According to the people on the internet, every current living generation has distinguishable qualities. From the Gen Alpha brain rot and Sephora kids, to Millennial cringe, every generation has something they can be made fun of for. With perhaps the largest presence on the internet, Gen Z tends to be the ones poking fun at everyone else. But, there’s still a lot to be said about what other generations think of Gen Z. For example, Gen Alpha thinks being born in 2005 makes you old, a concept that makes me want to laugh and cry, and Millennials often think Gen Z is overly emotional and (iconically) say stuff like “You cute kids. You can keep our 90s fashion… But you’ll never understand.”
But, ICYMI, there is a new trait Gen Z is being made fun of for, and it’s called the “Gen Z stare.” If you’re anything like me a week ago, you’re probably wondering what that even means. If you haven’t seen this on TikTok yet, let me explain: Lots of people online have been talking about the stare you get from Gen Z, especially in customer service situations. It’s basically just a blank, “head empty no thoughts” look.
One video from a creator named Ellie (@ellieexplainsnothing) that now has almost 2 million views details an experience she had being served by a Gen Zer working at Chipotle. In the video her impersonation of her server is essentially just being stared at, with no verbal response. Near the end of the interaction, the Gen Z worker says “our system is down, so we can’t accept cards, only cash,” to which the woman replies, “I don’t carry cash.” Then, cue the blank stare from the server.
Many people who are Gen Z have been posting on TikTok, making jokes about the stare, and alluding to it just being a natural response to people who make nonsensical requests. I know I am certainly guilty of staring blankly at a customer who said something I’m not sure how to respond to. I mean, what else are we supposed to do?
But, according to others, that’s not what was meant by the Gen Z stare at all. Another creator named Santana (@maybesantana) explained that the Gen Z stare can apply in general conversation and happens when Gen Zers simply don’t respond in a situation when they absolutely should respond. This side of the argument insists that Gen Zers use this stare when they simply don’t have the social skills to properly respond — which, some say, is the case a lot of the time.
As a Gen Zer myself, this is making me second-guess my use of the Gen Z stare. Is this our version of the millennial pause? If so, yikes! However, whichever side of the Gen Z stare debate you stand, I hope there’s one thing we can all agree on: Being born in 2005 does not make you old… right?