This or that questions are the fastest way to get a quiet group talking. You offer two options, a person picks one, and within seconds everyone wants to know why they chose it. Pizza or tacos. Beach or mountains. Save it or spend it. The choice takes a moment, but the reason behind it can carry a whole conversation.
That speed is the reason the format shows up everywhere, from classrooms and road trips to first dates and team meetings. There is nothing to set up, no way to lose, and no age limit. A five year old and a grandparent can answer the same prompt and discover they think completely differently.
This guide gives you 130 original this or that questions sorted into categories, so you can match the right set to the people in front of you. It also explains how the game works, why it is so effective for classrooms and parties, where it falls short, and how a spin wheel makes choosing questions fair and unpredictable. Read it once and you will be ready to run a great round tonight.
Table of Contents
What Are This or That Questions?
A this or that question asks someone to choose between exactly two options. That is the whole format. Instead of an open question like “what food do you like,” which can produce a shrug, you ask “pizza or tacos,” which forces a quick, concrete answer.
The binary structure is what makes it work. Open questions give people room to stall or give a safe non answer. A two option choice removes that escape, so even shy players commit to something. Once they commit, the natural follow up, “why,” does the rest.
These this or that questions sit between small talk and a real conversation. The choice itself is light, but the reasoning often reveals values, habits, and personality. Asking an adult “save for the future or enjoy the now” looks simple, yet the answer can tell you a lot about how they live. That mix of low effort and real insight is why this or that questions have spread from casual conversation into classrooms, icebreaker activities, and social media polls.
How the This or That Game Works
The rules of this or that questions are almost too simple to write down, which is part of the appeal.
- One person reads a question with two options.
- The chosen player picks one.
- They give a short reason for the choice.
- Play moves to the next person.
There are no points and no winner. The goal is conversation, not competition. You can play with two people or a group of thirty, and a round can last two minutes or stretch across an entire dinner.
In person, you sit in a circle and take turns. Over a video call, you go in screen order or let a host call on people. Both work the same way, since the game needs no physical equipment at all.
A spin wheel adds a clean way to handle the two jobs in the game: choosing who answers and choosing which question to ask. Load player names on the wheel to pick the next speaker, or load the numbers 1 to 130 to land on a random question from the list below. Random selection matters more than it looks. When a tool makes the call, no one can claim the host is steering questions toward certain people, and research on classroom participation has found that random selection encourages a wider share of a group to take part rather than the same few volunteers (Dallimore et al., 2019). For picking who answers, a random name picker does the same job in a classroom or meeting.
Why This or That Questions Work So Well
A few qualities explain why this or that questions keep showing up across so many settings.
It is low pressure. There is no wrong answer, so people who hate being put on the spot still feel safe joining in.
It reveals personality fast. A single choice between two snacks or two lifestyles can surface a preference that would take ten minutes to draw out with an open question.
It needs no equipment. A list, or just your memory, is the entire toolkit, which makes it perfect for car rides, waiting rooms, and last minute gatherings.
It works for every age. You change the questions, not the rules, so the same game fits a kindergarten class and a retirement party.
It moves quickly. Each turn takes seconds, so energy stays high and nobody waits long, which is exactly what a large group needs.
The 130 This or That Questions
Pick the category that fits your group, or spin a wheel set to 1 to 130 and let it choose. The this or that questions below are grouped by audience and difficulty, and each set has a short note on who it suits best.
Funny This or That Questions (1 to 20)
These absurd choices exist to make people laugh, not think. They are ideal for warming up a stiff group at the start of a party or breaking a lull on a long drive. Read them with a straight face and let people defend their ridiculous picks.
- Sneeze glitter or hiccup bubbles?
- Talk like a robot or sing every sentence?
- Fight one tiny dragon or one giant duck?
- Permanent clown nose or permanent clown shoes?
- Shoes on the wrong feet or shirt on backward?
- Always slightly itchy or always slightly cold?
- Spaghetti hair or jelly hands?
- Squeak like a toy when you walk or smell faintly like a wet dog?
- Laugh at everything or yawn at everything?
- A tail you cannot control or ears that flap when excited?
- Burp confetti or sneeze feathers?
- Speak only in questions or only in whispers?
- A horn that honks when nervous or bells that ring when happy?
- Trip over nothing in public or wave back at someone who was not waving at you?
- Hop everywhere or walk backward everywhere?
- A beard of moss or hair of yarn?
- Hiccups for a day or the giggles for an hour?
- A pet rock that judges you or a cloud that rains when you are sad?
- Permanent bedhead or one permanently untied shoelace?
- Wear a cape everywhere or a party hat everywhere?
