People working in customer service have to put up with some terrible behavior—but every once in a while, the universe is on their side and they get to watch rude jerks experience instant karma.
1. Feeling Blue
A woman with blue hair approached me at our restaurant to express her dissatisfaction with a dessert she had ordered. She claimed there was a hair in it, and when she showed it to me, I noticed that the hair was indeed blue. Politely, I reassured her by saying, "I apologize, but none of our staff members have blue hair".
2. Have A Care
I used to work at a telecom company in Canada. One day, a woman came in with a damaged iPhone, insisting on a free replacement. She was determined to get what she wanted. She spent two hours in the store, shouting at our loyalty team over the phone. In the end, they caved and gave her the phone for free.
She then told me, "I don’t need a protective case, and AppleCare is just a rip-off". The thing is, our pay was based on commission, so with her decision, my earnings took a hit. As I was helping set up her new phone, she kept rushing me. Just as she was about to leave, karma had the last say.
After criticizing my service, she dropped her new iPhone. The screen broke, and it wouldn’t even power up. She rushed back to me, wondering if there was anything I could do. I couldn't help but say, "Well, AppleCare might have been handy right about now, don't you think?"
3. Coming up Short
This story took place while I was at work. There was a lady who wanted to pay for a $5 scratch-off ticket with a massive pile of coins. She claimed she was only missing 10 cents, but in reality she was over a dollar short. She got upset and insisted that any decent person would have helped her out with the extra money.
I responded by suggesting that she could try her luck at another store down the street. Surprisingly, she suddenly pulled out a twenty-dollar bill and bought two scratch-offs instead. As she left the store, she made a snarky comment, saying "Karma is a witch". However, her moment of triumph was satsifyingly short-lived.
An officer pulled up behind her car, effectively blocking her in. They proceeded to search her car and ended up detaining both her and her boyfriend. I didn't feel sorry for her at all. She got what she deserved.
4. Karma Decked Him Good
My friend and I were chilling on the spacious deck of a beachside bar. Right next to us was a middle-aged couple. We were just minding our business, enjoying the view when my friend tried to make friendly small talk, saying, "Nice evening, isn't it?" The man snapped back, "Why don't you keep your comments to yourself?"
We exchanged a surprised look, and my friend calmly replied, "Hey, no harm intended. Just being friendly". We decided to brush it off and went back to enjoying our drinks and the view. But then, just moments later, the man pulled out a big diamond ring to propose. His partner was thrilled, but as she handed the ring back to him, he dropped it.
The ring rolled and slipped right through the gaps in the deck. The woman looked heartbroken. The man, now flustered and embarrassed, tried to get the waiter's attention, hoping they could retrieve the ring by lifting the deck planks.
The waiter, calm and unyielding, told him, "You can come back tomorrow to discuss it with the manager or settle your bill and head out". The man slumped in defeat, and his partner looked shaken. As we continued to sip our drinks, my friend and I couldn't help but note how sometimes, karma has an incredibly swift sense of humor.
5. This Customer Is Always Wrong
Throughout my time in retail, I've encountered my fair share of demanding customers, but one lady truly takes the cake. She was a frequent shopper, and we had the "pleasure" of handling her antics at least twice weekly.
Her usual routine? Stuffing her cart full of clearance items. And here's the thing about clearance goods: they needed individual price adjustments at the register. Because management was wary of potential swindling, we couldn't just multiply the price.
Each item had to be individually scanned and marked down. Then, just as we'd finish, she'd invariably accuse us of overcharging, demanding a manager's attention. Some managers, trying to appease her, would restart the entire process. And if she didn’t get her way? She’d dramatically proclaim she'd never return, leaving us with a cartful of items to reshelve. What a joy!
This charade usually ate up an hour of our day, and mind you, this was a regular occurrence. But karma has its way.
One snowy winter, our protocol was to clear only the parking spaces closest to the store entrance, given the limited number of shoppers during heavy snow. Most folks appreciated this, parking close to the door. Not our special customer, though.
She drove straight into the uncleared section, got stuck in a snowbank, and bumped into a hidden post. After storming in, she berated the manager about the snow and the damage to her car, threatening to sue and get us all fired for "not clearing her usual spot". The manager had the perfect response.
He banned her for her continuous poor treatment of our team.
6. Babies Know Best
I currently work at a consignment shop that has two floors of furniture. Our inventory consists of items that people bring in for us to sell, and we split the profit with them. One day, a lady walked in with her young son and started browsing. She noticed that we had two barstools and approached the front desk.
She said, "I'd like to order two more of these bar stools". With a smile, I replied, "Unfortunately, we can't do that because those bar stools belong to someone else. It's all they have consigned with us". She looked back at me and said, "Well, why can't you order similar ones? I'm sure you can find them online!"
Trying to stay calm, I clenched my teeth and smiled again, saying, "I'm sorry, ma'am, but we really can't accommodate that request. If you'd like, you can go online and look for them yourself, but I can't assist you in this matter".
She huffed in frustration and started walking towards the exit, threatening to get me fired and leave a terrible review of our shop. Little did she know what was about to happen. As she approached the door, she forcefully pushed it, only to discover that it was locked. Confused, she turned to me and yelled, "Why is this locked?!"
I honestly had no idea. At that moment, her son looked at her and said, "Mommy, you were mean to that lady. I don't want to leave until you apologize". He was truly the best kid ever.
7. Clean Up In Aisle Five
I used to work at a pet store for a while, and one thing that really bothered me was how some customers would bring their dogs in, let them poop, and then not clean it up. But even worse were the customers who would actually witness their dogs doing their business and then expect me to clean it up.
One time, there was this customer who was walking his dog next to the fish wall. Suddenly, the dog starts pooping and the customer just keeps dragging the dog down the entire length of the wall, not even caring. I couldn't believe it.
So, I went up to him and said, "Sir, you really need to clean that up. I have some paper towels and cleaning spray at my station that you can use". He looked at me, then at his dog, and had the nerve to say, "That wasn't my dog. I was watching him the whole time". I was so angry at this point.
My coworker and I ended up cleaning up the line of poop along the fish wall and put it in a plastic bag. Then, I came up with a brilliant plan. We handed the bag to our cashier and told him to make sure to put it in the customer's bag when it was time.
Later, I watched as the cashier actually did it, and I have to admit, it gave me some twisted sense of satisfaction.
8. A Hot Tip
During my college days, I used to work as a pizza delivery person. One time, two individuals entered the shop and caused quite a ruckus. They were being really loud, annoying, and just generally unpleasant. To make matters worse, they even had the audacity to leave a loogie on the floor, which I would have to clean up later when we closed.
When I left to make a delivery, I decided to take action. I promptly dialed the authorities and provided them with the details of their car, including the license plate number. The outcome was absolutely satisfying. Upon my return, I found them pulled over by officers, undergoing the routine sobriety tests on the side of the road. I
had no doubt in my mind that they would fail those tests.
9. Slamming the Slow Door
I had to ask a customer to leave because they were being rude and swearing at one of my employees. They said offensive things and then tried to forcefully shut the door, but there was a device on it that makes it close slowly. They pushed it really hard, but it didn't move, and they ended up slipping and falling on the floor.
It was quite amusing, and we all had a good laugh about it.
10. That’s Nacho Order
I was grabbing some food at Taco Bell and I decided to get some nachos bell grande. Turns out, the guy standing right behind me in line had the same idea. We waited together for our food to be ready. When they finally called my number, the guy accidentally took my food instead of his own.
He realized his mistake and quickly told me, "Since we ordered the same thing, you can take mine when it's ready. I'm in a rush". This guy didn't seem to care about my situation at all. He was all dressed up in a suit and tie, while I was in my construction gear. Then the sweetest thing happened.
As he took a step towards the exit, he suddenly slipped and ended up spilling his drink and my nachos all over his shirt and jacket. Right at that moment, the workers called his number. I picked up his nachos, thanked him for offering, and casually walked out of the door.
11. A Coke And A Smile
During my college days, I worked at a pizzeria. While we had some sodas from a dispenser, we also offered canned options. One afternoon, a somewhat frazzled woman in a business outfit came in. She seemed set on a canned soda, but wasn't pleased with our choices.
She got rather irritable when I mentioned our Coca-Cola was only available from the dispenser. Frustrated, she went to a hot dog stand across the street, hoping to find her preferred drink. Turns out, they had it, but the price wasn't to her liking.
She then huffily returned to our place and declared, “Their Coke was overpriced, so I guess I'll settle for yours”. She ordered six from our machine. Her mood didn't improve when I presented her with two size options for the cups, and her frustration grew when I mentioned we lacked carry trays.
However, I did suggest using a box to help her manage all the drinks. But the cherry on top? That day, we had a batch of cups with a slight issue; every so often, one had a tiny hole. Unluckily, I hadn't realized this as I had just begun my shift when she arrived. And as luck would have it, one of the cups she got was faulty, causing soda to splash right onto her suit.
I could tell she probably thought we rigged it. I quickly apologized and provided a cloth and a new cup. But I won’t lie, once she left, my boss and I couldn’t help but chuckle at the whole ordeal.
12. Told Ya So
I used to work in the cell phone business. We're always required to suggest insurance and a case whenever someone buys a new phone. For some companies, not offering these can actually cost you your job. So, while helping a particularly difficult customer with her new phone, the process wasn't going smoothly.
She wasn't too happy about her poor credit, which meant she had to pay a hefty deposit and more upfront for the phone, and for some reason, she thought that was on me. As I was wrapping things up, I did my usual: asked her about insurance options and if she'd checked out any cases.
To my surprise, she acted like I'd just insulted her. She went off on me, thinking I was implying she was careless. Despite trying to keep cool and explaining the situation, she wasn't having it. Thankfully, a colleague of mine stepped in, and we switched customers.
As she left, proud of her new Galaxy Note 3 that cost her over 500 bucks, she tripped and cracked the screen. She was back in no time, demanding assistance after causing a scene.
