245 "This Or That" Questions That Really Make You Think

Sometimes, the conversationalist in you takes a sabbatical — usually at the most inopportune times. Maybe your snappy quips are having a short-circuit moment or you're dealing with a bout of social anxiety as you’re getting to know someone new. It’s moments like these when some simple, tried and true “this or that” questions come in handy.

The game is pretty straightforward: Present your counterpart with two options and they must choose one over the other. No skipping, no choosing both. One answer must come out on top. The “this or that” questions game is not only a quick go-to for lulls in conversation, but you’d be surprised just how deeply these little prompts can allow you to get to know a person. There’s always more to learn about someone, even your besties or significant other. You never know which question may launch them into a full-fledged storytime. It’s also a surefire way to suss out which friendships or dates have the most in common with you and also makes a highly entertaining party game — cocktails optional.

Icebreakers don’t have to be boring or cliche. The best “this or that” questions will make you think, laugh, debate, and get to know your friends, coworkers, or significant other on a whole new level. Whether you’re just playing for giggles over drinks or looking to spark a deep discussion, these are the conversation starters you’ll want in your chit-chat arsenal to bring you closer to the people around you.

Best “This Or That” Questions

Peanut butter: crunchy or smooth?

Movies or TV shows?

Iced or hot coffee?

Winter or summer?

Rain or snow?

Warm and cloudy or cool and sunny?

Build snowmen or sandcastles?

Grow flowers or carve pumpkins?

TikTok or IG Reels?

Memes or GIFs?

Send TikToks or receive?

Pinterest or Etsy?

Sunrise or sunset?

Live one immortal life or reincarnate every 10 years?

Ultra-talented but nobody knows or everyone thinks you can do something you can’t?

Have Mondays off or Fridays off?

Sleep in and work late or get up early and get off early?

Visit the past or the future?

Breathe underwater or fly?

Photographic memory or time travel?

Pause time or rewind?

Cottagecore or coastal grandma?

Crocs or sandals?

Trend follower or trendsetter?

Makeup or skincare?

Hair or outfit?

T-shirts or sweaters?

Jeans or leggings?

Early bird or night owl?

Camping or glamping?

Sleep or eat?

Friday night or Sunday morning?

Full name or nickname?

Have a pet or have a plant?

Sleep with sounds or silence?

Sleep with a night light or complete darkness?

Tattoos or piercings?

Silver or gold?

Rings or necklaces?

Bold lip or bold eye?

Have teeth for hair or hair for teeth?

Vampires or werewolves?

Silent but deadly or loud and odorless?

Forgive or forget?

Shop online or in person?

Cash or card?

Clothes shopping or products?

Receipt emailed or printed?

Audiobook or hardcovers?

Board games or video games?

Comedy or drama?

Music or podcasts?

Live action or animation?

Hamburgers or hot dogs?

Bagels or donuts?

Guacamole or salsa?

Soup or salad?

Salty or sweet?

Lemon or lime?

Greek yogurt or sour green?

Soup or stew?

Unicorns or dragons?

Have baby feet or baby hands?

Have an extra arm or an extra leg?

Toes for fingers or fingers for toes?

Cats or dogs?

Speak to animals or speak all languages?

Horses or ponies?

Pets sleep in the bed or on the floor?

Horseback riding or dog mushing?

Country or city?

Relationship or situationship?

Minimalism or maximalism?

Go out or stay in?

TV in the bedroom or no devices before bed?

Fame or fortune?

Growth or security?

Saving or spending?

Poor and happy or rich and miserable?

Save or spend?

Love or happiness?

Love and lose or never love at all?

Know who you’ll fall in love with next or keep it a surprise?

Win the lottery or find your soulmate?

Smell like onions or garlic?

Look like you haven’t showered or smell like you haven’t showered?

Shaving cream for shampoo or conditioner for deodorant?

Mullet or mutton chops?

Bad haircut or bad dye job?

No eyebrows or no eyelashes?

Bangs or no bangs?

Hairspray or au naturel?

Road trip or fly?

Driver or passenger?

Solo or group travel?

Swimming pool or ocean?

Spontaneous or planned?

Hotel or Airbnb?

Somewhere new or an old favorite?

Fiction or non-fiction?

Books or movies?

Reading or writing?

Romance or fantasy?

Paperback or hardcover?

Audiobook or e-book?

