Not on the Menu

The Prompt

Not every unforgettable meal comes with a reservation.

Maybe it was something your grandmother made without a recipe, a questionable combination you invented as a kid, a snack discovered halfway across the world, or a meal thrown together from whatever happened to be left in the fridge. It might have been incredible. It might have been terrible. You might still be trying to figure out what was actually in it.

For this challenge, write about something you ate that you'd never expect to see on a restaurant menu. Tell us what it was, where you were, who was there, and why you still remember it.

The food doesn't have to be fancy or even particularly good. It just has to come with a story.

In order for your submission to qualify, it must be:

• Between 600 and 3,000 words.
• Submitted to the Feast community. Your story will be disqualified if it is submitted to any other community.
• Submitted before November 20, 2026 at 11:59 PM EST.
• Your work must be original and unpublished.

The Prizes

• Grand Prize: $1000
• 4 Winners: $200 each
• 10 Honorable Mentions: $15 each

For your story to be eligible, it must be between 600 and 3,000 words and adhere to our Community Guidelines.

Stories published on Vocal and entered into the Challenge up until November 20, 2026 at 11:59 PM EST will be entered for consideration. Official Rules for the Challenge can be found here.

The Not on the Menu Challenge is exclusive to Vocal+ members. To learn more and upgrade to Vocal+, visit https://vocal.media/vocal-plus.

To be eligible to win, you must be over the age of 13 and reside in a country where Stripe is available at the time of entry. A complete list of countries where Stripe is available can be found here—winners will need a Stripe account created and connected to receive prizes. Entrants located outside of these countries will not be eligible to win.