Why chips are more delicious when taken from someone else’s plate
A new study has found that food, particularly French fries, tastes better when taken from someone else's plate, especially under conditions of perceived risk. The research involved 120 participants who rated stolen fries as nearly 40% more enjoyable than those they were given directly. The findings suggest that the thrill of transgression and social risk can enhance the sensory experience of eating.
- ▪The study was conducted by Valentin Skryabin of the Russian Medical Academy of Continuous Professional Education in Moscow.
- ▪Participants ranked French fries stolen from another person’s plate as nearly 40 percent more enjoyable than those they received directly.
- ▪The higher the perceived risk of stealing, such as taking fries from a stern-looking stranger, the more enjoyable the fries were reported to be.
- ▪Guilt and excitement were associated with greater enjoyment, but the context of acquisition was the strongest predictor of taste perception.
- ▪Identical servings of fries were used across all conditions, differing only in how they were obtained.
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NewsUKHome NewsWhy chips are more delicious when taken from someone else’s plateA new study has found that forbidden food does indeed taste better Holly Evans Tuesday 28 April 2026 10:05 BSTBookmarkCommentsGo to commentsBookmark popoverRemoved from bookmarksClose popover{"translations":{"comments":"Go to comments","share":"Share","copyLink":"Copy link","bookmark":"Bookmark","removeBookmark":"Remove bookmark"},"showComments":true,"showBookmark":true,"articleId":"b2966173","articleMeta":{"url":"https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/chips-fries-stolen-tastes-better-study-b2966173.html","title":"The forbidden secret that makes food delicious"}}open image in gallery{"id":"trigger-autogallery-82113","index":0}French fries were found to be tastier when stolen from another diner’s plate…
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