You don’t have to be a genius to realize that the world economy has been in a super weird place these past few years. In this perma-crisis environment, it feels like we’re constantly on the verge of yet another massive, global recession. The rich get richer, while the cost of living has skyrocketed for everyone else.

While never 100% accurate, there are subtle signs that the economy is messed up. So much so that people are sharing their favorite, funniest, and suspiciously specific recession indicators online. We’ve collected the best of the bunch to share with you, and you can check them out below. Fair warning, though, the next time you see “hot people in minimum wage jobs,” you might get worried about the economy!

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#1

When fast food is the same price as a regular restaurant…

#2

i work at a grocery store and we’ve been restocking ramen way more than before

#3

I’m a Mailman, we deliver Amazon only on Sundays. My average load used to be 80-100 packages. I had 17 last week

There are lots of subtle changes in consumer behavior that show that the global or local economy is struggling. In a nutshell, if you feel forced to change your spending habits and adjust your lifestyle, you’ve probably run into financial problems. If your friends, family, neighbors, and coworkers are changing their behavior and shopping habits, too, the issues run deeper than you not getting that raise and/or promotion that you totally deserved. It’s likely systemic.

One of the best recession indicators that we’ve ever come across is the surge in hot dog sales, especially the not-so-subtly named ‘Recession Special,’ at Gray’s Papaya in Manhattan.

“We noticed a big uptick around 2008-2009, when everything was collapsing (amid the Great Financial Crisis), and we are feeling the same thing right now — to a lesser extent, obviously, but the pattern is the same,” Rachael Gray, the owner of the hot dog restaurant, told CNN in September 2025.

CNN stressed that there is growing discontent among middle-class and lower-income households in the United States, despite the official numbers about the health of the American economy.

#4

The work fridges are filled with lunches brought from home and people growing their roots out.

#5

I tell ppl I live with my parents and they are jealous it’s such a crazy time

#6

Having coworkers who are my grandparents age 🥹

Of course, all weird recession indicators have to be taken with a grain of salt. But in aggregate, they indicate that (some) consumers are struggling.

According to CNN, other unorthodox signs that the economy may be struggling include things like:

Cardboard box shipments are at a low
More people go to the cinema, as it is an affordable escape
Spending on outdoor activities, like camping, spikes not just in spring and summer
Buying fewer discretionary items, like snacks
More people turn to local p**n shops for loans that they can no longer get from serious, trustworthy financial institutions

#7

I’m 37 and my 30 year old brother and I moved back in with my mom. my 43 yo sister is moving back soon. we’re starting a family compound haha.

#8

my last three uber drivers had master degrees

#9

my retired mom asked me to help her with her resumé

Furthermore, in tough times, people turn to humor, including joking about recession indicators and sharing memes about the economy.

“The more serious things get, the more we rely on humor as a way to cope with them,” explains Justin Kidd, professor of sociology at Temple University.

However, Kidd warns that the danger is that constantly meme-ing about the economy can turn into a self-fulfilling prophecy. “When people joke about feeling negatively about the economy, it could cause others to feel the same way. That would mean more people pulling back from the market — inching us ever closer to an economic slump,” CNN states.

#10

In my social circle, fully half the couples have one person recently unemployed and getting NO WHERE on the job hunt. Pretty good indicator.

#11

Feeling like i’m being financially irresponsible for buying a snack

#12

No one is booking me on Rover for pet sitting. So no one is booking vacations…

Meanwhile, Kyla Scanlon, the author of ‘In This Economy? How Money and Markets Really Work’ and this awesome Substack (!), points out that memes are “just testing out ideas mostly.” She explained that meme-ing is akin to sending out a smoke signal to check whether everyone else is doing okay. When you get a “no” back as a response, you’re relieved because you’re not the only person who is stressed.

According to Scanlon, when people have given up, everything becomes a joke. “I think a lot of people are like, ‘Nothing matters anymore.’ And it’s just sad,” she told CNN.

