1. Bird’s Nest Soup
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Made from the hardened saliva of swiftlets, this delicacy costs up to $3,000 per kilogram. Why? Supposedly, the spit-based soup boosts collagen and keeps you looking youthful. It’s served as a luxurious dessert in China, but let’s face it—paying that much for bird spit? That’s rich-people logic.
2. Black Ivory Coffee (Elephant Poop Coffee Beans)
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What’s more exclusive than coffee made from beans passed through an elephant’s digestive system? Yes, this $500-a-pound brew is produced in Thailand, where elephants “process” the beans for a unique flavor. While connoisseurs claim it’s smooth and earthy, the rest of us can’t stop wondering why anyone thought this was a good idea.
3. Caviar from Albino Sturgeon
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Regular caviar is already fancy, but albino sturgeon caviar takes it up a notch—it’s rare, exclusive, and priced at $40,000 per kilogram. The eggs are pale gold, creamy, and buttery, but let’s be real: it’s still fish eggs, and the price tag is straight-up absurd.
4. Kopi Luwak (Civet Coffee)
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Another coffee oddity, this time made from beans pooped out by civets (a cat-like animal). At $600 a pound, the rich swear by its smooth taste. But let’s not ignore the fact that someone had to dig through civet poop to bring this to market. That’s dedication—or insanity.
5. Foie Gras
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This “luxury” dish is made by force-feeding ducks or geese to enlarge their livers. While it’s creamy and buttery, the process is controversial and downright cruel. Still, it’s a staple at fancy dinners, and the rich keep ordering it like it’s no big deal.
6. Century Eggs
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Century eggs are duck or chicken eggs fermented in clay, ash, and quicklime for weeks or months. The result? A green, gelatinous yolk with an ammonia-like flavor. It’s considered a delicacy in China, but to outsiders, it looks—and smells—like a dare gone wrong.
7. Balut
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This Filipino delicacy involves eating a fertilized duck egg, complete with a partially formed embryo. It’s meant to be savory and nourishing, but the visual? A tiny bird fetus with feathers and all. The ultra-rich try it to brag about their “cultural openness,” but most can’t stomach it.
8. Edible Gold
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Rich people literally eat gold. Edible gold flakes and sheets are tasteless but used to garnish desserts, cocktails, and even burgers. The price? Hundreds or even thousands per serving. It adds zero flavor, but hey, nothing screams “I have too much money” like pooping out gold later.
9. Hákarl (Fermented Shark)
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Iceland’s infamous fermented shark strikes again on this list. Rich food adventurers with cash to burn give it a try to flex their “worldly” taste buds. Spoiler: it still tastes like ammonia and regret, even with a hefty price tag.
10. Snake Wine
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In Vietnam and China, snake wine is made by soaking a venomous snake in rice wine or grain alcohol. The rich drink it for its alleged health benefits (and because they can). While it’s probably just strong enough to kill germs, it’s the floating snake that makes this drink a hard pass for most.
11. Escamoles (Ant Larvae)
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Known as insect caviar, this Mexican dish is a rich person’s way of proving they’ll eat literally anything. Harvested from agave plants, the larvae have a buttery texture and nutty flavor. But at $35+ a plate, they’re more about novelty than taste.
12. Ortolan
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This French delicacy involves eating a tiny songbird that’s drowned in brandy, roasted, and consumed whole—including bones (hence why we’ve decided to omit the much more graphic photo of the entire dish). Diners traditionally eat it with a napkin over their head (to “trap the aroma” or hide their shame). It’s banned in many countries, but that hasn’t stopped the wealthy from smuggling it onto plates.
13. Casu Marzu (Maggot Cheese)
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We’re back to maggot-infested cheese, a Sardinian “delicacy” that rich people eat for shock value. While it’s technically banned in the EU, underground circles ensure it remains on exclusive menus. Cheese that wriggles? Count us out.
14. Fried Tarantulas
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In Cambodia, fried tarantulas are a street food staple—but for the wealthy, it’s a novelty snack to Instagram about. Crunchy on the outside, gooey on the inside, these spiders are said to taste like crab. Would you rather face your fear—or just pass the chips?
15. Pufferfish Sperm
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Yes, fugu makes a second appearance—but this time, we’re talking about its sperm sacs, known as “shirako.” This Japanese delicacy is creamy and custard-like, but most of us can’t get past what it actually is. At $100 a serving, it’s the epitome of gross-but-expensive eats.
