Location, location, location – the setting of a Far Side cartoon was usually integral to the effectiveness of the punchline, but many of the comic's most frequently recurring locations often do not get enough of the spotlight, as is the case with the countless s produced by Gary Larson that took place in restaurants.
Sure, those heavenly Far Side cartoons that imagined the sunnier side of the afterlife, are memorable because of their locations, but many of Larson's greatest jokes were set in much more familiar, terrestrial settings, such as living rooms and restaurants.
Notably, the entries collected on this list are distinct from the surplus of Far Side cartoons taking place in bars; Gary Larson's restaurant gags were more routinely focused on family matters, or otherwise, at least, struck a different tone than his bar-based punchlines.
11 This Subtle Far Side Joke Plays On Every Diner's Worst Fears
First Published: June 11, 1984
Many of The Far Side's best restaurant jokes focused on the front of the house, and the customers at a particular eatery – but there are also some classics that take place in the back, such as this cartoon about a vindictive cook that puts his shoe in the "soup of the day."
The punchline here is subtle, in the sense that it relies on the reader to spot the punchline in the image, rather than having it given to them directly. Astute viewers will realize that the cook is depicted wearing only one shoe, while the other foot is bare; this decision to deliberately obscure the "point", or punchline of this , making it something that readers have to consciously catch, adds to the effect of the "My God!" reaction to this Far Side cartoon when readers do realize the joke.
10 Waste Not, Want Not – The Far Side Proves Humpty Dumpty's Death Wasn't In Vain
First Published: January 18, 1988
Captioned "Humpty Dumpty's final days," this Far Side cartoon depicts a waitress at "Omelettes 'R' Us" bringing a comically large platter of scrambled eggs to a customer, in an outrageous take on what happened to the ill-fated character's remains post-mortem.
Of course, given that Dumpty was an egg, this ignominious fate is manages to be the most logical and most absurd conclusion to his story at the same time, with the delicate balance between the two amounting to an impressive creative feat by artist Gary Larson. The Far Side was full of nursery rhyme parodies, and Humpty Dumpty popped up more than once, but this is perhaps Larson's most inspired twist on the classic tale.
9 Garlic Is A "No-No" On First Dates – But These Far Side Snakes Give Into Temptation
First Published: January 22, 1988
Snakes were among Gary Larson's favorite Far Side recurring characters, to the extent that it is reasonable to say, if there is a scenario Larson revisited more than once, there was a strong chance one of those times involved one or more snakes. That is the case with the "dinner date" joke, which Larson returned to repeatedly throughout the years.
The Far Side's "Out of Order" Comic (Both Versions) Is the Perfect Illustration Of Gary Larson's Chaotic Creative Mind
Gary Larson's "Out of Order" comic, published in 1988, perfectly illustrated of how the business of creating The Far Side wore him down over time.
In this case, a pair of serpents seated across a candle-lit table from one another at a fancy restaurant break a major first date taboo: no garlic; "well, this may not be wise" the male snake says to the waiter, acknowledging the risk he's taking at a pivotal point in this potential relationship, "but I just gotta try your garlic wharf rats." It is a laugh-out-loud punchline, with the set-up hilariously embodying a familiar, and very human, scenario, which is then embodied in a deliriously funny non-human form.
8 Gary Larson Flips The Script On What "Fresh" Means At A Restaurant
First Published: February 3, 1988
The Far Side, and this comic brilliantly captures why. More than just favoring certain animals over others, Gary Larson realized that certain non-human characters lent themselves to lampooning human behavior more than others.
For example, when conceiving of a joke about people at restaurants who quiz their servers about the freshness of the ingredients in their meal, Larson naturally landed on using a carrion-eating bird, because that allowed him to depict the diametric opposite of this human activity, by having the buzzard in this Far Side cartoon remark "this doesn't look spoiled," after being served. It is a classic example of The Far Side's technique of comedic inversion, which is at the root of many of Gary Larson's most classic jokes.
7 These Far Side Birds Get Fancy, Courtesy Of Live Insects In Their Cocktails
First Published: March 30, 1988
"Oh my! Aren't these fancy drinks?" a bird out on a dinner date exclaims, looking down at her cocktail, which is garnished with a worm, roach, and cricket on a skewer – possibly still alive, but barely so if that's the case, and not for much longer.
