# If you are living with a significant other, would you like to engage in an experiment **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 14, 2022, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-are-living-with-a-significant-other-would-you-like-to-engage-in-an-experiment/971575 "2022-09-14T18:39:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2022, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-are-living-with-a-significant-other-would-you-like-to-engage-in-an-experiment/971575/1 "2022-09-14T18:39:12Z")
We were doing this at work and thought it was fun. Ask your person: “If I were to send you to the store for chips and dip, what would you bring me back?” No more information then that. Now, did they give the “right” answer? In other words; the chips and dip you actually wanted? _Poll ([view on site](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-are-living-with-a-significant-other-would-you-like-to-engage-in-an-experiment/971575/1))_ ---
**Author:** ![Orville\_mogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/aeb1de/32.png) [@Orville\_mogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Orville_mogul)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2022, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-are-living-with-a-significant-other-would-you-like-to-engage-in-an-experiment/971575/2 "2022-09-14T18:44:04Z")
my spouse, not American. Chips maybe 50-50 due to her British colonial heritage. Dip, nope, 25%, not a choice. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2022, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-are-living-with-a-significant-other-would-you-like-to-engage-in-an-experiment/971575/3 "2022-09-14T18:50:47Z")
In our house, chips and dip only mean one thing: Ruffles and onion dip (Mrs Grass if available but it never is so we default to Lipton. Daisy sour cream). If I told Mrs Cad to get chips and dip expecting anything else then that’s my fault. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2022, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-are-living-with-a-significant-other-would-you-like-to-engage-in-an-experiment/971575/4 "2022-09-14T19:04:35Z")
We don’t usually do potato chips at home, nor the various dips usually eaten with same. Most likely, my husband would come home with tortilla chips and salsa - though he might think “she said chips and dip, maybe she wants something different??”. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2022, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-are-living-with-a-significant-other-would-you-like-to-engage-in-an-experiment/971575/5 "2022-09-14T19:11:18Z")
She’d get it right because we’ve discussed it. Specifically, my family would often get potato chips and French onion dip as a dessert or treat. Although I prefer tortilla chips and salsa, the idea of chips and dip is comforting. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2022, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-are-living-with-a-significant-other-would-you-like-to-engage-in-an-experiment/971575/6 "2022-09-14T19:14:07Z")
For the two of us, it’s the same thing: potato chips and French onion dip. The potato chips are usually no salt added these days. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2022, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-are-living-with-a-significant-other-would-you-like-to-engage-in-an-experiment/971575/7 "2022-09-14T20:39:30Z")
My wife would say “what kind of chips? what kind of dip?” and ask me to send pictures of it. Or, rather, to answer the question, she did say “you’ve not given me enough information.” Which is exactly what I expected her to say, especially as there is no default “chips & dip” for me (or us.) Hell, I’m not sure what the hell _I_ would say. El Milagro or Xochitl tortilla chips and … guac? Pico de gallo? Salsa verde? It won’t be potato chips, though, as I never have those around. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2022, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-are-living-with-a-significant-other-would-you-like-to-engage-in-an-experiment/971575/8 "2022-09-14T20:42:08Z")
My souses answer: Ruffles and SC/Onion dip. ETA: Although salt and vinegar chips would be ok too Spot on. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2022, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-are-living-with-a-significant-other-would-you-like-to-engage-in-an-experiment/971575/9 "2022-09-14T22:15:11Z")
Neither of us would ever give such a vague request. Our store is not close. Now if this was on a grocery list of some sort, for either of us, we would clarify it. Chips and dip could be anything. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2022, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-are-living-with-a-significant-other-would-you-like-to-engage-in-an-experiment/971575/10 "2022-09-14T22:19:34Z")
The argument we were having at work was salsa isn’t a dip and neither is guac. Lol ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2022, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-are-living-with-a-significant-other-would-you-like-to-engage-in-an-experiment/971575/11 "2022-09-14T22:25:20Z")
They both are in this household. I said there’s “no default,” but thinking upon it, tortilla chips and something to go with them is pretty close to a default. Nobody would complain if chips and sour cream & onion dip were brought back, but I honestly can’t remember if we’ve ever had sour cream & onion dip in our house. I’m reasonably certain in the 10+ years living together, it’s never been in the house, or if it has, it’s been for vegetables. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2022, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-are-living-with-a-significant-other-would-you-like-to-engage-in-an-experiment/971575/12 "2022-09-14T22:26:56Z")
