In a TikTok video that has crunched its way into the feeds of 2.1 million viewers, Jayla (@kamalaharrissbeautician) brings a light-hearted poke at customers who snatch snacks from retail stores like Ross, TJ Maxx, or Marshalls.
With a caption that reads, “Like girl there is a McDonald’s down the street. please love urself” and a cheeky voiceover from an old Simpson’s episode saying, “I’m so hungry I could eat at Arby’s,” Jayla humorously implies that one must be truly famished to opt for snacks from such brick-and-mortar stores.
The video, which features Jayla mouthing along to the voiceover with an exaggerated expression of shock, “Oh my Gosh she’s really hungry,” playfully nudges at the seemingly peculiar concept of choosing retail stores as snack destinations.
@kamalaharrissbeautician like girl there is a mcdonalds down the street. please love urself 🙌🏽
♬ original sound – Donthegod5 (Rihanna’s Version)
A sweet and salty debate in the comments
The comments section quickly transformed into a wholesome debate about the merits and demerits of retail store snacks.
“They been on the shelves for YEARS,” one user exclaimed, while others jumped to the defense of their beloved treats. “TJ Maxx snacks hit DIFFERENT,” one user wrote, and another said, “OK but tjmaxx chocolate covered Oreos hit every time.” The thread became a delightful mash-up of playful jabs and earnest defenses of favorite snacks, from kettle chips to peach rings.
One practical user chimed in with a pro tip for fellow snack defenders, saying, “U just gotta make sure u check the dates, especially the ones on clearance,” reminding everyone that a good deal is only worth it if the snack is still in its prime.
A nod to the convenience of one-stop shopping
While Jayla’s video serves up a hearty chuckle and a moment of relatability to many, it also subtly nods to the convenience that these retail stores provide in our fast-paced lives. In a world where time is often a scarce commodity, the ability to pick up a quick snack while shopping for clothes or home goods can be a welcome convenience for many families.
The aforementioned stores, with their aisles of quirky snacks, offer a unique opportunity to try something new and perhaps, discover a hidden gem amidst the shelves of discounted goodies. It’s a one-stop shop, a chance to kill two birds with one stone—grabbing a snack to fuel more shopping.
Update 9:43am CT, Oct. 18: It’s been nearly a week since Jayla posted her divisive video, and viewers continue to go hard for their favorite TJ Maxx snacks. Some new notable mentions are the guacamole chips and watermelon chamoy candies. Viewers also claim they find snacks at TJ Maxx that they can’t get anywhere else. “Leave me alone I can’t find dried mangoes anywhere else,” one new comment read.
“TJ Xx carry a lot of snacks that you can’t find in American supermarket. Italian, Greek, French salty and sweet snacks,” another said.
In other recent TJ Maxx news, a woman, Ella (@GlamourDDive), went dumpster-diving behind a store and found a bag filled with expensive products like a Coach purse, a Steve Madden purse, a Calvin Klein sweatshirt, as well as a BioSilk shampoo and conditioner set. Viewers speculated that a worker stashed the items in the dumpster for later, but Ella has since posted a follow-up seemingly proving that TJ Maxx often discards brand-new, brand-name items. Read more here.
The Daily Dot has reached out to TJ Maxx and Ross via email and Jayla via TikTok comment.