'It's Mine Now': TikTok Thieves Brag About Stealing From Restaurants in Shocking New Trend

Social media has long been the birthplace of bizarre trends, but this latest TikTok craze is proving particularly unsettling. A growing number of users are proudly showcasing what they describe as 'souvenirs' from restaurants—ranging from cups and plates to steak knives and even cheese graters. What may have started as a tongue-in-cheek joke has spiralled into a full-blown trend, leaving hospitality workers dismayed and diners deeply divided.

TikTokers are now filming themselves taking items from restaurants and displaying their loot at home as trophies. This latest theft-based fad follows in the footsteps of last year's dangerous Tranq Challenge, where users took prescription sedatives to see how long they could stay awake—an act that hospitalised at least 15 minors. But unlike that challenge, this one seems to involve real-world theft being treated as comedy, or worse, as entitlement.

Restaurants Looted, One TikTok at a Time

Rather than hiding the crime, TikTok users are boldly publicising their restaurant thefts, complete with humorous commentary and viral audio. In one video, creator Sovilay asks viewers, 'What's the best thing you've ever stolen from a restaurant?' while holding up a cheese grater she pilfered.

Another TikToker, Rachel, films herself nicking a restaurant chirirenge (Chinese soup spoon), captioning the clip: 'Queen of stealing things from restaurants I'll never use at home.'

The trend has taken on a life of its own, with creators openly mocking the idea of repercussions. In one interview, a woman brags about stealing a chopstick holder from Sexy Fish in Miami—claiming the engraved text 'stolen from Sexy Fish' gave her permission.

'They're inviting me to steal it at that point,' she said. Another woman reasoned, 'You pay like 13 dollars for a drink; I feel like the cup is kind of mine.'

The issue isn't the petty theft itself—after all, small-scale pilfering from restaurants isn't new—but the audacity and casual tone in which it's now being broadcast and celebrated. Some TikTokers have amassed entire collections. One user, ClaireTalking, proudly showed off a curated stash of bowls, cutlery, jugs and glasses, even naming her favourites and explaining their new purpose in her kitchen.

'I really enjoy these—it's why I have so many,' she says of her small black soy sauce bowls. She even showcases a stolen engraved fork, laughing: 'I have not used this one yet... but maybe it's a good spoon holder.'

'That's my collection,' she concludes cheerfully. 'I am going to be getting more soon.'

Far from criticism, ClaireTalking's comment section is filled with supportive banter and light-hearted remarks—showing a complete lack of accountability.

Not Everyone Finds It Funny

Not all TikTokers are onboard with this criminal cosplay. Creator YoungKaren criticised the trend and called it 'weird' and 'normalised theft'. She said she knows otherwise 'normal' people who casually steal from eateries, unaware of how deeply it could affect smaller businesses.

'If I was sitting with you and you stole something, I would tell the waiter on you,' she warned. 'Even if you're my friend, I still would.'

Karen argued that anyone who's ever run or worked in a small business would realise how costly 'harmless' theft can be over time.

Real Consequences for Real Businesses

Indeed, the rise of this trend highlights a much larger issue: theft from restaurants and small businesses is no joke. In the UK, the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) reported that more than four million small firms across England and Wales were victims of at least one crime between 2021 and 2023. Over half of them lost more than £1,000—while 10% lost over £10,000.

Even staff are baffled by the trend. A bartender at Japanese restaurant Hapa in Toronto mentioned that customers frequently walk off with shot glasses and beer cups.

'When we go clean those tables and find those items fall short, just know that we see you,' she said. 'And all we wonder is why.'

What This Trend Says About Us

While social media has long blurred the lines between humour and harm, this latest trend veers dangerously into glorified theft. Encouraging theft for likes, views or comedy sets a troubling precedent—not only for digital ethics, but for how people treat physical spaces and real workers.

As ClaireTalking's video proves, users aren't just stealing items—they're promoting the theft, commodifying it, and turning it into entertainment. The cost of a laugh, it seems, is borne by someone else.

In the end, the viral success of this restaurant looting trend reveals more than a quirky TikTok fad. It exposes a worrying cultural shift: one where theft is trivialised, empathy is eroded, and social currency is worth more than a spoonful of integrity.