Chili cook-off voting with numbered crockpots and tasting cups
Chili cook-offs usually fall apart at the ballot. Paper slips go missing, cooks hover next to their own pot, and people vote for a friend before they reach the last crockpot. Put a number on every crockpot and keep the cooks’ names off the table. Add the entry numbers to a Rankd, set out small tasting cups and spoons, and share the link in the work chat or with the party. Once everyone has tasted every pot, they rank all the chilis, and the winner is the one ranked high by the most tasters.
- Pot 1: smoky brisket chili
- Pot 2: white chicken chili
- Pot 3: three-bean vegetarian
- Pot 4: Texas red, no beans
- Pot 5: green chile pork
- Pot 6: sweet and spicy turkey
Free. Add your own options (these are just examples), then send one link to your group.
Why ranking beats a regular poll here
- Numbered crockpots keep the vote on the chili, not on whose chili it is.
- Ranking every pot rewards the chili most tasters liked, not the cook with the most friends in the room.
- Tasters rank from their own phone or work computer, so there are no paper ballots to count.
How it works
- Add the question and 3 to 30 options
- Send one private link to the group
- Everyone ranks privately, in about a minute
- You reveal the winner
Tips
- Put a numbered card on every crockpot, and have a host who isn’t competing keep the list of who made which.
- Use small tasting cups and a fresh spoon for each pot, with water and crackers or cornbread between tastes.
- Share the link only after everyone has tasted every pot, and set the reveal for a set time, like the end of lunch or halftime.
- Want a hottest chili prize too? Make one Rankd per category.
Questions
How is a chili cook-off judged?
In a people’s choice cook-off, every taster ranks all the pots from best to worst, and Rankd combines the rankings into one group order. If you also have a judging panel, give the judges their own Rankd link so their result stays separate.
How do we run a chili cook-off at work?
Collect entries a few days ahead and give each one a number. On the day, line up the crockpots near outlets, set out tasting cups, and post the Rankd link in Slack, Teams or email once tasting wraps up. Ask only people who tasted to rank.
Can cooks rank their own chili?
Yes, everyone ranks every pot, including their own. With the whole office or party ranking, one cook placing their own pot first barely moves the total.
Can people see how I ranked?
No. Each person’s order stays private. Everyone sees the group’s final order and where they personally landed, never anyone else’s individual ranking.
Is it free? Does everyone need the app?
Rankd is free and runs in the browser, so there is nothing to download. Friends open the link from any group chat (iMessage, WhatsApp, Slack, email) and rank in about a minute.