13. A Road To Nowhere
While working at a Tim Hortons drive-thru, I encountered a rather unpleasant situation. There was this individual driving a gigantic black truck who parked too far away from the window. Instead of moving closer or being patient, he expected me to reach out to give him his change.
Not only was he incredibly impatient, but his behavior was also extremely rude. Feeling frustrated, I simply shook my head in disbelief. This seemed to trigger an angry response from him, as he eventually got out of his truck. Unfortunately for him, karma was on my side. The door accidentally locked behind him.
As a result, he found himself stuck outside while we had to call a tow truck to assist. While it may have inconvenienced the people waiting behind him, it did provide a source of satisfaction knowing that their frustration was directed at him and not us.
From his reaction, it seemed like the incident was a major source of embarrassment for him. Perhaps it truly was, considering how embarrassing the situation turned out to be.
14. When You’re Here, You’re Family
During my college years, I worked as a server at a pretty fancy restaurant. Most of my interactions with customers were smooth since I'm generally a friendly person. One evening, I had a table reserved for four, but only three were present: an older couple and their grown-up daughter.
I got them drinks and they mentioned they were waiting for the fourth member, their son. After almost 40 minutes and a couple of drink refills, I tried to make light of the situation by suggesting, "You all must be super hungry by now! How about some lettuce wraps? They're light, so they won't spoil your dinner. Or should we continue to wait for my buddy?"
The dad didn't take it well, telling me in no uncertain terms to wait, and emphasizing that I shouldn't refer to his son as my "buddy" since I didn't know him. He even made a point to mention that his son had a "real job". I just apologized and assured him it wouldn't happen again.
But as luck would have it, when I returned to their table, I saw that the arriving son was an old friend from high school. We greeted each other warmly with a hug, much to his dad's surprise. I couldn't resist, so I told the father, "Isn't it a small world? I can't believe we've never met, especially since your son and I were pretty tight in high school".
Oh, if only our menu had a side of humble pie.
15. Should Have Just Been Nice
Back when I worked at a Safeway Deli (not the best job, let me tell you), an oddly-dressed fellow walked in one day. Now, being in Portland, I've seen a lot of quirky characters, so I didn't think much of it.
My coworker, Dario, took his order. Dario's an immigrant from eastern Europe and has faced a lot of challenges in his life. He's dealt with severe depression, and as a result, has visible scars on his arms. Given that it was a warm day in the deli, Dario's sleeves were up, and you could see these scars.
For no reason, this customer started making fun of Dario's scars, throwing around words like "crazy" and "loco". What the guy didn’t know was Dario used to be a Thai boxer. Knowing Dario's past and recognizing his rising temper, I jumped in and suggested Dario take a break in the back.
This customer's attitude was off the charts rude. He wanted 1 1/2 lbs of Mac n' Cheese, and given his behavior, I took my chance. Pretending to stumble, I "accidentally" dropped all of it on the floor, and that was the last batch for the day. The man lost it, shouting and looking ready to jump the counter.
That's when our manager stepped in and told the guy to take a hike. He refused, so we called the authorities. As they hauled him away, they found a pricey $75 bottle hidden in his jacket. To top it off, he also ended up hurting an officer in a scuffle. I won't lie; it felt pretty satisfying watching him being pinned down.
A few weeks later, I was called to court to testify against him because of the whole incident. The dude even ended up behind bars for a time.
16. From Flipping Out To Tripping out
A lady walked up to the counter in a fast food joint and complained angrily about her undercooked beef patty. We cook all the patties using a timer, and the meat appeared to be cooked properly. Eventually, we made her entire order again and gave her the tray.
She continued to grumble, but as soon as she turned around, she tripped and fell, causing all her food and drink to spill all over the place.
17. Your Own Worst Enemy
So, I was at Wal-Mart once, and I spotted this super thin woman pushing a cart with her little one inside. Something about her demeanor just struck me as off, and her kid seemed pretty upset too. She's shouting at him to be quiet, but it's clearly not helping. I'm down the aisle, trying to discreetly observe the situation.
I'm torn, thinking, "Should I intervene?" and "It's not my place," when suddenly she raises her hand as if she's going to hit the child. I couldn't pretend not to notice anymore, but I was too far to step in. As she went to smack the kid, she lost her balance and slipped on the tile.
She ended up toppling backward, hitting the shelves as she went down. I heard her head go thunk-thunk-thunk as she bumped against each shelf. The little one just gazed down at her, probably wondering what just went down.
18. It Was A Sign
During my high school days, I worked as a cart boy at a grocery store. There was this one rainy and windy afternoon when I was pushing around 10 carts. Suddenly, a brand new black Escalade pulled up next to me. The guy who got out of the car started yelling at me, threatening not to scratch his truck and warning of serious consequences.
It was clear that I wasn't putting his car at risk, but he continued to shout angrily at me. Just when I thought things couldn't get any worse, something unexpected happened. Right after he finished yelling, the sign from the pizzeria next door crashed right into the side of his truck.
It definitely made my night a little brighter, even though I was completely drenched from the rain.
19. Delayed Revenge
Here's a tale from my dad's past. We used to run a restaurant in a mall, right next to a bar. Even though there were designated parking spots for each business, folks would always snag our spots. One afternoon, a guy with a flashy Corvette convertible decided to park directly in front of our restaurant and headed to the bar.
My dad approached him, suggesting he park elsewhere since there were other open spots. The guy just smirked and said, "Go ahead and tow it”. After waiting a bit, dad took matters into his own hands. He punctured the car's two front tires with a thin wire. The punctures were tiny, so they didn't go flat immediately, but I bet they did eventually.
20. Oh, Baby
Back in 2004, during my summer job at Blockbuster, a pregnant woman in her late 20s came into the store on a not-so-busy Friday night. She wanted a scary movie recommendation since she was in the mood for it. It's hard to believe, but I actually suggested and rented out Rosemary's Baby for her. I hope she forgives me for that one.
21. Please, Take A Seat
I was on a packed flight back from Hawaii, and when I got to my row, I found a rather irritated lady sitting in my window seat. I gently pointed out the mix-up, and she checked her boarding pass. Yep, she was supposed to be in the aisle seat across from me. But instead of moving, she insisted on staying put because she wanted to be next to her husband.
Thinking it wasn't a big deal, I just took her designated seat. She didn't even throw a simple "thanks" my way. But karma got her good. Once the plane took off and everyone started diving into the in-flight movies, her screen wasn't working. She made a fuss to the flight attendant, but since the flight was full, there was nothing they could do about it.
So, she had to endure a five-hour flight without any distractions.
22. No, Me First!
As I approached an ATM, a man in a flashy Ferrari quickly pulled up by the red curb and rushed past me to use it before I could. I couldn't help but think, "Seriously, dude?" To my surprise, he responded with a rude remark, "Screw you". Feeling a bit taken aback, I looked around and spotted an officer about 50 feet away.
I gestured for his attention and when he saw me, I simply pointed towards the Ferrari and the violation of the red curb. The traffic officer promptly drove over and began writing a ticket. I patiently waited for the guy to finish at the ATM. Once he noticed the officer issuing the ticket, I informed him that the authorities hadn't even noticed his parking until I alerted them.
23. Squeaky Clean Revenge
I'm at the front desk of a hotel, and one day, this guest from Armenia was pretty upset about his room, saying it wasn't up to par. He came down the next morning, making a huge fuss. He was so harsh that one of my colleagues was on the verge of tears. She wouldn't give him a refund because his complaints seemed exaggerated and unfounded.
Seeing he wasn't going to get a refund, he angrily tossed his receipt on the ground and stormed off... straight into our spotless glass door. His sunglasses shattered, leaving a small cut on his nose. As soon as he left, still fuming, my colleague and I burst into laughter.
24. Bad Timing
When I worked as a cashier at a grocery store, there was this customer who had a lot of items in his cart. He complained and mistreated the employees until they let him use my express checkout lane instead of waiting in the regular lines. At that time, my lane only had two people in it.
However, right after he got in, a small elderly lady using a walker and struggling to stand got in line behind him. People around us gave him disapproving looks. He finally realized that he had made a mistake and awkwardly tried to joke about it. But, there was complete silence. I hope the time he saved by bypassing the regular lines was worth him acting like a complete jerk.
25. Be Careful What You Wish For
I had a encounter with a woman from a client company who was very upset about the bill we sent her. She used a lot of offensive language toward me, accusing us of overcharging her. She insisted that I review her order. But here's the interesting part: we discovered that we actually undercharged her by $1,000 because of a simple mistake with a zero.
The sudden silence on the other end of the line was quite satisfying.
26. How The Wind Blows
It was a super breezy day. My dad and I were leaving a grocery store when we noticed a shopping cart being nudged by the wind, moving steadily forward. A lady saw it too, but she didn't bother stopping it, even though it was moving slow enough to catch.
My dad remarked, "Why didn't she stop it?" We kept our eyes on the cart, which was picking up speed. Suddenly, a strong gust gave it a turbo boost, and it zoomed straight into a van, making a loud crash. The impact left a big dent in the van's door, visible even from where we stood.
Soon after, we realized the same lady who ignored the cart was heading towards that very van. As she got closer, the look of realization hit her, and she threw her hands up in disbelief. Watching the scene unfold, my dad and I couldn't hold back our laughter all the way home.
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27. Managing At Its Best
My fast-food boss seemed like the nicest guy ever. He volunteered with immigrant children and was always in good spirits. One day, I was handling the drive-thru. A customer with a strong accent made an order, and I asked him to repeat it, which set him off.
I tried to stay cool and professional. My manager, who heard everything through the headset, stepped in when the angry customer reached the window. He apologized, double-checked the order, and even put a straw in the guy's drink. But the guy wasn't satisfied and gave us an earful in two languages before driving off in a huff.
I was about to vent to my boss when he comforted me by saying, "It's okay". Then he shared a cheeky secret: "When I put that straw in his drink, I poked a tiny hole at the bottom". The best part? The drink wouldn't leak until the customer lifted the straw to sip. Sneaky!