This or That Questions for Kids (21 to 40)
Built for young players, these stick to animals, treats, and simple favorites with nothing tricky or scary. They suit elementary classrooms, sleepovers, and family car rides, and they give shy kids an easy way to speak up.
- Cats or dogs?
- Summer or winter?
- Ice cream or cake?
- Superpowers or magic?
- Beach or playground?
- Pizza or burgers?
- Drawing or building blocks?
- Cartoons or video games?
- Dragons or unicorns?
- Swimming or biking?
- Chocolate or candy?
- Day or night?
- Robots or dinosaurs?
- Fly or turn invisible?
- Treehouse or castle?
- Slide or swing?
- Apple or banana?
- Snow day or beach day?
- Books or movies?
- Puppies or kittens?
This or That Questions for Teens (41 to 55)
These touch on the parts of life teens actually care about, like phones, friends, music, and the future, while staying completely clean. They work in middle and high school classrooms, youth groups, and friend hangouts.
- Text or call?
- Early bird or night owl?
- Movies at home or movies at the theater?
- Sweet snacks or salty snacks?
- Big party or small hangout?
- City life or small town?
- Sneakers or sandals?
- Music or video games?
- Coffee or energy drinks?
- Plan everything or go with the flow?
- Online friends or school friends?
- Sports or arts?
- Mountains or beach?
- Save your money or spend it?
- Famous online or respected in person?
This or That Questions for Adults (56 to 70)
These trade fantasy for real trade offs adults face every week, which tends to produce longer, more interesting answers. They fit dinner parties, work socials, and double dates.
- Coffee or tea?
- Work from home or work at an office?
- Cook at home or eat out?
- Save for the future or enjoy the now?
- Early riser or late sleeper?
- Books or podcasts?
- City apartment or quiet house?
- One big vacation or several small trips?
- Call ahead or just show up?
- Plan the weekend or keep it open?
- Morning workout or evening workout?
- Window seat or aisle seat?
- Streaming at home or live events?
- Tidy as you go or one big cleanup?
- Road trip or flight?
Food This or That Questions (71 to 90)
Food choices are the most universal of all, since everyone has an opinion and nobody feels put on the spot. This set is perfect for a quick round at any table, with any age.
- Pizza or tacos?
- Sweet or savory?
- Coffee or hot chocolate?
- Burgers or hot dogs?
- Pancakes or waffles?
- Fries or onion rings?
- Ketchup or mustard?
- Pasta or rice?
- Cookies or brownies?
- Tea or lemonade?
- Cheese or chocolate?
- Spicy or mild?
- Soup or salad?
- Ice cream cone or sundae?
- Crunchy or smooth peanut butter?
- Breakfast for dinner or dinner for breakfast?
- Fruit or vegetables?
- Milkshake or smoothie?
- Popcorn or chips?
- Sushi or pizza?
Classroom This or That Questions (91 to 105)
Designed for school, these connect to the subjects and routines students know, which makes them a natural lesson warm up. Spin a name wheel to pick who answers and you spread participation across the whole room.
- Group work or solo work?
- Math or reading?
- Science or history?
- Recess or lunch?
- Pencil or pen?
- Quiz or project?
- Field trip or movie day?
- Read aloud or read quietly?
- Art class or music class?
- Morning class or afternoon class?
- Whiteboard or tablet?
- Homework now or homework later?
- Library or computer lab?
- Spelling test or math test?
- Present in front of the class or write a report?
Hard This or That Questions (106 to 120)
These swap easy favorites for genuine dilemmas that make people weigh their values. Save them for older teens and adults who enjoy thinking out loud, and give players time to explain.
- More time or more money?
- Natural talent or hard work?
- Be early or be free?
- Lead or follow?
- The hard truth or a comfortable illusion?
- Adventure or stability?
- Fame or privacy?
- Be liked or be respected?
- Know the future or change the past?
- Start things or finish things?
- Speak up or listen?
- A big risk or a sure thing?
- Many friends or a few close ones?
- Be the best or be the kindest?
- Live in the moment or plan ahead?
Random This or That Questions (121 to 130)
When the mood needs a quick reset, these simple, pattern free choices keep the pace moving. They mix well into any other category and work with any group.
- Left or right?
- Up or down?
- Stripes or polka dots?
- Mountains or oceans?
- Gold or silver?
- Sunrise or sunset?
- Whisper or shout?
- Fast or slow?
- Old movies or new movies?
- Hot weather or cold weather?
When to Use This or That Questions
The same this or that questions fit very different settings with small tweaks.
- Parties and gatherings: use funny and food questions to loosen up guests who do not know each other.
- Classrooms: open a lesson with a quick round to get students talking before the real content begins.
- Road trips: keep a list on a phone and let passengers take turns, since no screens or pieces are needed.
