On July 08, 2025,Parks and Recreationintroduced one of its most beloved bits: Treat Yo Self Day. Donna Meagle (Retta) and Tom Haverford (Aziz Ansari) instantly becameone of the best duos of the showwith this iconic moment.Their giddy enthusiasmfor the day was infectious; in fact, Treat Yo Self Day became such a hit thatit has endured long since the showwent off the air.
“Treat Yo Self” became part of our everyday lexicon, and can be found everywhere from memes to group chats. Thecatchphrase became so heavily associated with these charactersthat actors Retta and Ansari were often yelled at on the street for it. To celebrate Treat Yo Self Day 2024, it’s time to look back at how the iconic moment was first conceived forParks and Recreationas well as its continuing legacy.
“Treat Yo Self Day” Featured in Only Two Episodes of ‘Parks and Recreation’
Treat Yo Self Day is exactly what it sounds like — a day to pamper yourself and indulge in extravagance.The first incarnation of Treat Yo Self Daywas introduced in the episode “Pawnee Rangers” by writerAlan Yang. In the scene, Tom (Ansari) and Donna (Retta) almost musically explain the concept, punctuating each sentence with “Treat Yo Self.” Donna and Tom reluctantly take Ben (Adam Scott) on board for the experience, which he struggles to enjoy — until he eventually embraces the ethos and buys himself a Batman costume. This allows him to open up emotionally, treating himself to a good cry. The main narrative of the episode ties into the theme of finding happiness without judgment,making the impact of Ben’s journey through Treat Yo Self Day all the more relevant.
Treat Yo Self Day returned only once more onParks and Recreation, in 2017’s “Save JJ’s.” Tom surprises Donna in honor of her impending wedding, and they absurdly indulge themselves in Beverly Hills. The two friends also share a touching moment, as Donna advises Tom that when it comes tomatters of the heart, Tom should “Treat Yo Self.” Once again, the fun and superficial sloganfinds deeper meaning for the charactersas they incorporate it intosome valuable life lessons.
The Origins of “Treat Yo Self”
Writer Alan Yang revealed that he initially developed the idea for “Treat Yo Self” based onthe common link betweenDonna and Tom. “There’s nothing more on-character than thosetwo characters treating themselves. That’s what they had in common,”he said in an interview with Vulture. “Finding the relationship between their characters andseeing it grow and blossomwas one of the joys we had. That’s one of the fun things about doing 100 episodes.“The duo of Donna and Tom really makes “Treat Yo Self” pop. The way they musically explain the concept fully in sync with each other heightens their chemistry and grounds their friendship in a believable and charming way.
“Every so often you get a storyline wheretwo characters are togetherwho should be together, because they’re great together, but then you have astoryline that brings out the most fun about those characters,”writerGreg Levineexplained on the podcast Parks and Recollection. According to Levine, part of what made Treat Yo Self Day work even better was the addition of Ben, thecharacter who was least likely tofit into this dynamic. Because Donna and Tom lovingly bring him into the mix out of sympathy, it gives the moment tenderness in addition to humor. “The fun is actually going to beBen being there the whole time,” Levine adds.
The Enduring Legacy of “Treat Yo Self”
“Treat Yo Self” has becomea huge part of pop culture, found everywhere from social media to everyday conversations. Retta and Ansari were particularly bombarded with the catchphrase, unable to do anything without being associated with it to this day. Retta even wore a “Treat Yo Self” emblazoned dress totheParks and Recreationreunion in 2019.
“I apologize to Retta and Aziz because the amount of timesthey get yelled aton the street. I’m sure it’s annoying,” admitted Yang.While appearing onLate Night with Seth Meyers, Retta stated, “If I don’t hear it 10 times a day, I haven’t left my house. People tweet me all the time, andnothing I post doesn’t have the comment ‘treat yo’ self' in it.”
Retta has at least managed to take advantage of the catchphrase’s popularity. “When it first started getting really, really popular, I would go to lunch with friends, and I’d be like, ‘If we checkthe hashtag ‘Treat Yo Self’on Twitter, if it hasn’t been said in seven minutes, I buy lunch. If it has, then you buy lunch.’ And I’ve never bought lunch,“she said in an interview with NPR.
With how memorable it is and the impact it made,it’s hard to believe that Treat Yo Self Day was only featured in two episodesofParks and Recreationas a subplot. Using Donna and Tom’s commonalities to build upon the idea spawned not only this iconic phrase but also the endearing relationship betweenthese lovable characters. Thanks toParks and Recreation, October 13 will forever be known as “Treat Yo Self Day.”
Parks and Recreationis available to stream on Peacock in the U.S.
Parks and Recreation
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