28. The Writing’s On The Wall
Back when I worked in tech support, we had a system where clients could access our computers to get activity reports related to their account. One customer, who always had a lengthy report, frequently encountered phone line issues. But mostly, she seemed to not want to get the report herself.
Instead, she'd ring us up, claim she couldn't access her report, and expect us to fax it over. One time, we decided to give her a lesson. Instead of sending her report in individual pages, we faxed it as one long, continuous sheet. Remember, this was when faxes were printed on rolls of paper, and they'd only cut at page breaks.
Since we sent her report without any breaks, she received a single, enormous page. When that didn't deter her, we tried another tactic. We faxed her the initial pages and then slipped in a long strip of black paper. She received around 50 pages that were just pitch black.
She stopped asking us to send her reports after that.
29. Zero Offers
For two years, I worked part-time at a national shoe store chain while I was in school. Unfortunately, throughout that entire time, I never received a pay raise, nor was I ever given the opportunity to open the store or receive any recognition for my hard work.
When I expressed my desire for more responsibilities, I was dismissed and told that I wasn't important because two new managers from outside the company were taking over. One of these managers previously worked at PetSmart, while the other had no previous experience in this field.
Feeling frustrated, I decided to resign and gave them my two weeks' notice. Little did I know that my decision would come back to haunt them in a big way. On my last day, both managers were present, so I took the opportunity to share everything I had learned during my time there, including all the peculiarities of our inventory.
Surprisingly, both managers quit their jobs within a week, and the store ended up closing just four months later.
30. Do You Prefer Fashion Victim Or Ensembly Challenged?
I once worked at this upscale clothing store by the beach. One packed Saturday, a rather snooty girl walked in with her boyfriend. They didn't respond to our greetings, and she even shot my coworker a condescending look. She picked out some items and went to try them on.
Soon, I could hear some animated chatter from her fitting room, with her boyfriend darting in and out, grabbing different items off the racks. She kept shooing us away, insisting she didn’t need help, all while staying in the changing room.
As I was ringing up another customer, she stormed over, visibly annoyed. She started going on about how the fit of our clothes was terrible and how we didn't know what we were doing. I was a bit taken aback, trying to figure out what had set her off.
Before I could ask her about the issue, my coworker glanced her way and broke into uncontrollable laughter. Turns out, the girl mistook a skirt for a strapless dress. She had been wrestling with various sizes, getting more and more frustrated because this "dress" wouldn’t fit right.
To paint the picture: she'd pulled a skirt all the way up to her chest, thinking it was a dress, and was causing a commotion in the middle of our store. After she stormed out, I couldn't help but join my coworker in laughter. It was just too hilarious.
31. Not A Clean Getaway
While I was working at a restaurant, this family came in. They seemed a bit rough around the edges and surprisingly ordered a lot of high-end steaks and drinks, even though they looked like they might be on a tight budget. Throughout the meal, they weren't the friendliest, treating me more like a personal servant than a server.
After gobbling down their food, they demanded to speak with the manager, complaining that their steaks were "off" (despite eating them all) and that their drinks weren't strong enough (though they drank every drop). It was pretty clear they were aiming for a free meal.
My manager, having observed their behavior and my interactions with them, didn't buy their story and declined to void their bill. They were not happy, resorting to shouting and even trying to dash without paying. The twist? Once they got outside, their car wouldn't budge.
My manager promptly called the authorities, resulting in one of them being taken in for causing a scene. The others had the added inconvenience of having their car towed and had to make their exit on foot.
32. An Extra Large Mistake
I once managed a pizza joint downtown, right next to another pizzeria. They kept their carry-out window open late, but we shut our doors at 10 pm, only offering delivery afterward. Interestingly, local officers loved to hang in our parking lot, catching up on work.
One evening, around 11:30, a couple banged on our door. I told them, through the door, that we stopped carry-out at 10. The lady went off, screaming and hitting the door, while her partner tried acting tough. I got a colleague to watch my back and approached them from another exit to chat.
She was livid. When I suggested she might've called our competitor, she insisted I took her order. I knew I hadn't. As things heated up, her partner got aggressive, shoving me and taking a swing. He missed. I didn't. Just as things got wilder, sirens blared and blue lights flashed.
Turns out, a couple of officers had just arrived, and they quickly jumped into action. With backup arriving and the duo restrained, I got curious. I asked an officer if he could find out which number she called. He got it out of her. She angrily spat out a number ending in 7272.
I grinned, saying, "Our number ends in 3030. That's Domino's. You dialed Papa John's—see how 7272 spells 'Papa'?"
33. Going Out Hot
A few years ago, I used to work at a gas station. It was during a week when there was a ton of snowfall, which caused a delay in the delivery of gas tankers for safety reasons. On one particular day, a customer arrived in a fancy, new Mercedes-Benz, possibly an SLS 400 or something similar, and requested premium gas.
I politely explained to him that the gas delivery was delayed and we didn't currently have any premium gasoline available. I kindly suggested that he could try the gas station just down the block. Instead of understanding the situation, he became quite angry and started swearing at me, even though I had no control over the gas delivery.
In a huff, he sped away, tires screeching, but unfortunately, karma really got its claws in him. His rear tire hit the curb in the process. This resulted in serious damage to his rim, rendering the car undrivable. I couldn't help but chuckle at the irony of the situation.
34. Be Careful What You Wish For
I used to run a budget-friendly computer repair store, kind of like Geek Squad but with stellar technicians. If a laptop required intensive hardware repairs, we'd send it to a specialist.
One day, a man walks in with his family and a malfunctioning laptop, asserting it hadn't worked since we last fixed it over a year ago. To keep things smooth, I suggested waiving the diagnostic fee and just having our specialists check it. He agreed.
A week later, we learned his laptop's motherboard was shot. We'd taken his Hard Drive and put it in an external case, charging just $25 for the case. When I informed him, he lost it. He couldn’t believe we were charging him, even though we weren’t billing for the diagnostic or labor.
Curiosity got the better of me, and I decided to verify if his claim of the laptop being unused for a year was accurate. We plugged in his hard drive and, to my surprise, found recent browsing history from two days before he brought it in. More shockingly, the sites he frequented were adult in nature.
I called him back, with both him and his wife answering. They didn’t even let me explain before launching into threats. I calmly interrupted, hinting at the recent browser activity I discovered. When I began listing the sites, there was a deafening silence followed by a heated argument between the two of them.
The wife left the call, and the disheartened husband just said his wife might leave him now. I told him I wasn’t involved in their personal affairs, but the hard drive case would be $25. He never came back to get it. Can't say I was surprised.
35. At The Last Second
My fiancée and I used to work at Pizza Hut—she was a server and I handled the cooking. I had been there for five years, and she'd been there for two. Honestly, we were pretty much their top employees and were seasoned at our jobs. However, as it often happens in the food industry, managers change, with some being better than others.
Once, they scheduled both of us for an intense 10-hour shift, from the store opening till 8 pm. We were supposed to be the only ones in our roles until 5 pm. And this was a Sunday in a deeply religious area, also a buffet day, meaning we were swamped with tasks.
Making matters worse, the carpets had been cleaned the night before, but the tables and chairs hadn't been set back up in the dining area. Time was of the essence, as we had a lot to do before opening. However, things took a turn for the worse when our manager strolled in.
Instead of helping, he grabbed some breakfast, settled into a booth, and just watched us hustle, even though we were clearly pressed for time. Seeing my fiancée so stressed out and teary-eyed, feeling like the day was a disaster, made my heart sink.
As the buffet was ready and customers started pouring in, we both reached our limit. In a spontaneous decision, we both decided to walk out, leaving the manager to handle the chaos. Do I regret it? Not one bit; it felt like poetic justice.
36. The Llama Keeper
I used to work at a zoo taking care of animals. One time, there was a woman visiting who made fun of our llama for not looking pretty. What she didn't know was that the llama had been rescued and had to have surgery on its jaw to fix a problem. This woman pointed and laughed at the llama, but just as she did, the llama globbered straight in her mouth. It was a really funny moment to witness.
Once the woman left, I went over to the llama and gave her a treat, telling her what a good girl she was.
37. A Surprise Ending
I was at a hotel front desk, getting checked in by a young staff member when this super loud woman stormed over. She cut in, complaining about her room's kettle—she wouldn't stop going on about wanting something more than a "regular kettle". I finally stepped in, telling her to wait her turn and get behind me.
She shot back, complaining about her long day of travel and her unsatisfactory room. I reminded her that we were at an airport hotel; we all had long travel days. Just then, the front desk girl looked ready to cry. The woman was so mad, she slammed her hand on the desk, calling for a manager.
Out of nowhere, she started coughing uncontrollably. And then, in a shocking twist, she had a...let's just say "wardrobe malfunction" with her beige pants. She quickly made her exit after that, and I gave the receptionist a thumbs-up.
38. God Has A Plan, And It’s To Embarrass You
Back when I was a teen, I worked at a Pier 1 Imports just outside Birmingham, Alabama. This was two decades ago, and I wasn't really familiar with the transgender community. So, it's the holiday season, and I'm manning the checkout. A lady towards the end of the queue seemed agitated.
When she finally reached the counter, she made a fuss about the customer behind her, exclaiming, "That's a man! A guy wearing a dress!" The person she was pointing out was clearly transgender and looked quite upset by her comments.
What struck me as odd was that she was buying festive decorations and yet was so unkind. She went on about how the person shouldn’t even be in the store. Well, she was about get stung by some instant karma. As she continued her tantrum, I processed her credit card. Oops, it was declined. I tried again. Same result.
I can't tell you the satisfaction I felt when I informed her about the declined card. She blew a fuse, yelling, "That's impossible! Do it again! You must be making a mistake!" The whole store had its attention on her by now. I swiped her card again and loudly confirmed it was declined.
She left in a huff, even knocking over a Santa display on her way out. The customer she had insulted earlier and I exchanged a knowing smile.
