The Trader Joe's Prank That Has TikTok Screaming

Trader Joe's is no doubt beloved for its wide selection of unique, affordable products, but for many shoppers, what makes the grocery chain a standout is its "exceptionally friendly" staff. Forever smiling, forever gracious, forever knowing exactly what to suggest and what items to pair together; they're practically anomalies in the customer service world.  At one point, there was a widespread myth going around that alleged they are trained to flirt with customers, though it turns out that isn't true. They really are that nice! 

It turns out employees are well aware of their reputation and have no qualms making jokes about it, as evidenced by one now-deleted TikTok video that showed two Trader Joe's crew members pulling a hilarious prank.

Set inside an unnamed Trader Joe's, the clip showed the POV of a "customer" approaching a cash register to pay for a gallon of milk. After a moment of seemingly ordinary small talk, the friendly cashier then asked if the customer wanted a bag for their purchase. "Yes, please," they replied. That's when things took an unexpected turn — with a cheerful, knowing smile, the employee then unscrewed the cap on the gallon of milk and began pouring its entire contents into one of Trader Joe's signature brown paper bags. As the video cut to different angles showing the milk splashing into the bag, the employee appeared totally oblivious to the absurdity of the situation, staring directly at the customer with a straight face and asking, "Are you paying with cash or card?"

Though some eagle-eyed folks in the comments were quick to recognize the video's location as the famous tiny Trader Joe's in Boston, TJ's fans and crew members from all over got a kick out of the prank, with many laughing about the employee's spot-on "acting" in the comments. "The soft smile is really what gets me i think," remarked one user. "Some say he's pouring milk to this day," quipped another. Some commenters pointed out the cashier in the video resembled pop star Justin Timberlake, which added to the humor. "Would Lance [Bass] approve of this?" joked one user, referring to Timberlake's NSYNC bandmate. Others were highly amused by the TikTokers' "professional" videography skills. "THE MULTIPLE ANGLES PLEASE," exclaimed one user. Another agreed, declaring, "It's a whole cinematic production."

However, while most viewers found the video hilarious, a few raised concerns about the food waste generated from the prank. Thankfully, the original poster assured us there's no need to cry over spilled milk, clarifying in the comments that the gallon used in the video was a return from a customer that would not be eligible for resale to the public. "We have to follow health code regulations even if the product left the store for a second," they explained.

Others didn't seem to mind at all and simply appreciated the entertainment.  As one follower put it, "[G]lad to know the employees at [B]oston trader joes are both hard-working and funny."