# This or That Questions: 190 Good Pairs to Ask Any Group

Source: https://thisorthatquestion.com/
Updated: 2026-11-11

Press Next question for a random pair, or start with the 15 easy questions below. Every category, from food to superpowers, has its own list.

## Quick facts

- A this or that question names exactly two options and asks each player to pick one. "Both" and "neither" do not count as answers.
- A rapid fire round of 20 this or that questions takes about 3 to 5 minutes, because most players answer in 2 or 3 seconds.
- This or that questions name two things, while would you rather questions describe two situations. That makes this or that faster to ask and answer.
- The best this or that questions have no right answer. If almost everyone picks the same side, the pair needs a stronger second option.
- A follow-up "Why?" turns a one-word answer into a short story. Ask it after every third or fourth pair to keep the pace up.

## Easy this or that questions (simple and quick)

Start with simple this or that questions. New groups need low-risk questions. This or that questions with easy options get every player answering in the first minute. These quick this or that questions also work for kids as young as 5.

1. Pizza or Burgers?
2. Hot weather or Cold weather?
3. Ocean or Lake?
4. Movie theater or Movie at home?
5. Pen or Pencil?
6. Stairs or Elevator?
7. Board games or Video games?
8. Ice cream or Cake?
9. Red or Blue?
10. Spring or Fall?
11. Indoors or Outdoors?
12. Breakfast or Dinner?
13. Apples or Oranges?
14. Nap on the couch or Nap in bed?
15. Drawing or Painting?

## What are this or that questions?

What is this or that? It is a question game with one rule: pick this or that. Good questions make both sides tempting, so nobody sits in the middle. A player hears "Pizza or Burgers?" and has to choose. People also call them either this or that questions, that or this questions, or this or that type questions.

This or that options can be foods, places, habits, movies or full scenarios. The format works for kids, teens, adults, coworkers and couples. Only the topics change.

When someone says "give me this or that questions," they usually want a ready list to read aloud. This list of this or that questions sorts 190 pairs into this or that categories. Pick from this or that topics such as food, places and superpowers.

## Food and drink this or that questions

Food pairs are the most popular this or that questions because everyone eats and everyone has opinions. Pick pairs from the same meal or snack type so both sides feel close.

1. Chips or Popcorn?
2. Spaghetti or Mac and cheese?
3. Sushi or Ramen?
4. Donuts or Muffins?
5. Hot chocolate or Apple cider?
6. Lemonade or Iced tea?
7. Strawberries or Watermelon?
8. Cookies or Brownies?
9. Grilled cheese or PB&J?
10. Thin crust or Deep dish?
11. Fried chicken or BBQ ribs?
12. Breakfast for dinner or Dinner for breakfast?
13. Cheesecake or Tiramisu?
14. Soda or Sparkling water?
15. Nachos or Quesadillas?
16. Ice cream cone or Ice cream cup?
17. Mashed potatoes or Baked potato?
18. Cinnamon rolls or Cupcakes?
19. Spicy food or Mild food?
20. Home cooking or Takeout?

## Animals and nature

1. Elephants or Giraffes?
2. Wolves or Bears?
3. Butterflies or Ladybugs?
4. Horses or Llamas?
5. Parrot or Turtle?
6. Forest or Desert?
7. Thunderstorm or Snowstorm?
8. Starry night or Full moon?
9. Waterfall or Volcano?
10. Sunflowers or Roses?
11. Octopus or Jellyfish?
12. Foxes or Deer?

## Home and everyday life

Habit pairs show how people live. They make good this or that questions to ask a new roommate, a new team or a date.

1. Make the bed or Leave it unmade?
2. Fuzzy socks or Bare feet?
3. Snooze button or Up on the first alarm?
4. Big party or Small dinner?
5. Cook or Do the dishes?
6. Vacuum or Laundry?
7. Sleep with a fan or Sleep in silence?
8. Phone by the bed or Phone in another room?
9. Candles or String lights?
10. Minimalist home or Cozy clutter?
11. Paper books or E-reader?
12. Handwritten notes or Typed notes?
13. Grocery store or Grocery delivery?
14. Saturday or Sunday?
15. Plan everything or Go with the flow?

