Why Germany Is Eating Pudding With A Peculiar Utensil

In this social media age, some truly strange trends tend to go viral online, circling the globe and drawing participants by the thousands before being replaced by the next strange phenomenon. In 2024, for instance, a viral candied fruit trend sent people to the hospital. Other internet crazes are no less odd but don't result in harm — they merely publicize things like unusual food combinations, such as turning ice cream into bread or mixing Dr. Pepper with pickles. Right now, a very unique social media phenomenon that began in Germany is spreading in Europe and starting to appear in the United States, as well. Its simple and innocuous premise is eating pudding with an atypical utensil: a fork.

Called "pudding mit gabel," which is German for "pudding with fork," the trend prompts people to gather together and ... eat pudding with a fork. "This, to me, is peak German humor," one TikToker said of the movement. "There's no deeper meaning to it. It is pure absurdism. And, yet, it is so funny, and it brings people together."

The practice, which has also been referred to as a pudding flash mob, draws participants to attend public pudding meet-ups, where attendees sit in large groups to eat their treats with forks instead of the traditional spoon. The gatherings begin with a ritualistic tapping of forks on pudding cups in preparation to dig in, followed by a group countdown to pudding time. Then, everyone present eats their pudding as they chat with other participants.

The first known pudding mit gabel event reportedly took place in August 2025 in Karlsruhe, Germany, where a flyer was posted inviting people to a "We eat pudding with a fork" meeting. The gatherings have quickly gained momentum and have spread beyond Germany, with copycat events reportedly happening in places like Austria and Switzerland. United States meetups are beginning to crop up, too.

The pointlessness of the events seems to be the point. Their aim is to simply provide a silly excuse for folks to gather and meet new people. It's also an emotional and mental break from the world's troubles. The randomness of the pudding meetings seems to be one of the attractions for the Gen Z crowd, giving them a venue that is both fun and meaningless.

Pudding meetups further give young people a social outlet that is inexpensive, creating a low-cost activity where they can find community and make new friends. How long the trend will last is anyone's guess, but the simplicity of it seems to be fueling its popularity. To host a pudding with fork meetup, one only needs a location — any public park will do — and to get the word out. Enthusiasts then seem to turn up in droves. Events in Europe have reportedly attracted thousands.