If you need This or That Questions for a 50th Birthday Party, the best version is one that feels fun, fast, and easy for guests of mixed ages to answer. The questions below are designed for a milestone birthday crowd: lighthearted, nostalgic, and simple enough to spark conversation without putting anyone on the spot.
You can use them as an icebreaker, a table game, a printed party sheet, or a quick round during speeches and mingling. They work especially well for a 50th birthday because they mix memory, comfort, style, food, music, and the little preferences people love to debate.
How to use these questions at the party
This or That is easiest when guests can answer quickly. Read two choices aloud, ask people to raise a hand, move to one side of the room, or circle an answer on a printed sheet.
- For a lively group: Read the questions out loud and let guests call out their answers.
- For a quieter group: Print the questions on cards or a handout so people can answer privately.
- For mixed ages: Keep the questions broad and familiar, with a few nostalgic ones for the birthday guest and longtime friends.
- For a table game: Have each table choose one answer together, then compare results with other tables.
If you want the game to feel more personal, sprinkle in a few questions that fit the birthday honoree’s generation, favorite pastimes, or party theme. Just keep the tone playful rather than too specific unless you know the crowd well.
Classic this or that questions for a 50th birthday party
- Cake or pie?
- Tea or coffee?
- Sweet or savory?
- Early morning or late night?
- Beach vacation or mountain getaway?
- Big party or small gathering?
- Music loud or music low?
- Dressy or casual?
- Stay in or go out?
- Phone call or text message?
- Sunrise or sunset?
- Books or movies?
- City life or country life?
- Winter or summer?
- Indoor celebration or outdoor celebration?
- Chocolate cake or vanilla cake?
- Surprise party or planned party?
- Wine or cocktail?
- Dancing or chatting?
- Gift cards or thoughtful surprises?
Nostalgic questions for guests who remember the good old days
- Vinyl records or streaming music?
- Handwritten notes or emails?
- Old-school photo albums or digital photo galleries?
- Drive-in movies or movie theater nights?
- Classic sitcoms or modern comedies?
- Board games or video games?
- Mix tapes or playlists?
- Landlines or cell phones?
- Polaroids or smartphone photos?
- Road trips or flying?
- Library books or e-books?
- Roller skates or bicycles?
- School dances or concert nights?
- Typewriters or laptops?
- Arcade games or home gaming consoles?
- Family dinners or restaurant dinners?
- Camping or hotel stays?
- Sunday newspaper or online headlines?
- Scrapbooks or memory boxes?
- Old photos or new selfies?
Food and drink this or that questions
- Pizza or burgers?
- Ice cream or cake?
- Salty snacks or sweet treats?
- Chocolate or caramel?
- Hot coffee or iced coffee?
- Wine or beer?
- Breakfast for dinner or dinner for breakfast?
- Fruit salad or green salad?
- Cookies or brownies?
- Spicy food or mild food?
- Restaurant meal or home-cooked meal?
- Appetizers or dessert?
- Fried food or grilled food?
- Breakfast tacos or pancakes?
- Chocolate chip cookies or oatmeal cookies?
- Cheese board or chips and dip?
- Mocktail or cocktail?
- Sweet tea or lemonade?
- Fresh fruit or baked dessert?
- Leftovers or fresh-cooked food?
Style, comfort, and celebration questions
- Heels or sneakers?
- Suits or jeans?
- Sequins or simple elegance?
- Bold colors or neutral colors?
- Gold jewelry or silver jewelry?
- Formal dinner or backyard barbecue?
- Flowers or balloons?
- Photo booth or candid photos?
- Live band or DJ?
- Toast or speech?
- Surprise entrance or grand entrance?
- Gift opening on stage or gift opening privately?
- Memory book or video montage?
- Party favors or no favors?
- Quiet background music or dance floor energy?
- Elegant cake or playful themed cake?
- Formal invitations or casual invites?
- Fresh flowers or candles?
- Traditional decorations or modern decorations?
- Long celebration or short and sweet?
Funny this or that questions for a milestone crowd
- Naps or caffeine?
- Reading glasses or squinting?
- Comfort shoes or stylish shoes?
- Early bedtime or “just one more episode”?
- Stretchy pants or tailored pants?
- Turning down the music or turning up the snacks?
- Forget where you put it or find it in your pocket?
- Calendar reminders or sticky notes?
- Quiet night in or “I’ll stay for one hour”?
- Walk around the block or sit and chat?
- One dessert or two desserts?
- Fresh haircut or fresh manicure?
- Cleaning the house or pretending not to notice the mess?
- Big crowd or just your favorite people?
- Being the DJ or letting someone else choose the music?
- Birthday crown or birthday sash?
- Laugh until you cry or cry from laughing?
- Long story or short version?
- Old photo embarrassment or new photo embarrassment?
- “Back in my day” stories or “kids these days” stories?
Questions that spark conversation about life at 50
- More time with family or more time for hobbies?
- Travel more or stay home more?
- Learn a new skill or master an old one?
- Quiet mornings or lively evenings?
- Plan everything or go with the flow?
- Keep things simple or go all out?
- Save money or spend on experiences?
- Bookshelves full or closets organized?
- Garden time or kitchen time?
- Weekend projects or weekend relaxation?
- Time with grandchildren or time with friends?
- New traditions or classic traditions?
- Big goals or small joys?
- Advice-giving or advice-taking?
- Hosting at home or being a guest?
- Sunshine or shade?
- Fresh start or steady routine?
- Celebrating big milestones or celebrating little wins?
- Trying something new or sticking with what works?
- Making memories or keeping memories?
Quick hosting tips for a smoother game
- Keep the pace brisk. Read each pair once, then move on so the game stays lively.
- Mix easy and surprising choices. Start with familiar questions, then add a few that make people laugh or reminisce.
- Use a show of hands. It works well for groups of any size and keeps everyone involved.
- Let the birthday guest answer first. That gives the game a personal touch and often gets the best reactions.
- Choose questions that fit the room. If the guests are mostly family, lean into nostalgia. If they are coworkers or mixed acquaintances, keep it general.
For a simple party version, pick 10 to 15 favorites from the lists above and print them on one page. End with a fun crowd-pleaser like cake or pie, big party or small gathering, or early night or late night to keep the energy light and celebratory.