A new trend dubbed the 'Gen Z stare' has sparked debate across generations, with many older individuals expressing frustration over what they perceive as a lack of basic social interaction from younger people. The term refers to the tendency of some Gen Z individuals to stare silently rather than engage in small talk or greet customers in service settings.
Social media users have shared their experiences, with one X user complaining about the 'new style of customer service where people just stare at you when you walk up to the counter.' Another added that in coffee shops and similar venues, staff often 'just stare at you and don't say anything first.'
However, Gen Z has defended the behaviour, arguing it is a response to perceived rudeness or stupidity from customers. Efe Ahworegba, 19, explained in a viral TikTok that while some Gen Z lack social skills, older generations 'talk too much, too rudely, and too proudly while being too stupid.' She added that working in the food industry reveals how 'stupid people can be.'
Comments on Ahworegba's video suggested the stare is not malicious but a reaction to disbelief, with one user describing it as an 'are you deadass' expression. Another noted it is 'gen z trying to make it make sense,' while a third pointed out that older generations often disallowed Gen Z from speaking up when they were wrong.
Experts have also weighed in, attributing the trend to social isolation during the Covid-19 pandemic and increased technology use. Jean Twenge, author of a book on generational differences, told The New York Times that 'social skills take thousands of hours to develop' and that Gen Z has spent significantly less time with peers in person during critical developmental stages.
