I remember too many of these…
We have all had that moment when we were so excited about preparing a dish for Thanksgiving that we planned it months in advance, bought the best ingredients, and even watched endless cooking tutorials to nail it. But when the big day came, disaster struck, leaving us with a kitchen that looked like a war zone and a dish that didn’t quite turn out as expected.
People on TikTok know this pain all too well and are turning their hilarious holiday mishaps into internet gold with the trending hashtag #ThanksgivingFails. From mac and cheese catastrophes to dessert disasters, these viral videos remind us that even the best-laid holiday plans can go hilariously awry.
Mac and cheese on the floor
One TikTok user @whistle shared an 11-second video of their mac and cheese falling to the floor because of a flimsy disposable pan, captioned, “Whole holiday would be canceled at my house.” At the end of the video, the uploader scoops it up with a spoon.
Viewers flooded the comments with sympathy and humor, with one person joking, “5-second rule applies lol,” and another saying, “I’m still eating it!”
While others shared their own holiday struggles: “My husband smoked a turkey and dropped it on the floor this morning 😭. I know your pain.”
@whistle Whole holiday would be canceled at my house 😤 (@Baddgalleee) #thanksgiving #cooking #fail #cookingfail #thanksgivingfail #funny #kitchen ♬ original sound – Whistle
Apple pie car disaster
Dessert isn’t safe from the chaos, either. Tiktoker @xo.lovely.lynn posted a video of her sad apple pie, now a victim of the backseat shuffle, lying on the car mat. She captioned it, “Our apple pie for Thanksgiving tomorrow from Costco 😭💔 do you think they’ll give us a refund?”
Commenters shared their thoughts, with one saying, “You could literally bring back an empty tin and they’d refund you.” Another joked, “5 second rule,” suggesting the pie could still be fine if picked up quickly.
@xo.lovely.lynn #thanksgivingfail#costco ♬ Just A Girl – No Doubt
Potato salad or tuna?
“Yo look at my potato salad. I don’t know what the **** is going on here,” said TikToker @taylorbnice as she stared at her mysterious creation, clearly unsure of what went wrong. She then picks up some paprika and sprinkles it over the salad, trying to salvage the situation. “That’s what it needed, right?” she added.
Viewers couldn’t stop laughing, with one commenting, “Thought that was tuna 😂” Another user joked, “Did you add brown sugar?😅😅” The reactions kept coming: “I’m calling the police 🥺” and “You made mashed potato salad lol.”
@taylorbnice Its safe to say nobody is eating this but me
♬ original sound – Taylorbnice
Sweet potato opps!
When TikToker Kristyna Johnson found a sweet potato cheesecake recipe online, she knew it was a must-make for Thanksgiving. However, things went south fast. In her video, she declared, “never cooking again for Thanksgiving,” as she showed her cheesecake, which completely lacked the desired texture.
One commenter joked, “Look like you forgot to put the eggs in it. Or you didn’t use self raising flour 😂😂😂” But some viewers reassured her, “You’re gonna own that cake next year.” and “Just keep practicing, you will get it.”
@kcrystel @Janelle WHAT DID I DO WRONGGGG💔💔💔💔😩😩😩 it wasnt giving cake texture fr!!!! #cookingfail #thanksandgiving #tryingnewthings #fypシ ♬ original sound – Kristyna Johnson🧚🏽
Mac ain’t cheese
Another funny moment was shared by a TikToker who posted a video of their mac and cheese disaster. In the video, the uploader stirs a pan of overly soggy mac and cheese, captioning it, “Macaroni gone wrong, slime tutorial instead 💀”,
Viewers couldn’t help but comment, with one saying, “That looks like the Mac n cheese that Muriel was eating on Courage the Cowardly Dog,” referencing a classic episode of the show. Another user added, “I’ve NEVER seen a failed mac n cheese 😭”
But some were oddly intrigued: “I wanna know the recipe, send it over!” “I like my mac and cheese drippy bruh,” and “I would actually eat this and enjoy it.”
@shibabakery #thanksgiving #macaroni ♬ ROCKSTAR – DaBaby, Roddy Ricch
How about you? Do you have any Thanksgiving fails to share? Drop them with us in the comments—we promise, we won’t judge. *wink*