26YearOld Mom Mistaken for Child at Restaurant, Says She Was Confused When 'They Gave Me the Kid's Cup' (Exclusive) Ashley VegaSeptember 1, 2025 at 9:00 PM bettyboop021117/TikTok Abrianna E.
- - 26-Year-Old Mom Mistaken for Child at Restaurant, Says She Was Confused When 'They Gave Me the Kid's Cup' (Exclusive)
Ashley VegaSeptember 1, 2025 at 9:00 PM
bettyboop021117/TikTok
Abrianna E. -
A 26-year-old mom went viral on TikTok after a restaurant mistook her for a child and gave her a kid's cup
Abrianna says the mix-up happens often due to her size, but she takes the comments and attention in stride
She tells PEOPLE that the viral moment hasn't changed her confidence: "At the end of the day, I know who I am, and that's what matters"
It all started with a plastic cup that wasn't like the others.
When 26-year-old mother of one Abrianna E. sat down at a restaurant earlier this summer, she noticed her drink came in the same smaller cup the children had — and that tiny mix-up soon became a viral TikTok moment.
"At first, I didn't really notice," Abrianna tells PEOPLE. "I just thought maybe they gave me a big to-go cup or something, because I asked for no ice. But then I looked around, and all the kids had my cup, and all the adults had the bigger red ones."
The realization hit her with both humor and disbelief. "I was sitting there like, they think I'm her sister," she recalls of the moment her mom and stepdad joined the table.
Later that day, she shared the story on TikTok with the caption: "problems being 26 years old only 4'11 and 78 pounds." In the video, she added a wry note: "why is this still happening[?] idk what to do to appear older??? I thought having a baby would help."
The post spread quickly across the platform, drawing millions of views and thousands of comments. While many users found the mix-up hilarious, others piled on with unkind remarks about her size and appearance.
"I realized that there's a lot of mean people," Abrianna tells PEOPLE. "It was hilarious, but some commenters made fun of how I looked, and I was laughing to myself because I didn't even know I was going out that day — I just threw on socially acceptable PJs and glasses that weren't even mine."
She says the comments didn't rattle her as much as some might expect. "It's kind of here nor there to me, you know?" she says with a shrug. "I take it with a grain of salt."
Abrianna E.
Abrianna E.
If anything, the attention made her reflect on how small style choices might shape the way others see her. "It makes me realize that I can possibly look like a child if I wear graphic tees," Abrianna explains. "So let's not wear graphic tees anymore."
Still, she insists she's not giving them up altogether. "Yes, just for the house," she says with a laugh.
Beyond clothing, Abrianna believes her size is what sparks so many misunderstandings. "I realized that people look at height and weight more than anything," she shares. "I'm itty bitty, but if I had more meat on my bones, people are less likely to mistake me as a child."
She remembers that when she weighed more, these mix-ups happened less often. "When I was about 120 pounds, people didn't think I was a kid very often," she says. "But now that I'm 76 pounds, people are like, oh, that's a 12-year-old."
What made this particular moment sting a little more was that she was there as a mom, not just as a daughter. "The mom is probably the one that's carrying the car seat and the diaper bag, and then taking the baby to change their diaper in the bathroom," Abrianna explains. "I did all of those things and still got confused for a child."
She laughs at the irony, remembering how she and her mom tried to prevent the exact scenario. "I told her, let me carry everything in, because I knew people were going to think she was my baby's mom if she did," she says. "And then it still happened — they thought she was my mom."
Moments like this could leave someone feeling embarrassed or defensive, but Abrianna tends to respond with humor. "I didn't directly say anything to the staff, because I have anxiety," she explains. "I just kind of laughed about it where he could sort of hear me."
Her approach has become second nature after years of navigating similar situations. "I don't really think about it, to be honest," she notes. "I just live my life, because I barely pay attention to my surroundings anyway."
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The viral video may have sparked intense reactions online, but she says it hasn't changed how she sees herself. "Despite people's opinions about how I looked in the video, I'm still going to be doing me at the end — my comfort level matters above whatever their opinions are," she admits.
Abrianna E.
Abrianna E.
She's clear about the takeaway she wants others to remember. "You can't always judge somebody by how they look," she says. "You could get it wrong very, very easily."
In an era when TikTok thrives on quick-hit stories of awkward encounters, Abrianna's post struck a chord for being so relatable. The experience hasn't left her bitter, though. "It's not the best I could look, and it's not the worst," she says. "At the end of the day, I know who I am, and that's what matters."
"It's part of me," she continues. "And I'll always keep being myself, no matter how old people think I am."
on People
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