- Team meetings: run a short round before an agenda to reveal personalities and ease people in.
- Dates and new friendships: use them to learn about someone fast without the pressure of heavy questions.
- Virtual hangouts: they translate perfectly to video calls, where a host can spin a wheel to pick who answers.
Four friends enjoy a casual afternoon gathering indoors, gesturing and debating choices from a book of interesting This or That Questions in front of vibrant backdrop panels.
Advantages and Limitations
Being honest about both sides helps you use the game well.
The advantages of this or that questions are speed, simplicity, and reach. A round needs no setup, suits any age, and produces instant participation. Because there is no wrong answer, it is one of the safest icebreakers for nervous groups, and the binary format keeps even large groups moving quickly.
The limitations are real too. A choice between two options can feel shallow if you never ask the follow up, so the value depends on drawing out the reasons. Some prompts create a false binary, forcing a pick between two things a person likes equally, which can frustrate rather than engage. And the format is not built for deep or sensitive topics, where an open conversation serves better. Use this or that questions to open a conversation, not to carry the whole of one.
Common Mistakes That Weaken the Game
A few habits quietly drain the fun.
- Skipping the follow up. The choice is just the start. Without a “why,” the game becomes a list of one word answers.
- Unbalanced options. If one option is obviously better, there is no real choice and no discussion. Aim for two options people could genuinely split over.
- Too many in a row. Firing off twenty questions without pausing turns a conversation into a quiz. Slow down and let answers breathe.
- Forcing a choice. If someone truly cannot decide, let them explain the tie instead of pressuring them. The reasoning is the point, not the pick.
This or That vs Would You Rather
The two games are close cousins, and people often mix them up. The difference is scale. This or that questions offer two short, real world options, usually a single word each, which keeps the pace fast and the tone light. Would you rather questions present two fuller scenarios, often absurd or difficult, which slows the game down and invites longer debate.
Use this or that when you want quick energy and broad participation, especially with younger players or large groups. Reach for would you rather when you want deeper reasoning and a longer conversation. Many hosts start with this or that to warm a room up, then move to heavier prompts once people are comfortable. For that next step, our would you rather questions collection has 150 ideas sorted by age and difficulty.
How to Pick Questions at Random
Choosing prompts at random keeps the game fair and adds a little suspense. The simplest method is a spin wheel set to the numbers 1 to 130, matched to these this or that questions. The group watches the wheel slow and stop, which feels transparent and builds a small moment of anticipation that a printed list cannot match. It also spares the host from deciding every single turn, which matters over a long session.
To choose who answers rather than which question, load names instead of numbers. This spreads turns evenly and stops the most eager few from dominating, which is the single biggest factor in keeping a classroom or team round engaging.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are this or that questions? They are quick prompts that ask a person to choose between two options, such as coffee or tea. The choice is fast, but the reason behind it sparks conversation, which is why they work as icebreakers.
Are this or that questions good for the classroom? Yes. They are safe, need no equipment, and have no wrong answer, so quieter students join in. Pairing them with random name selection spreads participation across the whole class.
What is the difference between this or that and would you rather? This or that offers two short, real options and moves fast. Would you rather presents two fuller scenarios, often silly or hard, and invites longer debate. The two pair well in the same session.
How many people can play this or that? Anywhere from two to a large group. Small groups get deeper answers, while big groups benefit from a wheel that picks who speaks next so everyone stays involved.
How do you make this or that questions more fun? Always ask why after a choice, mix funny and serious sets so the game has rhythm, and use a wheel to pick questions or players at random for fairness and surprise.
What age can play this or that questions? Any age, since you only change the questions, not the rules. Use the kids set for young children, the adult and hard sets for grown ups, and a mix for a varied crowd.
Conclusion
This or that questions earn their popularity by asking almost nothing and giving back a lot. There is no setup, no losing, and no age limit, just two options and the reason behind a choice. The same simple format that gets a kindergarten class talking can spark a real debate at an adult dinner table.
The key to a great round of this or that questions is matching the questions to your group, asking why after every pick, and choosing prompts at random so the game stays fair and unpredictable. Bookmark this list so you always have 130 ready, and the next time you want a question without playing favorites, spin a wheel set to 1 to 130 and let it decide.
References
Dallimore, E. J., Hertenstein, J. H., & Platt, M. B. (2019). Leveling the playing field: How cold-calling affects class discussion gender equity. Journal of Education and Learning, 8(2), 14-24. https://doi.org/10.5539/jel.v8n2p14
Iyengar, S. S., & Lepper, M. R. (2000). When choice is demotivating: Can one desire too much of a good thing? Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 79(6), 995-1006. https://business.columbia.edu/faculty/research/when-choice-demotivating-can-one-desire-too-much-good-thing