39. A Dangerous Occupation
When I used to work at Blockbuster, there were sometimes people who would take things without paying. Our policy was to just let them go to ensure the safety of our staff and customers. One particular time, a guy grabbed some items and ran away. My manager chased after him and showed two officers, who happened to be parked in our lot, where he went.
The officers started chasing him. This guy skillfully maneuvered through the crowd and traffic. He managed to outpace the officer on foot and even crossed the street successfully. In his desperation to shake them off, he jumped down a flight of stairs, but unfortunately ended up breaking both of his legs.
40. Watching, Waiting
I had a strange encounter, not with a customer, but a colleague. In our store, we've got 10 check-out counters, but only one stores tobacco products securely. If you need any, you either queue up there or request a cashier from another line to fetch them for you.
Several of my colleagues are smokers, and they buy their goods just like any other customer. They're not permitted to get their own and must have another cashier assist them.
One early morning, I was at the register when I noticed one of our janitors lurking behind. Knowing she shouldn't be there, I asked if she needed help. She said she wanted to buy a pack. I explained she had to line up like everyone else.
She got irked, demanding why she couldn't just get them herself. I repeated that she'd need to join the queue. Upset, she walked away, and boy, did I unwittingly open a can of worms.
Throughout that day, I heard from others that she was badmouthing me non-stop. My manager mentioned a complaint she made, alleging I was biased against her. I clarified the actual situation and carried on.
Later, when there was a quiet moment, I went on a short break, ensuring the case was locked. As I was heading to the restroom, she blocked my way, poked me with her mop handle, and accused me of thinking I was superior due to our job roles.
I pointed out the security cameras around, and she darted off. Yet, the remainder of the day, she kept giving me evil glances. The saga didn’t end there. The next day, a fellow cashier informed me she got fired the previous night.
Turns out, she was caught on tape swiping products after the next cashier on my register forgot to lock the case. That cashier got a warning but still has her job.
41. Karma Comes Back Around
When I was working the register at Borders, I remember this one customer who had either reserved or custom-ordered something. She got pretty snippy when I couldn't find her order, even though I repeatedly asked whose name it was under.
Turns out, the item was listed under her husband's name—so it wasn't on me that I couldn't locate it. Funny enough, she didn't say sorry or anything. The best part? When I went to process her payment, her card didn’t go through. Seeing her flustered face, she quickly left in a huff.
42. Taking A Stand
I once worked at Target, and we had a policy to remind parents to have their kids sit down in the shopping carts. Most parents were okay with the advice, but one lady definitely wasn’t. She had just placed her child in the cart outside. There was a tiny step at the store's entrance due to some uneven ground.
I tried to kindly mention to her about the step and suggested that her child should sit to avoid any accidents. She responded quite aggressively, saying, "Mind your own business. Talk to me about my child when you have one of your own," and even pointed at me.
Well, she carried on, with her child still standing up, and sure enough, when they reached that step, her kid toppled out of the cart. He ended up with a big bump on his forehead and a bleeding nose because the store's entrance was just thinly-carpeted concrete—really hard.
I informed my supervisors, and the child was attended to, but the mom remained unpleasant throughout the ordeal. All I could think was, "I did try to warn you".
43. Waterpark Scares
I used to work as a lifeguard at a popular chain of indoor waterpark hotels in the US. One day, I noticed a woman letting her daughter, who was less than two years old, play in the shallow end all by herself. Meanwhile, the mother was sitting in a chair, engrossed in a magazine.
Concerned for the child's safety, I approached the woman and politely informed her that it wasn't safe for a child that young to be alone in the water. To my surprise, the mother became defensive and started yelling at me, insisting that it was none of my business how she chose to parent her daughter and telling me to leave her alone.
This caught the attention of everyone nearby, who began watching the escalating situation. Just as the mother finished her angry outburst, her daughter lost her balance and fell face-first into the water. Being too young to know how to stand up or breathe properly in such a situation, the little girl was in danger.
Without hesitation, I quickly rushed into the water, grabbed the child, and brought her safely back to her mother. Witnessing the entire incident, the people around us were relieved and appreciative of my quick action. In a heartwarming response, they began clapping for the successful rescue.
44. You Get What You Pay For
Back when I worked at a bank, there was this guy who was acting pretty rude towards one of our female employees. But right after that, the bank got robbed, and it happened right at his teller's window. The thief grabbed his $5K from the counter before we could even process it.
We ended up covering the loss, but I bet he was stressed out for a moment.
45. Seeing Double
So, I was chilling at a resort bar in Hawaii when this young guy, maybe 18-ish, tries to order a drink. The bartender checks his ID and goes, "Hey, this is expired". The guy goes off. He's yelling, insulting the bartender, the whole nine yards.
Fast forward, I'm at the airport bar a couple of days later. Guess who walks in? That same guy. He tries ordering a drink, and when the bartender checks his ID, I couldn't resist. I said, "Might want to double-check that expiration date". Maybe not my finest moment, but hey, what goes around comes around, right?
46. This Comes Right From The Top
So, I used to work at this sushi place that had an awesome half-off sushi deal on most weekdays. The catch? It's only for those dining in. One super busy day, this mom and her daughter rush in. The mom's like, "We're in a hurry; my daughter has cheerleading," but she still wanted that half-off sushi.
Okay, the place was packed, but sure. She got all worked up when her sushi took more than 15 minutes. When she asked to take her food to-go, I told her it'd be regular price then. She started getting heated, saying, "But I ordered for dining in!" even though she wanted it to-go now.
I was getting all anxious with her raising her voice and her daughter just looking mortified. Just when I thought things couldn't get any worse, my boss swooped in. She had been working the sushi bar that day and she wasn't having any of this lady's attitude.
My boss told her straight, "Stop yelling at my employee. If you want the deal, you'll sit and wait like everyone else". She also made sure the other customers were okay and checked in with me. The woman was so taken aback and the entire restaurant was giving her side-eyes.
She sat down quietly, and her daughter even apologized to me. They left a generous tip, too. My boss is the sweetest lady ever. Still hooks me up with free sushi when I visit. But cross her? You'd better watch out. She can go from zero to fierce real quick.
47. Just Smashing, Darling
I used to work at a booze shop. One day, a guy walked in, clearly already a bit tipsy. He was slurring his words and could hardly keep his balance. We decided not to sell him anything, and he totally lost it. We had to usher him out, warning we'd ring up the authorities. He decided to try his luck at another store down the street.
As he was passing by our shop again, he shouted some nasty stuff our way. Just then, he took a tumble, and the bottle he just bought smashed on the pavement. Oh man, what a moment to witness.
48. Not So Fast
I've been in the car repair industry for a while, and some folks aren't too thrilled about paying for fixes. One time, a husband-wife duo came to collect their car. The husband was chill, okay with whatever repairs we suggested. His wife, on the other hand, was a total handful—questioning every little detail, wanting discounts, and even threatening to ditch the car and buy a new one.
So, the guy heads to our office, and his wife, eager to leave, quickly finds the car keys we'd left in the vehicle. She tossed away our protective seat cover, fired up the car, and tried to make a quick exit without settling the bill. She took her turn too quickly and ended up scraping the whole side of the car on our concrete planter.
I saw the whole thing unfold, but her husband missed it. They never came back after that.
49. Forgetting Something?
Back when I worked at this take-out place, I'd usually set customer credit cards on our Square stand after swiping. So, when I turned the screen towards them for signing, their card was right there. One busy lunchtime, a lady was super upset that I didn't hand her card directly to her.
I tried explaining my routine, but she was having none of it. She went on and on about customer service and whatnot, making quite the scene with everyone watching. It seemed like she was trying to make an example out of me for everyone there. But I got the last laugh in the end.
She was so caught up in her rant that she left without her baby! And trust me, after her whole display, everyone noticed. A kind soul had to chase her down before she drove off. And yeah, there's really no graceful way to retrieve a forgotten baby carrier, especially after making such a fuss.
50. Slipping On Ice
I used to work at a Thai restaurant, and the back entrance was next to this house where the owners just let their dogs make a mess everywhere. During winter, it was like a slippery ice ramp leading to the restaurant's back door. And let me tell you, my boss wasn't the friendliest guy around.
One chilly evening, both of us got to work at the same time. He went first, and oh boy, did he take a tumble. Not only did he hit his head on the way down, but he also landed smack dab in a fresh pile of dog mess. I couldn't help but chuckle. When it was my turn, I ended up slipping too. Thankfully, I didn't land in anything nasty.
Still, seeing my grumpy boss's icy mishap? Priceless.
51. Too Hot To Handle
I'm in the food business, and I remember this one time at a college football match when an alumnus went off on my colleague because he thought the hot chocolate wasn't "rich enough". Both of us were a bit taken aback, and we just kept saying sorry. We felt a bit helpless, honestly. But then our bartender stepped in.
She used to be a high school teacher and now subs for all grades from kindergarten through high school. She gave the guy this look, the kind that would silence even the most rebellious teen. And then, with her sternest tone, she said, "If you keep shouting at these ladies over something out of their hands, I'm going to need you and your group to head out. I won't stand for anyone being rude to my team".
He didn't utter another word. Just turned around and quickly left, looking a bit sheepish.
52. Want To Revise Your Story?
I work at a bank and once had this customer make a huge scene. He was going on about a $50 charge on his account, accusing us of not safeguarding his funds. He was on this rant for a good 30 minutes. But here's the rub: He had spent that $50 on a cam service. We figured it out when my colleague checked his account and did a quick online search about the charging company.
53. His Luck Ran Out
I once worked at a cash withdrawal booth in a Native casino. This one guy, who'd had a few too many, was giving me a hard time about the speed of the service. He even threatened my job, telling me to speed things up. As his luck turned sour at the tables, he kept returning to draw more cash. In just a few hours, he had used up about $10k.
At some point, Visa caught on and froze all of his cards. The protocol? The vendor (me in this case) has to confiscate the card. So, I ended up taking every single one of his cards. Let's just say he was far from pleased.
