A British man’s claim that Americans are “the laziest people on the planet” is going viral after a TikTok video showed his Michigan wife proving his point completely by accident.

A woman from Michigan thought she could convince her British husband that Americans aren’t lazy by taking him to run errands in the States. The plan backfired when a video of the couple visiting one drive-thru after another went viral for proving her husband’s point.

Americans are the laziest on the planet?

Paige Wester, an American from Michigan now living in the U.K., recently visited the States with her British husband, Alex Tagg. Tagg joked that Americans are “car-bound,” “the laziest people on the planet,” and will “do anything to avoid walking.”

Wester disagreed, arguing that American car culture is rooted in convenience and efficiency—not laziness.

To prove it, she filmed a Nov. 3, 2025, TikTok documenting an entire day of errands the couple completed without ever leaving the car. They visited the bank, grabbed McDonald’s, donated clothes to Goodwill, went to Dunkin for coffee, returned library books, and even pointed out that if they needed medication, they could have driven through a pharmacy as well.

The video, which has 1.8 million views, instantly sparked cultural critique from non-Americans who argued that drive-through life contributes to loneliness and a “soulless” environment.

The disappointing reality that is America

“My British husband thinks Americans are the laziest people on the planet, but I just think we like convenience,” Wester explained, “So I took this man on a full day of errands, and we never got out of the car.”

Her British husband’s favorite part of the “drive-thru marathon” was visiting the bank.

@p_west_ A drive thru marathon with my husband who is still shook about the drive thru bank #britinamerica #britishhusband #usvsuklife #english #brit ♬ original sound – Paige Wester

When they got to Goodwill, Wester said her husband was too ashamed to wait for the donation attendants’ carside service. “…had a bunch of clothes I wanted to donate to Goodwill,” she said. “Someone usually just comes up to your car window and takes the bags, but my husband was so mortified, he literally went to the trunk and grabbed them to give to the man.”

At a Dunkin’ drive-thru, Wester commented, “99% of coffee shops have drive-thrus in America.” In England, people go to coffee shops to purchase beverages and socialize. She said she prefers it the American way. “I’m a mom. I just don’t have time for that.” The video culminated in a trip through a drive-thru at the library. 

Wester added, “We didn’t need to pick up a prescription… but if you did, you can just drive up to the pharmacy.”

Social media weighs in

Lazy or not, commenters critiqued a bleak American lifestyle. Wester’s video opened a global conversation about how convenience, culture, and community collide—sometimes literally—in an American parking lot.

People replying to the post concluded that American driving habits contribute to isolation and a “soulless” culture. “What an absolutely soulless place 😢,” wrote @strawbz2. Wester, who now lives in the UK, agreed and replied, “100%.”

“Too much convenience is anti-community. No community means more isolation. less contacts with other humans or nature / outside means more miserable, depressed, lonely ppl. This is how ppl become less empathic with each other. Such a nightmare.”

“All this told me is that America is truly a soulless cesspit of lonely capitalism.”

“This is so depressing.”

“American life seems to be just driving to different places to spend money.”

“I hate drive thru ..love to park walk and meet people sit outside with coffee, people watching, America is like a bad dream.”

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The post “We never got out of the car”: British husband slams drive-thru culture, calls Americans the laziest on the planet appeared first on The Daily Dot.

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