# Netflix and Chill > Netflix and Chill is a 2014 slang phrase from Black Twitter that evolved from a casual invitation into a widely recognized euphemism for hooking up, popularized through image macros. "Netflix and chill" is internet slang that started as a literal description of watching Netflix and relaxing but evolved into a widely understood euphemism for hooking up. The phrase originated on Twitter in 2009 and picked up its sexual connotation through Black Twitter around 2014, before exploding into mainstream meme status in the summer of 2015. It became one of the defining slang expressions of the mid-2010s, spawning image macros, starter packs, branded merchandise, and even a DIY button from Netflix itself. ## Origin The first recorded use of "Netflix and chill" appeared on Twitter on January 21, 2009, posted by user @nofacenina (La Shanda Rene Foster): "I'm about to log onto Netflix and chill for the rest of the night"[5]. At this point, the phrase meant exactly what it said. Netflix had launched its streaming service in 2007, and "chill" was already common slang for relaxing[8]. The combination was just efficient shorthand for a quiet night in. For the next several years, people used the phrase without any sexual subtext. Tweets from 2009 through 2013 show users saying things like "Netflix and chill" as a status update about their evening plans, usually alone[9]. By 2012, "Netflix and chill" had started functioning as a compound noun. It no longer needed a verb in front of it like "watching" or "about to do." People just said "time for Netflix and chill"[11]. The euphemistic meaning developed in mid-2014, spreading through Black Twitter[5]. On October 8, 2014, Twitter user @itsIsaaaaaaac posted "Netflix and chill never means Netflix and chill now a days lol," one of the earliest posts acknowledging the double meaning[4]. A key turning point came on November 14, 2014, when @Start3rPack tweeted "the Netflix and Chill Starter Pack" with photos of comfortable clothes and a Trojan condom, making the implied meaning explicit for the first time[9]. - **Platform:** Twitter/Internet culture - **Creator:** La Shanda Rene Foster (@nofacenina, first recorded use), @Start3rPack (starter pack that made the innuendo explicit) - **Date:** 2015-01-01 ## Overview "Netflix and chill" works on two levels. On the surface, it describes exactly what it says: watching Netflix while relaxing at home. Underneath, it's a coded invitation to come over with the expectation that things will get physical. The gap between those two meanings is where all the humor lives. The phrase shows up in image macros (typically captioned "20 minutes into Netflix and chill" paired with a suggestive reaction image), starter pack memes, social media hashtags, and dating app bios[4]. It functions both as a joke format and as actual slang people use when texting. ## How It Spread After the starter pack tweet cracked the code open in late 2014, the suggestive usage spread rapidly in early 2015. Popular Viner Brittany Furlan posted a Netflix and chill Vine on February 1, 2015, which racked up over 11 million loops[9]. The phrase was added to Urban Dictionary in April 2015, defined as "code for two people going to each other's houses and fucking or doing other sexual related acts"[11]. By summer 2015, the meme was everywhere. A Facebook community called "Netflix and Chill" launched on June 9, 2015, quickly gathering over 4,000 members[4]. The "20 minutes into Netflix and chill" reaction image format took off on Twitter, with hundreds of variations pairing suggestive looks with the caption[9]. Google searches for the phrase spiked starting in June 2015[12]. Between July 22 and August 21, 2015, the phrase appeared in over 430,000 tweets[4]. Netflix itself got in on the joke. On July 22, 2015, the official @netflix Twitter account posted a tweet referencing the expression with an animated GIF from the 1995 movie *Clueless*[4]. The company's official Tumblr also acknowledged the meme[9]. In late August 2015, rapper B.o.B. released a song called "Netflix & Chill"[9]. Mass media picked up the story in August 2015, with coverage from Yahoo News UK, News.Com.Au, and other outlets[4]. That same month, satirical fake news site Huzlers published a fabricated story claiming a mother had sued Netflix after her daughter got pregnant during a "Netflix N Chill" date. The hoax spread widely before Snopes debunked it the same day[3]. On September 27, 2015, a Redditor posted a Tinder profile photo wearing a Netflix shirt while holding a bag of ice. The post hit over 5,100 upvotes on r/funny within 48 hours[4]. That same weekend, Netflix unveiled "The Switch" at the 2015 World Maker Faire. The DIY gadget, powered by a Particle Core microcontroller, could dim lights, silence phones, and launch Netflix with a single button press[13]. News outlets immediately dubbed it the "Netflix and chill button"[1][2]. ## How to Use The most common meme format is the "X minutes into Netflix and chill" template. Users typically: 1. Pick a timeframe (usually "20 minutes into Netflix and chill") 2. Pair it with a reaction image showing a suggestive look, uncomfortable situation, or escalating tension 3. Post it as a single image macro or tweet ## Cultural Impact Netflix acknowledged and embraced the meme multiple times, most notably with "The Switch" at the 2015 World Maker Faire. The DIY button used a Particle Core microcontroller, Philips Hue lights, and an IR transmitter to dim lights, silence phones, and launch Netflix with a single press[13]. Engadget, The Verge, and Gizmodo all covered the device, universally