A seemingly innocuous drink has ignited a fierce debate across TikTok, LinkedIn and other social media platforms: Should candidates bring an iced coffee to a job interview? The discussion began after recruiter Caitlin Wehniainen, who said she had 16 years of experience recruiting for Fortune 500 companies, posted a TikTok video criticizing the practice. "Gen Z candidates are showing up to their interviews with iced coffee in hand," Wehniainen said in the video posted last week, adding that it signals to recruiters that the interview is just a "stop on your list of errands to do for the day." Her comments appear to have struck a nerve, prompting thousands of responses from recruiters, career coaches and job seekers, many of whom are sharply divided over whether carrying a cold brew into an interview is unprofessional or completely harmless.
The debate has become about far more than coffee. At its core, the argument reflects a broader generational clash over workplace norms, professionalism and what employers should value during hiring. Some recruiters argue that an iced coffee can send unintended signals about a candidate's seriousness, while many Gen Z workers see these concerns as outdated and disconnected from their actual job performance.
Already today, younger workers are increasingly challenging traditional corporate expectations around dress codes and workplace etiquette, and the iced coffee debate is a larger extension of that. The controversy began after Wehniainen observed that some Gen Z candidates were arriving at interviews carrying iced coffees or lattes. Speaking from her perspective as a recruiter, she said the choice could come across as overly casual.
The video quickly went viral, generating thousands of comments from users on both sides of the issue. Some agreed with Wehniainen, arguing that candidates should avoid bringing food or drinks into interviews because first impressions matter. There are also several practical concerns involved in bringing a drink to an interview, like the condensation you could leave at the table or even the awkward dance of how to shake hands when you're holding a cup.
Others were baffled that a beverage could be viewed as a reflection of professionalism, and one TikTok commenter wrote: "But an interview IS just a stop in my day. It's not my whole day." While Wehniainen's position received support from many hiring professionals, other recruiters have publicly disagreed. Eric Turney, the president of the Monterey Company, a custom merchandise business, routinely interviews and hires employees.
He believed the iced coffee debate was getting more attention than the actual issue deserved. "If someone walks into an interview with an iced coffee and absolutely crushes the interview, I'm not going to pass on a great candidate over a Starbucks cup," Turney told Newsweek. "That said, job interviews are short and first impressions matter.
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