Doug Weaver experienced the so-called "Gen Z stare" while teaching college students. He says it's a symptom of a larger problem.

The Gen Z stare is an apparent tendency by young people in customer service positions to respond to innocuous statements with a blank look instead of a regular comment.

Some say the Gen Z stare signals poor communication and social skills. Psychologists and generational experts told BI that's not necessarily the case.

If you’ve worked with Gen Z, you’ve probably seen the “Gen Z stare”: that facial expression that somehow manages to mix disdain, defiance, and utter disinterest all in one blank look. But here’s why experts say it’s going to backfire — and make it even harder for them to land a job.

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of Gen Z's move toward authenticity and boundary-setting—where emotional labor isn't automatically performed to meet outdated norms.

Cultural habits shift from generation to generation, and a notable Gen-Z social trait may actually be our fault.

What is the "Gen Z Stare?" Older TikTok users say that Gen Z workers often give blank, unresponsive stares. Gen Zers are pushing back.