## Movies, TV, music and books

1. Comedy or Horror?
2. Netflix or YouTube?
3. Binge a series or One episode a week?
4. Cartoons or Live action?
5. Concert or Comedy show?
6. Marvel or DC?
7. Disney or Pixar?
8. Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings?
9. Spotify or Apple Music?
10. Pop or Rock?
11. Country or Hip-hop?
12. Karaoke or Dancing?
13. Subtitles on or Subtitles off?
14. Reality TV or Documentaries?
15. Mystery novels or Fantasy novels?
16. Sing in the shower or Sing in the car?

## Tech and phone pairs for this or that 2026

Tech pairs date fast, so refresh them every year. These this or that 2026 pairs cover the phones, apps and habits people argue about now.

1. iPhone or Android?
2. Text or Voice memo?
3. Earbuds or Headphones?
4. Laptop or Tablet?
5. Dark mode or Light mode?
6. Smartwatch or Regular watch?
7. Group chat or One-on-one chat?
8. Streaming or Physical copies?
9. Selfie or Group photo?
10. Phone case or No case?
11. Reply with emoji or Reply with words?
12. Notifications on or Notifications off?
13. AI assistant or Search engine?

## School and work

1. Math or English?
2. Science or History?
3. Recess or Lunch?
4. Homework right away or Homework later?
5. Work from home or Office?
6. Morning meetings or Afternoon meetings?
7. Email or Chat message?
8. Sit in front or Sit in back?
9. Group project or Solo project?
10. Highlighters or Sticky notes?
11. Four 10-hour days or Five 8-hour days?
12. Field trip or Pajama day?
13. Standing desk or Regular desk?

## Places and outings

1. Paris or Tokyo?
2. New York or Los Angeles?
3. Live in a castle or Live in a treehouse?
4. City apartment or Farmhouse?
5. Hot tub or Pool?
6. Theme park or Water park?
7. Zoo or Aquarium?
8. Library or Bookstore?

## Sports and hobbies

1. Basketball or Soccer?
2. Football or Baseball?
3. Play sports or Watch sports?
4. Running or Swimming?
5. Yoga or Weightlifting?
6. Chess or Checkers?
7. Jigsaw puzzles or Crosswords?
8. Bowling or Mini golf?
9. Biking or Skateboarding?
10. Gardening or Baking?
11. Fishing or Kayaking?
12. Summer Olympics or Winter Olympics?

## Superpowers and fantasy

Fantasy pairs get the longest answers, because players explain their plans. Save them for when the group has warmed up. Each fun this or that question here works for ages 8 and up.

1. Read minds or See the future?
2. Super strength or Super speed?
3. Talk to animals or Speak every language?
4. Wizard or Superhero?
5. Mermaid tail or Wings?
6. Live in space or Live underwater?
7. Magic carpet or Flying broom?
8. Pause time or Rewind time?
9. Pet dragon or Pet phoenix?
10. Never need sleep or Never need food?
11. Shrink to ant size or Grow to giant size?
12. Night in a haunted house or Night on a spaceship?

## This or that scenarios

This or that scenario questions put a short situation on each side. They sit between a quick pair and a full would you rather question. Use 3 to 6 words per side so players can still answer fast.

1. Win the lottery or Find your dream job?
2. Live 100 years ago or Live 100 years ahead?
3. Only summer forever or Only fall forever?
4. Always 10 minutes early or Always 10 minutes late?
5. Lose your phone or Lose your wallet?
6. Be famous or Be rich?
7. Play every instrument or Ace every sport?
8. Free flights for life or Free groceries for life?
9. No phone for a week or No sweets for a month?
10. Live on a boat or Live in an RV?
11. Personal chef or Personal driver?
12. Relive your best day or Skip your worst day?
13. Funniest in the room or Smartest in the room?
14. Only whisper or Only shout?
15. Never wait in line again or Never sit in traffic again?

## Personality pairs that get people talking

These pairs ask how someone thinks rather than what they like. Follow each one with "Why?" and give the player 30 seconds.

