SAN FRANCISCO, CA — If you thought the Tide Pod Challenge was ridiculous, brace yourself for the latest TikTok craze giving parents a meltdown. Gen Z has gone from licking ice cream to getting it permanently etched on their bodies in the form of Dairy Queen tramp stamps, and the trend shows no signs of melting away anytime soon.
In a world where TikTok challenges have left people with life-long scars, both metaphorically and literally, the Dairy Queen tramp stamp phenomenon seems almost vanilla by comparison. However, that hasn’t stopped thousands of confused moms asking, “Why, for the love of all things sacred, are you doing this to your body?“
The trend allegedly started when 19-year-old TikTok influencer and part-time Dairy Queen employee, Brayden McFlipp, posted a video of himself getting a DQ logo tattooed above his posterior, accompanied by the caption, “Mom, it’s not a phase! #DQforLife #TrampStamp.” Little did he know, his cheeky joke would soon become a viral sensation, inspiring legions of his followers to hop on the ice cream ink-wagon.
As the trend spread like hot fudge on a sundae, it didn’t take long for the hashtag #DQTrampStampChallenge to amass millions of views and spark nationwide debates about the implications of such a seemingly innocent yet bizarre tattoo choice. Many tattoo parlors across the country have reported a surge in requests for the iconic DQ logo, with some even offering discounted rates and bundle deals to cater to the demand.
One tattoo artist, Spike Needleman of ‘Ink and Sprinkles’ in Los Angeles, shared his thoughts on the trend: “I’ve been in this business for over 20 years, and I’ve never seen anything like this. I’ve tattooed people’s faces, hands, and even their eyelids, but this DQ thing is on a whole new level. It’s nuts! Or, should I say, it’s like nuts on a sundae, am I right?“
Parents, however, aren’t laughing. They’re left wondering how a simple, albeit absurd, tattoo fad has managed to infiltrate the collective consciousness of their TikTok-obsessed offspring. Psychologist Dr Greta Van Pelt suggests that the Dairy Queen tramp stamp craze taps into Gen Z’s nostalgia and desire to connect to a seemingly simpler time.
While the trend may have some parents’ heads spinning faster than a DQ Blizzard, the Dairy Queen tramp stamp seems more than just a passing phase. As countless teenagers and young adults proudly flaunt their soft-serve inspired ink, the question remains: What’s the next TikTok trend?