The 2026 Critics Choice Awards garnered attention not only for honoring outstanding performances but also for its food offerings, which have sparked a wave of online commentary. Held on January 4, 2026, the event celebrated actors such as Timothée Chalamet and Jessie Buckley, who took home the best actor and best actress awards, respectively. However, it is the event’s snack plate that has become the subject of widespread jokes on social media.
Snack Plate Goes Viral
Critics and fans alike took to various platforms to comment on the modest meal served during the awards ceremony. A photo posted by Kyle Buchanan, a columnist for the New York Times, captured the essence of the meal, which featured an assortment of crackers, grapes, cheese wedges, hummus, spanakopita, caprese skewers, and dried apricots. Buchanan’s caption read, “Hello from the Critics Choice Awards and our dinner, this snack plate.”
The official Critics Choice Awards social media account joined in the lighthearted banter, stating, “Not Best Picture food, but definitely a memorable night. If the jokes are landing, we’ll call it a win.” This playful acknowledgment of the food sparked a flurry of reactions, with many fans expressing disbelief at the offerings. One user remarked, “This is what they’re feeding you?!” while another questioned, “Is this dinner??”
Celebrity Reactions and Previous Menus
The conversation surrounding the snack plate extended to platforms like Reddit, where one user humorously compared the meal to airline food, saying, “This looks like it was purchased for $14 on a United Airlines flight from Chicago to Houston.” Another user quipped, “I seriously thought this was a United Airlines food post. Except theirs looks better.”
Adding to the humor, actress Janelle James referenced the food in her acceptance speech. After winning an award, she joked, “The best thing about being nominated 4 times is I finally realized they’re never gonna feed us at this thing.” She further commented, “It’s gonna be grapes and ice cream every year, but this makes up for it!”
This is not the first time the Critics Choice Awards menu has faced scrutiny. In 2024, attendees including Oprah Winfrey and Fantasia Barrino were seen with bagged pizza, prompting Barrino to ask in a viral clip, “Where are the lamb chops?” Winfrey humorously replied, “I’m not messing up my lips!”
The ongoing discussion highlights not only the awards’ focus on entertainment but also the expectations surrounding event catering. As the Critics Choice Awards continue to celebrate excellence in film and television, it seems the culinary aspect may be an area for future improvement.