54. Checking Out
Back when I worked at Circuit City selling computers, I remember this one day when the iPod nano had just launched. Everyone was buzzing about it. I was the only salesperson available that day and was swamped helping a group for over an hour. Out of the blue, a problem arose.
A man approached me, accusing me of ignoring his wife. Turns out, they'd been waiting quietly in a secluded part of the store, expecting me to notice them. They wanted to buy a top-tier laptop but didn't want me to get credit for the sale because they felt I had "snubbed" them.
The funny thing was, we weren't on commission, so it made no difference to me who rang them up. Anyway, I handed them off to a manager to handle the sale, and lo and behold, their check bounced. I couldn't help but feel totally satisfied.
55. He Made His Bed
I used to work at a mattress store, and let's be honest, nobody's thrilled about mattress shopping. It's just one of those necessary evils. So one weekend, this grumpy old gentleman walks in, grumbling before anyone even says "hello". We attempt to assist him, but he waves us off.
Then, in the next breath, he's griping about the lack of service. Now, he wasn't the most agile, and we kindly suggested he avoid trying the foam mattresses without assistance, just in case he needed help getting back up.
Ignoring our advice and adding a snarky comment, he wobbled over to a foam bed located next to a wall-mounted TV, which was always playing ads. He lies down, isn’t a fan, and when he tries to get up, it's evident he's stuck. But, pride before a fall, right?
Instead of asking for a hand, he tries to leap off the bed and ends up crashing into the TV. My boss couldn't hold back a chuckle. The gentleman tried to give us a piece of his mind, but the whole scene was too comical. Eventually, he just huffed and left with a dramatic exit.
56. Pitching A Fit
During my college days, I worked at a local RadioShack. Sundays were usually slow, so I'd often be the lone ranger on duty. One Sunday, despite being groggy from a late night, I dragged myself to work, hoping for a peaceful shift. Imagine my surprise when, even before I parked, a man started ranting at me.
Keeping my customer service face on, I asked what was up. He fumed, "I've been here for 30 minutes and you're late!" For the record, I was 15 minutes early. He trailed me to the entrance, airing his grievances loudly.
As I unlocked the door, I politely told him I needed a few minutes to deactivate the alarm and prep the register. That didn't go down well with him either. I tried my best to stay composed. He finally got to his main concern: batteries. Seemed simple enough. But nope!
When I showed him our selection and the prices, he blew a fuse. He was yelling about the prices and claimed I was disrespectful. He even slammed his hand on the counter and accused RadioShack of forcing its brand on customers. I patiently explained our offerings and asked if he needed anything else.
In his rage, he knocked over a battery display and then—the absolute best part—smacked straight into our door. In his earlier rant, I'd only unlocked one of the doors, so he bumped right into the locked one. He looked back, probably expecting a reaction. I just gave a cheerful wave and wished him a great day.
He sped off, and thankfully, I never saw him again.
57. Don’t Mess With Traffic
I was about to start my shift at a Liverpool pub around 10:00 am, so I knocked and waited to be let in. While waiting, I heard loud voices and turned to see two shirtless guys coming at me, hurling insults in a language I couldn't grasp. Once they had their fun teasing me, they headed towards a busy street.
They boldly stepped into the traffic, gesturing wildly for cars to stop and then rudely gesturing at the drivers. I could have never predicted what happened next. Out of nowhere, a car stopped, and four burly guys jumped out. One of them pretended to throw a punch, and the shirtless dude totally freaked out, covering his face and yelling.
While he wasn't actually hit, the scene drew lots of laughter from bystanders. The teasing duo quickly made their exit, and I must admit, I felt a bit vindicated.
58. Drive On By
So, I'm working the drive-thru at Starbucks, and we're a bit slow that day because we're short a few hands. This guy pulls up to the window, clearly frustrated, and starts giving me an earful about the wait. I apologize and let him know his total.
In his irritation, he tries to toss his credit card to me, but it misses and lands right under his truck. We both pause, exchange a glance, and then he asks his daughter to hop out and grab it. I point out that it's directly beneath their truck.
He carefully inches the truck forward, squeezes himself between the vehicle and the building, and hands over his card, trying to avoid making eye contact. I just grinned, as the line of cars behind him got a front-row seat to the whole show.
59. Read The Room
I was at the hardware store, waiting in line. The cashier had a sign indicating she was deaf. The dude behind me, clearly lacking patience, starts mumbling about her speed, despite the customer ahead having a ton of stuff. Suddenly, he shouts, "What's your problem? Are you deaf?"
Instantly, everyone in line gave him that "are you serious?" look. My mom, who was with me, points to the sign and goes, "Seriously? Can't you read?" The guy turned a shade of red I didn't even know existed and hurried out, avoiding everyone's gaze. As he left, there was a solid round of applause, even from the other cashiers.
60. You Won’t Get Away With This
Back in my retail days at an electronics store, we caught some guys trying to sneak DVDs out. They were busy cutting barcodes to disable the alarms. Once my manager caught on, he had our team subtly approach them, asking if they needed assistance.
In a genius move, my manager offered them an empty basket, basically signaling we were onto them. Panicking, the guys started to ditch the DVDs all over the store. Every time they'd drop one, one of us would swiftly pick it up. Eventually, they realized it was time to bail, so they sprinted towards the exit.
While none of us chased them (they'd abandoned all the thieved goods, after all), one guy decided to flip us off on his way out. But karma had other plans: while he was distracted, he stepped off the curb and got clipped by a car.
He wasn't seriously hurt, just enough to tumble and quickly get back up, but it sure added to the drama of their botched escape.
61. The Time Is Right
I remember helping a mom buy a Nintendo 3DS for her excited son. He was so thrilled that I handed him the box while I processed the sale. When I suggested the accidental damage protection plan, she took offense, implying I was hinting her son was careless. She spoke to soon.
Just as she was saying this, her son chucked the box across the store, knocking over a bunch of games. Guess who decided to get the four-year plan after that? Yep, she did.
62. Sad Violin Sound
I used to work at this music shop. We'd have these big sales on fancy instruments like tubas and clarinets just once a year. Near the end of one sale, this older guy walks in, eyeing the priciest trumpet on display. My buddy asks if he needs help or wants to give the trumpet a go, but the man just scoffs at its price, acting like it wasn't worth the money.
Now, here's where it gets funny. Just as he's dissing the trumpet, someone calls our store wanting to buy that exact model, offering to pay the full amount right away. The catch? That trumpet he was looking at was the last one we had in stock due to the sale's success.
Another colleague of mine casually walks over, takes the trumpet right from behind the guy. The man freaks out, yelling and making a scene. Apparently, he was hoping to play it cool and get a discount. Bad timing for him, huh? In the end, he had to order one and paid even more than the sale price. Man, we couldn't stop chuckling about that for days.
63. Boy’s Night Out
I was at the restaurant I work at when this group of guys walks in. They were "toasting" to one of their buddies getting a divorce. The dude was pretty big and, let me tell you, every waitress in the place was about to get an awkward table visit. I tried to keep an eye on them discreetly, making sure things were okay.
I darted to the kitchen for a quick check-in and wasn't gone for more than a moment when a server runs in. She tells me the divorce guy got too handsy with her. Seriously, man? I headed over, planning to hand them their bills and ask them to hit the road. I told them about the issue and let them know the drink train had reached its final stop for them. Time to settle up and head out.
They're looking a bit confused, and Mr Divorce pipes up, "What will you do if we stay?" As he's trying to get all tough and stand up, he didn't account for his size. The guy knocks over two pitcher jugs and several glasses, splashing himself and his mates in the process, and ends up plopping right back down.
I didn't even need to respond after that spectacle. One of his buddies quickly dropped a hundred-dollar bill, said sorry, and whisked his now drenched friend out the exit.
64. The Biggest Loser
So there I was, wrapping things up at the coffee shop in the skyway after closing. With the cash registers already put away, there was no way I could help anyone out even if I wanted to. Plus, the store rules wouldn’t allow it. While I was tidying up, this guy in a fancy suit from the nearby Marriott storms over.
He's fussing about us being closed and saying he's hungry and needs coffee. He goes on and on about how I'm just a "barista" and he's a big-shot hedge fund guy. His words? "That's what customer service is, dummy". I tried explaining that helping him would get me into trouble, maybe even cost me my job. He wasn’t having any of it and went on a rant about deserving respect.
The next thing I know, while I’m turned away for a bit to clear out leftover coffee and get ready to lock up, this guy is helping himself to muffins and biscotti from the display case. He even swipes a Coke. Doesn’t pay a dime, just leaves the case wide open. I shouted at him, but all I got was a rude gesture as he marched off, still ranting.
Still in shock, I quickly informed security. But then I noticed he'd forgotten something major: his Marriott room keys and rental car keys, complete with a rental company tag. This guy was clearly not a local. While I was still talking to security, I discreetly wrapped his keys in a cloth, pretending to clean the counter.
On my way out, I noticed him arguing with some security guards, probably because he couldn’t get back into the Marriott. As I was walking home, I reached a bridge and, well, let's just say those keys took a one-way trip into the river. Yeah, I guess that guy learned a lesson about respect that night.
65. From Sob Story To Most Wanted
So, I work at this place that repairs phones and computers. The other day, this lady, let's nickname her Wanda, walked in. Now, we do buy electronics, but only if we can resell them. We’re definitely not in the market for a decade-old iPhone, and no matter how pristine your gadget is, we're not dishing out 600 dollars.
Wanda called beforehand, asking for prices on three phones and a laptop. The two phones were ancient, and the laptop was an old Compaq. No way were we taking that. She shows up, claiming another branch of ours offered her 50 dollars for the phones and 150 for the laptop. I smelled a rat because I know the folks over there wouldn’t say that.
I offered her 30 bucks for the best phone out of the bunch and told her we're not interested in the others, especially not the beat-up Compaq. But Wanda kicked up a fuss, complaining about the quoted amount and insisting we buy her stuff.
Picture this: it was boiling hot in our store; the AC was busted. We were all pretty miserable. And Wanda just kept going on and on. To wrap things up, I handed over 50 dollars for the phone. She said she'd go to our other location to sell the rest. I thought that was the end of it. But NO.
