Move over cigarettes, Diet Coke is coming for your shtick. Gen Z and younger millennials are trading out the classic smoke break or coffee break for a new treat: “Diet Coke breaks,” the hashtag for which has 14 million views on TikTok.
This latest iteration of a work break allows them to escape the monotony of work, leaving their desks for a midday sunny walk in pursuit of a sugar-free, low-cal Coca-Cola. It might be odd to imagine Don Draper chugging soda like a 9-year-old instead of chain-smoking—but the inflated prices of cigarettes and coffee have left younger generations turning to a different delicacy as a modern way of escaping from corporate dregs.
