National Fortune Cookie Day

Women working at the Lotus Chinese Fortune Cookie bakery in San Francisco, circa 1977

Happy National Fortune Cookie Day! 🥠

You might be surprised, but fortune cookies are not Chinese in origin. They were originally created by Japanese bakers and known as fortune tea cakes. They made their first American appearance at San Francisco’s Japanese Tea Garden in the 1890s.

Fortune cookies were initially made by hand, but the industry changed dramatically after the fortune cookie machine was invented. The invention allowed for mass production, and eventually, this delicious cookie made its way to Chinese restaurants.

However, the best thing about fortune cookies is the fortune tucked inside the crispy wafers. Believe it or not, there are professional fortune cookie writers. On the other side of your fortune is a set of six lucky numbers. Whether it is for the lottery or a random set is up for you to decide.

Fun fact: The largest fortune cookie manufacturer is in Queens, NY. Wonton Food Inc. produces 4.5 million of them every day.

📸: Clem Albers