She came back in half an hour, laying it thick with a pity party story to my colleague about her ill daughter. I let him handle it this time; I'd had enough. She pestered him until he reluctantly bought the laptop for a mere 10 bucks. But there was a plot twist in store for us.
When we checked the devices, a text on the phone read, "Return my laptop and everything you took, or I'm calling the authorities". A quick search revealed Wanda had a history—she was wanted for theft years ago in our area. We called the authorities, and the original owner got their laptop back.
Now, thanks to a couple of sweaty, fed-up employees, Wanda's on the run again, all over a 60-dollar hasty payout.
66. No Backup Plan
So, after buying a phone from me and being quite the handful, this customer left my shop and immediately dropped their new purchase. The phone broke into pieces, and you could see the regret on their face. Then, they boldly asked if I could add the warranty they had earlier brushed off as "too pricey".
I got to tell them, "Sorry, can't do that". They lost their cool, shouted at me, even tossed their busted phone my way. We had to call security. Thankfully, that was the last I saw of them.
67. Holding All The Strings
I handle service appointments for a big car brand. One day, a pretty snippy customer called needing her car fixed. I gave her the only slot we had left: early Monday at 7:30 am, even though I knew the repair would be super quick. A little win for me!
68. A Helping Hand
At my job, we couldn't chase anyone who swiped something once they left the store. So, one day, while chatting with the cool barista from the neighboring Starbucks, I spotted a guy swiping a coat. We both headed to the exit to block him, but he quickly dashed towards another way out.
I mentioned to the barista, "Bummer, we can't run after thieves once they're outside". She grinned, saying, "Well, I can!" and dashed after the guy. She managed to tackle him, and in the commotion, his fingers got tangled with the coat hanger.
Four of his fingers ended up broken, leaving only his middle finger unharmed. Talk about instant karma.
69. No Such Thing As A Free Drink
A customer insisted on getting a free birthday drink, something we didn't usually offer, especially if someone was being rude. I politely explained we couldn't offer that. While his girlfriend tried to ease the situation by offering to pay, he got aggressive, insisting on his freebie.
Standing my ground, I told him it wasn't going to happen. Frustrated, he made a snide comment to his girlfriend and pushed her slightly as they headed out. But the ground was wet from recent rain, and he ended up slipping and taking a tumble. Instant payback. I felt for the girlfriend, so I gave her a complimentary drink as her boyfriend huffed away.
70. A Screw Loose
So about a year back, a guy storms in, pretty mad, claiming we didn't put back all the screws in his laptop. Plus, he had some other issues with it. I tried finding his records in our system, but no luck. And honestly, I didn't recognize him at all. He might have been trying to pull a fast one, or maybe he was just mistaken about which shop he'd been to before.
I didn't make a big deal out of the screw situation; I have a whole stash of laptop screws. So I quickly fixed that for him. When he returned and saw the repair quote for the other issues, he kicked up a fuss, wanting a discount because of those "missing" screws. My boss, curious, asked him to point out where these screws were missing.
Stuck, he tries to pin it on me, saying I must've replaced them. My boss is clearly baffled by this. The more we tried to understand, the angrier he got. I just kept saying I wasn't sure about any missing screws in the first place. He got so worked up, he ended up slamming his laptop shut and stormed off.
Funny thing, a couple of days later, a lady walks in with the same laptop, now with a cracked screen, hoping we could fix it.
71. What’s Mine Is Yours
My family once had some rental properties in a not-so-great area before we developed the land. Unfortunately, some of our renters weren't the most responsible folks around.
Several times, they just wouldn't pay rent. In Canada, the rental rules make it tough for landlords. You can give them an eviction notice, but if they don’t want to move, you're in for a lengthy process. And you can't just toss them out. So, we found a little workaround. When we were sure the renters were out, we'd take off all the doors.
We never entered the property, so it was all legit. Surprisingly, most folks would pack up and leave soon after that.
72. An Extra Special Order
I once had a summer gig at Roy Roger's. Not a fan of the cashier role, but my decent English skills landed me the job upfront. One day, a couple of girls I recognized walked in, wanting some fried chicken meals. They were a little short on cash—could only afford one meal between them.
I knew one of the girls, aware that her family struggled financially even though her parents both worked multiple jobs. It was clear she might be really hungry. So, I billed them for just one meal, sneaked in a second one, and added some fries. I gave them a little nod to just go along with it, and they left. But of course, there was a twist.
The next customer, a notorious complainer, saw the whole thing and threatened to tattle unless she got something extra. I didn't want any hassle, but I wasn't about to be bullied either. So, I went to the back, picked up some chicken that had accidentally dropped on the floor earlier, and handed it to her as her "special treat".
73. The Magic Olive And Friends
I once had a stint at Olive Garden. Some servers had this peculiar way of dealing with difficult customers: they'd use what they called the "Magic Olive". To put it mildly, it was an olive that was... well, stored in an unpleasant and unhygienic location for a brief period.
This olive would then be sneakily added to the iconic large bowl of salad and served to the unsuspecting troublemaker. Every time I saw this happen, the customer inevitably felt ill afterwards.
One regular fell for it but came back a week later. He mentioned getting sick but said he couldn't resist our delicious dishes. This got me thinking about my own way of handling challenging customers. I remember one guy who complained incessantly—he claimed his drink had too much ice, said his breadsticks were cold, and even tossed some at me.
I decided to serve him with exceptional care. After preparing his order, I brought it to his table, apologizing for the oversight. I told him I'd gone the extra mile with his food to make amends. I encouraged him to try the salad, hinting I'd added a special touch. As he took a bite, I gave him a knowing smile, and simply asked if it tasted as good as it appeared.
He paused, looking a bit shocked, and just left without a word, leaving his salad untouched on the sidewalk. It reminded me of that age-old wisdom: "Always be kind to the folks preparing your meals".
74. Dine And Dash
My friend, whom we'll name Bart, had this habit of spending quite a bit at restaurants but never leaving a tip. Now, I'm not a server, but I wash dishes at a popular local eatery. The staff there are some of the kindest folks around, so I get why skipping out on a tip is a big deal.
One time, Bart and I were dining at Ruby Tuesday's along with a few friends. While Bart's bill was around $35, mine was just $12 (I'm on a tight budget). We chose to get a single bill for both of us. Throughout our meal, Bart kept making unnecessary remarks about our server—how she didn't fit the part, how he earned more than her, and so on.
When it came time to pay, he tossed in his $35 and expected me to handle the tip. When I suggested splitting the tip, he dismissed me, saying I didn’t "get how things are done". Knowing that I'm usually generous with tips, he probably thought I'd cover his share. That's when I had an idea. I told him I'd handle the entire bill.
Surprised, Bart said, "Strange, considering you earn much less than I do. But sure, I didn't want to spend anyway". As he headed to the restroom, I seized my chance. I informed the waitress that Bart would be settling the bill for both of us. I then made my exit, considering I was his ride home.
Later, I found out Bart returned from the bathroom, found out I'd left, and tried to dash without paying. The staff were about to report him when he reluctantly agreed to pay. Unfortunately for him, he was short on cash. After blaming the whole situation on me, he ended up walking a long 17 miles to his car because he couldn’t afford a cab. We've not spoken since.
A week later, I bumped into that same waitress at a gas station, and we shared a good laugh over the whole thing.
75. Moving On Up
I was waiting in line behind this super picky lady. As the cashier was scanning her items, she insisted, “Hey, you've got that wrong. It's supposed to be Y, not X”. So, the cashier adjusted it...and the price actually went up. She laughed and said, "Guess I should've stayed quiet, right?"
76. Too Hot To Handle
I used to whip up pizzas at a cozy joint in Houston up until last month. The setup was such that I could see and interact with the customers from the kitchen. We catered to an upscale crowd, and to be honest, a lot of them weren't the nicest. This one dude, though, took the cake for rudeness.
He flipped out when our sweet 17-year-old cashier told him we don't accept Discover cards. He went off on her, saying all sorts of mean things and even tried playing the "I own a restaurant" card as if that'd help. Seeing her almost cry, I knew I had to step in somehow. This guy had ordered our spicy wings.
Normally, we'd use Frank's hot sauce, but this time, I switched it up and added a generous helping of our ultra-hot "Ground Zero" sauce—the kind that's so hot it practically clears the room when opened. As he took a bite, I saw him pause and then suddenly panic. And to add to his misery, he got some in his eye.
After the initial shock, he turned surprisingly calm. My boss thought it was the funniest thing, and I felt like I'd served up a slice of justice.
77. Probably Still Sleeping…
I'm a barista at a local coffee joint. We give discounts for refills, provided the container is within a certain size. One day, a dude walks in with this enormous thermos, like half a gallon or something, demanding the discounted rate. After a bit of back and forth about our size policy, we settle on a price. But then, he's not done.
Instead of just rinsing his thermos with hot water like everyone else, he wanted it rinsed with coffee. Why? He believed water would water down his brew. His gigantic thermos needed more coffee than our machine could make in one go. Plus, he was quite impatient about it, not even minding the growing line behind him.
So, the next day when he came, I filled his thermos with old decaf. Haven't spotted him after that.
78. You Don’t Get To Choose Your Nickname
I used to sling drinks behind the bar. There was this one lady who came in pretty often. Honestly, she was a handful—always being rude to the staff and other guests. To make matters worse, she was related to one of the big bosses at the resort where I worked. So, we had to be super careful around her, or risk our jobs.
One evening, I decided to have a little fun after she'd been especially rude. She ordered her usual California cooler, and just as luck would have it, we'd just emptied an olive jar. "I'll bring it over to you," I said with a wink to my co-workers.
What she didn't know was that I poured most of her drink away and replaced it with the leftover juice from the olive jar. And can you believe it? She downed the whole thing without a clue. From then on, we secretly called her "Olive". Every time she walked in, we'd say, "Hey, Olive!"
