Image credit: pixabay, @Averyanovphoto
Controversially, let’s start with sweet before savoury. Orange peel theory asserts that you can test your partner’s love for you by asking them to do simple things for you like peeling an orange. The outcomes are pretty brutal: if your partner agrees to peel an orange for you, it shows you are loved, but if they refuse, the relationship is doomed. It originated in a slideshow of screenshots between exes, one of whom reminisces how “I miss when you would peel my oranges for me in the morning”. There is some sense to this analysis, since the smallest of acts carry a lot of weight in relationships whilst grand gestures can sometimes feel performative. That said, the theory is way too quick to condemn; there are many reasons why a partner might not peel an orange in that moment, which have nothing to do with strength of love. Perhaps they’re stressed, or busy, or in a bad mood. Relationships are so much more complex than this! It’s very unfair and reductionist to judge the strength of a relationship from just one test. Instead, we should fit orange peel theory into the bigger picture of the dynamic of the couple.Until recently, Doritos and oranges were just brightly coloured foods, nothing too noteworthy here. That was until videos went viral on TikTok, using them to determine something entirely more serious: the survival of relationships. After watching videos on the so-called ‘orange peel’ and ‘Dorito’ theory, many TikTok users have found themselves putting their relationships into question when they wouldn’t have before. But whether this kind of social media dating advice should be taken seriously is far from clear...
An even more concerning aspect of orange peel theory is the whole concept of putting your partner through a ‘dating test’. It introduces an element of mistrust and even deception in the relationship – dating isn’t an exam where you need to prove yourself, it’s a decision based on mutual affection and trust. Other TikTok dating trends, such as the ketchup challenge (where people leave stains on purpose to see if their partner will clean them up) are just as nefarious. Orange peel does, after all, have a bitter aftertaste.
On the other hand, the Dorito theory seems more palatable. It uses the metaphor of people continuing to snack on Doritos even though they aren’t filling (unlike a proper meal) to explain how people stay in relationships that aren’t truly fulfilling. According to the user who posted the original video, “experiences that aren’t truly satisfying are maximally addictive”, and so people will stick with relationships that aren’t truly good for them.
Not only is there possible truth to this theory – we persevere because we are holding out that satisfaction will be achieved – it’s preferable because it’s less a test for your partner (there’s no way they can pass or fail, and it doesn’t concern specific behaviours) and more a way of reframing the way you evaluate your relationship. It’s much healthier because it’s not based on suspicion, and could even inspire you to consider how to make your relationship more complete. It helps you to be more mindful and aware – and indeed, people use this to evaluate other addictive behaviours, such as (perhaps ironically) social media use. That said, these theories should both be taken with a pinch of salt, and be considered in context, not in isolation. No, if they refuse to peel an orange for you they are not automatically a bad partner. But at the same time, if they continuously decline to help you out with small tasks this might be something to consider. And Dorito theory isn’t a be all and end all either - sometimes a bag of Chilli Heatwave can turn your day around. As with all information on the internet, critical thinking is very much called for.
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AUTHOR: Emma Hunter
