Is the Tea Time Alarm real? Viral TikTok trend explained

The Tea Time Alarm trend is going viral on TikTok and has led TikTokers to drop everything to grab a cup of tea when they hear the alarm. Videos on the platform show creators from the United Kingdom pranking their American peers by claiming a siren goes off every afternoon, around 3 pm, demanding people have tea.

The videos alleged that it was a nationwide ritual where everyone sat down to sip the beverage together. Some even claimed that the failure to do so would incur fines by the government.

However, the trend is just a prank, and there is no Tea Time Alarm in the UK.

TikTokers from the UK quickly hopped onto the Tea Time Alarm trend, sharing their alleged stories and experiences with the ritual. Some netizens have come up with hilarious and creative explanations for the siren. Meanwhile, others expressed confusion at the Tea Time Alarm trend. Here are some reactions seen on X:

Comments reacting to the trend (Images via X)

One user, @luvmai, claimed that she ended up falling asleep after a long shift, which caused her to miss the alarm. She claimed that she was fined £129 for missing the alarm. Other creators also claimed that they injured themselves trying to get home for tea, according to the BBC.

Meanwhile, X user @starriebuck made an educational video highlighting its alleged history. He claimed that the ritual was facing "backlash" as the fines were set to increase in April.

"Obey the alarm, or face harm," the user claimed.

Soon, official government accounts, too, hopped onto the trend, adding to the confusion. This included accounts for the UK Government, South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service (SYFRS), Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service (CFRS), and the RNLI. Here's a screenshot of the post by the UK Government:

A comment reacting to the news (Image via X/ @SyphoticART)

In a separate TikTok, the UK Government even shared a prohibited "tea alarm button" and joked that users could "find out about the tea alarm" on the gov.uk website.

---

This is not the first time the Tea Time Alarm trend has gone viral

It's a British tradition to have tea in the afternoon along with a light meal of sandwiches and cakes. However, it has become a pop culture trope that the British people love the hot beverage, and the latest TikTok trend plays along with the stereotype. According to Metro.uk, the UK is the second largest tea-drinking country per capita, behind Ireland.

This is not the first time the trend has gone viral. According to Know Your Meme, its origins date back to 2021, when TikToker @tcimz shared a video about a British friend convincing her in the U.K. that has alarms that go off once a day, indicating tea time. She claimed every Briton she asked about the siren confirmed the claim, except one. She explained that was how she realized it was not real.

Fast forward to February 2023, user @jackknightley posted a TikTok about "British things that would send Americans into a coma." This included a tea time alarm that goes off at a random time that the king decides. The comedy video went viral with over 7.2 million views.

Soon, several English users reacted to the TikTok, sharing their made-up stories about the ritual, prompting the trolling attempt to spread.

The Tea Time Alarm trend is not the only prank to go viral on the platform. In 2022, the celebrity death prank saw users tricking their parents into believing their favorite celebrities passed away.

Last year, the Just Give Me My Money fad had netizens pranking a family member or co-worker. It involved a group taking turns to animatedly say, "Just give me my money." Each person's performance is followed by applause and cheers. Until the victim, who goes in last, makes the statement, the group remains silent, leaving the victim confused.

Earlier this year, a FaceTime prank caused quite the backlash. TikTokers filmed themselves video-calling a friend or a family member. But instead of showing their face, they used an Aboriginal man's face, implying the man was calling them.