Whiteisms
The Archive

Etymology Journal ยท W

What's cooking, good looking?

Meaning

A cheesy, flirtatious, or overly familiar greeting. It is almost always said with a wink or a grin to soften the corniness of the line.

Cheesy, charming

Used in a sentence

  • Dad greeted Mom in the kitchen with a smile and said, what's cooking, good looking?
  • He tried to be smooth at the grocery store checkout, but the clerk just rolled her eyes at his what's cooking, good looking line.
  • I walked into the breakroom and heard Jim shout, what's cooking, good looking to the new intern.

The backstory

This is a classic mid-century American slang phrase popularized by radio DJs and swing-era music. It was meant to be a smooth, rhythmic way to initiate a conversation.

Heard in

Nationwide

Vibe check