Using the doesntExist() method in Laravel

 1// This works
 2if ( 0 === $model->where('status', 'pending')->count() ) {
 3}
 4 
 5// But since I don't care about the count, just that there isn't one
 6// Laravel's exists() method is cleaner.
 7if ( ! $model->where('status', 'pending')->exists() ) {
 8}
 9 
10// But I find the ! in the statement above easily missed. The
11// doesntExist() method makes this statement even clearer.
12if ( $model->where('status', 'pending')->doesntExist() ) {
13}

Tip given by @ShawnHooper