#13

If the price of a hot dog at Costco goes up we’re in trouble .

#14

Restaurants not as busy. Concerts are not busy unless you’re Morgan Wallen, Taylor Swift etc. strip clubs empty, hotels and resorts not even half full.

#15

I didn’t know these were recession indicators.

I have heard of the Hemline Index, which basically says that women’s skirt/dress hemlines get longer when the economy worsens.

There’s also a more informal theory that black people tend to shy away from ethnic hairstyles as the economy gets worse.

We love this topic, and we’d like to hear your insights, too, Pandas! Share your thoughts in the comments section at the bottom of this post.

What are the funniest, weirdest, and super-specific recession indicators that you keep an eye out for? How have you changed your spending habits in recent years? How are current events affecting your day-to-day budgeting and shopping?

#16

I read yesterday that the most popular selling beer this summer is Miller High Life. Cheap, bad beer. This could be an indicator as well. I thought it was interesting at least.

#17

Stories from the corporate frontlines: It sounds counter-intuitive, but the “Process Improvement” folks are typically deployed about a year or two before a recession, and by the time they’ve overstayed their welcome, we are deep in a recession and the group is then dismantled or laid off as part of recession RIFs. I’ve seen it happen 4 times now in my long career. It is a less appreciated bellwether.

#18

Housing pricing are still high, but they are not selling quickly (at least here).

#19

Everyone is suddenly into re-selling and thrifting again, but the market is beyond flooded now.

I remember my Mom teaching her friends what to look for in thrift stores and on eBay back in 2008, now my friends are asking me to do the same for them but it’s not worth the hassle anymore. I taught them to thrift things of quality that they can keep instead.

#20

There is a grocery store in my city I use as the indicator. When times are good the clientele are well dressed and put together. When times are bad everyone looks like they work manual labor or are homeless. The homeless also move into the gas station parking lot across the street. They hire more security. They actually put in security gates, clientele appearances have dropped again. And the homeless are beginning to congregate. Should be anytime now.

#21

a movie theater trip feels like a vacation

#22

Damaged cars still driving around with the damaged parts taped together.

#23

Subscriptions raising prices, but not adding new features

#24

90’s and 2000’s musicians who were basically retired , now going on tour

#25

tmz is reporting actual news

#26

They not giving sauces for free😅

#27

More “at-home” nail polish kits and nail art. .

#28

The “we buy houses for cash” signs all over. See commercials now, too. “Any condition.”.

#29

Apple releasing an affordable laptop is def a recession indicator i fear

#30

Arizona Tea is no longer a dollar.

#31

Recently I started donating plasma as my side gig. I work 40 hours every week, have 2 Master’s degrees and one child.

#32

More car accidents. Bald tires. Candy sales rise.

#33

The fireworks in my neighborhood were far below normal years. I live in a working class neighborhood and folks don’t have the disposable income to literally burn their money.

#34

A-List celebrities are doing commercials.

#35

I was in Target the other day and noticed a lot of the women’s clothing was becoming more drab in color and utilitarian in style. Lots of beige and denim in very simple cuts.

#36

Canned fish like sardines are trending….

#37

when the week after a holiday, the themed holiday candy isn’t on sale

#38

Living in an apartment used to be a sign of lower income

#39

I work in tech. Ai is overtaking a lot. I’m thinking about welding 😅

#40

When corporate cuts out all their contractors and guts any ad or creative team.. meaning me..

#41

I’m seeing offers on tv of 0% interest for one year on financing on various things. I remember that dangerous game…I was a brand new adult at my first teaching job, and I did not pay off the balance in the allotted time, at which point my credit card shuffle really began. I had one for a furniture store, every store I bought clothes for at the mall, regular visa, Sears, I never should have kept getting approved. This would have been around 2004-2007. We were having a ton of fun, but tough times were ahead.

#42

Miley Cyrus is doing Hannah Montana again

#43

I’m losing weight

#44

Biggest recession indicator for me? Teachers being let go.

