Squirrel smiles are trending on TikTok. And while you may not be familiar with this particular nomenclature, you probably have encountered this facial contortion before.
The term is used to describe the type of grimace that occurs when a person only bares a portion of their teeth through pursed lips.
As this TikTok user writes, they’ve “been doing it since [they] were a kid.”
Subsequently, she shows off this type of grin while looking directly into her camera lens. She adds in a text overlay for her video that she would flash squirrel smiles to her “siblings.” Primarily when they would get “in trouble” as a means of trying to make them laugh.
Another user on the application, Trev of @kaylaandtrev has documented numerous instances of their squirrel smile in action. Recently, they posted the aftermath of a drive-thru customer’s reaction to one of these smiles.
In the video, Trev records the patron rolling up to the service window.
Upon arriving to pick up his order, the TikToker engages squirrel smile protocol. The customer seems unamused by the smile as Trev’s video comes to an end.
More squirrel smiles
In other videos posted to her account, Trev demonstrates other instances where they bust out the squirrel smile. Like this instance, where they beam it directly to viewers, whilst asking: “Who likes my beautiful smile?”
In another clip that amassed over 38,000 views, the TikToker showcased some more “squirrel smile” content. Trev shows themself dancing before a man seated in a mall. As Trev gesticulates in front of the stranger, they brandish their bare teeth. Like the drive-thru customer, the man appears equally mortified before they walk away.
In another portion of the clip, Trev films themself squirrel smiling at another gentleman. He looks at Trev with a slight smile of his own while Trev squirrels it up. Afterwards, Trev bounces in place and then knocks a product on display in the store.
The last person Trev approaches appears to be a Dick’s Sporting Goods employee. They incredulously watch the TikToker act out the squirrel smile and accompanying dance they employed in other mall interactions.
Some folks who responded to their video thought it was evident the man was “not messing with [her].” Whereas another said the man “looked terrified.”
“He was so disturbed,” someone else penned.
@kaylaandtrev #smile #trending #fyp ♬ original sound – Tk
Squirrel smile hate
Like most trends, the squirrel smile has its detractors.
Some TikTokers, like @barstoolpiff, find it and the videos spawned from the trend to be “infuriating.” It appears that he, a long with others, don’t find individuals showing their teeth while scrunching their teeth to be amusing.
“This squirrel smile trend has to be the most infuriating thing I have ever seen. For context there is this new trend called the squirrel smile,” they said. The social media user believes they have identified the source of the TikTok trend. He points to a female influencer wearing what looks like pink fleece dog ears and headphones.
“Where it started off as this one girl now its is becoming a full-on trend. Now that I just found out what the squirrel smile actually is, I’m even more p*ssed off than before,” he continued.
The same TikToker went on to cite Trev as the “Queen of Smiles” who is at the forefront of the Squirrel Smile trend.
@barstoolpiff THE SQUIRREL SMILE TREND NEEDS TO STOP 😓 tk and squirrel smile trend has officially gone too far after she did this prank 😳 does the squirrel smile need to stop? 👀 #squirrelsmile ♬ original sound – barstoolpiff
Involving others
The TikToker @barstoolpiff seemed to take issue with the fact that Trev recorded a customer without their knowledge.
As part of his squirrel smile diatribe, he even includes a screenshot of Trev’s drive-thru video. “They genuinely do not look happy to be seeing the squirrel smile at all. And neither would I,” he says.
Following this, @barstoolpiff highlights another one of Trev’s video, which looks like it was filmed in a Walmart. In the image grab from that clip, Trev appears to be interacting with a Walmart worker wearing a neon vest. “She is going up to employees at Walmart doing her squirrel smile,” @barstoolpiff says.
Towards the end of his clip, @barstoolpiff’s primary beef with the trend seems to come to light. And it’s that he is failing to find the humor in the trend.
“Just wanna know who finds this funny?” he asks. “Even more embarrassing—she is now going up to other fast food employees and doing it to them. Now it seems to be starting an entire trend.”
Wrapping things out, he ended his invective against the squirrel smile with a brutal comparison. The TikToker compared the squirrel smile to the cringe-inducing, near universally maligned millennial IHOP video.
The Daily Dot has reached out to @barstoolpiff and Trev via TikTok comment for further information.
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