Karens are on the loose, wreaking havoc left, right, and center. Luckily, with karma hot on their heels, none of them are safe from the sweet burn of justice.
1. Can’t Keep Up
During the absolute chaos of the weekend before Christmas, a difficult customer (let's call her Karen) started complaining to anyone within earshot about the disarray in our shop. The manager had just relieved one of our employees at the changing rooms and was busy tidying up the clothing. Karen attempted to assert that our place was in disorder and utterly disastrous for shopping.
The reaction of the manager will go down in history. She said to Karen, "Madam, our store looks disorganized at the moment simply because it's a popular shopping spot. The primary reason is because of customers like you who avoid cleaning up after themselves. It's not the actions of our staff causing the disorder.
There are simply more of you, customers, than us." At that moment, I witnessed Karen lose steam.
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2. A Hair-Raising Tale
Back in my days in the restaurant industry, we had a tricky customer. She would finish a salad and then craftily slip a hair into the bowl to get a refund. Instead, we'd offer her a free item from the bakery as an apology, only for the cycle to repeat. It reached a point where she started doing this daily.
Eventually, the manager insisted on having a sit-down with her. At her regular table, he flatly told her that this was her last meal in our cafe. We were declining her refund that day, with a ban on service in the future.
When she began to argue about 'the customer always being right,' he already had a sharp comeback. He stopped her with a wave of his hand and said, “You're causing us daily losses. Far from being our customer, you're a liability. We can't welcome you here anymore.”
Regrettably, it took an awkwardly long time for this issue to be addressed. Working in training support, I heard about it during a class for entry-level customer service associates. They had been tolerating her antics for weeks, hopefully waiting for her to stop on her own.
I'm not sure how aware the managers were, but I reported to their General Manager and District Manager after class. By the end of that week, they had effectively handled it.
3. Minding Other People’s Business
Once, an elderly lady sitting at my table inquired about my mother’s views on my tattoos. I countered with, “Well, my dad doesn't really mind.” She didn’t quite catch my drift, maybe I wasn't clear enough. Persistently she asked, “And your mom?” I had to tell her: “She's passed away. She doesn't do much thinking now.”
But did she leave it at that? No way. Her logic seemed warped on this occasion. Surprisingly, she then blurted out: “Did she die from SHAME?” I calmly responded with, “No, she died of breast cancer.” I left their check on the table and walked off. They hadn't finished their meal, but it seemed her company was ready to call it a day then and there.
4. Is The Cup Half Empty, Or Half Full?
I still smile when I remember this funny incident I was part of. A friend of mine was serving a table with a young kid, about eight or ten. He had given her a grown-up glass for her apple juice. The dad quickly objected, saying he didn't want his daughter to consume so much sugar, and requested a smaller, kid-sized glass instead.
My friend calmly explained that all our glasses are the same capacity, the adult ones just appear bigger due to their thick bases. The dad insisted, somewhat rudely, that the adult glass was obviously larger and reiterated that he didn't want his child taking in so much sugar.
My friend, being the cheeky sort, just responded with an over-the-top, exaggerated nod, before disappearing into our service alley behind the bar.
This is where he executed his hilarious plan. He reappeared soon with a children's cup, placed it next to the original glass, then slowly poured the juice from the adult glass into the new one. He held the adult glass higher and higher until the last drop fell perfectly into the smaller one, all the while not uttering a single word.
And then he sprinted off to the kitchen, without even sparing the dad a glance, like he didn't even matter. I couldn't hold myself back and burst into laughter.
5. A Taste Of Her Own Medicine
When my boyfriend was 14, he lived with his mom and sister in an apartment complex. He enjoyed letting daylight into his room on the second floor, so he'd often leave his curtains open throughout the day. This included times when he got dressed or finished a shower—meaning that if somebody purposefully looked into his window, they could catch a glimps of him from the waist up.
This, however, didn't sit well with a particular neighbor. She decided to storm over to their apartment door one day, berating my boyfriend’s mom and calling her son an embarrassment because he was seen 'naked' by her daughter.
It was at this point his mom explained he had every right to live freely within his own bedroom and suggested that if they didn't appreciate the view, they could simply look away.
A few days passed, and much to everyone's surprise, the police showed up at this neighbor's house. As it turned out, in an attempt to gather 'evidence' of my boyfriend's alleged misconduct to potentially get them evicted, this neighbor had been taking videos and photos of my boyfriend.
