Dallas Barista Declares Love, Gives Culture Shock: 'That's One Way To Start Your Day'

A woman is going viral on TikTok after sharing how a small moment of Southern hospitality made her miss Texas more than her current home.

McKailyn (@mckailynquast), who now lives in Scottsdale, Arizona, didn’t say how long she’s been there, but said the move came with some culture shock. In a recent clip, she described people in Arizona as cold and unfriendly.

“I thought people were so rude,” McKailyn said.

That feeling shifted once she started driving through Texas. She said a stop at a coffee shop quickly stood out after the barista casually told her she loved her.

“That’s one way to start your day,” McKailyn said.

Later, after leaving a Pilates class, McKailyn said she stopped at a crosswalk to let someone pass. The pedestrian waved and smiled back, a gesture McKailyn said is rare in Arizona.

“They will not even look at you,” she said of people in her current state. “They just keep walking.”

Those little interactions stuck with her. McKailyn said they reminded her of a friendliness she didn’t realize she’d been missing—and made her more open to the idea of Texas overall.

“I fear I love it here,” she said.

As of this writing, her video reflecting on the contrast has picked up more than 13,000 views.

How Texas Redefines Southern Hospitality

When people use the phrase “Texas hospitality” or “Southern hospitality,” what they’re really describing is the background noise of daily life—something that’s easy to miss, especially if you’ve lived somewhere without it.

According to D Magazine and other outlets, showing Texas hospitality can be as simple as acknowledging your neighbor or striking up a chat with your server or cashier. This type of do-goodness can show up in your actions, too, such as a smile and a wave, as McKailyn experienced, or by holding a door for someone walking behind you.

Of course, none of this means that Texans are inherently kinder—or morally superior—to those from other states. But there’s a default openness that some longtime residents say changes the texture of everyday encounters.

And for newcomers, those moments stack up and can help make a place they’re visiting feel more open and welcoming than what they might be used to back home.

People Confirm Texans Are Friendly

Plenty of viewers who came across McKailyn’s video said her take rang true, chiming in to say Texas friendliness is very real—and hard to miss once you’ve lived elsewhere.

“I grew up in HS and live in TX now,” one woman shared. “I have anxiety every time I visit NH because people are so mean.”

Another commenter, who said they relocated from out of state, noticed the difference immediately.

“Moved to Fort Worth from Colorado! People in Texas are not just nice, they are KIND!” they wrote. “I didn’t realize the difference until I moved here. Love TX!”

“Texan here. There’s no place like Texas and I will never leave,” another person declared.

Some leaned into the small, everyday habits that define that friendliness. “Me, a native Texan, who waves to nearly every single person I come in contact with,” another joked. “Just a Texas thing.”

Several commenters also backed up McKailyn’s read on Arizona, saying their own experiences there felt colder by comparison.

“I live in DFW and once visited Arizona,” one woman said. “I have zero desire to ever go to AZ again.”

“As someone who lives in both Texas and Arizona, Scottsdale people are mean not Arizona people! It’s JUST Scottdale;and Texas is THE BEST! I would move back in a heartbeat! I could write you a whole essay about everything I love about Texas,” another viewer wrote.

And for some, the contrast was enough to spark real homesickness. “We moved to AZ over a year ago,” a third commenter added. “Some of the meanest people I’ve ever met. I desperately miss the South… I am not thriving here.”

Patch has contacted McKailyn via a direct message on TikTok. This story will be updated if she responds.

@mckailynquast