She seemed to like the attention and never questioned the origin of her new nickname.
79. Overreaction Much?
A few years back, I worked at this cozy movie theater. One day, a dad strolled in with his wife and four kids, all excited to watch Pirates of the Caribbean 2. I handed him the tickets and casually mentioned, "Hold onto these; they're also your proof of purchase".
Now, our tickets were like those you see at fairs—print, rip, and share. To process any refunds, I'd need both parts of the ticket. But this genius tossed all of his away. Shortly after settling in, he stormed out, ranting about the theater being too outdated and demanding a refund.
My manager, trying to be understanding, said we'd refund him. All we needed were those ticket stubs. When I reminded him of this, he lost it—banging on the counter, then booting the trash can, scattering rubbish everywhere. That's when I called the authorities. They showed up and things took a turn.
They had to pin him down right in front of his family since he wouldn't cooperate. And after all that, they never got their refund. The irony is, if he'd just kept his cool, I would've jotted down some numbers and sorted everything out. No fuss.
80. Getting Sassed Back
I run a plus-size women's clothing shop near Baltimore. Interestingly, our clientele isn't just women; we often serve guys needing outfits for charity events, cross-dressers, genderfluid folks, trans women, and even drag queens.
One day, a drag queen, all dolled up, probably from a recent show, stopped by to pick up shoes she'd ordered online. As I was getting her details, another lady walked in. I warmly said, "Hi! Just a sec, and I'll help you out". I headed to the storage area to find the drag queen's shoes among the online orders. Took me a bit to find them.
But as I was heading back to the counter, the second customer, quite abruptly, blocked my way. She complained, "I've been waiting forever, and no one's acknowledged me!" Which was odd because I did greet her, and she'd been in for like five minutes tops.
Before I could even respond, the drag queen marched over, shot the lady a fierce look, and said, "Darling, she did greet you," complete with those iconic hand gestures. She then turned to me, made a grand display of appreciation for the shoes, and planted a glittery kiss on my cheek before swishing out.
The slightly embarrassed customer quietly bought her stuff, avoiding my gaze as I wished her a lovely day.
81. A Lesson They Won’t Forget
While working at a convenience store, I noticed a pair of 13-year-olds sneakily eyeing the place. After I attended to another customer, my colleague whispered to me that the kids had swiped a watch from the counter. I handed my co-worker the cash register duties and quickly found the boys in a nearby alley.
I called them back into the store, trying to get them to confess to the theft. I fibbed a bit, saying, "We have surveillance cameras, you know. I reviewed the footage after you left". Truth is, we didn't have any cameras. After a few minutes of denials and excuses, they fessed up.
I then offered them a way out, saying I wouldn't report them if they just returned the watch. They said they had ditched it on the neighboring movie rental store's roof. Hoping to instill some responsibility, I told them they'd have to compensate for the watch, which was just ten bucks.
As one kid left to fetch the money, I asked his friend to stay, ensuring the other would return. He came back with just $4, not nearly enough. In their desperation to make things right (and without telling me), they actually scaled the rental place to retrieve the watch, climbing a rickety pipe and navigating air conditioning units.
When they returned, they were visibly shaken. I asked, "Will you ever take something that doesn't belong to you again?" Their trembling response was a stuttered, "N-n-no, sir". Weeks later, I was visiting some high school pals. As I walked past a group of younger kids, I recognized the duo.
They looked startled to see me, their fingers twitching, likely recalling the day they learned a hard lesson.
82. Your Daily Bread
During my teenage years, I had a job at our neighborhood grocery store. I started as a bagger but soon moved up to cashier. There was this one lady who'd always pick my line, and let's just say she wasn't the friendliest. It felt like she deliberately chose my lane just to give me a hard time.
On one particular day, I wasn't feeling great. I suffer from chronic migraines, and that morning, I had woken up with a throbbing headache. Thankfully, the worst of it passed before my shift, but I still felt the after-effects. I even told my boss I wasn't at my best, but he asked me to stay.
As fate would have it, that lady showed up in my line again. True to form, she kept nagging and nitpicking. When I got to her loaf of bread and scanned it, she snapped, yelling, "CAN YOU PLEASE NOT DESTROY MY BREAD?” Honestly? I just hit my limit with her that day.
Maybe it wasn't my finest moment, but I couldn't help myself. I held up the bread by its top end, and said, "You think this is squished?" I then proceeded to whack that bread against the counter, the belt, and everything around, breaking the bag and scattering slices everywhere.
I said, "Now it's squished," and walked off. Sure, I got a write-up and had to take a few days off, but the silver lining was that lady never came to my line again.
83. How Do You Say “ You’re Screwed” In French?
Back in the day, I worked at HP, helping set up paid repairs for business printers. Even though we catered to the UK market, our office was in Paris. A lot of folks wouldn't pay attention to the menu options and would just pick any department. If they landed on us and we weren't the right fit for their issue, some would just start yelling.
If they really got under our skin, here's what we'd do to cause a little mischief: We'd connect them to a random business in Paris and just eavesdrop. It was pretty hilarious hearing them trying to vent, especially since most of the time, the person on the other end didn't even understand English.
84. An Ear For An Ear
I used to mix drinks at a new nightclub. For some reason, we had these heavy glass ashtrays on the bar. One evening, after a guy had a few too many, I decided he shouldn’t have any more drinks. He got super upset and chucked one of those ashtrays at me. I managed to duck, but my co-bartender wasn't so fortunate.
It slammed into his ear, badly injuring it. Without even thinking, I reacted by smashing the two bottles I was holding onto the guy. One was a heavy bottle, and it shattered upon impact. He was on the ground in no time, and our security was quick to haul him out. It's not a moment I'm proud of, but he had it coming.
85. Playing The Short Game
I work as a public defender, and while it might not seem like a typical service job, I'm out here helping people who can't afford legal representation. One time, I had a client with serious addiction issues who'd gotten into some deep trouble involving her daughter.
She was up for child endangerment and possession charges. The best deal on the table? Three years behind bars. When I broke the news to her, she lost it, saying she deserved better. I tried explaining the strong evidence against her, especially since her own daughter was set to testify.
Instead of listening, she threw insults my way, labeled me "ineffective," and then let me go. Next thing I know, she's hired a private lawyer for a whopping $8,000. How she got that money, I can only guess. This new lawyer promised her the moon, assuring her a win at trial. But when the day came, it was clear he was out of his depth.
The trial barely lasted a few hours, and the jury made up their minds super quickly. In the end, she got a 10-year sentence. It was a reminder that sometimes, it's best to listen to advice when it's given.
86. A McSlam Dunk
I once worked at a Comcast store. One day, this guy storms in, convinced we'd overcharged him. I check his bill and surprise, surprise—he hadn't paid in two months. I mentioned this to him, saying, "Looks like you've missed a couple of payments".
Maybe it was the way I said it, but he suddenly started criticizing my customer service, suggesting I should be flipping burgers instead. On impulse, I shot back, "Well, if I took that job, where would you be working?" Say what you will about Comcast, but getting one over on that guy made my day.
87. He Knows When He’s Been Beat
I once witnessed a guy being really nasty to the waitresses, just acting like a complete pain. Then, he flagged down the only male waiter there.
Guy: I need another drink.
Waiter: We're out, I'm afraid...
Guy: What? Just get me the drink!
Waiter: We're out... for YOU.
With that, the waiter walked away. The obnoxious guy, much to my amazement, quietly made his exit.
88. A Family Affair
I work as a server. One day, a host directed me to a table with a couple and their young child. They sat close, shared some affection, so it was clear they were together. The lady, though, looked significantly older. Throughout the meal, she was quite abrasive. Her order for eggs was confusing: she asked for them "over easy hard".
Trying to clarify, our conversation went something like:
Me: So, you can have your eggs "over easy" which will be a bit runny, or "over hard" which means they're fully cooked. Which would you prefer?
Her, condescendingly: You really don’t know, do you?
Me, puzzled: Sorry?
Her: Can you get someone who actually knows how to make my eggs?
Me: I understand how eggs are cooked, but "over easy hard" doesn't make sense. Would "over medium" work?
Her, sarcastically: Is it really that challenging to serve eggs?
Finally, I had enough. I relayed her order to the chef, who was also confused. I just told him to make them over medium, thinking maybe that's what she wanted. When I served her, she was visibly frustrated.
Her, exasperated: Was my order too complex? Can no one here cook eggs right?
I decided to go for a bold move.
"Ma'am, I'm truly sorry. Allow me to comp your meal for you, your son, and your grandson".
She looked like she was about to explode.
"THIS IS MY HUSBAND, NOT MY SON!"
She demanded to speak to the manager. While he gave me a good talking-to in the back, he couldn't definitively say I was trying to be mean. I didn’t even get a formal warning. That day felt like a small victory.
89. The Most Satisfying Monkey’s Paw
I used to wait tables at a resort. We had this guest, the classic "I'm in charge" kind of guy, leading a group of his buddies. As I informed everyone that we were out of a particular dish, we moved on to taking their orders. But when it was his turn...
Him: "I'd like the DISH".
Me: "Sorry, sir, but as I mentioned, we're out of DISH".
Him: "I could just call my close friend, the GENERAL MANAGER, and see if he has any".
Me: "Feel free, but that business card you picked up at the entrance is just for the office. Plus, the general manager is the one who informed me we're out of DISH. If you gave your 'close friend' a heads up, maybe we could have reserved some for you".
It might not seem like a big deal, but for this guy, with his buddies watching, it was a knockout. He tried to recover.
Him: "If you can't stock your food, we should've chosen another place".
Me, sensing an opportunity: "Great idea, sir. Would you like me to see if there's space at our steakhouse?"
Him, with a smirk: "Yes, perhaps they can actually serve some food".
While he tried to rally his friends, implying we messed up, they all looked at him as if he was making a fool of himself. But I had one more card to play. I called the steakhouse and reserved a table for just ONE. Returning, I said:
Me: "Good news, sir! The steakhouse has a table for you ready to go".
