The Controversial Opinion Amanda Freitag Has About Brunch
In 2014, the New York Post relayed that the most common food hashtags for New Yorkers were all brunch-themed, often about mimosas and eggs, and since then, brunch has only gained a further foothold in our collective consciousness. So, when Amanda Freitag stated that she hated brunch, it caused some very minor consternation.
The answer was given on Twitter as part of a return to Freitag addressing the various questions that bombard her on social media. Looking at her phone, she read out "Going out to brunch, what do you order?" She paused for a beat before answering, "First of all, I hate going to brunch. Oh my god! But if I do go, I order all the beverages: coffee, water, Bloody Mary, and a juice."
Even though some might find Freitag's disdain for brunch controversial, not many were appalled. Any that addressed her hatred for brunch only wrote with varying degrees of shocked emojis. "Why do you hate brunch?" one person wondered. It's not such a controversial opinion as to bring out anyone's argumentative side, but it is controversial enough to strike at what people assume to be a pretty normal delight.
What's with the obsession with brunch?
One could flip the question around, asking why brunch is such an ubiquitous thing. It's really taken off in the last decade, but what is its appeal? Sure, it's Instagramable, but most food is.
It seems that brunch has two main appeals. First, it is a relaxed compromise between breakfast and lunch. Second, it is a socially acceptable form of day drinking. According to Thrillist's day drinking guide, brunch is basically a made-up meal designed to encourage day drinking while also coating the idea with a glaze of classy. And this is born out in the way people talk about brunch. For example, a Bloody Mary appears in Freitag's brunch of choice. Similarly, a Medium post by Brunches of Boston lists alcohol in two of its seven reasons to love brunch. Without this boozy aspect, it's hard to imagine that brunch would have such a hold on the public's imagination. After all, brunch existed before bottomless mimosas, but it didn't enjoy the social position it does now.