101 Funny Debate Topics To Make Students Laugh (and Think!)

Debating a topic is a terrific way to practice public speaking, critical thinking, and other important skills. But serious controversial topics can be overwhelming, especially for beginners. These fun and funny debate topics provide debating-skills practice in a low-stakes way. Get ready to argue—and giggle!

Jump to:

Debate Extension Activity

Debating is a great way for students to hone critical thinking and communication skills, but it doesn’t need to stop at the podium. Encourage your students to turn their debates into action with The Edit, a digital storytelling challenge from NBCU Academy and Adobe. This real-world application encourages students to plan, script, and produce their own 90-second video news reports on important wellness topics. Plus, winning classrooms can score prizes like GoPros and Fandango gift cards!

Free Printable Debate Graphic Organizers

Plus, help your students prep for any kind of debate with our free graphic organizers! You get debate rules and strategies, along with differentiated organizers for elementary and middle/high school students.

Funny Debate Topics About Food

People have a lot of opinions about food. That’s what makes these debate topics so hilarious!

1. There’s no point in eating french fries without ketchup.
2. A hot dog is a sandwich.
3. A taco is a sandwich.
4. Pepperoni is the best pizza topping.
5. Peanut butter is better than Nutella.
6. Ice cream is better than cake.

7. McDonald’s is the best fast-food restaurant.
8. Chocolate ice cream is better than vanilla.
9. Humans should eat to live, not live to eat.
10. You should never put ketchup on a hot dog.
11. You should never put pineapple on a pizza.
12. Macaroni and cheese should be eaten with a spoon, not a fork.

13. You should put cereal in the bowl first, followed by milk.
14. A corner brownie is better than one in the middle.
15. Chicken wings are better than mini drumsticks.
16. Sandwiches taste better with the crusts cut off.
17. You should always taste food first before adding salt or pepper.
18. Leftover pizza is better eaten cold, rather than reheating it.

19. Hot chocolate is better than a chocolate milkshake.
20. Fruit counts as dessert.
21. Coca-Cola is better than Pepsi.
22. Round pizzas are better than rectangular ones.
23. In a cheeseburger, the cheese goes on top of the patty, not underneath.
24. Chocolate chip cookies are the best kind of cookies.
25. Hot chocolate is better than eggnog.
26. It’s better to eat an Oreo whole than to twist it apart and eat the cream first.

Pop Culture Funny Debate Topics

These topics come from movies, TV shows, books, video games, and more. Every fan will find something to be passionate about here!

27. Darth Vader was ultimately a hero, not a villain.
28. Werewolves are more dangerous than vampires.
29. It would be more fun to hang out with Oscar the Grouch than with Big Bird.
30. Robin Hood is a thief, not a hero.
31. Harry Potter is better than The Lord of the Rings.
32. The Game of Thrones ending was satisfying.
33. Breaking Bad is a better crime drama than The Sopranos.
34. Friends is now too outdated and problematic to be funny.
35. Animated Disney classics are better than the live-action versions.
36. The Mandalorian is better than the original Star Wars trilogy.
37. Christian Bale was the best Batman of all time.
38. The Simpsons should have ended years ago.
39. Saturday Night Live remains relevant to each new generation.
40. The Grand Theft Auto games rely on shock value over quality.
41. Difficult games like Elden Ring should have an “easy mode” to help new gamers.
42. Minecraft isn’t as fun as it used to be.
43. It’s better to pay a bigger, all-inclusive price for a video game up front than have a free version with in-game purchases.
44. Scrabble should allow the use of slang words and proper names.
45. Settlers of Catan is better than Carcassonne.
46. Taylor Swift is overrated as a musician.
47. Solo performers give better live performances than bands.
48. The Fault in Our Stars was more heartbreaking than They Both Die in the End.
49. The best romantic couple in a book or movie is _____________.
50. Percy Jackson is a better “chosen one” than Harry Potter.
51. Anyone can enjoy K-pop because it incorporates so many different musical genres.

General Funny Debate Topics

These funny debate topics are just as much fun for little ones as they are for big kids.

52. Summer is better than winter.
53. All families should have a pet.
54. Dogs are better pets than cats.
55. Football is better than soccer.
56. It would be better to be able to fly than to be able to turn invisible.
57. People should be allowed to go barefoot anywhere they want.

58. Candy should be given as rewards in the classroom.
59. Clowns are more scary than funny.
60. Modern music is better than classical music.
61. Xbox is better than PlayStation.
62. Fiction is better than nonfiction.
63. Virtual-reality experiences are a good substitute for travel.
64. People shouldn’t have to go to school or work on their birthdays.

65. It’s better to be the superhero than the sidekick.
66. Books are better than movies.
67. Snow skiing is better than waterskiing.
68. Monday is the worst day of the week.
69. Traveling back in time would be better than traveling forward in time.
70. The number 13 is unlucky.

71. The person in the middle seat of an airline row automatically gets both armrests.
72. It’s better to be too hot than too cold.
73. Toilet paper should be hung with the loose end over the top.
74. Everyone should learn to play a musical instrument.
75. Everyone should make their bed every day.
76. You should never wear socks with sandals.

Challenging Funny Debate Topics

These funny debate topics are a little more complex and will really get people thinking.

77. There is intelligent life on other planets.
78. Pluto should still be considered a planet.
79. Santa Claus’ elves should be paid minimum wage.
80. The egg came before the chicken.
81. It’s better to be a morning person than a night person.
82. There should be a special font to use for sarcasm when you’re writing.
83. The world would be better if women were always in charge.
84. It’s better to be TikTok famous than Instagram famous.

85. Facebook should add a “Don’t Like” button.
86. Aliens are living among us here on Earth.
87. Using curse words is no big deal.
88. Cats would be better at running the world than dogs.
89. Bottled water is better than tap water.
90. All’s fair in love and war.
91. It’s better to be a big fish in a small pond than a small fish in a big pond.
92. Skirts are more comfortable than pants.
93. It’s better to be rich with no friends than poor with many friends.

94. GIF should be pronounced with a hard G, not a soft G.
95. It’s better to be naturally creative than naturally smart.
96. The morals of fairy tales are no longer appropriate in today’s world.
97. It would be better to live under the sea than in space.
98. Being famous is actually not all that great.
99. Going out is more fun than staying at home.
100. Daydreaming is better than night dreaming.
101. Superheroes should have to pay for all the damage they cause.

Don’t forget to snag your free debate graphic organizers for all grade levels!

What are your favorite funny debate topics? Come share in the We Are Teachers HELPLINE group on Facebook!

Now that you’ve tackled funny debate topics, you’re ready to move on to more serious stuff. Check out Middle School Debate Topics and High School Debate Topics.