But her plan backfired horribly. The apartment management ended up alerting the police about her invasive actions, resulting in her and her family being the ones to face eviction instead.
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6. Planning For The Future
This story isn't about me, but my boss. In the shop where I'm employed, there's a lady who shows up every Sunday, without fail. And just as reliably as she shows up, she also complains each time. No matter what's happening in the shop or what she's shopping for, she inevitably discovers something to grumble about.
So, on her most recent visit, she declared, "I won't be returning." And my boss, cool as could be, responded, "Okay, see you next week!"
7. Like Taking Candy From A Baby
About sixty minutes ago, I was out doing my grocery shopping. I spotted some chocolate bars that I fancied and decided to grab a few. That's when an expression that could only be described as a high decibel protest erupted from a young boy who must've been around five or six years old. He was tugging strenuously at his mom's arm, pointing at my chocolate bars, and demanding that she get some for him.
At which point his mother turns to me and complains, “Do you really need to grab those right in front of my son?” I'm left thinking—Excuse me? The mother then rudely adds, “Don't you understand that's causing my child distress?” My position: Well, I think that's your issue, not mine.
Mother: (While oscillating between trying to manage her out-of-control child and enlightening me on etiquette) You need to return those. My son only started to crave chocolate when he saw you with them. Please return them. Right now! You can always grab some later. You're making him jealous!
I just responded with a smile and made my way back to the chocolate aisle. But instead of returning them, I decided to add a few more to my basket. Her face was a picture! My action earned me a scowl from her and triggered an encore tantrum from her son. Was my response childishly vengeful? Absolutely. But did it bring me a dose of quiet pleasure? You bet!
8. Language Barrier
In all my time in retail, I've never seen such a humorous response from a customer service employee. We had this customer who was unfairly harsh towards our cashier, who happens to be gay. Her response was uncalled for:
"Apologies, I don't understand gay language." But, keeping his cool, the cashier quickly shut her down: "No worries, I'm quite proficient in understanding difficult people."
9. Making A Snap Decision
This story isn't about a diner or a shop, but rather a university's guest information center. It was during our Education Week festivities, an event designed to showcase our educational programs to parents from all around the nation. At one point, an obnoxious woman marched up to the desk, snapped her fingers in the face of a student working there, and demanded, “Tell me where the Marriott Center is.”
Without missing a beat, the student worker snapped his fingers back at her and calmly replied, “Try again."
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10. Getting The Vapors
I wait tables at a bar and I'm seven months pregnant. Of course, I don't drink while pregnant or at work. Once, this woman, Karen, walked in with her family wanting lunch. We're a bar, but we do have snacks like sandwiches and wings.
Handing them the menus, Karen questions if I work there due to my pregnancy. I chuckle, assuring her that I only work, not drink here. She seems doubtful about my responsibility as a parent in this environment. Normally, I don't get defensive, but this time I did.
The conversation didn't go well; they waved me off. I was expecting no tip but was hoping the discussion ended there. But nope. They were calling for the bartender, likely for the manager, since they weren't happy seeing a pregnant woman working here.
This place only has servers, bartenders, and co-owners. The co-owner on duty was busy and might get irritated if I interrupted her but, I had to. Karen was adamant about speaking with her.
Introducing the manager, she asked if they needed assistance. And their ground-breaking revelation was the obvious—I was pregnant. The owner assured them that none of us drinks on duty, especially not me being pregnant. They started arguing over religious beliefs, child safety, and the thought of me being around alcohol was simply unacceptable.
Karen wanted me out of the place, advocating for child protection in her own absurd ways. The owner calmly asked them to leave, in vain, while Karen went on a strange unjustified rant.
They finally called in the authorities, claiming they were witnessing child endangerment. The officers stated that despite the parameters of it being not advised, it wasn't against the law. Karen was horrified. The officers offered to speak with me and provide some resources for new mothers. Patrons, who were at this point more concerned about me, started offering their support.
Eventually, the officers asked the Karen family to leave after the owner notified them of the ongoing trespassing. Karen was still making a scene as she was walked out. On their way out, they threatened to report us to the liquor authority that we were serving minors. We underwent an investigation, but of course, it came out clean. But yeah, that was quite a day!