calling it the "Netflix and chill button"[1][2]. The phrase drew enough mainstream attention to generate a fake news cycle when Huzlers fabricated a lawsuit story in August 2015. The hoax claimed a mother was suing Netflix for $50,000 after her daughter got pregnant during a "Netflix N Chill" date. Snopes debunked it the same day, but not before it spread widely on social media[3]. Merriam-Webster added "Netflix and chill" to its slang dictionary, describing it as a "playful, suggestive slang expression" that can mean either a casual hookup or genuinely relaxing at home, depending on context[10]. Linguistically, the phrase is a textbook case of semantic drift: a literal description that acquired coded meaning through repetition and social context[9]. Ben & Jerry's commercialized the phrase with their "Netflix & Chilll'd" ice cream flavor in January 2020[5]. At the university level, two separate schools planned "Netflix and chill" festivals, with one being canceled over concerns about crowd size[5]. ## Fun Facts - The phrase existed for nearly five years (2009-2014) with zero sexual meaning before Black Twitter reimagined it[5]. - NBC News unironically ran the headline "Netflix Outage Disrupts Chill Sessions Across the U.S." during an October 2015 service outage[11]. - Someone vandalized Netflix's own headquarters sign in Los Gatos, California, spray-painting "and chill" next to the company logo in November 2015[5]. - The Huzlers fake lawsuit story was debunked by Snopes on the exact same day it was published[3]. - Netflix's official "Switch" button could order pizza in addition to dimming lights and launching the streaming app[2]. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### What is Netflix and chill? "Netflix and chill" is internet slang that functions as a euphemism for sexual activity, typically framed as an invitation to come over and watch Netflix with the unspoken expectation that things will get physical[10]. ### Where did Netflix and chill come from? The first recorded use was a January 21, 2009 tweet by @nofacenina (La Shanda Rene Foster), who wrote "I'm about to log onto Netflix and chill for the rest of the night" with no sexual meaning[5]. The euphemistic usage developed on Black Twitter in mid-2014[9]. ### What does Netflix and chill mean? On the surface, it means watching Netflix and relaxing. In practice, it's widely understood as a coded invitation for a hookup or sexual encounter, though context and tone determine which meaning applies[10]. ### How do you use Netflix and chill? The phrase is used as a text/DM invitation ("Want to come over and Netflix and chill?") or as a meme format, most commonly the "20 minutes into Netflix and chill" reaction image template[4]. ### Is Netflix and chill still popular? The phrase peaked in October 2015 but still gets widespread use. Merriam-Webster documented it in their slang reference, and Ben & Jerry's launched a themed ice cream flavor as late as January 2020[10][5]. ### Who coined the phrase Netflix and chill? La Shanda Rene Foster, posting as @nofacenina on Twitter, made the first recorded use on January 21, 2009. She meant it literally, with the sexual connotation developing years later through community usage[5]. ### When did Netflix and chill become sexual? The euphemistic meaning emerged around mid-2014 on Black Twitter. By late 2014, users were placing scare quotes around "chill" and posting warnings about the phrase's true intentions[9]. ### What was the Netflix and Chill starter pack? On November 14, 2014, Twitter user @Start3rPack posted a "Netflix and Chill Starter Pack" featuring comfortable clothes and a condom, making the sexual implication explicit for possibly the first time[9]. ### Did Netflix acknowledge the meme? Yes. Netflix's official Twitter account referenced it on July 22, 2015 with a *Clueless* GIF[4]. The company also built "The Switch," a DIY button unveiled at the 2015 World Maker Faire that dims lights, silences phones, and launches Netflix[13]. ### Was there really a Netflix and chill lawsuit? No. In August 2015, satirical site Huzlers fabricated a story about a mother suing Netflix after her daughter got pregnant during a "Netflix N Chill" date. Snopes debunked it the same day[3]. ### How did Netflix and chill spread to other languages? The phrase crossed language barriers organically. German Twitter users referenced "Netflix und chill," and German broadcaster RBB ran a billboard campaign with "RBB and chill" as a slogan[9][5]. ## References 1. [How to build your own ‘Netflix and chill’ button, according to Netflix | The Verge]() 2. [Netflix Built a Button That Delivers Netflix and Chill]() 3. [Netflix N Chill Lawsuit | Snopes.com]() 4. [Netflix and Chill - Know Your Meme]() 5. [Netflix and chill]() 6. [Netflix and Chill - Urban Dictionary]() 7. [Urban Dictionary: netflix and chill]() 8. [Netflix and Chill Meaning: The Real Story Behind This Viral Phrase 2025]() 9. [What Does Netflix and Chill Even Mean? The Origin Behind the Internet’s Favorite Slang and How It Got Famous]() 10. [What "Netflix and Chill" Really Means - Position Is Everything]() 11. ['Netflix and chill': the complete history of a viral sex catchphrase]() 12. [NETFLIX AND CHILL Slang Meaning | Merriam-Webster]() 13. [Tracing the origins of ‘Netflix and chill’ | The Daily Campus]() 14. [How the 'Netflix and Chill' meme spun hilariously out of control]() 15. [Netflix actually made a Netflix and Chill button, and you can too]() 16. [Netflix N Chill Lawsuit | Snopes.com]() --- Source: https://meme.com/memes/netflix-and-chill Published by meme.com — The Internet Meme Library