, explains that the phrase is most often used to critique celebs who unsuccessfully attempt to recreate someone else’s vibe or style. Similar to reheated nachos — which might turn out to be soggy or gross — this phrase implies their attempt fell flat or wasn’t as good as the original.

The Evolution Of Reheating Nachos

While the reheating nachos phrase made the rounds for a while as a cheeky insult, the meme has since evolved even further to specifically refer to a pop girl referencing themselves in their own music, essentially “reheating” what they’ve done in the past.

When Lady Gaga’s new song “Abracadabra” came out on Feb. 3, it immediately went viral and many people saw it as a revitalized version of her older songs. In this case, the act of reheating her nachos was a good thing.

On X, user @ITF0LL0WSME said, “Lady Gaga. Thank you for reheating your own nachos!” which essentially meant, “Thanks for bringing back the old you.” The “Abracadabra” music video, in particular, is highly reminiscent of 2010s Gaga — and it’s just what fans have been waiting for.

Another post on X by user @gayandold said that Gaga was reheating her “Judas” nachos with “Alejandro” chicken, referencing the singer’s mega-hits from 2011 and 2010, respectively, and how the new song sounds like pieces of her past successes mixed together.

In typical meme fashion, this one took off at warp speed and it also seems to change every day, which is why it stirs up a lot of confusion. In a post shared on Feb. 13, actor Halle Berry said, “I take a little break and come back and every other tweet is about reheating nachos. Lol.”

According to Katie Maher from Yahoo! News, other social media posts have notes that Lady Gaga isn’t reheating her old nachos but creating an entirely new dish, pointing to a post on X by @ronreup that read, “She didn’t reheat her nachos. She went to the kitchen with Gordon Ramsey and made the chips from scratch.”

Many are calling for Miley Cyrus and Madonna to “reheat their nachos” with new albums as well, so chances are the meme will continue to evolve in the days and weeks ahead. Get ready for more snack talk.