Despite the “Chinese” restaurant connection, the fortune cookie was actually created in California, likely by Japanese or Chinese immigrants in the early 20th century. It became a hallmark of Chinese-American dining but is not a traditional Chinese dessert. In China, most locals first encountered it through Western media. In Japan, a similar treat called tsujiura senbei existed earlier and may have inspired it. So while English users associate 🥠 with “Chinese food,” East Asians often see it as a Western invention wearing a Chinese costume.