What are this or that questions?

This or that questions are simple either-or picks, like "coffee or tea?" or "plan everything or wing it?" Each player answers instantly with one of the two options, no explanations on the first pass. They work as icebreakers because they need zero storytelling, just a preference.

How do you play the this or that game?

One person calls out a pair of options and everyone answers immediately, going around the circle. Gut answers only: hesitation and "both" are against the spirit of the game. After a round, revisit the most divisive question and let people defend their picks. Question apps like opnrs can deal the pairs for you so nobody has to think them up.

What is the difference between this or that and would you rather?

This or that is a speed round of simple preferences with no scenario attached. Would you rather poses a dilemma with trade-offs, and the discussion is the point. Play this or that to warm a group up fast, then move to would you rather once people are ready to explain themselves.

What are good this or that questions for adults?

Adults respond best to picks with a little bite: "loved or understood?", "apologize first or wait it out?", "be overdressed or underdressed?" They stay all-ages-appropriate but reveal actual personality. Food debates like crunchy versus smooth peanut butter are reliably the loudest rounds at any age.

Are this or that questions good icebreakers?

They are among the best, because they ask for the smallest possible disclosure: one preference. Nobody has to tell a story or share a feeling, so even the quietest person in the room can play from the first question. The pattern of someone's picks ends up saying a lot anyway.

How many this or that questions do you need for a game?

For a quick icebreaker, 10 to 15 pairs is plenty. For a full game night segment, 30 to 40 keeps the pace fast without dragging. It is better to end while people still want more, so cut the round at its peak and save the rest of your list for next time.

Can you play this or that over text?

Yes, it might be the best text-message game there is. Send one pair at a time and reply with your own answer after theirs, since one-sided quizzes get stale fast. It is an easy way to keep a conversation alive with a long-distance friend or someone you just started talking to.

60 This or That Questions for Fast, Fun Rounds

Updated 2026-07-0260 questions

This or that questions are instant either-or picks: two options, gut answer, no hedging. They are the fastest conversation game there is, which makes them perfect for groups that have not warmed up yet, car rides, waiting rooms, and the first ten minutes of any gathering. No stories required, no vulnerability demanded, just a pick, and the picks add up to a surprisingly clear picture of a person. These 60 are grouped from easy openers to genuinely agonizing picks. Answer first, argue after.

Rapid-fire basics

The warm-up lap. Nobody needs to think, everybody has an answer.

Morning or night?
Coffee or tea?
Beach or mountains?
Sweet or salty?
Summer or winter?
Books or movies?
Cats or dogs?
Call or text?
Window seat or aisle?
Shower in the morning or at night?

Food fights

Where friendly rounds get loud. Pick a side and hold the line.

Pizza or tacos?
Crunchy or smooth peanut butter?
Pancakes or waffles?
Fries or onion rings?
Chocolate or vanilla?
Breakfast for dinner or dessert for breakfast?
Spicy or mild?
Cake or pie?
Cereal before milk or milk before cereal?
Leftovers cold or reheated?

Lifestyle picks

How someone actually lives, one small preference at a time.

Big party or small dinner?
Plan everything or wing it?
City or countryside?
Early to the airport or cutting it close?
Road trip or flight?
Camping or hotel?
One long vacation or many long weekends?
Rearrange the furniture or keep it exactly where it works?
Silence while working or background noise?
Fix it yourself or call someone who can?

Personality tells

Each pick is a tiny confession. Watch how fast people answer these.

Give the toast or write the card?
Ask for directions or figure it out?
Say the hard thing now or find the right moment?
Group chat instigator or lurker?
First on the dance floor or holding the drinks?
Apologize first or wait it out?
Big dream with long odds or good plan with sure footing?
Talk it out tonight or sleep on it?
Know the spoiler or stay surprised?
Be overdressed or underdressed?

Seasonal picks

Refresh these every few months and the game never gets old.

Fireplace or fireworks?
Hot chocolate or iced lemonade?
First snow or first warm day?
Pumpkin everything or peppermint everything?
Beach day or ski day?
Rainy afternoon inside or sunny afternoon out?
Decorate early or keep it minimal?
New year resolutions or no resolutions ever?
Long summer evenings or cozy winter mornings?
Costume party or ugly sweater party?

Weirdly hard ones

The picks that stop the round cold. Thirty seconds of silence is a win here.

Always slightly early or exactly on time?
Loved or understood?
Rewind or fast-forward?
Lucky or skilled?
Interesting or content?
Never bored or never rushed?
Great memory or great imagination?
Known for kindness or known for brilliance?
Fresh start or finished business?
The window or the door?

The speed-round way to play

The whole game rests on one rule: answer instantly, defend later. Go around the circle on each question and take gut answers only, no explanations allowed on the first pass. Hesitating gets called out. "Both" gets booed. Then, once the round is done, circle back to the most divisive pick and let people argue their case. Splitting the game into a fast phase and a talky phase keeps the energy up and saves the debate for the questions that actually earned one.

A good session mixes groups: open with rapid-fire basics, spike the energy with food fights, then land on the weirdly hard ones once people are invested. If you want the questions dealt to you instead of read from a screen, opnrs has 10,000+ questions across 65 topics in 11 languages, works fully offline, and requires no signup. One card at a time keeps the pace honest.

Frequently asked questions

What are this or that questions?: This or that questions are simple either-or picks, like "coffee or tea?" or "plan everything or wing it?" Each player answers instantly with one of the two options, no explanations on the first pass. They work as icebreakers because they need zero storytelling, just a preference.
How do you play the this or that game?: One person calls out a pair of options and everyone answers immediately, going around the circle. Gut answers only: hesitation and "both" are against the spirit of the game. After a round, revisit the most divisive question and let people defend their picks. Question apps like opnrs can deal the pairs for you so nobody has to think them up.
What is the difference between this or that and would you rather?: This or that is a speed round of simple preferences with no scenario attached. Would you rather poses a dilemma with trade-offs, and the discussion is the point. Play this or that to warm a group up fast, then move to would you rather once people are ready to explain themselves.
What are good this or that questions for adults?: Adults respond best to picks with a little bite: "loved or understood?", "apologize first or wait it out?", "be overdressed or underdressed?" They stay all-ages-appropriate but reveal actual personality. Food debates like crunchy versus smooth peanut butter are reliably the loudest rounds at any age.
Are this or that questions good icebreakers?: They are among the best, because they ask for the smallest possible disclosure: one preference. Nobody has to tell a story or share a feeling, so even the quietest person in the room can play from the first question. The pattern of someone's picks ends up saying a lot anyway.
How many this or that questions do you need for a game?: For a quick icebreaker, 10 to 15 pairs is plenty. For a full game night segment, 30 to 40 keeps the pace fast without dragging. It is better to end while people still want more, so cut the round at its peak and save the rest of your list for next time.
Can you play this or that over text?: Yes, it might be the best text-message game there is. Send one pair at a time and reply with your own answer after theirs, since one-sided quizzes get stale fast. It is an easy way to keep a conversation alive with a long-distance friend or someone you just started talking to.