The fortunes inside fortune cookies tend to take a positive, yet very vague, view of things. Notes like “things are looking up,” “opportunity is never far away“ and “you will be lucky in business ventures”are so commonplace that it is a rare event when someone is actually surprised by a fortune cookie. But Wonton Food, which is the largest producer of fortune cookies in the country, is looking to change things up a bit. They have added some new messages to their 10,000-plus library: ones with a cautious or warning message. The company says that many consumers have requested that the fortunes offer actual predictions, something a bit more realistic than the typical messages. New fortunes read “perhaps you’ve been focusing too much on yourself” and “it’s over your head now. time to get some professional help,” among other things.
I’m not entirely sure that I want to get a really serious message with my take-out. I like chinese meals to end on a good note. But a change of pace might be nice once in a while, especially if your dining partner is the one who ends up with the cookie that reads “today is a disastrous day. if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em” instead of you.
Lydia
October 17, 2007Honestly, the thought of more “realistic” fortunes just scares me. I look forward to that little bit of relentless optimism at the end of a Chinese meal.