table stakes n. 1. The minimum amount needed to do business. 2. The least amount of investment or resources needed to be competitive in an industry.
BS Definition: 1. For a professional food taster, it is a mouth. 2. A gambling term that is now used by people who, ironically, are averse to risk (see B-school and bean counter).
Origin: To be clear, we are not talking about table steaks here, like the food. No, our table stakes is the term that comes from the world of gambling and poker, which in recent years has become the hip way to say “minimum.” ...
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