Expectations don’t always match reality. Sometimes things turn out exactly as planned, but more often, they don’t. Maybe the dress you ordered online fits nothing like the model photo. Maybe the cake you tried to bake looks nothing like the recipe image. Or maybe the product you bought looks completely different from what was shown on the packaging.
These are everyday disappointments most of us can relate to.
The Reddit community r/ExpectationVsReality is dedicated to sharing these side-by-side moments. People from around the world post their funniest and most frustrating expectation vs. reality experiences.
Below, we’ve rounded up some of the best examples from the community. Scroll down and see how many feel uncomfortably familiar. And if you’ve had your own expectation vs. reality fail, you’re definitely not alone.
#1 The brief my 8 year old niece gave me for her birthday cake and the finished cake
#2 My kid cried
#3 Ordered a birthday cake and received slop
#4 I’ve been staring at this cutie on FB Marketplace for weeks.
#5 Mom ordered a coat for almost $60
#6 My mom‘s birthday cake
#7 The tattoo I asked for vs the tattoo I got
#8 What my mother ordered VS what she got
#9
#10 Halloween treat looks like a bad trick
#11 Another classic “What I Ordered vs What I Got”!
#12 The omelette I wanted to make VS my actual omelette
#13 Latex thigh highs ordered but got what seems like the case for sleeping bags.
#14 The Cake I Ordered VS What I Got
#15 Mushroom cake! First pic is inspo, the last 2 are mine
#16 Made a unicorn cake for my little cousin
#17 I asked for a sugar photo bday cake. I got a horrible hand drawing instead
#18 SpongeBob grocery store creation passed
#19 My dad was so excited to give this to me.
#20 I took up crocheting!
#21 The cake she said she could make vs the one she made.
#22 Expected a hideous plastic mess but got a rather nice product instead
#23 Cute little Aldi ice cream cones
#24 I was pleasantly surprised! Today’s my birthday!
#25 Dolly’s chocolate pie
#26 The birthday flowers I wanted to send vs what actually showed up
#27 Selling plates like this should be illegal
#28 Bathroom storage rack – toilet paper roll to compare
#29 Walmart Prince
#30 The bouquet my husband gave me when he popped the question
