Millennials and Gen X have taken to TikTok to call out the "Gen Z stare," when a Gen Z worker seems to be rudely unresponsive to a question or ask. However, Gen Z users have a different take and are defending the mannerism.

Millennials and Gen Z are having it out on TikTok over this facial expression. Here’s everything to know about what the 'Gen Z stare' is and why everyone is up in arms about it.

Now, to be fair to zoomers, a few weeks ago there were a few posts — and a write-up from the New York Post, naturally — complaining about the Gen Z "gaze" from service workers. That's seemingly related to the "stare" debate now, but it's certainly evolved.

A war is waging online between generations over the Gen Z Stare. While Millennials blame a lack of social skills, Gen Z are blaming insufferable customer requests - but who is right?

Gen Z is increasingly choosing to take on multiple jobs. Some creators are going a step further and posting about their side hustles on TikTok.

Millennials may find the so-called ‘Gen Z stare’ irritating, but others say it’s justified. Debate over the so-called Gen Z stare is the latest conversation on TikTok to capture people’s attention. But like so many viral social media moments,

This particular TikTok trend is quickly becoming a flashpoint in debates about workplace culture, generational divides, and the future of soft skills. While it may seem like a fleeting meme, the Gen Z stare is emblematic of deeper economic and social shifts as the youngest working generation reshapes the labor market.

Banarsë compared it to the "Millennial Pause," a brief moment of silence before speaking in a video, adding that today's social quirks go viral more quickly. Banarsë added that the stare is part of Gen Z's move toward authenticity and boundary-setting—where emotional labor isn't automatically performed to meet outdated norms.

When asked to vote on a generic ballot for 2026, older Gen Z and younger millennial voters, ages 22-29, backed Democrats by a 6-point majority. But younger Gen Z voters, ages 18-21, backed Republicans by nearly 12 percentage points.

Teens today aren't uninformed - they're just getting information from places that haven't necessarily been thoroughly vetted and fact-checked (if an effort was made for honesty at all). We used to turn to big name news outlets and TV broadcasts to learn what's happening in the world,