Topics: TikTok, Social Media, Sex and Relationships
People are reportedly discovering how the 'Doritos theory' plays a crucial role in relationships, leading to some ending things with their partner as a result.
When you think of reasons as to why a relationship may end, the likes of cheating and constant bickering come to mind.
While there are plenty of other reasons to call it quite on a relationship, you probably don't associate a theory based around the snack Doritos as a reason for deciding to break up.
But guys, it's 2025, relationship breakups are very different now after the Doritos theory gathered momentum and even went viral on TikTok last year.
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Heck, one video on the subject has even garnered over three million views on the popular video platform.
The Dorito theory is based on a scenario that probably sounds familiar to a lot of us: if you find yourself eating Dorito after Dorito without giving it much thought, then that could correlate to other areas - and people - in your life.
Further explaining the theory, TikTok user Celeste Aria said: “The idea is that only experiences that aren't truly satisfying are maximally addictive.
"So imagine eating Doritos. When you eat a Dorito and finish your bite, you're not fully satisfied.
"It’s not the same as eating a steak or eating really satiating food that's high in protein, where after you bite, you really feel that fullness and that warmth of satisfaction."
She further explained that eating a chip is addictive because 'the peak of the experience is kind of when you're first tasting it and not after' and that 'the experience itself is not satisfying in the end'.
The TikToker went on to suggest the theory could apply to ‘lots of very addictive things in life’ - such as social media consumption.
"With Dorito theory - just this idea that things that aren’t actually satisfying are the ones that are maximally addictive and that’s why I want them - I think I can identify those areas and try to avoid them more effectively,” she said.
She then recommended that people try to remove something that 'falls in the Dorito category' - something backed up by psychologist Reneé Carr.
"Not experiencing satiation when engaging in a particular activity or in a relationship can influence you into staying in a situation that is not truly satisfying, not healthy and not happy," she told USA Today.
“Because you experience just enough satisfaction, we mistakenly think that full satisfaction is possible – leading us to stay longer or invest more energy unnecessarily.”