False hope or unnecessary anxiety?

Be wrong and confident or right and insecure?

Regret or doubt?

Yoga or meditation?

Journaling or affirmations?

Netflix or Hulu?

Apple or Spotify?

Prime Video or Max?

Shoes in the house or no shoes in the house?

Cheat or be cheated on?

Lie or cheat?

Catch your partner cheating or your parent cheating?

Time or money?

Logic or emotion?

Quality or quantity?

East Coast or West Coast?

Ocean or mountains?

Rivers or lakes?

Be a sore loser or a sore winner?

Cliffs or valleys?

Beaches or pools?

Coffee or tea?

Get your feelings hurt or hurt someone’s feelings?

Oat milk or almond milk?

Beer or wine?

Coke or Pepsi?

Red wine or white wine?

Water or seltzer?

Gatorade or coconut water?

Call or text?

iOS or Android?

No Wi-Fi or no service?

Case or no case?

Smartphone or flip phone?

Group hang or one-on-one?

Introvert or extrovert?

Hear colors or see sounds?

Large gathering or small and intimate?

Guest or host?

Paperless Post or Partiful?

Listening to loud chewing or endless hiccups?

Sprint or skip everywhere you go?

Hold in a sneeze or a yawn for hours?

Loud neighbors or nosy neighbors?

Be too hot or too cold?

Speeding ticket or parking ticket?

Learn about ancient Egypt or ancient Rome?

Learn what was in the Library of Alexandria or the truth about the Lost City of Atlantis?

Learn a new instrument or a new language?

History museum or art gallery?

Space or ocean exploration?

Always tell the truth or always hear the truth?

Be the fastest person or the smartest person?

Endless knowledge or endless imagination?

Sacrifice the few for the good of the many or let ill fate befall everyone?

Hear or see the supernatural?

Tattoos or no tattoos?

Sleep at your friend’s house or host them for a sleepover?

Cocktails or mocktails?

Board games or card games?

Wash dishes or take out the trash?

Music in headphones or on a speaker?

Air fryer or frying pan?

Laptop or iPad?

Fly or breathe underwater?

Brain freeze or burn your tongue?

Vinyl or CDs?

Sparkling or still water?

Step on a LEGO or get a paper cut?

A birthday text or phone call?

Gossiping or minding your business?

Breakfast in bed or at a cafe?

Dinner party or night on the town?

Wet sock or sticky hand?

Carry-on luggage or checked bags?

Lost wallet or lost keys?

Card or Apple Pay?

Gatorade or Powerade?

Pilates or Barre?

Matcha or black tea?

Football or soccer?

Candles or incense?

Poppi or Olipop?

Ponytail or bun?

Fresh flowers or fresh herbs?

Sun or moon?

Power nap or long nap?

Spiders or snakes?

Streaming or live TV?

Blowout or air dry?

Music videos or audio only?

Chicken nuggets or french fries?

Hair cut or hair colored?

Gel polish or regular polish?

French manicure or colorful nails?

Olives or pickles?

Dirty martini or Cosmopolitan?

Leggings or sweatpants?

Big pants or big T-shirt?

Capsule wardrobe or maximalism?

Paper or plastic straw?

Google Calendar or Apple Calendar?

Written or virtual to-do list?

Sunglasses or hat?

Barefoot or house shoes?

DIY or buy?

Disney World or Universal Studios?

Bus or train?

Fruit or vegetables?

Dairy or plant-based milk?

Wendy’s or McDonald’s?

Hiking or running?

Bike or scooter?

WFH or in-office?

Pop music or country music?

Spend time alone or with friends?

Morning or night shower?

Google Docs or Microsoft Office?

Snuffy nose or cough?

Alexa or Siri?

Meet your ancestors or your future relatives?

Concert or sporting event?

HIIT workout or low-impact?

Hug or kiss?

Laugh so hard you cry or cry so hard you laugh?

Meet your younger self or your older self?

Cruise or plane?

Luck or grit?

Dance like no one is watching or sing in the shower?

Frozen pizza or delivery?

Mac & cheese or buttered noodles?

Watch a movie or read the synopsis?

Marathon watch or one episode at a time?

Potato chips or tortilla chips?

Itinerary or spontaneity?

Set an alarm or wake up naturally?

Pancakes or waffles?

Keep a secret or tell a secret?

Big spoon or little spoon?