Barbecues Are Fundamentally Unenjoyable and Should Be Avoided
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/profile/max-liu. "The hill I will die on: The barbecue is fundamentally unenjoyable. Please, put a lid on it | Max Liu | The Guardian." August 29, 2026. www.theguardian.com
The Gist
The author argues that barbecues are overrated and not actually fun, pointing to bad food timing, discomfort, smoke pollution, and fire risks. He suggests that just because people keep having barbecues doesn't mean they genuinely enjoy them—it might just be tradition.
Conclusion
The barbecue is fundamentally unenjoyable and should be abandoned as a social/dining practice.
Premises
- Barbecues involve practical discomforts: mucky fingers, smelly clothes, dirty grills, uncomfortable seating, and eating while standing.
- Food at barbecues arrives inconsistently (undercooked then overcooked) and trickles out over time, leaving guests hungry and dissatisfied ('bitty dining').
- Barbecues are poor for socializing because guests eat at different times in 'silos' rather than together, and children are served first illogically.
- Drinks at barbecues are often warm because ice melts quickly and refilling is inconvenient.
- Barbecue smoke is antisocial and unhealthy, especially in densely populated areas, filling the air with unwanted smells and smog.
- Disposable barbecues pose serious safety risks, having caused wildfires during recent heatwaves.
- The continued popularity of barbecues does not prove people genuinely enjoy them—habit or tradition may explain their persistence despite these flaws.
Assumptions
- Consistent, hot, timely food service is a necessary component of an enjoyable meal or gathering.
- Physical comfort (seating, cleanliness, temperature of food/drink) is essential to social enjoyment.
- Environmental/social nuisance (smoke, smell) outweighs whatever communal or novelty value barbecues might provide.
- Personal negative experiences with barbecues (rain-soaked Cornish barbecues, a neighbor's smoky patio) are generalizable to barbecues as a category.
- The value of a food-based gathering should be judged primarily by meal quality and comfort rather than atmosphere, tradition, or outdoor experience.