1. Big friend group or Few close friends?
2. Give gifts or Get gifts?
3. Plan the party or Attend the party?
4. Lead the team or Support the team?
5. Talk it out or Write it down?
6. Adventure or Comfort?
7. Past or Future?
8. Logic or Gut feeling?
9. Surprises or Knowing ahead?
10. Save or Spend?
11. Learn by reading or Learn by doing?
12. Praise in public or Praise in private?

## Rapid fire questions: this or that style

This or that rapid fire questions use one-word options and a 3-second limit. Read the pair, point at a player, and move on as soon as they answer. No explanations until the round ends.

Some teachers open with a clapping chant ("this or that, this or that, this, this or that") to set the beat before the first pair.

1. Sun or Moon?
2. Salt or Pepper?
3. Left or Right?
4. Circle or Square?
5. Gold or Silver?
6. Hugs or High fives?
7. Green or Purple?
8. Trains or Planes?
9. Pickles or Olives?
10. Mint or Cinnamon?
11. Clap or Snap?
12. Stripes or Polka dots?
13. Lemons or Limes?
14. Bananas or Grapes?
15. Jeans or Sweatpants?
16. Honey or Maple syrup?
17. Bubbles or Balloons?
18. Thunder or Lightning?
19. Forks or Chopsticks?
20. Crayons or Markers?

## Fun questions of the day: this or that pairs

A fun question of the day: this or that format takes one minute and needs no prep. Write the pair on a whiteboard, a Slack channel or a sticky note wall, and let people vote as they arrive.

Post daily this or that questions of the day for a month, then switch to a question of the week: this or that style, with a longer pair and a written reason. Classrooms with a topic of the day: this or that pairs fit it in one line.

1. Snow day or Field day?
2. Breakfast in bed or Brunch out?
3. Rainy day inside or Sunny day outside?
4. Tell a joke or Hear a joke?
5. Write a letter or Get a letter?
6. Sleep in or Day trip?
7. Monday off or Friday off?

## This or that writing prompts

Any pair on this page works as one of the this or that prompts for a journal or an opinion paragraph. The student picks a side, then defends it in writing.

1. Write one pair on the board, for example "Live in space or Live underwater?"
2. Give students 1 minute to pick a side and write it at the top of the page.
3. Ask for three reasons, each in its own sentence.
4. Have them write one sentence about what the other side gets right.
5. Pair up students who chose opposite sides and let them read to each other.
6. Let students bring their own this or that idea for the next prompt.

## This or that vs would you rather

People often search for would you rather this or that questions as if they were one game. They are close cousins with a few real differences.

Families who ask this or that questions for fun on car rides often mix in a few would you rather questions once the easy pairs run out.

- This or that names two things ("Tacos or Sushi?"). Would you rather describes two actions ("Would you rather eat only tacos or only sushi for a year?").
- This or that answers take 2 or 3 seconds. Would you rather answers often take 30 seconds or more.
- Use this or that for warm-ups and rapid fire rounds. Use would you rather once a group is comfortable and ready to explain.
- Turn any scenario pair above into a this or that would you rather question by adding "Would you rather" to the front.

## How to ask this or that questions

Picking questions for this or that is the easy part. Delivery matters more. Use these steps for any group of 4 to 30 people.

1. Pick 15 to 20 pairs from two or three this or that themes, such as food, habits and superpowers.
2. Start with easy pairs so everyone answers once in the first two minutes.
3. Read each pair aloud as "A or B?" and point to a side of the room for each option.
4. Have players choose this or that by moving to a side, raising a hand, or holding up 1 or 2 fingers.
5. Ask one or two players per round to explain their pick in a sentence.
6. End with a fantasy or scenario pair, since those get the longest and funniest answers.

## Tips for writing good this or that questions

Great this or that questions follow a few rules. Use them to judge pairs from any list.

