About this picker
There is something irresistible about a fortune cookie. The meal is over, the check is on its way, and everyone at the table cracks open a crisp little shell to read a message out loud. Half the fun is the fortune itself; the other half is the group deciding whose fortune was the most uncannily accurate. This virtual fortune cookie brings that tiny ritual to your phone, minus the crumbs.
Despite their strong link to Chinese restaurants, fortune cookies are a mostly American tradition, and their roots appear to be Japanese. Historians trace them to a cracker called tsujiura senbei, made by bakeries around Kyoto since at least the late 1800s, which carried a paper fortune tucked into its fold. Japanese immigrants brought the idea to California, and the Japanese Tea Garden in San Francisco is often credited with serving early versions in the early 1900s. During World War II, when Japanese Americans were forced into incarceration camps, Chinese-American bakeries took over production, and the cookie became a fixture of takeout bags across the United States.
Every cookie here holds one of 60 original fortunes, written to be warm, a little cheeky and occasionally suspiciously specific. Like the classic paper slips, each cookie also comes with six lucky numbers between 1 and 49, plus a lucky emoji and a "learn a word" bonus that introduces a delightful English word, from apricity to collywobbles.
How should you read your fortune? Lightly. Treat it as a tiny nudge, a reminder to make that call, try that cafe or be a little kinder to yourself. Share the best ones with friends and see whose cookie wins the table.
How it works
- Tap the cookie to crack it open.
- Read your fortune, your six lucky numbers and your word of the day.
- Share your favorite with a friend, or crack another cookie whenever you like.
FAQ
Are the fortunes original?
Yes. All 60 fortunes were written for this site. They are designed to be positive, playful and easy to share.
How are the lucky numbers chosen?
Each time you crack a cookie, six different numbers from 1 to 49 are picked at random and shown in order, just like the slips in real cookies. They are purely for fun and have no predictive power.
Where did fortune cookies come from?
Most historians trace them to tsujiura senbei, a Japanese cracker with a fortune inside, which Japanese immigrants introduced in California around the early 1900s. Chinese-American manufacturers took over production during World War II, when Japanese Americans were incarcerated, and made them famous.
Can I crack more than one cookie?
As many as you want. Unlike the real thing, these have zero calories, and you will never get the same fortune twice in a row.
Do you save my fortunes?
No. Fortunes are picked right in your browser and nothing is sent to our servers. Screenshot your favorites if you want to keep them.
For fun only. Fortunes and lucky numbers are chosen at random and are not predictions or advice.