11. Hitting Where It Hurts
I'm currently employed at a retail outlet. Not too long ago, a distinctly discourteous shopper unleashed a fit of rage on me, yelling, "Don't you have a REAL job?" Feeling fed up, I chose to retaliate.
My response was: "Well, if I did, what would you have left to gripe and grumble about?" As expected, she didn't find my remark particularly hilarious. Nonetheless, it did make me feel quite satisfied!
12. Putting Two And Two Together
I'm employed at a neighborhood pub. On one occasion, a group of rowdy, inebriated patrons were causing havoc, wasting our staff's time, and disturbing other customers. I was not having a single second of it. Eventually, I approached them and expressed there was a problem.
I said, "Our manager has determined that you all need to exit. We do have the right to decline service to anyone, and your actions certainly justify this."
The most vocal person in the group retorted, "Fine, if you push us out, we'll never return here." To this, I calmly responded, "That's exactly the goal. I kindly ask you to leave."
13. Spoiling Her Big Plans
So, a grumpy shopper walked into the store I work at one day and stated, "I'm not a fan of (insert anything here), is the boss around? We're acquainted!"
In a heartbeat, I was all bubbly and replied, "Wow, what a coincidence! I'm familiar with the boss as well! Sadly, he's not around at the moment, but as the on-duty manager today, I'm at your service." She, however, didn't find it funny.
14. The Old Switcharoo
Back when I was a waiter, I had a reputation for going above and beyond. I was the guy who always remembered to refill the drinks, brought out additional lemons when requested, and ensured a whole glass of ice for those who liked their drinks extra cold. You bet, I was the one who scribbled down each and every order, despite it being far easier to just memorize the list.
One super hectic Friday night, I had a large party of around 20 tables. The kitchen was in a frenzy. All seemed well until I started serving the drinks and salads. One lady kicked up a fuss saying I had gotten her entire order wrong— from her salad dressing to the lemon in her drink to the ice quantity.
I decided to be the bigger person and politely rectify her so-called 'mistakes', knowing full well I hadn't messed up.
Then came the main course. Things spiraled downwards quickly. The lady vented her anger at me, insulting my professional skills. I calmly complimented her on the wonderful example she was setting on how to treat others, not to mention her colorful choice of words.
I showed her my notes where I had meticulously taken down her specifications—the salad type she wanted, her preferred dressing on the side, even the straw hidden under her bread plate asserting that I indeed served it.
I highlighted that I clearly overheard her tell her sister that she preferred another dish and suggested that it would have been better if she had just requested me to alter her order instead of unfairly criticizing me. I hinted that perhaps next time she should be mindful of the server's presence before making such comments.
I then offered to get her the dish she genuinely wanted, cautioning that it could take another 10 minutes. The room went silent. Then came the satisfying climax.
The lady's father gently chided her for her actions, insisting it was high time she was held accountable. To show his appreciation for me, he tipped me a hundred bucks, giving me a firm handshake, and a word of thanks.
15. The Ranch Lifestyle
I was working with another waiter to cater to a party of 40 guests. While rushing out with plates in hand, one lady requested me to bring her a side of ranch dressing. In midst of juggling the serving, she kept repeating her request every time I came out with a fresh set of plates. I prioritized keeping the hot meals rolling over her side of ranch, which resulted in me essentially forgetting about her request.
She hung around even after everyone else had left. All the while, remember, she was a guest at this business opportunity meet-up where the meal was on the house. Once alone, she condescendingly questioned me about her ignored ranch request. I blurted out a simple "no" without a second thought.
Hearing this, she flies off the handle and begins shouting at me. Maintaining my cool, since people react more when you show calmness amid their fury, I light-heartedly responded, "Alright, maybe cool down a bit," which only fueled her anger. So, I repeated, "Okay, but perhaps lower your voice." This time, it seemed to hit home.
It was as if a moment of self-awareness washed over her. Her reaction to my straightforward reply wasn't clever, yet it made her reflect upon her escalated mood. Experiencing that switch was indeed satisfying.
16. Getting A Little Salty
Once, a guy requested some pepper at the table, which I readily provided. As I was leaving, he snapped his fingers, exclaiming "This pepper isn't coarse enough!" I apologized and informed him that we only had that type of pepper. He then responded, "Hmm, okay, then, take this back. Perhaps you could fetch me some sea salt instead."
