15 Of Guy Fieri's Best One-Liners On Diners, Drive-Ins, And Dives
What would the world look like if Guy Fieri had never existed? Frankly, we tremble at such a thought — and are thankful we never need to know a life without the man. We adore the Food Network host (obviously) and very rarely tire of his PG-rated, hyperactive schtick. While there are plenty of ways to enjoy the unique television personality in the 2020s, for our money, nothing beats Fieri's signature series: "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives."
We can't say the "Triple D" pilot (which aired in November 2006) portended the pop culture juggernaut its bizarrely charismatic host would become. But after nearly two decades and more than 600 episodes on air, it's clear nothing may ever stop "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives." There's been no shortage of memorable quotes delivered by Fieri during the series, from his most well-known and oft-used catchphrases, to one-off, whimsical comments. With that in mind, we've compiled the cream of the crop and present 15 of Guy Fieri's best one-liners on "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives."
1. 'I'm Guy Fieri, and we're rolling out'
If you have an issue with our inclusion of Guy Fieri's opening line from each episode of "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives" on this list, we're not really sure what to tell you. True, it may not be a one-liner, per se — but we make the rules regarding eligibility and don't see that as a disqualifying factor. Plus, considering Fieri's been using some variation of this pre-credits spiel since filming the very first episode back in 2006, we think it's more than merited.
Now, while we weren't surprised the host's signature intro has been a part of the show from the very beginning, we must admit we'd forgotten his 1968 Chevrolet Camaro SS convertible was not on every episode from the start. In fact, since Fieri didn't yet own the well-known red Camaro when "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives" first began, the series borrowed classic cars from automobile clubs in each city it visited (via Food Network).
There's no doubt Guy Fieri was never the same after the "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives" exploded. But the way he introduces each and every episode has stayed the same. So on that note? We're Mashed, and we're rolling out to the remainder of Fieri's best one-liners.
2. 'Off the chain'
Like a number of Guy Fieri's famous catchphrases, there's very little ambiguity in what he's trying to convey when saying something is "off the chain." After all, he hardly invented the widely used phrase — an idiom used to describe a "very exciting" occurrence, according to The Free Dictionary. But there's no denying it's been indelibly linked to the "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives" host (via E! News), hence our off the chain decision to include it.
Actually, we're largely choosing this (not quite) one-liner because of Bobby Moynihan's incredibly amusing Guy Fieri impression on "Saturday Night Live" — and his use of the phrase during an unaired 2012 sketch. Pretending to read the (infamously brutal) New York Times review of Fieri's Times Square restaurant that year — complete with fake cheater reading glasses — Moynihan's crestfallen declaration that the critical review is "not off the chain ... that's very much on the chain" still makes us burst out laughing.
Is that reason enough to declare "off the chain" one of Guy Fieri's best one-liners? Maybe not. But it certainly helps put it over the top.
3. 'Winner winner [insert food] dinner'
To be perfectly honest, we'd only planned on including "winner winner chicken dinner" when we began this article, since we hadn't heard the "Triple D" host describe any other food item as the victor of supper. And Guy Fieri has, indeed, used the line to describe delightful chicken-centric dishes over the years — so much so that one "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives" episode was titled "C for (Winner Winner) Chicken Dinner" in tribute.
But while the man has been known to use the iconic phrase with chicken (on both his show and Twitter), Fieri hasn't been solely beholden to poultry when describing the winner of an imaginary dinner contest. In fact, he's used the line when describing delectable hot dogs, as well.
Now, there aren't necessarily a ton of clips of Fieri using the phrase, whether describing chicken, hot dogs, or any other food item, yet we're still inclined to include it among his very best one-liners. And when it comes to Food Network hosts and shows? We'd have to declare winner winner Guy Fieri and "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives" dinner.
4. 'That puts the shama lama in ding dong'
As relatively talented wordsmiths (our apologies for the overwhelmingly arrogant self-praise), we're generally drawn to folks who repurpose various aspects of pop culture for descriptive purposes. And just as we'd like to thank the guys who wrote "Who Put the Bomp (In the Bomp, Bomp, Bomp)" so many years ago, we'd like to shake Guy Fieri's hand for delivering one of his best one-liners while referencing the classic song.
Now, we're nothing if not sticklers around here, so we do have to take exception with one aspect of this line (one of the countless ways Fieri's been known to say something tastes good). After all, if he was concerned with the accuracy of his reference, he'd have stated the food in question put the "rama lama in ding dong" — not "shama lama."
Of course, since we're confident no one else is worried about the slight inaccuracy of a Guy Fieri one-liner, we're willing to let this slightly inaccurate quote slide onto our list.
