Please Help Me Understand What Fanum Tax Means

Kids say the darndest things…and I should know because my tween daughter frequently speaks in a language I don’t understand. Now, I’m not saying I’m an expert on Gen Alpha slang…but let’s just say this isn’t my first deep dive on the subject. Today’s topic is a phrase you might have encountered in situations where food is involved: fanum tax. So what is the meaning of fanum tax and where did it come from? Read on for a thorough explanation from a true “Unc.”

Fanum tax is something that both Gen Alpha and Gen Z are familiar with, so if you’re reading this, you’re probably a fellow Millennial. Now that we have that out of the way, let’s move onto the origin story. The term was first coined by an American streamer by the name of (you guessed it) Fanum, a man whose favorite currency is apparently food. It went viral in late 2022, became a meme and the rest is history.

As for its definition and usage, this phrase refers very specifically to playful food theft between friends. For example, if you’re at a fast food restaurant with your gang and you finish your fries first so you snag a few off the plate of the person next to you, that would be a Fanum Tax. If you’re out to eat and the entree you ordered looks so appealing that your friend just has to get in on it, you or I might expect to hear them ask, “Can I try a bite?” Younger generations have dispensed with that formality, so instead you might hear, “Time to pay your Fanum Tax,” as they stick their fork into your food.

This sort of behavior might earn your spawn some disapproving looks from Grandma, but rest assured, today’s youth are unlikely to pull this stunt on total strangers. As such, it’s truly a harmless and playful interaction between close friends. Now that you are armed with knowledge, you should be better able to protect yourself from food theft—just keep in mind that it’s totally acceptable for a Fanum Tax to be levied when you’re not even present to witness it, so plan your restroom visits accordingly. But, hey, when it comes to issues of consent, this one is pretty benign.