Him, trying to sound sarcastic: "Finally, SOME service". Turning to his friends, "Let's move, guys".
Me: "Apologies, sir, I booked just for you. I assumed your friends were staying since they ordered from our available menu".
Before he could react, one of his buddies piped up.
Buddy: "Go ahead. We'll join you for drinks at the bar later".
Embarrassed, the guy left in silence. Once he was gone, the remaining group shared a chuckle, hinting this guy's reputation was on thin ice.
Later, my manager approached me, saying the guy had complained about me. I explained the situation, and the manager decided to check with the group. They had my back, praising me and expressing their annoyance with their friend's behavior. The manager shrugged it off, and everything went back to normal.
If there's a takeaway from this, it's this: Nothing annoys difficult people more than getting exactly what they ask for, in unexpected ways.
90. Freedom Fries
I was at the register in a ski resort cafe when this teenager strolled up holding some French fries. He told me he didn't have any cash and asked if he could just get them on the house. I responded, "Sorry, the fries are for those who pay". I then took the fries back and, for added effect, ate one right there.
He was speechless, but his buddy burst into laughter and said sorry on his behalf. When I looked back, my colleagues were grinning, clearly impressed with the way I handled it.
Flickr, Marco Verch Professional Photographer
91. The Puppet Master
There was this realtor who often came into our computer store, and we had a nickname for him, "Mr Temper". One moment he'd be fine, and the next, he'd be shouting and trying to use his stature to scare others.
Several times, he upset our female colleagues to the point of tears. Eventually, my boss banned him from the store, though I wasn't present for his last blowup. Fast forward two years, I was shopping at Safeway and overheard someone fussing over an expired Muscle Milk coupon.
To my surprise, it was Mr Temper. Now that I didn't have to worry about my job, I confronted him, saying he had no right to shout at the cashier. He threatened to fight me outside, to which I coolly replied, "Should I remind your wife about those suspicious emails you sent out on craigslist?" Recognizing me, he stopped cold.
He left without a word, knocking over a chip display on his way. The grateful cashier and I hit it off, and we went out for a short while after that.
92. Double Whammy
A guy walks into our shop acting really difficult. He looked young, probably no older than 20, but refused to show an ID for some drinks. He was also loudly complaining and using bad language. To top it off, he had taken up a parking space meant for people with disabilities without any proper permit on his car. But karma had his number.
One of my regulars, a local deputy sheriff, happened to be there too. He noticed the guy's behavior and his parking choice. So, he stepped outside, took out his citation pad, and started writing a ticket. The difficult guy soon realized he wasn’t getting his drinks and stormed out, only to discover he was getting fined.
93. Show Me The Money
I work at a bar/restaurant and always strive to be kind and honest, even with challenging customers. But last night, my patience was tested. A customer tipped me $4 on a $103 bill and accidentally left her debit card behind. When she came back to retrieve it the next day, I handed it to her directly.
Wrapped around her card was the duplicate receipt, clearly showing the tip amount. I gave her a cheerful "thank you" and could sense she felt a bit awkward. Honestly, I didn't do anything wrong. If you're going to tip so low for good service and then forget your card, a little discomfort seems fair.
94. Switching Sides
I work at a family law firm. One day, a lady called, and she refused to talk to my colleague because she thought he "sounded gay". She wanted to speak with a supervisor, which is me. After hearing her comments from my colleague, I still took the call.
She identified herself as a "devout Christian" and expressed her desire to revoke her ex-husband’s parental rights since he was moving in with his "non-believer boyfriend". She was adamant about not exposing her child to such an environment. After gathering the necessary details and ending the call gracefully, I discarded her details.
Then, I reached out to the ex-husband and offered our services for free.
95. Doggone It
I work in a warehouse. To shop, customers need to flash a membership card, and we've got a no-pets rule since we sell food. One day, a guy breezes in with a pit bull pup. When we pointed out our pet policy, he flipped out.
He bragged about being a regular and even owning shares in our company. He wanted to know why dogs weren't allowed. We tried explaining the potential health risks, especially with a young pup. Our manager, wanting to avoid confrontation, just let him in. Well, it backfired spectacularly.
The puppy did its business, both pee and poop, right in a busy aisle. Mortified, the guy tried to dash out, leaving his cart behind. We stopped him and gently reminded him to clean up after his dog, adding, "This is exactly why we have the rule, sir".
96. An Act Of God Indeed
I once had a manager who was, let's say, less than stellar. She was always playing favorites, doling out gifts to her chosen few in full view of everyone, even if they weren't fond of her. She'd also deliberately mess up shifts for those she wasn't keen on. You get the picture.
One day, there was a massive storm brewing, the kind where the news advises everyone to bunker down and many businesses decide to close up. But did she shut our store? Nope. And while schools closed and most of our staff couldn’t make it, she gave her favorite few a free pass, telling them to stay home.
So, there we were, a handful of us, staring out at the storm, marveling at the intense wind bending trees. No customers in sight, and all our tasks were done. But instead of understanding, she started lecturing us, threatening with write-ups. We were genuinely concerned about our safety and the possibility of making it home.
Then, out of nowhere, we heard this intense crashing sound. Our store's massive rooftop air conditioner was blown off by the storm. It tumbled and crashed right onto her parked car. And not just any car, but her fancy BMW, which, we later found out, wasn't even fully paid off.
To add to the irony, she had parked in a spot we were all told to avoid, while the rest of us had parked safely away. Turns out, her insurance didn’t cover the damage because it was deemed an "act of god". I mean, the whole scene was so bizarre, it felt like something out of a movie.
97. Pre-Teen Power Trip
I once had a job at a cinema, way back in 1977. Back then, it was pretty common for someone to buy a single ticket and then sneak their buddies in through a side exit. This was way before we had cameras or alarms to catch them in the act.
What I'd do is remember where these sneaky groups were sitting. Since I'd seen the same films countless times, I knew exactly when the best scenes were coming up. Just at the climax, I'd walk in, shine my flashlight on them, and show them the exit. It felt pretty good, having that little bit of control as a young guy.
After a while, a group of regulars caught on and decided to warm me up with a drink before the show, hoping I'd turn a blind eye.
98. Typical Karen
Back when I was a server, I had this habit of recording my customers' orders. I mean, I trust my memory but my handwriting? Not so much. To avoid messing up, I opted for recording. My boss was cool with it and even put up a sign letting customers know that some of us might record for order precision.
So here's the drill: I'd ask each diner for their name before jotting down any orders. Now, there was this one lady, let's call her Karen, who asked for her steak well-done. Not my preference, but hey, to each their own. But when the food arrived, she claimed she'd asked for it medium rare. Oops.
This started a whole dramatic scene with her getting really mad, throwing in some choice words, and demanding my manager. I kept my cool, apologized, and then said, "Shall we hear the recording?" When I played back her clearly stating her well-done preference, the surprise on her face was something else.
She tried to deny it was her voice, but come on, she was the only steak order at that table. Her buddies just couldn’t stop chuckling.
99. She Got A Doggone Sweet Surprise
So I used to tidy up a local gymnastics place over weekends. The owner sometimes rented it out for birthday bashes and a coach would be around to oversee. One day, as I'm wrapping up my cleaning, this car rolls up way earlier than the party's starting time. To make things interesting, the gym's power was off because of some lighting work.
A lady gets out of the car, marches upstairs, but soon storms down looking super mad. She zooms up to me, fuming, "Why's there no electricity? I need to set up! How can I when it's so dark?" I was taken aback and told her she shouldn't be there till the coach comes, as per gym rules.
She completely lost it, shouting about how she can come anytime she wants and how I'm just a kid who shouldn't boss her around. I responded, "Okay, but you're not getting any power for another 45 minutes. Maybe chill in your car till the coach arrives?"
She made a big scene, tried to angrily shut the door, and then tried reaching out to the owner. When the coach showed up, I filled her in on the drama. I also left a heads-up note for the owner and gave her a call. After that, I just headed home.
Next day, I dropped by to collect my pay. The owner reassured me that I handled the situation well. And then, the juicy details poured in. Turns out, the same lady gave the coach a hard time, overstayed her booking by an hour, and didn’t even pay up.
While everyone was inside, her dog sneakily ate half the cake she left in the car. She brushed it off, suggesting they just eat around the dog-bitten part. But the real fiasco? A bit later, she rushes back to the gym, grabs tons of paper towels, and dashes back to her car.
The cake adventure left her pup with an upset tummy, leading to a massive mess all over her car—we're talking seats, floors, and even the dashboard. Yep, a car turned disaster zone.
100. You Got Told
I used to work at this brunch hotspot, and let me tell you, Mother's Day was our craziest day. So, the night before, this guy calls wanting a table for six. When I explained there's no way we could squeeze him in, he went ballistic, demanding to chat with my boss.
Now, I hesitated because my manager, Mac, wasn't exactly Mr Sunshine, especially during a hectic dinner service. But seeing I was tied up on the call, Mac stepped in, curious about what was going on. Thinking, "Well, maybe he can handle it," I handed over the phone.
Mac asked the caller what he wanted, listened briefly, and then pretty much said, "Look, you've kept my hostess on the line despite her telling you there's no space, right on the eve of our busiest day? Not cool, man". And just like that, he hung up.
101. What He Does In The Shadows
I used to help folks with online banking queries. One day, this young guy, about 18, rings up. He's noticed a $7 charge labeled “allpay” and instantly thinks the bank—and yours truly—are swindling him out of his money.
Soon enough, his dad's on the line, backing up his son's wild theory, even though my job's simply about guiding people through online banking. I figured I'd dig deeper, so I reached out to our debit card team for more insight. And did they deliver.
I got to tell the dad, "Hey, thanks for waiting. So, I've got the scoop. That “allpay” is a kind of discreet label for a subscription to, well, adult content online. Seems your son signed up for some mature entertainment. Do you wanna break the news to him or should I?"
The dad just mumbled something about not needing to investigate any further, said his thanks, and quickly hung up.
Sources: Reddit, , , , , , , , , , 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31