5. 'It's got whiz bang wow in there'
There's a staggering number of words a person can use in place of "good" in the English language. In fact, according to Thesaurus.com, there are more than 50 synonyms for the word — though we'd venture a guess that the total number of available replacement terms for "good" is far higher. Of course, if you're Guy Fieri (or just a fan of "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives" for that matter), you're already well aware that there's no real limit to the ways one can positively praise an item. This includes the rather ridiculous phrase "whiz bang wow" — which Fieri once memorably used to compliment a delicious dish on his show.
We can't really say we'd ever consider using that phrase to describe anything — we're not fighting villains on a 1960s episode of "Batman," after all. But as one of the many, many creative ways Fieri's chosen to describe a superbly satisfying bite (or three) of food, it's a phenomenally memorable one-liner.
6. 'Flavortown'
What exactly is Flavortown? For our part, we tend to picture something akin to the Land of Chocolate as imagined by Homer during an early episode of "The Simpsons." Now, we can't really say whether or not Guy Fieri has something similar in mind when he discusses the fictional place known as Flavortown, but one thing is crystal clear: When he uses the phrase to describe a food item, you know he's eaten something particularly toothsome.
It's one of the "Triple D" host's most common sayings, and the Food Network clearly recognizes the phrase's connection to Fieri. And the more we think about it, the more we think the concept of Flavortown doesn't necessarily need to be clearly defined. Maybe that's the general appeal of the catchphrase. Flavortown is whatever you want it to be — as long as it's a place brimming with any number of mouth-watering options.
7. 'That's funkalicious'
Is Guy Fieri a huge fan of Fergie? Perhaps. Actually, since the man seems to be fond of literally everything and everyone, we'd be more shocked if he did, in fact, dislike the Black Eyed Peas member. Then again, maybe his usage of the phrase "that's funkalicious" (one of Fieri's best catchphrases, according to fans) is just a simple portmanteau — not some tribute to the pop singer's 2006 song "Fergalicious."
Like other memorable one-liners and catchphrases used by Fieri on "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives," there's an intriguing (and inherent) flexibility offered by this phrase. After all, if the television host wants to talk up a relatively unusual dish that he enjoys — but doesn't necessarily love — "funkalicious" is right there for the taking.
Not that the "Triple D" host can only utilize this line when trying to be diplomatic, though. Since he's stated he uses the phrase if something "tastes really good and it's funky" (via BrainyQuote), it's clear this line can be used in an overwhelmingly positive manner, as well.
8. 'Bomb-dot-com tasty'
It's virtually impossible to argue against one of the main tenets of Guy Fieri's popularity — namely, that he seems to have stepped out of a time machine from the year 2005. His complete lack of any real concern with how he comes across when it comes to his fashion sense or preferred terminology is hugely endearing. So while using the word "bomb" as a synonym for "awesome" hasn't been cool since Justin Timberlake was a member of NSYNC, that's never stopped Fieri before.
Of course, the "Triple D" host hasn't just used the term "bomb" on his show but has gone a step further, using it as part of a potential website of fantastic flavor to offer praise. Frankly, there's literally no mystery behind the meaning of the phrase "bomb-dot-com tasty," which helps elevate it above some of his other one-liners in our estimation.
We have to wonder whether Guy Fieri will ever decide to create an actual "bomb-dot-com" website. We think he should — and maybe use it to launch the nature show his fans want to see him host.
9. 'Hot frisbee of fun'
We clearly enjoy the peculiar parlance used by Guy Fieri on "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives." So much so that, even when we're not entirely sure what he's talking about, we find the man far more entertaining than the a-ver-age bear (or celebrity chef). On that note, we can't say we have any real idea what Fieri meant when he decided to use the phrase "hot frisbee of fun" to describe a waffle on one episode of "Triple D" — but we can't get the image out of our mind.
Maybe that's the key to some of Fieri's best one-liners: whether or not something he says becomes etched in our memory. His best known catchphrases have made a mark for a reason, after all, with many becoming permanent fixtures in the public lexicon.
Along those same lines, the idea of anything acting as a "hot frisbee" — fun or not — invokes a demented yet intriguing mental image. So if Fieri's aim was to make his mark on viewers with this line, we'd have to say mission accomplished.
10. 'I could put this on a flip-flop'
Would you eat something if it were served to you on a flip-flop? It's an honest question. Frankly, we'd only be willing to do so under very specific circumstances, including the flip-flop be brand new, never worn, and cleaned and dried ahead of plating. We're certainly not alone in our general apprehension towards potentially eating food off of a dirty, disgusting sandal — which actually sort of explains why Guy Fieri's praising one-liner, that he could eat something "on a flip-flop" and still enjoy it, was so memorable.
