Explained: Here’s what the ‘orange peel theory’ dating trend all over your TikTok means

Screaming crying and just want someone to peel my orange

5 months ago

A couple of weeks ago, the invisible string trend went viral on TikTok and people were sharing the really wholesome and romantic ways they met their partners before they actually ended up being together and it made single people feel more single than ever. Like, one girl is now married to a guy that was in the background of her selfie at a concert when she was younger! Crying.

But now there’s a new relationship trend floating around on TikTok and it’s named after a fruit? The orange peel theory is a new theory about relationships and the hashtag #orangepeeltheory now has over 24.6 million views.

But what actually is the orange peel theory trend on TikTok and where did it come from?

The orange peel theory is basically about the trust you have in your relationship. The theory says that if your partner peels your orange for you without having to be asked, even though you can easily do it yourself, it’s a sign that they truly love and care for you. This means that we unconsciously decide that we can ask them for bigger and more meaningful favours in the future and trust enough that they will do them.

It’s basically testing the waters of what they’ll do for you with something small and trivial like peeling an orange to test if you can ask them for a much bigger favour. If they do the favour, it’s a sign the person really loves and cares for you. It’s all about doing something for the other person just because you can, not because you have to.

@kierstenindc

Everyone deserves to experience this 🥲 #orangepeeltheory #boyfriendthings #gentlelove

♬ interlinked – jacob¡

One TikTok about the theory reads: “Just discovered what the orange peel theory was. This man knows I can do everything for myself but stops at nothing to make my days easier. He brushes my hair. Does the dishes because he knows I hate doing it. Opens my door because he knows it makes me smile. Washes my face in bed when I’m too sleepy. Picks me up from work so I don’t have to take the bus. Someone taking care of you because they love you is the safest feeling in the world.”

One of the main videos that has gone viral is the TikTok of a baker which showed her boyfriend giving her a containers of eggs with all the yolks separated from the whites. He did the whole container because she mentioned days before that she had been struggling with it because of her long nails.

@jennaskates

heart wrenching. But in a good way. #fypシ #baking #cakes

♬ Think Of Me Once In A While, Take Care – Take Care

The video showed her crying over the eggs and said: “This man took time to pre-separate the egg whites from the yolks for me. He saw me! Never thought egg white would make me cry.”

But the orange peel theory doesn’t just apply for romantic relationships. People have also been sharing their examples for family and friends. One TikTok reads: “The orange peel theory is real because my dad has been peeling them for me since I was five.”

@misohungry

id peel a thousand oranges for her🍊🧡 #orangepeeltheory #immigrantparents #lovelanguage

♬ interlinked – jacob¡

Another person shared their example with their mum. The TikTok reads: “The orange peel theory for me is my immigrant mother and how she doesn’t say I love you with words but instead with peeled oranges, chopped fruit, bowls of late night instant ramen, and hot tea. It took me a long time to understand her love language and now I know that for her one peeled orange equals one thousand ‘I love yous’.”