What does 'reheating nachos' meme mean? The viral trend explained in full

6 March 2025, 16:38

By Katie Louise Smith

Lady Gaga is currently reheating her nachos following the release of 'Abracadabra', but what does it mean? Here's your full explainer.

Fans are saying that Shakira is currently 'reheating Beyoncé's nachos' with her current tour aesthetic, but what the hell does that even mean? Why is everyone suddenly talking about nachos? Here's your answer.

The latest meme to spiral out of control on TikTok and X/Twitter is the 'reheating nachos' meme, which has taken off amongst 'Stan Twitter' users. Fans have turned the phrase into a metaphor about taking inspiration from others – or yourself.

'Reheating nachos' is a metaphor for artists who have been inspired by another artist, sound or trend that happened before them. While it's mostly about musicians, it can also extend to actors, celebrities, influencers, sports players and personalities... anyone can reheat nachos if they want to.

If you're still confused, here's a full explainer about what the 'reheating nachos' meme actually means.

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What does 'reheating nachos' mean?

To 'reheat someone's nachos' means to reinvent, recreate or build on something that someone else has done successfully in the past.

The more original the concept, the fresher the nachos. Sometimes, the reheated nachos are really good. Sometimes, the reheated nachos areeee not the best. Sometimes, artists borrow recipes from others, add their own spin and create a brand new plate of nachos from scratch.

'Reheating nachos' is a complimentary and positive way of saying someone has been inspired by someone else (or themselves), but it can also be a light criticism or commentary on creative originality.

Artists can reheat their own nachos, too. In fact, fans have also now started using it as a way of expressing how much they'd love their faves to revisit a past era or sound.

Lady Gaga has recently successfully reheated her own delicious gourmet nachos after blending her The Fame Monster and Born This Way sounds with her new single 'Abracadabra'.

In one viral TikTok, one fan wrote: “ok she reheated her own nachos but she has an air fryer so they came out kinda crispy.” Gaga's Haus Labs also chimed in on the joke, adding: "The good kind of crispy + with toppings".

Although, some fans have argued that Gaga has actually gone back to her Michelin star kitchen to create new nachos from scratch, using her timeless original recipe. Either way, it's a massive success and we need another plate immediately.

Madonna is also currently pre-heating the oven for her own nachos after announcing her next album will be a 'Part 2' to her 2005 banger 'Confessions On A Dancefloor'.

And whenever Taylor Swift is ready to reheat (or create from scratch!) her country era nachos, they're going to be the most deliciously nostalgic nachos the Swifties have ever tasted.

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Who came up with the 'reheating nachos' phrase?

It's highly likely that the slang phrase may have popped up within offline communities first, but it was popularised on social media thanks to the reality show Baddies West.

It first came around on TikTok in 2023 when a clip of the show featuring Natalie Nunn and Stunna Girl that went viral with the caption: "You can tell how much Natalie wanted Stunna Girl's nachos." (The same clip blew up on X/Twitter earlier this month.)

The short video literally just shows Stunna Girl eating nachos as Natalie watches on, chatting and appearing to eye up the food.

From there, it's grown in popularity and the slang term has now spiralled into a metaphor for things that have absolutely nothing to do with food.

As mentioned above, the 'reheating nachos' meme extends beyond musicians, too. In the TV world, Euphoria fans are hoping that the long-delayed season 3 will be able to reheat it's own impeccable season 2 nachos. To put that in simple terms: They want it to be just as good as the previous season.

People are also applying it to themselves, saying that they hope they're able to reheat their own nachos in time for summer. Again, in simple terms: They want to achieve the same vibe, energy and aesthetic they were giving in the past.

"Sometimes you have to reheat your own nachos a bit," one user wrote. And that will be the 2025 motto.

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