British TIkTok users have teamed up to play a prank on Americans and taunt their transatlantic cousins with the idea the nation has to drink tea when summoned by an siren.
Sardonic creators have jumped on the trend of teasing Americans about the so-called ‘tea alarm’, tricking gullible viewers into thinking it’s a staple part of culture in the UK.
Content creators from the island jumped on the bandwagon and said it usually sounds multiple times a day and that people must stop what they are doing to drink a brew – or face a fine from the government.
In response, Americans have been left puzzled and full of questions about what happens if one misses the alarm – while others ask what it sounds like.
One wrote on a clip: ‘We need a tea time alarm in US,’ while another asked whether they had to partake in eating afternoon tea as a tourist.
TikToker Elaine explained the ‘rules’ behind the siren in her video which was labelled: ‘British tea time alarm is a real thing.’
She joked Brits can be arrested for not partaking in the alarm and that there are certain rules in place that everyone must follow.
Elaine explained: ‘You have different alarms for different districts and councils. If it’s the summer and you’re drinking tea, you can have herbal teas and stuff like that but it is preferred to have a British, English tea.’
TikToker Elaine explained the ‘rules’ behind the siren in her video which was labelled: ‘British tea time alarm is a real thing’
She added the rules differ in the winter, adding that you have to drink British tea and that there are no exceptions to the rule.
‘It’s extremely stressful, even when you have a job we have a specific designated canteen for giving out cups of tea,’ she added.
‘It’s convenient and efficient if you have cups of tea waiting for you.’
Other British people left comments under the video which carried on the joke, with one person claiming they had tried to opt out of tea time via a ‘sick note’ written by their mother.
Another said: ‘I almost burnt myself rushing to make it,’ while a third penned: ‘Do they know about our car kettles for when driving on the motorway? Don’t want to get caught short for the tea alarm while on the go.’
An American woman named Brandy came across the mass prank on the social media platform and posed questions about the tea time alarm in her own TikTok clip.
She said: ‘When the tea time alarm goes off, if you’re in the bathroom or you’re walking around on the street, what do you do? Do you go to a friend’s house, do you go to a café? Do you keep some in your backpack?’
Britons played along in response, saying: ‘When the tea alarm goes off you just go into the nearest home, shop, building and they will be making tea and you’ll be given a cup.
‘It’s illegal for them to turn you away, they will be prosecuted.’
Other Brits also joined in on the joke in the comments section of Elaine’s video
An American woman called Mary said she found herself on the ‘British side of TikTok’ and has been seeing many videos explaining the ‘tea time alarm’
Brits attempted to continue the practical joke by answering all of Mary’s questions
Rochelle Raye Anthony, runner up of The Apprentice in 2023, also joined in on the fun, tricking followers who hail from the US
One American asked Rochelle to provide proof that there was a tea time alarm
Another said: ‘I was actually in labour when the tea time alarm went off. Lucky my son was born by the time the kettle boiled. We named him Earl.’
Rochelle Raye Anthony, runner up of The Apprentice in 2023, also joined in on the fun, tricking followers who hail from the US.
She joked: ‘I keep seeing Americans asking whether this tea time alarm thing is real or not real. Have you never travelled outside of America?
‘Tell me you haven’t got a passport without telling me you haven’t got a passport, it just sounds really uncultured that you don’t know about one of our biggest British cultures.’
She said it was ‘wild’ that those from other countries thought Brits were ‘lying’ about having a designated alarm.
One woman from the US commented: ‘Can you show us proof because nobody in their right mind wants to travel to England.’
Rochelle even stated that she had to do a ‘tea time awareness course’ a couple of weeks ago because she kept missing the alarm.
And she’s not the only one who has jumped on the bandwagon. A content creator on TikTok, who goes by the username @laugui12.3, went one step further and also attempted to fool American tourists by saying she was fined for missing multiple alarms.
A content creator on TikTok, who goes by the username @laugui12.3, went one step further and also attempted to fool American tourists by saying she was fined for missing multiple alarms
An American woman named Brandy appeared to be baffled after coming across the mass prank on the social media platform and was asking questions about the tea time alarm
Brits were sarcastic in the comments towards Brandy and continued with the prank
Holding up a piece of paper, she said: ‘Woke up to a letter from the UK government fining me £40,000 for missing the tea time alarm three times this year.
‘If it’s not paid in three days I’m facing two years in prison. Americans don’t have to deal with this so why do we!’
An American woman called Mary said she found herself on the ‘British side of TikTok’ and has been seeing many videos explaining the ‘tea time alarm’.
She said: ‘What is the deal with the tea time alarms? Is it a real thing?’
One Brit gave away the joke in the comments, writing: ‘Tea time alarms? No such thing.’
However, another attempted to keep the prank alive by commenting: ‘I’m from Sheffield which is in Yorkshire, England, we have a 1pm siren. Google it.’
Mary then asked : ‘Every day? What happens if you miss the alarm?’
‘Yes everyday, I’ve never missed it but you get a fine if you do,’ the user replied.
Content creator Maddy said that she was concerned because her mother had gone out and the tea alarm was about to sound.
‘She’s missed it before, she’s going to get a fine and then have to go on the awareness course,’ she said, before a siren sounded in the background of her video.
One person commented: ‘What is the tea alarm?’ Maddy then wrote: ‘It’s a thing in the UK.’
Content creator Maddy said that she was concerned because her mother had gone out and the tea alarm was about to sound
A person from Ireland was also confused by the tea time alarm and questioned why their country didn’t have one
Dawn, from Amersham, said it ‘baffled her brain’ as to why people thought Brits would lie about the tea time alarm
Many tourists commented on Dawn’s TikTok and were confused about the tea time alarm
Another penned: ‘I just told an American on here that, that was my job in England ringing the tea time alarm.’
A third said: ‘I want to state to anyone who reads this that I am Irish HOWEVER what in the name of Jesus is a tea alarm?’
Maddy then explained: ‘An alarm goes off everyday, around 3pm not always on the dot. and everyone has to have a cup of tea or make their way to the closest cafe/tea station to have a cup of tea. if you don’t you get fined!!’
But the woman was baffled as to why Ireland hadn’t introduced it, replying: ‘Okay that’s cool but also odd I wonder why Ireland don’t have it because UK and Ireland are the biggest Tea drinkers.’
Dawn, from Amersham, said it ‘baffled her brain’ as to why people thought Brits would lie about the tea time alarm.
‘It’s a community thing that everyone does. Because, obviously, British cups of tea are the most popular drink here in the UK and we consume literally so much of them,’ she said.
One tourist wrote: ‘I’m just so confused. I spent a month in London in like 2009 or something, and I do not remember anything like this!’
Another penned: ‘What if you’re a tourist? If we don’t drink tea at the tea time alarm, what happens?’
A third said: ‘What huh?? really wow that is so strange but I guess it’s normal for British people to drink tea.’