Regrettably, I had to tell him, "I apologize, sir, but we only have standard table salt on offer, not sea salt." He retorted disapprovingly, "Hmm, I apologize too. I thought this was a REAL restaurant." At this point, I had enough. I sympathetically replied, "I understand, sir. But it seems you may have misunderstood. I'm not one to tolerate rude requests. Enjoy your soup!" And just like that, our exchange was over!
17. Calling Her Bluff
A lady once grumbled about her cocktail, stating it lacked the "kick" she was expecting. She requested us to make it stronger. We obliged by adding an extra splash, even though it was already a double.
Despite the additional alcohol, she claimed she still couldn't taste it and asked for yet more. But clear to me was her already drunk state when she walked in, and she appeared to be aiming to become even more so at a bargain.
That's exactly the reason why I decided to take back her cocktail, politely apologizing for not meeting her taste expectations. I also told her I'd remove it from her bill, meaning her drinks for the night ended there.
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18. Early Bird Boozers
I used to be a server at a favorite Italian upmarket dining chain. Our official opening time was 11 AM, but I was often scheduled at half an hour earlier, around 10:30 AM, to start preparations. Once, two middle-aged ladies were at our doorstep at around 10:45 AM.
Bracing myself for a typical "Karen" encounter, I found the reality to be far worse. We allowed them in early as it wasn't a big issue. However, they both wanted alcoholic drinks. The problem was, our bartender was due at 11 AM, I informed them of this and they seemed fine.
Waiting for their drinks, I gave them glasses of water. One of the ladies made a joke saying, "That's great, sweetie, but that's NOT what I asked for! HAHA!" It was evident she was just trying to be funny. I reminded them that it was just 10:55 AM and our bartender had not yet arrived. Nevertheless, they insisted I make their drinks.
Company policy prevented me from doing so, so I asked for my manager's help. As he was preparing the drinks, I took their orders for food. By 11:05 AM, they had received their drinks and appetizers and commented, "UGH was that so HARD? FINALLY!"
Meanwhile, my area was getting crowded with other guests, including young families. The ladies tasted the calamari appetizer, but then claimed it was undercooked.
I immediately asked our kitchen staff to prepare a new batch, extending the cooking duration by a minute. However, this didn't meet their expectations and they refused to eat it, criticizing, "I'm not eating this trash!" I requested my manager to waive off that appetizer from their bill.
They were consuming so much of my attention with numerous requests, so I moved on to serve other tables. But complaints about the difficult duo weren't just from me.
Other customers in my area expressed their concern for my wellbeing and asked that the ladies not use inappropriate language in front of their kids.
When I reminded the ladies about maintaining some decorum, they dismissed me saying, "Blah blah blah it's a free country. Oh, I need another DRINK!” I placed their order. Right then, their meals were ready to be served so I soon came back with their food.
They impatiently demanded, "WHERE IS MY SECOND DRINK?!?! HELLO!?!" and started banging their glasses on the table. The situation escalated with them shouting at me so much that I broke into tears, while still trying to serve my other tables, who were easy-going. Finally, I asked my manager to step in and deal with them, notifying them that they were cut off.
Delivering a stern chastising only a manager could, my boss managed to ruffle their feathers. They were angry they couldn't order more alcohol and asked for their bill. They paid just enough to cover their charges but then one of them returned to ask about the tip.
I honestly told her, "No. You left a 2% tip." She then placed five more dollars on the counter, and I was glad that was the last time I had to deal with them.
19. A Move Within A Move
I'm employed at a moving firm. It's common for folks to get upset when we can't provide equipment on the spot for last-minute, non-reserved requests. Their typical retort is “Alright then, I'll just head to (competitor's name)!” And I'd always give an identical response, “Perfect, they're just one block towards the north, on the right. It's hard to miss it.”
This response tends to draw a disgruntled sigh, but more often than not, they return after about an hour to book a slot when realizing the competition isn't any better equipped either.
20. Old McDonald Had A Farm
My brother worked as a waiter and had quite a challenging patron. One time, she specifically ordered a salmon dish, then asked if it came from a farm when it was served. She felt upset with my brother because he hadn't clarified the salmon's source, even though the menu clearly marked it as "farm-raised."
To substitute the salmon, she ordered chicken. The lightbulb in my brother's head turned on. He slickly cautioned her, "Just so you know, this chicken is also farm-raised."