#45

I went to a coffee shop last week, and when paying, there was no prompt to tip on the register.

#46

My lease renewal DECREASED for the next year 😅

#47

All the commercials for colleges. You know you in a recession when the ads about bettering yourself by spending tens of thousands of dollars, with financing available, on an online bachelors degree.

#48

I haven’t really paid attention to new car models currently but I do remember last time a lot of models changed the fronts so the cars appeared to almost be smiling.

#49

It’s a small one but I know people who stopped buying coffee creamer because of price

#50

Im in a transition point in my life. Biggest recession indicator of them all.

#51

Read an article saying that there’s no song of the summer for 2025 due the economic environment and of the top ten most streamed songs this year only one was released in 2025. People are supposedly returning to recession era music as well.

#52

I saw a commercial for Sarah Lee bread that was like “need a dinner option? Try PBJ!”

#53

Most of the grocery stores near me have a very sparse produce section. Could be a northern Illinois thing. Could be a lack of workers thing. Could be it’s just too hot out. All I know is I can’t find any good produce the last 2 weeks.

#54

Wacko bonus offers for opening new credit/checking accounts.

Normally I see them and it’s like – deposit 100k for a $1000 bonus. Too much work for not enough money (let alone the question of having 100k in cash anyway).

I’m working on two right now for $1500 profit and all I had to do was bounce my emergency fund over and update my direct deposit for a couple months.

#55

Buying frozen blueberries because fresh blueberries are $9 😭

#56

A proliferation of Vampire media (was Twilight, this time around its Interview with a vampire, Sinners, the new Dracula movie)

Ke$ha albums.

#57

Landlord proposing to lower the lease so you can stay

#58

real estate to law school is a reaaaaaaal recession indicator

#59

There is no long line at Taco Bell anymore

#60

The “ULINE”catalog is a third of its thickness. The postal worker can fit the rest of the mail in the box with it now.

#61

The “princess nail” trend which is just a gel mani on short natural nails. Also press ons becoming more popular.

#62

protein in everything cuz ppl are eating less

#63

Low rise jeans are now fully back and at most retailers.

#64

– “no makeup” makeup/fresh face
– wearing your natural hair color or letting roots grow out
– short nails in basic colors
– wearing your uggs and whatever from past years this year instead of buying new
– leather and denim are really popular, probably because of durability

Honestly I associate y2k clothes with wealth and excess, like wearing multiple shirts for no reason just because you can afford to. There’s a bit of that in fashion now, and I think it’s more based on nostalgia…but eventually financial constraints are going to limit that.

#65

I have a relative that monitors how much toilet paper is being used in the house including your own personal usage.

#66

“Day to night” looks and business casual as clubwear.

#67

Hollister dropping the henleys, babydolls, old logo, and lace camis again.

#68

People are saying that skinny jeans and tall Uggs will be back for Fall/Winter this year.

#69

EDM and “party music” trending.

#70

Hot people in minimum wage jobs.

I’m im a college town, so a lot of employees in retail/food service are good looking, but I’ve seen quite a few really hot people working at McDonalds over the summer.

#71

Im getting matches with really attractive women on hinge. This only happened during the covid market crash, inflation crisis and 2008 crash.

Normally I get a like or match every second month and it’s not usually particularly attractive women. During crisis like we will have now I get babes, and they actively chat me up. It’s not one or so but a whole bunch of them.

Sold my holdings and waiting for things to crash out.

#72

People are thrifting for an “Aria Montgomery” (character from Pretty Little Liars) bag. Basically large, top handle, slouchy, tons of embellishments, Think Olsen Twins in their New York days. I’ve also heard a lot of talk about having an Elena Gilbert/Bella Swan Fall.

#73

Keisha dropped TikTok during a recession and I’m afraid to tell yall that she has dropped no fewer than two absolute bangers this year.

#74

Samsung just came out with the CUTEST smart flip phone. I refuse to buy new phones on principle unless mine breaks, but I would fully buy this if my phone broke today.

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