More often than not these days, when you buy something, you don’t actually see it until it shows up in front of you. Online shopping, food delivery and questionable listings all sometimes remind us why buyers have to be aware.
So we’ve put together a list of some of the best posts from the “Expectations Vs Reality” online group showcasing the times folks didn’t get what they expected. So settle in as you scroll through, upvote your favorites and be sure to share your own thoughts and experiences in the comments section down below.
#1 My Daughter's Birthday Cake From Last Year
Image credits: Awnya
#2 Ordered The Blanket From A Sketchy Seeming Website. They Nailed It!
Image credits: ezfriedchiken
#3 The Way We Advertise Our Jack-O-Lantern Pizzas vs. The Way I Like To Make Them For Customers
Image credits: ArcusArtifex
Comedy rises and falls on surprise, and nothing surprises more than the gap between what we think will happen and what happens. That is why "What I ordered vs. What I got" pictures are a staple of the internet, especially in the fields of online retailing and quick eats. Basically, these images work because they use one of the oldest devices in comedy, the breaking of expectations.
When you hit "buy now" online, you're buying a promise of a sort. That seductive picture of a flowing gown that will slide like silk, the fast food advertisement with a burger heaped high with inexplicably fresh lettuce, or the sleek device that appears to have been ripped from a sci-fi movie, the entire experience forms a mental picture.
#4 The Birthday Cake My Wife Made For Our Daughter
Image credits: MiningForNoseGold
#5 This Patch I Ordered Off Amazon
Image credits: Chsrmsy
#6 I Got This Ice Cream Bar From A 7 Eleven Store In Tokyo And It Was Exactly The Same As In Picture. Plus It Was Delicious!
Image credits: laleli_lolu
Comedy, though, runs into disaster when reality knocks on your door and bears no resemblance to the fantasy. That "luxury dress" is made of cheap polyester and fits a kid. The burger is a thin patty hiding in a dismal smear of lettuce. The science-fiction device? A fragile bit of plastic that can't seem to function.
#7 What My Sister Asked For vs. What The Salon Did vs. What My Mom Did After The Salon Disaster
Image credits: reddit.com
#8 Beauty Products These Days
Image credits: whoaaintitfun
#9 These Things Never Work Out, Do They?
Image credits: beroemd
The joke works because the setup is relatable. Everybody has, at some point, been a victim of the gap between marketing and actuality. That common disappointment is turned into laughter when another person records it. Rather than just commiserating about disappointment, people embrace it by making their bad luck entertainment. This makes the subversion more digestible, it's not just about being disappointed, it's about catching the humor in being disappointed.
#10 Reality Way Better Than Expectation!
Image credits: jenkla
#11 Creepy
Image credits: reddit.com
#12 Elsa Cake
Image credits: sweethandz
The structure here is almost identical with that of the traditional joke form. The anticipation is the "setup," carefully built with pictures of perfection. The "punchline" is the surprise: a deformed cake, a deformed stuffed animal, or food that looks as if it has been dropped on the floor and then placed on the table. Because the punchline is something that one can view and something that is often enhanced through contrast, it strikes immediately and en masse, no language ability necessary. It's comedy in its most universal sense.
#13 Merry Christmas Everyone!
Image credits: aggadoo
#14 I'm Seriously Impressed By This Frozen Pizza
Image credits: reddit.com
#15 Husband Tried To Make A Dolphin For My Cocktail. It's The Cutest Eel I've Ever Seen
Image credits: CharmingtheCobra
A second way these expectation mismatch posts succeed is through their built-in sincerity. Advertising relies on deception, on exactly choreographed images designed to persuade. "What I got" photos take that away, exposing the rough, disappointing, and hilariously imperfect reality. It's a raw moment in a world of presentation sheen, and truth, when it defies artifice, has always been fertile ground for comedy.
#16 The Top Is Pottery That My Mom Got In Germany, The Bottom Is My Attempt To Make It In My Ceramics Class ://
Image credits: erinflah1
#17 Some Boots From Amazon
Image credits: Tzl1337
#18 What My Mother Ordered vs. What She Got
Image credits: EternalTemple
There is also a thread of resolve here. Laughter instead of pouting over frustration, and in doing so, reclaiming some control in a situation that otherwise is helpless. You might not be able to return that ugly dress or refund your miserable burger, but you can at least garner some likes, chuckles, and solidarity online.