21. In The Heat Of The Night
I work at a store where we sell delicious biscuits topped with sugary icing. Every weekend, like clockwork, a woman comes in, insisting on freshness, and requesting extra icing. However, she always seems unhappy with her purchase. Her usual complaint? The biscuit is "too cold," likely due to the extra icing on top, a fact we explained to her multiple times.
Now, during her latest visit, we handed her a biscuit, freshly baked and generously iced. Yet, she claimed it was still too cold. Our manager explained that the only way to serve it any hotter was to heat the icing in the microwave, and we simply couldn't do that. The woman was livid, demanding an explanation.
Our steadfast manager, bless her heart, told her, "Because heating sugar makes it dangerously hot, and despite your apparent insistence, I won't risk landing our store in a legal soup."
22. Let The Music Play
You wouldn't believe it! I’m stunned and cracking up at the same time. I was riding the bus to university while jamming to this punk band from Brixen, a place in Italy's German-speaking region of South Tyrol. The band is called Frei. Wild, and I’ve been really digging their music lately. It was a pretty crowded journey, so I had to stand near the area designated for strollers and wheelchairs.
So, this lady boards the bus with a pram and there's one seat free, right next to me. For whatever reason, she peers at my phone and notices that I'm listening to the song “Sieger Stehen Da Auf, Wo Verlier Liegen Bleiben”, which broadly means "Winners Stand Where Losers Fall".
Without any warning, she pulls an earphone out of my ear, and haughtily remarks, “You live in Scotland, cut out that dreadful Polish music. Honestly, all you Polish people are alike, rejecting attempts to be decent citizens and communicate in English.”
I’d like to make it clear, I'm as Scottish as they come. I’ve barely stepped foot out of the UK, except for a brief stints in Amsterdam, Morocco, America, and France. I’ve never been to Poland, or Germany for the matter. My patience wearing thin, I retorted: “This here is German Music and, for your information, I was born here to Scottish folks.”
Before this intolerant lady, let's call her Karen, could counter, I jumped in again. “Besides, why should my love for punk rock in German bother you? You can't even hear it. I have my headphones on." The gleam in Karen's eyes suggested she had hit the jackpot. "Why are you filling the air with that ungodly, evil music? It's going to terrify my child!"
I glanced at the pram. “First off, your kid’s snoozing soundly. Secondly, you can't hear it, I can’t bother you with it. Quit harassing me and let me enjoy my music in peace.
Perhaps Polish folks aren’t the issue here—rather, it's nosy, prejudiced people like you.” After my mouthful, she hit the stop button and promptly exited the bus, pram and all. And that was a relief, honestly!
23. Staying Hydrated
It's a Sunday morning, and I've bagged a table for 10 at a posh dining spot, nursing a hangover. As the restaurant opens, a horde of customers floods in, instantly filling my area. However, I've got this under control — it's just another day for me.
I approach the big table, increasingly looking forward to their tap water already on its way. I start listing off everyone's drink preferences. As I do this, a lady abruptly interjects, demanding water. She repeatedly yells out, interrupting her companions mid-order to remind me not to forget her water. Each time, I confirm her request, up until the fourth time — that’s when I finally snap.
I respond: "The next time you ask for water, everyone here will get served except you." Bewildered, she sinks back into her seat. I then jot down the remaining orders and head to the bar.
24. A Pocket Full Of Miracles
I tucked a note into the pocket of one patron's coat. I had marked the paper with a smudge of lipstick and jotted down the words "You were wonderful...I had a great time...let's repeat it" before placing it inside. But there was a twist.
Interestingly, this was the same man who had brazenly ridiculed my coworker who lives with Down's syndrome. He even did this in the full view of his supposedly religious family, and surprisingly, none of them appeared to bat an eyelid.
25. Eating His Words
I've got quite a feminine side, even though I'm a guy. It doesn't bother me what others may think or say, and sometimes people mistake me for being gay. This is a key point for the story that's coming up.
At the time, I was working as a cashier when a customer walked up to me and said, I kid you not: "I don't understand why there are so many gay people working in this restaurant. I'm not sure I want to eat here anymore!"
A fair number of my colleagues are indeed gay, and the way this guy spit out those words, well, it was far from polite. So when his order was ready, nobody wanted to serve him. So I jumped in, doing what any reasonable person would in my shoes.
I served him his meal, and let me tell you, I turned it up full-throttle Disney princess mode for about five minutes!
