The Archive

Etymology Journal ยท W

Winner, winner, chicken dinner!

Meaning

A jubilant exclamation used when someone wins a contest or succeeds at a task. It is a silly, high-energy way to celebrate a small victory.

Playful, celebratory

Used in a sentence

  • I finally fixed the leaky faucet so winner winner chicken dinner for me tonight.
  • You guessed the exact number of jellybeans, winner winner chicken dinner!
  • After that successful sale, the boss shouted winner winner chicken dinner across the office.

The backstory

Most credit this to Las Vegas casinos in the 1970s, where chicken dinners were often the cheapest meal price for winners. It has since moved from the gambling table to the kitchen table.

Heard in

Nationwide

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