A comedy skit from TikTok creator @londonelii has turned into a full-blown internet debate. The video shows a painfully awkward coffee shop interaction, complete with blank stares and long pauses, and the caption“How it feels to be a customer anywhere in 2026”struck a nerve with thousands of viewers.
The comments divided fast. Some people swapped stories about standing at counters waiting to be noticed, with one commenter asking,“why am I out customer-servicing the person providing the customer service in this interaction?”But service workers fired back, saying short staffing and low pay leave them exhausted, and that customers often expect entertainment on top of a coffee. One comment that resonated widely put it simply:“Pay people livable wages, and they will smile more.”
The debate touches something almost everyone has experienced, whether you’re the one ordering or the one behind the register, and it’s raised bigger questions about tipping, wages and whether friendliness should be part of the job. So we want to hear from you: are you Team Customer or Team Worker in this one?
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Local Lawton
Local Lawton is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.