The Fortune Cookie Industry Is Bigger Than You Might Think

One of the fun things about ordering Chinese food is getting a fortune cookie with your meal and breaking it open to reveal a short, often mysterious prediction on a small slip of paper. While those little cookies may seem like just a small, fun treat that can quickly be forgotten about (depending on your opinion of the fortune within, of course), the truth is that they're just individual pieces of one massive industry. Though it may seem reasonable that China, one of the world's most populous countries and a secret owner of major U.S. food companies, would dominate the fortune cookie industry, the real surprise is that it is predominantly an American business, and not actually part of Chinese cuisine. You'd be hard-pressed to even find a restaurant in China that serves them.

Fortune cookies are, however, big business in the United States — probably thanks to them being an expectation at Chinese restaurants, both dine-in and to-go. New York-based Wonton Food Inc. claims to be the largest fortune cookie maker since 1990, producing 4.5 million cookies daily by 2017. It's unclear exactly how many fortune cookies are churned out or consumed annually today, though in 2008, it was reportedly around 3 billion globally. Considering bulk prices for fortune cookies start between $14.99 and $16.50 for 350 cookies, depending on where they're purchased from, that's an industry likely worth millions in annual revenue.

There are a lot of misconceptions about the origins of fortune cookies, but a closer look at their roots points to Japan, where wafers with a similar shape and fortune-telling concept date back to the late Edo period. It wasn't until the early 1900s that Japanese immigrants likely brought the treat to the U.S. (specifically California), which Chinese American restaurateurs adapted and turned into what we know as fortune cookies today. 

Production of fortune cookies ramped up especially after World War II, as American Chinese restaurants soared in popularity. The industry changed further in the late 20th century with the development of machinery that could produce fortune cookies, eliminating the time-consuming need for them to be folded and stuffed with fortune papers by hand. Modern machines in the 21st century can now make up to 8,000 fortune cookies per hour.

A 2023 analysis from the Pew Research Center showed that Chinese restaurants had become the most common Asian restaurants in the nation, being located in every state and 70% of all U.S. counties. But modern fortune cookies aren't just all for the American market, with Chinese restaurants in other Western nations like the United Kingdom and Canada also featuring them. These nations are also home to their own fortune cookie producers, such as The Fortune Cookie Company in West Sussex, U.K., which says its production facility can make a colossal 1,000,000 cookies per week.

Beyond the complementary cookies you typically get with your own Chinese takeout, the modern fortune cookie industry produces a huge variety of colors and flavors. You can even order a special custom fortune cookie from some businesses, or get jumbo-sized versions coated in chocolate. While Chinese restaurants are known to purchase standard versions in bulk from manufacturers like Wonton Food and other restaurant industry retailers for distribution to customers, the gourmet fortune cookie scene is sizable on its own. Golden Gate Fortune Cookies in San Francisco alone purports to make 10,000 fortune cookies daily by hand. Specially branded promotional fortune cookies are also a thing. But with changing technology and an economy in flux, the industry could change further.

In 2023, The Wall Street Journal reported that Winfar Foods — a Chicago-based fortune cookie producer — had started using AI to write its fortunes. Fortune cookie writer has never exactly been on the list of highest-paying jobs, but the real test will be if the lack of human touch affects consumers in the future. In the meantime, takeout food remains a big business. A 2025 analysis from IBIS World shows the Chinese restaurant industry has largely bounced back from the COVID-19 pandemic, growing 1.5% between 2023 and 2024. So, while you still may not be able to get a fortune cookie in China, they're a staple of American Chinese restaurants that are here to stay for now.