It is a straightforward, lighthearted Far Side gag, one that relies more on the immersive quality of its depiction of a restaurant for anthropomorphized birds than it does on a particularly strong punchline; in other words, this is a more vibes-based Far Side comic, though at the same time, the subtext is there, which can be taken to mean that is only a thin distinction between humans garnishing drinks with fruit, and birds doing so with insects.
6 The Far Side Takes The Carnivore Vs. Vegetarian Debate To The Next Level
First Published: May 1, 1988
Some of funniest cartoons forego a caption, allowing the image to speak for itself; though, ittedly, there is a bit of a workaround in regard to this particular comic, which features an out-of-control "Al's Meats" truck about to crash through the front window of "Noreen's Vegetarian Café," as the patrons inside scream in horror, without presumably having time to get out of the way.
The name on the side of the truck, and the restaurant window, are essential to the functionality of the joke, but nothing is needed beyond that – the irony of this incident needs no further elaboration, and the tragicomic nature of it is self-evident enough that it did not need to be called out in a more overt way, or commented upon any further. In fact, that could have actually potentially lessened the impact of the joke.
5 The Far Side Goes Behind The Counter At A "Dog Restaurant"
First Published: March 2, 1990
Captioned simply "dog restaurants," this Far Side canine cartoon features a dog line-cook appraising the pending meal tickets that have to go out to waiting patrons – which, thankfully, feature straightforward orders like "3 dry, 2 dry 1 canned, 1 dry 1 canned," and so on.
Here, Gary Larson simply, yet ingeniously, fuses together human and animal behavior, with a punchline that suggests that if dogs were able to serve themselves, the substance of their meals would not be all that vastly different. For people who only know The Far Side for its reputation for dark humor, this is a perfect to check out, as it shows the more inane and innocuous side of Larson's sense of humor.
4 Reap What You Sow – This Far Side Giraffe Gets No Sympathy
First Published: November 11, 1990
The Far Side's giraffe population were underrated comedy gold, and this cartoon is a stand-out example. "Well, if there's a bone stuck in your throat, you deserve it," an irate female giraffe – her gender signified by the glasses Gary Larson draws her wearing – onishes the male across the table from her at dinner, adding, "do you see anyone else around here stupid enough to order fish?"
This is actually one of Gary Larson's harshest jokes; in most cases, his punchlines could be readily transposed onto human characters, but here that would be nigh-unthinkable, or at least too dark, and not funny enough. Instead, Larson fully embodies what a world of anthropomorphic giraffes would be like – and there is still more than a touch of nature's harshness to them.
3 This Out-Of-This-World Far Side Cartoon Shows Aliens Aren't So Different From Us
First Published: April 18, 1991
This Far Side alien cartoon features a premise similar to the previous entry on this list, which was published just five months prior. Here, a "Dorkonian" eating in a crowded extraterrestrial restaurant starts to choke, as "something his gone down the wrong pipe" – a matter comedically complicated by the the "Dorkonian" physiology consists of six identical chute-like appendages sticking out from an amorphous torso.
8 Classic Far Side Comics That Were Made For Conspiracy Theorists
These Far Side comics will make readers question everything, proving artist Gary Larson wasn't a stranger to conspiratorial thinking.
This illustrates Gary Larson's ability to take the familiar – in this case, the "down the wrong pipe" idiom, and give it an out-of-this-world interpretation, in this case literally. This comic is also notable for its level of detail; while The Far Side's artistic style was often minimalist, and sometimes downright sparse, these s where Larson fully envisioned a world outside of the reader's own rank among his best.
2 Frankenstein Calls Out Igor In A Crowded Café In This Classic Far Side Comic
First Published: November 28, 1991
Frankenstein, his monster, and his perennial sidekick Igor appeared regularly in Far Side comics, and this cartoon captures a hilarious blow-up between the latter two, with the doctor caught in the middle, in the most awkward place imaginable, a busy restaurant.
"Well, I'd rather be a living corpse made from dismembered body parts," the monster exclaims, standing and poking a finger in Igor's direction, "than a hunchbacked little grave robber like you!" It is a great example of Gary Larson's ability to use the literal to his comedic advantage, as the inherent absurdity of both characters is thrown into stark belief by this summary of both, which comes in the context of their loud disagreement against the backdrop of a public setting.