Interestingly enough, the combination of Guy Fieri, flip-flops, and "Triple D" earned the show's host an endorsement deal with OOFOS to promote the brand's sandals in 2021 (via OOFOS). Of course, while we found this fact fairly fascinating, we can't say it was unexpected. After all, what company wouldn't want to go into business with the beloved Food Network star?
11. 'I don't know if I should hug you or kidnap you'
The notion that someone can love another person so much that they wish to inflict harm on their so-called beloved isn't acceptable — nor should it be. On the other hand, hyperbolizing the horrid things that can happen in life in the name of making a point through exaggeration isn't the same as glorifying those things. In other words, there's nothing untoward about Guy Fieri declaring he might prefer to "kidnap" the man responsible for an incredible batch of lobster ravioli.
In fact, threatening to commit a felony (in lieu of a simple gesture of affection) is arguably the ultimate compliment. After all, the only reason Fieri would want to kidnap the chef is to eat his food as much as possible. We're almost certainly reading too deeply into specific wording of this phrase — so we'll just let its status as one of his best one-liners from "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives" speak for itself.
12. 'I want my mommy ... to come to Logan, Utah, and try that burger!'
We're not sure we're interested in playing favorites, or coming up with any sort of ranking order, when it comes to Guy Fieri's best one-liners from "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives." But if we were forced to choose our personal favorite one-liner, we'd go with this memorable quote, which includes the hysterical left turn he takes from speechless to total shill.
It's always fun to see Fieri thoroughly enjoying an item on "Triple D," and the way he can barely squeak out the words "I want my mommy" might have been enough to earn inclusion on our list. But the unexpectedly gleeful way he regains his composure to offer a playful pitch for the burger in question is simply wonderful.
We may not be Guy Fieri's mommy (sorry to anyone who held that incomprehensible belief). Yet we're oddly compelled to follow his advice, which says everything about the greatness of this line.
13. 'That is going to kill my mouth'
Guy Fieri doesn't do "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives" for himself. Ok, well, he does, we suppose, since he's not sharing the $80 million dollar contract extension he signed with Food Network in 2021 with his fans (via Variety). But we're not looking to criticize someone for cashing in on their professional worth. In fact, we're here to praise Fieri for the pain he's suffered on his show — including the time he willingly consumed an exorbitantly spicy sauce from Lankford Grocery in Houston, Texas.
Frankly, the look of fear in his eyes while muttering the three-pepper firehouse sauce will "kill [his] mouth" is priceless. It's impossible not to smile upon hearing Fieri deliver the line; consequently, we were delighted to declare this was one of Guy Fieri's best one-liners.
And the fact that his tongue becomes numb after sampling the burger? The perfect capper to an all-time one-liner from the man with eternally frosted tips.
14. 'I was cruising down boring avenue, hooked a right onto delicious boulevard'
We clearly know a whole lot about Guy Fieri in 2023, including the not-so-secret fact he's immensely fond of joyriding around the country in his 1968 Chevy Camaro. In other words, the fact he once described a dish in a way that evoked him "cruising" around town — in a slick set of wheels, no doubt — is eminently expected from the bona fide car enthusiast.
Now, if we're being honest, we were a bit unsure why Guy only described himself taking a turn onto "delicious boulevard" — as opposed to, say, taking a straight shot towards Flavortown. Was the omission on Fieri's part — the (fictional) mayor of Flavortown, according to his Twitter account — an intentional slight towards Shorty's Pizza in Superior, Wisconsin? We'd assume not.
Of course, we all know what happens when we assume something. But then again ... there's very little evidence to suggest any malicious intent would be found from Fieri.
15. 'A ski bum delight 101'
Look, there's literally no end to the different ways Guy Fieri can describe a food item as delicious. The man's ability to come up with truly outrageous descriptions to praise a restaurant or chef — beyond a simple fist bump, of course — is impressively adept. Frankly, then, it's easy to see why we'd choose to include some of the more amusing ways he's found to offer compliments on "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives" — like calling a burrito a "ski bum delight 101" during a stop at the Full Belly Deli in Rochester, New York.
Now, having never spent any time on the mountain, we're not entirely sure what a ski bum is. But given Fieri makes the comment while excitedly devouring a gravy-soaked breakfast burrito, we don't think it's too hard to connect the dots from the context.
Actually, it doesn't really matter whether we're familiar with the ins and outs of ski lodges, anyhow. We understood what the "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives" host was getting at — and since we're jonesing for one of those burritos? It seems clear this quote belongs among Guy Fieri's best one-liners.