"Back When I Was Your Age..." TikToker Sparks Generational Debate About Mom’s Restaurant Behavior

Generational differences are almost always going to be a controversial topic of discussion. Many of us probably grew up hearing how good we had it from our elders, who, while lecturing us about how spoiled we are, would say things like, "Back when I was your age, we walked uphill both ways in the snow."

Fast forward to today, and maybe Gen Alpha will be telling their grandkids something like, "I didn’t get a cell phone until I was 8! Can you believe how old I was?"

A TikToker who goes by Jules (@jules.rach) on the platform recently chimed in with a generational debate of her own in a video she posted about her mom’s challenges ordering food at a restaurant. Now at 661,000 views, the video shows Jules in her car ranting about her mother’s apparent inability to understand how food menus work.

Jules explains her mother's befuddled response to the menu: “She just, like, looks at my phone as if I have handed her a hidden text from a country she’s never heard of, written in a language and script that is incomprehensible to her,” the TikToker joked.

She went on to state: "The way this woman pronounced falafel and tzatziki literally got me choked up."

Commenters who replied to Jules's video also seemed to take pleasure in her mom's inability to comprehend a food menu. Several other users on the application shared their own anecdotes where their moms had a difficult time ordering as well.

The commenters piled on. “My mom once called a panini a ‘panny ann,’” one shared. Someone else, however, shared a story about their significant other that seems to indicate the inability to correctly read, and understand food menus could be a trait that defies age. “My husband ordered ‘Kalamazoo.’ It was tiramisu.”

And another shamefully admitted, “My mom calls BOGO sales BONGO sales.” A final user wrote, “My mom called her FAVORITE SHOW Game of THORNS." Listen, I personally have a list of these terms from my own father: My siblings and I would howl with laughter whenever he'd call Dairy Queen "Dirty Queen." He also refers to grammar as "grammaristic" and we never ate sandwiches growing up, but "sangwiches."

Among the jokes, however, there was one commenter who thought this type of behavior was mostly endemic to a particular demographic: “Is this a boomer thing?”

And although Jules's video was rooted in having fun at her mother's pronunciation gaffes, it also opened up a bigger generational conversation.

It was mostly about how Boomers (those born 1946 – 1964) went about attaining "The American Dream" and if that same ideal can be accomplished by folks today.

For a large part of the 20th century, the American Dream was synonymous with stability. It was being able to acquire and hold a steady job with upward mobility. Start a family, own a home, and retire comfortably.

It was a dream grounded in a belief that as long as you're willing to work, you'd be able to create a better life for yourself and lay the foundation for even better lives for the generations that came after you.

But for many today, this ideal feels like a distant urban legend. Homeownership, for instance, once the gold standard of success, is increasingly out of reach.

In 2024, the average price of a home in the United States sits around $420K — a number that blows out real wage growth. Renting has become the norm for many Millennials and Gen Zers, who find themselves totally priced out of the housing market and swimming in years worth of student debt. Even basic things like being able to afford groceries without having your eyes pop out in the checkout line is a difficult prospect for many Americans as food prices increased 28 percent in five years.

The job market has also transformed, and not necessarily for the better. While unemployment remains relatively low, the rise of the “gig economy” and 1099 positions means fewer of the workforce have dependable benefits like healthcare, retirement plans, or pensions. This lack of security has made it nearly impossible to envision the long-term stability their parents and grandparents might have taken for granted.

Additionally, being able to afford starting and caring for a family is an unrealistic prospect for many. According to the USDA, the cost of raising a child to age 18 now exceeds $310,000, For many young people, the idea of having children is being postponed — and abandoned altogether for some.

It could be argued, however, that the concept of the American Dream isn’t entirely dead, but perhaps it’s evolving. For many, the dream has become less about financial success and more about flexibility, purpose, and personal wellness. For instance, an increase in remote work prospects has allowed for some of the country's workforce to escape the high cost of, say New York or San Francisco.

Which means that folks can move to more affordable parts of the country where they can get more bang for their buck.

And there are some who've argued that the concept of home ownership is ultimately overrated. Some may value experiences like travel or personal artistic endeavors, which they put before having a white picket fence or scaling the corporate ladder.

But there are also others who seem to value the traditional concept of the American dream. The recent 2024 election can be viewed as a testament to that.

Political figures like Donald Trump, Elon Musk, and RFK Jr. won the 2024 Election, in part, by promising to “restore” the American Dream. We'll have to see if the administration, however, makes meaningful change in achieving that vision, or if it'll settle for convincing rhetoric. Systemic changes are necessary to address issues like wage stagnation, astronomical housing costs, affordable healthcare, and education.

Otherwise the American Dream will become a distant memory tucked away in the minds of boomers as they struggle to say "quesadilla" during margarita night.