Strutting my stuff, calling him endearing names, being super friendly, and showering him with superior customer service. I had a ton of fun!
26. If The Shoe Doesn’t Fit…
I'm employed at a shoe store, and one of our services is assessing the fitting of school shoes for young customers. They can bring back the shoes if any issues arise once a staff member validates the fit. A week after a child's fitting, his mother returned to the shop, complaining vociferously that the shoes were too tight and had caused blisters.
Despite her hostile approach, we expressed our willingness to replace the shoes. Back in the kid's section, she targeted the same sales associate who helped them initially, demanding she be present during the re-fitting to avoid previous errors. Though the mother's remarks were insulting, the salesgirl agreed to aid in the re-fitting.
She remembered this particular pair and was disappointed in herself for the mistake. At the counter, she offered to process the return, extending a kind gesture despite the tension. Suddenly, she paused, realizing something was off. "These aren't your son's shoes," she informed the customer. The tag inside read Tommy, but the mother's son was named Billy.
It emerged the boy had switched shoes with a classmate. We politely show the mother the exit and shared a good laugh.
27. One Degree Of Separation
Just the other day, a shopper in my shop was being pretty unpleasant. So, I responded in kind; not my finest moment. She clearly wasn't too impressed by this. She snapped at me, warning: “Watch your step. I'm acquainted with your boss.”
Without a second thought, I shot back, “So am I. What's your point?” She seemed totally taken aback and didn't utter a single word following that.
28. Food For Thought
An Italian patron, visiting a budget-friendly steakhouse in the US, remarked: "My pasta wasn't exactly Al Dente." My response was epic, if I do say so myself: "So you've just got off a flight from Italy, opted for pasta at a low-cost American steakhouse, and you're taken aback that it's not up to your usual standard? I'm not entirely sure how you'd like me to address that."
He didn't have an answer.
29. The Joys Of Motherhood
My boyfriend has a cousin who is a mother to four extremely spoiled kids. Surprisingly, she never disciplines them and always justifies their actions no matter what. The kicker: she's super critical of our choice to stay childless. She has often snidely implied that I'm a selfish person, denying my boyfriend the "pleasure of parenthood."
Because of this and her sense of entitlement, my boyfriend stopped associating with her. Still, when we attended his parents' anniversary dinner at their house, we crossed paths with her once again. My boyfriend's father encouraged him to mend fences with her during the event, so we did our best to engage in friendly chatter. I can't tell you how much I regret that decision.
In the course of our conversation, my boyfriend mentioned our plans for a vacation in Melbourne. Seeing her obvious envy, my boyfriend offered to sponsor a weekend getaway for them in Mt. Abu, a resort town in Rajasthan, India. But, their audacious response was, "Why won't you take us to Melbourne with you?"
Mildly annoyed but still accommodating, my boyfriend explained that we cherished our privacy and also had plans to meet friends there, but assured them their children would have a great time in Mt. Abu. Ignoring our reasons, they stubbornly expressed their wish to be taken to Australia, calling us selfish.
At this point, his mom chimed in defending her son's generous offer and asking the cousin to either accept it or forget it. Their creative yet absurd counter offer: "How about we go to Mt. Abu while you take our kids to Melbourne?" My boyfriend refused the idea and restated his offer giving them a final chance. What ensued was a series of accusations towards us, labeling us as selfish and uncaring towards her family.
Threatened by the withdrawal of his offer, she fell silent. For the remaining time, we enjoyed a peaceful meal. To our surprise, the next morning the cousin appeared at my apartment, children in tow, ready to drop them off for their "Melbourne vacation!" When confronted, she spun a tale about my boyfriend agreeing to have her kids with us which I knew was a bold-faced lie.
After rebuffing her and bringing my boyfriend into the conversation, he made it clear that not only were her children not coming with us, but their family weekend was off the table. After a heated exchange, she finally left with her kids. My boyfriend and I had a good laugh over this incident, totally baffled by her outlandish expectations.
30. Going Nuts
There was one time I served a lady who asked for a pina colada. She surprised me by complaining about the coconut flavor in the cocktail, clearly unaware that coconut is a crucial component of the pina colada she'd asked for.
I oblige and make her another drink, and her next question catches me off guard: “What will happen to the original drink? Are you just going to bin it?”
With a quick glance in her direction, I let her know that I do enjoy coconut and decided to take a drink myself.