- A good this or that question splits the group. "Pizza or Broccoli?" fails because nearly everyone picks pizza.
- Keep both sides the same size. Balanced this or that choices compare a snack with a snack and a trip with a trip.
- Use 1 to 4 words per side. Long options turn this or that into would you rather.
- Match the audience. Kids under 8 do best with food, animals and colors; adults enjoy habits and scenarios.
- Skip politics, religion and real people at work or school. Those pairs split the room in the wrong way.
- Keep your top this or that questions and new this or that ideas in a phone note. Add pairs that got big reactions.
- Common this or that questions such as Cats or Dogs still work. Mix them with less familiar pairs so the game does not feel repeated.
- Rotate this or that lists every few weeks so regulars hear new pairs. What makes this or that questions fun is the surprise of a new split.

## Frequently asked questions

### What are some good this or that questions?

Good this or that questions pair two options people like equally, such as Sushi or Ramen, Zoo or Aquarium, Read minds or See the future, and Saturday or Sunday. The best this or that questions have no right answer, use short options, and lead to a quick "why" from each player.

### What are some this or that questions for kids?

Kids enjoy this or that questions about food, animals and colors, such as Elephants or Giraffes, Crayons or Markers, and Recess or Lunch. Keep options to one or two words for kids under 8. The kids page has a longer list.

### What are good this or that questions to ask at work?

Good work pairs stick to habits and preferences, such as Work from home or Office, Email or Chat message, and Four 10-hour days or Five 8-hour days. These questions to ask this or that style fit the first five minutes of a team meeting.

### What is a good this or that question to start with?

The best this or that question to start with is Hot weather or Cold weather. Everyone has an opinion, nobody needs to explain much, and the room usually splits. Other easy openers include Ocean or Lake, Pen or Pencil, and Movie theater or Movie at home.

### What are examples of this or that questions?

Examples of this or that questions include Chips or Popcorn, iPhone or Android, Wolves or Bears, Work from home or Office, and Pause time or Rewind time. This or that examples can cover food, animals, habits, tech, school, work, sports and fantasy. Any two options with no wrong answer work.

### What are fun this or that questions for a group?

Fun this or that questions mix silly and personal pairs, such as Only whisper or Only shout, Mermaid tail or Wings, and Snooze button or Up on the first alarm. For this or that fun questions that get laughs, use the superpowers and scenarios sections.

### How many this or that questions should I prepare?

Prepare 15 to 20 pairs for a 10-minute session and about 40 for a 30-minute game. The this or that questions list on this page holds 190 pairs, so you can print 100 this or that questions for a long event or a month of warm-ups.

### What are rapid fire this or that questions?

Rapid fire this or that questions are one-word pairs asked with a 3-second answer limit, such as Sun or Moon, Salt or Pepper, and Gold or Silver. The host reads pairs quickly and saves follow-up questions for the end. A round of 20 takes about 3 to 5 minutes.

### Are would you rather do this or that questions the same as this or that?

No. This or that names two things, while would you rather do this or that questions describe two actions or situations. "Beach or Pool?" is this or that. "Would you rather swim with sharks or skydive?" is would you rather. Both work well together in one game.

### Are "do you like this or that" questions and "do you prefer this or that" questions the same game?

Yes. Do you like this or that questions and do you prefer this or that questions are other names for the same format. The host names two options and the player picks one. Adding "do you prefer" sounds softer, which helps with younger kids and new coworkers.

### What's a good this or that question for the question of the day?

A good choice for a this or that question of the day is Snow day or Field day for school, or Monday off or Friday off for work. Pick pairs people can answer in five seconds as they walk in, and post the results before everyone leaves.

### Can you give me some this or that questions for a this or that Q&A on social media?

Yes. For a this or that Q&A, use pairs with clear visual sides: Sunflowers or Roses, Dark mode or Light mode, Fuzzy socks or Bare feet, and Candles or String lights. Instagram Stories has a poll sticker that turns each pair into a two-button vote.

### Where can I find this or that questions Reddit users suggest?

Search Reddit for "this or that" or "would you rather" to find threads where users trade pairs. Quality varies, and many threads mix in adult topics, so check every pair before using it with kids or at work. The lists on this page are sorted by audience-safe categories.

### Is there a this or that edition for holidays and seasons?

Yes. A this or that edition is a themed set, such as a Halloween, summer, travel or Bible edition. Each one is a this or that list of questions built around one theme, which gives you fresh this or that question ideas for each season. See the related pages below.
