What to Know About the Iced Coffee Job Interview Etiquette Debate

A video segment published by ABC News on September 22, 2026, asks whether carrying an iced coffee into a job interview counts as a breach of professional etiquette, featuring "modern etiquette expert" Presilah Núñez Davis, according to the network's video description. The clip is part of ABC News Live's rotating slate of on-camera explainers and does not come with a written transcript or article accompanying it in the source material reviewed for this piece.

What did ABC News actually publish?

The segment is a video, not a written article, hosted on ABC News Live's video platform. Per the listing, Núñez Davis "weighs in on the iced coffee debate and shares what job candidates should consider before an interview." No additional text, transcript excerpt, or direct quote from Núñez Davis accompanies the listing beyond that single-sentence description. The video sits alongside dozens of other same-day ABC News Live clips covering unrelated topics, from the Trump-Xi summit to a Northeast nor'easter, indicating it was part of a normal daily video lineup rather than a standalone investigative piece.

Who is Presilah Núñez Davis?

ABC News identifies her only by title in the video description: a "modern etiquette expert." No further biographical detail, employer, or credentials appear in the material published alongside the segment. Readers seeking her full background, prior media appearances, or published work will need to consult the video itself, linked above, since no additional identifying information was made available in the source description.

Why has iced coffee become an interview etiquette question?

The underlying question the segment poses is narrow: whether walking into a job interview holding a cold beverage sends an unintended signal to an interviewer. ABC's own description frames it as a "debate," implying disagreement rather than settled advice, but the source material does not specify who is on which side of that debate or what specific etiquette rule, if any, Núñez Davis ultimately recommends. It is not clear from the listing whether her guidance is a blanket rule, a situational judgment, or a rebuttal of a viral moment that prompted the segment.

What does the segment say candidates should consider?

The video description states that Núñez Davis "shares what job candidates should consider before an interview," but the specific considerations are not detailed in the text made available with the clip. Because the underlying source for this explainer is a video summary rather than a transcript, this piece cannot attribute specific etiquette rules, dos, or don'ts to Núñez Davis without direct access to what she says on camera. Anyone weighing whether to bring a drink to an interview should watch the original ABC News segment for her full guidance rather than rely on secondhand paraphrase.

What to watch

• Whether ABC News or other outlets publish a written transcript or follow-up article expanding on Núñez Davis's specific recommendations.
• Whether the segment references a particular viral incident that triggered the "debate" framing, which is not identified in the available description.
• Whether other etiquette professionals publicly agree or disagree with Núñez Davis's position once her full remarks circulate beyond the video.
• Whether hiring managers or career-advice outlets weigh in with survey data on how often candidates arrive at interviews holding food or drink.

Glossary

Modern etiquette expert — A commentator, as labeled by ABC News in this segment, who advises on updated norms of professional and social conduct; the term does not indicate a specific certification or credentialing body in the source material.

Interview etiquette — The set of behavioral expectations, written and unwritten, that job candidates are generally expected to follow during the hiring process, covering areas such as attire, punctuality, and conduct in the interview room.

ABC News Live — ABC News's streaming video division, which published the September 22, 2026, segment as part of its daily video output alongside unrelated news clips.

This explainer will be updated if ABC News or Núñez Davis publish additional detail, such as a transcript or follow-up interview, expanding on the specific etiquette guidance referenced in the video's description.