#19 Tasty Cheese
Image credits: KindlyStreet2183
#20 My Friend Bought This Costume Online And I’ve Been Laughing All Day
Image credits: llewellyns
#21 These Sly, Sly Bastards
Image credits: tacticalBOVINE
"What I ordered vs. What I got" works because it universalizes one of the lesser tragedies of life and makes it funny. There's humor in the shock, the surprise no one expects, and there are few surprises more reliable than expecting beauty and receiving anarchy instead. And by embracing difference, the internet has provided us with a kind of humor that's not just actual but long-lasting, since disappointment will always find ways to seep into our lives, and the best way to handle it is usually to laugh.
#22 Cute Little Aldi Ice Cream Cones
Image credits: HaiirPeace
#23 Includes A "Private Balcony." Is Just A View Of The Wall Of The Next Building
Image credits: Jagokoz
#24 I Ordered Bruschetta From My Local Pizza Shop
Image credits: Flyingforme
#25 My Kid Cried
Image credits: SlugCatt
#26 Nailed It!
Image credits: blind-prostitute
#27 Glass Mug
Image credits: Easy_Rate_6938
#28 Underwater Scene Puzzle My Kids Got
Image credits: wolfdoom
#29 Seafood Bowl In Sapporo Japan
Image credits: caverunner17
#30 Ordered A Cake For My Father’s Birthday
Image credits: weryou91
#31 I Bought This Bob Ross Chia Pet . . . These Are Not Happy Trees
Image credits: jhojo90
#32 My Wife's McDonald's Cone In The Drive Through Last Night
Image credits: Eric_SS
#33 Shirt I Ordered vs. What I Got
Image credits: strikecat18
#34 Alien Balloons
Image credits: Insertanamehere9
#35 I Feel Robbed Of My Chocolate
Image credits: Awesomeclaw208
#36 These Cat Socks
Image credits: RapidCrocodile
#37 Minnie Gained Some Weight
Image credits: MrSquid224
#38 The Mask I Ordered (Left) vs. The Mask I Got (Right)
Image credits: reddit.com
#39 Well Then
Image credits: boarqing
#40 Latex Thigh Highs Ordered But Got What Seems Like The Case For Sleeping Bags
Image credits: SweetHeatFeet
#41 My Aunt Tried To Make A Cake Of Dolly Parton For A Friend
Image credits: reddit.com
#42 Found On Twitter
Image credits: apro1990
#43 Started Off Carving Edna Ended Up With E.t
Image credits: _Mr_Bungle_
#44 I Asked For A Sugar Photo Bday Cake. I Got A Horrible Hand Drawing Instead
Image credits: tams228
#45 The Crystal Mug My Boyfriend Ordered Me For Our Anniversary vs. What We Actually Received
Image credits: sleepysphynx
#46 Are You Kidding Me
Image credits: drewsoulman
#47 My Wife’s Felting Project
Image credits: MDIT80
#48 $60 "Professional" Halloween Makeup. I Asked For The Photo On The Left, With Just A Little Fake Blood. On The Right Is What The Makeup Artist Gave Me
Image credits: enukez
#49 The Amount Of Carrots Included In My Subscription Meal Kit
Image credits: DeepDiluc
#50 My 1.5 Year Old Demanded The "Pa-Cas" From Her Curious George Book This Morning And I Just So Happened To Have All The Ingredients On Hand
Image credits: chalter
#51 My Darth Maul Birthday Cake Ate Too Much Cake
Image credits: m00ska
#52 Tried A Mirror Glaze
Image credits: AloneMordakai
#53 My Son Turned 1 Yesterday. This Was The Topper To His Space Themed Cake
Image credits: Drewlyn
#54 Restaurant’s Charcuterie Board As Advertised vs. What I Got
Image credits: CageyCanadian
#55 This Brownie
Image credits: skinavish
#56 I Ordered A Sausage Roll At My Uni’s Cafe Today
Image credits: yourstewart22
#57 I Swear I Have Normal Size Hand
Image credits: lorrenzo
#58 Birthday Cake I Asked For vs. What I Got
Image credits: mona_thepersona
#59 Lady Gaga Doll
Image credits: Iamthegreenheather
#60 Another Classic "What I Ordered vs. What I Got"!
Image credits: chemicalmum
#61 Ice Cream Expectation
Image credits: DDD8712
#62 I've Been Staring At This Cutie On Fb Marketplace For Weeks
Image credits: KrazyAboutLogic
#63 Giant Teddy Bear
Image credits: hypoid77
#64 Room Service At The Hotel I'm Staying At, I Was So Excited Too
Image credits: kairouz
#65 Mildly Disappointed But Very Amused
Image credits: parmaqqay
#66 I Hope My Father Loves It!
