Is everyone on Ozempic at Coachella? Food stalls are everywhere, but nobody’s eating
Videos of relatively empty food stalls have gone viral, fuelling jokes online that “everyone must be on Ozempic,” the diabetes drug associated with appetite suppression and weight-loss trends.
NATASYA AZHARI
SHAH ALAM - Coachella 2026 may have no shortage of food, but festival-goers appear to have collectively lost their appetite.
Videos of relatively empty food stalls have gone viral, fuelling jokes online that “everyone must be on Ozempic,” the diabetes drug associated with appetite suppression and weight-loss trends.
In a video shared by TikTok user @bran__flakezz, he expressed surprise at how quickly he was able to get food during peak hours at the festival.
“Straight at Coachella, I was like, wow, I’m getting food so quickly here. The lines for the food tents are not long,” he said.
The comment, made in jest, quickly gained traction online as viewers responded humorously while also questioning why food areas appeared less crowded than expected at an event known for large crowds.
However, the viral “Ozempic theory” has largely been overtaken by a more grounded explanation, with many suggesting that attendees simply found the food options underwhelming, particularly in terms of quality and pricing.
Across social media, attendees and influencers have pointed to a familiar festival complaint — expensive food that often fails to live up to expectations in terms of taste.
Influencer Cristina Gonzalez described her first day as a wake-up call for anyone budgeting meals at the festival.
While breakfast remained relatively affordable, she said that basic drinks such as coffee and matcha came with noticeably higher prices.
She added that everyday items quickly became premium purchases inside the festival, noting that her matcha price rose from US$6 (RM23.85) to US$13 (RM51.67) within a day, excluding an additional US$2.50 (RM9.94) for foamed milk.
Meanwhile, Malaysian influencer Elyshia Abegail did not hold back in her review, describing the food as awful.
She also said it was the worst RM300 she has ever spent on food, expressing strong disappointment over the value and overall quality of the meal.
TikTok user @softketchup warned viewers against being tempted by the visually appealing stalls.
She said festival-goers would likely be drawn to an “Asian fusion lobster burger” priced at US$40 (RM159), but advised against it, saying: “It’s not going to be good.”
While social media jokes about “everyone being on Ozempic” may have fuelled the narrative of relatively empty food stalls, a more likely explanation appears to be a combination of inflated prices and inconsistent quality.
Whether it is appetite suppression or price fatigue, one thing is clear: at Coachella 2026, hunger is not the problem, the bill is.
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