Been married to mrAru for 30 years, he would come home with mild salsa and hot salsa of our preferred brand, the correct tortilla chips, and garlic pita chips and hummus, and ruffled Lays with french onion dip, of our preferred brand. 50/50 chance he also pick up a fruit and dip tray and a veggie and dip tray. He tends to go nuts shopping for ‘junk’ food because we don’t have it very often any more - my medical issues have screwed with my digestion and ability to eat certain things lately. He would figure we are going to do a hang and game/watch movies weekend with a couple of our friends. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2022, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-are-living-with-a-significant-other-would-you-like-to-engage-in-an-experiment/971575/13 "2022-09-14T22:28:03Z")
My spouse: “Dip? You mean salsa, right?” “And I’m assuming you want those black bean chips from Trader Joe’s… be right back, make some margaritas!” (As an aside, I really miss college. We had Pringles and French Onion Dip almost every night…) ---
**Author:** ![penultima\_thule](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penultima_thule/32/3833_2.png) [@penultima\_thule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penultima_thule)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2022, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-are-living-with-a-significant-other-would-you-like-to-engage-in-an-experiment/971575/14 "2022-09-14T22:44:55Z")
> [@Grrr](#): > > Ask your person: “If I were to send you to the store for chips and dip, what would you bring me back?” “You go and get your own chips & dip, buster.” ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2022, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-are-living-with-a-significant-other-would-you-like-to-engage-in-an-experiment/971575/15 "2022-09-14T23:29:49Z")
Chips will be the right type, and it doesn’t matter to me what kind of dip or even if there is dip ---
**Author:** ![TRC4941](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trc4941/32/6792_2.png) [@TRC4941](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TRC4941)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2022, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-are-living-with-a-significant-other-would-you-like-to-engage-in-an-experiment/971575/16 "2022-09-15T15:53:31Z")
First he would probably pass out because he knows I hate dip!! But for get togethers it’s always any kind of regular or ripple potato chips and Top the Tater dip (sour cream & chives). Top the Tater is famous in our neck of the woods. I think he’d get the correct items. For him to actually find them at the store would be another experiment! ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2022, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-are-living-with-a-significant-other-would-you-like-to-engage-in-an-experiment/971575/17 "2022-09-15T16:11:41Z")
“Chips and dip” means potato chips and onion dip - or actually the ingredients to make onion dip. Anything lese, like tortilla chips and salsa is specified. ---
**Author:** ![Icarus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icarus/32/72_2.png) [@Icarus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icarus)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2022, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-are-living-with-a-significant-other-would-you-like-to-engage-in-an-experiment/971575/18 "2022-09-15T16:47:37Z")
> [@Grrr](#): > > “If I were to send you to the store We wouldn’t get past this statement. We are just not programmed that way. 1. One does not “send” the other anywhere. 2. One may _ask_ the other to do something. But with my spouse we have established that this strategy is a non-starter. 3. My spouse go to the store? In what multi-verse does that occur? ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2022, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-are-living-with-a-significant-other-would-you-like-to-engage-in-an-experiment/971575/19 "2022-09-15T16:56:30Z")
It would be difficult because I don’t have a specific preference for a type of chip or dip. She would probably ask me to specify, and I would do my best to do so very clearly for fear of the following scenario, If I didn’t specify what I wanted she would get to the grocery store and spend half an hour trying to decide what to get me for fear that I would be disappointed if she picked the wrong one (I never am but that’s beside the point), and then end up coming home with 5 different bags of chips and 3 different dips in hopes that one of them will satisfy me, and then be nervous when she got home that she got the wrong ones. She’s got some PTSD issues related to a previous bad relationship that transfer over to the current one. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2022, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-are-living-with-a-significant-other-would-you-like-to-engage-in-an-experiment/971575/20 "2022-09-15T17:02:53Z")
For us it would never be tortilla chips and salsa since I make homemade salsa so she would know what chips to get she knows I would never refer to salsa as di or have her buy a can of it. Instead I’d be going out to get the supplies myself. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-are-living-with-a-significant-other-would-you-like-to-engage-in-an-experiment/971575.md?page=2)