Image credits: kendra4444
#67 Made A Unicorn Cake For My Little Cousin
Image credits: More_Bodybuilder3226
#68 My Sister’s Nails For A Wedding
Image credits: escargoxpress
#69 Ordered A Custom Embroidered Sweatshirt Of My Girlfriend’s Cat
Image credits: ChilllFam
#70 Went To Taco Bill To Try Their New Taco And This Is What I Got Compared To What It's Advertised As
Image credits: TsarFate
#71 My Girlfriend Spent $100 To Get Me A White Claw Cake For My Birthday. She Was Less Than Pleased With The Result
Image credits: dasheeown
#72 My Husband Warned Me His Gift For Me Wasn't Nearly As Nice As It Looked Online. I Cracked Up When I Opened It And Saw The Crystal Mug(S) So Many Have Been Duped By
Image credits: bofstein
#73 This Is Bad Right ??
Image credits: hkepchar
#74 Expectation vs. Reality After A 6-Month Backorder From West Elm
Image credits: pputkowski
#75 Daughter Brought An Emoji Marshmallow Lollipop Thing Back From Mexico
Image credits: nestacat
#76 Airport Grilled Cheese
Image credits: peterjussila
#77 Thanks Amazon. I Was Going For ‘Boho Chic’, But You Gave Me ‘Tacky Brothel’
Image credits: limegreenbunny
#78 Had No Idea What To Expect. Received Cool Talisman Necklace
Image credits: hereforthewaffle
#79 Sourdough Art Fail
Image credits: ebmarjorie
#80 This Mac N Cheese I Ordered For Delivery
Image credits: obamainkhakis
#81 I Was Really Excited When Taco Bell Opened In England
Image credits: SnowdropCloudfreeze
#82 Gummy Bummer
Image credits: RaccoonGrabbyHands
#83 I Travelled All This Way Because Of Reddit
Image credits: artifexlife
#84 Cinnamonroll Birthday Cake, What I Sent vs. What I Got
Image credits: migasfire
#85 The Shirt I Ordered And The Shirt I Got
Image credits: TheJedibugs
#86 I Mean Idk What I Was Expecting But It Wasn’t This
Image credits: _thesandbox_
#87 I Ordered Some Acoustic Sound Panels. And People Complain About Their Big Macs
Image credits: Woop_dee_do
#88 Not Bad
Image credits: Thehaloboy
#89 Burger King Grill Dog Cheddar And Bacon
Image credits: victorius21
#90 My Local Dairy Queen Was Riding The Struggle Bus Last Night
Image credits: Bunnynana
#91 Arby's Never Fails.... To Disappoint
Image credits: Asleep-Till3360
#92 Arby's Bacon Beef 'N Cheddar
Image credits: makemesalty
#93 Daughter Wanted A Homemade “Little Mermaid” Cake. I Tried Really Hard
Image credits: noodlepartipoodle
#94 When You Order Clothes On Amazon
Image credits: abrahamlinc0ln
#95 Thanks Panera 🙏 I Really Enjoyed My Granola & Paper Thin Strawberries
Image credits: DunkinDog_Nuts
#96 I’m Done With Whole Foods Brand Pizza
Image credits: carmen252
#97 A $7 Sandwich From Starbucks
Image credits: Business-Stuff8711
#98 The Wedding Cake We Ordered vs. The Cake We Picked Up
Image credits: Marrone2010
#99 The Chicken Fried Rice I Ordered vs. The One I Got. (Only One Piece Of Chicken)
Image credits: ImmediateTale
#100 My Lunch For Night Shift
Image credits: AdRelevant2041
#101 Ordered From Zippo.com - Meant To Be A Gift
Image credits: Help_One_AnOtter
#102 Definitely The Funniest Failed Etsy Purchase I’ve Ever Received
Image credits: MyPlantsEatPeople
#103 Close Enough
Image credits: npd3888
#104 Taken From Twitter "(Got Me) Looking Like A Gay Priest"
Image credits: ruggedburn
#105 But Think Of All The Snacks You Can Hide In There
Image credits: flyoverthemooon
#106 I Mean They Are Good, But My GF Is Worried
Image credits: Last_Stag
#107 On Our Honeymoon In Hallstatt Austria
Image credits: reddit.com
#108 Cheez-It Italian Four Cheese Pizza
Image credits: gaping_granny
#109 I Got AirPods With My New iPhone 8??? Oh Wait
Image credits: LittleMilton