31. The Royal Treatment
In my time working as a waiter, I've had multiple run-ins with difficult customers. I recall one woman named Karen who demanded a heartfelt apology after harassing one of my closest friends at work. As the acting supervisor, it was my responsibility to address her.
So, with the broadest grin, I approached her and expressed, "I am truly sorry for any inconvenience caused by my colleague. We believe a woman like you deserves utmost respect, so allow me to assist you..."
She beamed triumphantly, likely thinking she had the upper hand. She was mistaken. Calmly, I added, "Allow me to show you the exit so you may locate a restaurant more suited to your preferences, as you're no longer welcomed here."
She was livid. I can still recall my friend's expression when he overheard what transpired. As she stormed out, I uttered, "I hope your day is as delightful as you truly deserve!"
She reported the incident to higher-ups, but since I had a reputation for being a model employee and my co-workers remained silent on the matter, the issue was dismissed.
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32. Mother And Daughter Tag Team
Back when I was 18, I got a job at the same restaurant where my mom had worked for 25 years. Her journey from waitress to an experienced bartender was truly inspirational. The first summer day that I remember from my job was remarkably hectic. Both my mom and I were pulling double shifts, and it was almost 6 PM.
The restaurant layout divided the place into a bar on one side and dining on the other. On the day in question, I found myself working alongside two other waitstaff. Suddenly, a horrific scream rang out. An older colleague had taken a major tumble, resulting in a shattered elbow and knee.
We were stuck waiting for the ambulance since she was unable to move. Meanwhile, the dishes piled up and no food could be served since no one could access the kitchen. The night manager had to step in and attend all the tables that the injured waitress was supposed to handle. Simultaneously, I was dealing with a new set of guests who had been rather argumentative before entering.
I welcomed them and took their order, which was quite hefty for just two people. Five-star seafood dishes stuffed the list, making their bill well over $100. Soon after, the unfortunate accident with our coworker happened, which delayed their meal. Despite their definite awareness of the situation, they were rude and overly critical.
The lady started to complain about the temperature of her lobster roll. I promptly offered to replace it and checked if they required anything else. The woman demanded another drink, keeping both my mom and me busy. When my mom served the drinks, the female customer made a sarcastic remark about our team. My mom replied coolly, stating we're a well-coordinated team and taking the opportunity to introduce me as her daughter.
The woman seemed desperate to provoke a response from us and sarcastically expressed regret for my mom having a daughter like me. However, my mom calmly defended me, declaring her pride in me. This just made everything worse. This upset the woman who began to scream offensive things at my mom, creating a spectacle in the room.
Her partner abandoned the table amidst this chaos, and he headed outside. Our manager decided to forego their bill owing to the unpleasant circumstances. Other patrons, who saw the drama unfold, empathized with us. They even compensated by leaving generous tips, apologizing for the other customers' unruly behavior.
That's one of the most unforgettable encounters at that restaurant job, highlighting the goodness in people, amidst the chaos.
33. Ice Ice Baby
I spent years waiting tables at a local eatery, and the frequency at which customers would shake their empty, ice-filled cups at me as a sign for a refill was astoundingly rude. I'd always respond in the same cheeky manner saying, "Are you trying to entertain me with some sort of ice-melody, or do you require assistance?" Just use your words instead, it isn't right to treat me like a pet.
34. An Impatient Mental Patient
Once upon a time, I was a customer at a restaurant and witnessed a woman approaching the waiter, claiming, "I've been waiting for my food for almost five minutes now." Now, remember, she was part of a larger party of eight.
The waiter calmly responded, "Madam, please understand, the restaurant is fully packed, your group is large, and our team is relatively small. Preparing your food is bound to take more than just five minutes."
It's important to note that this was happening a week before Christmas, and everyone was relishing their holiday meals. Disgruntly, the woman sat back down. However, she returned five minutes later, insisting, "We have been waiting for ten minutes now.
Where is our food?" The waiter, now slightly irritated, requested her, "Ma'am, I kindly ask you to wait patiently or feel free to leave."
The woman demanded to speak with the manager. The waiter replied, "Madam, the manager is on her maternity leave. I'm the assistant manager, and I kindly request you to please sit down or leave." Despite the suppressed laughter vibrating the room, the waiter promptly asked the chef to prepare the woman's food first.
A couple of minutes later, their food was served. The party enjoyed their meal, paid the bill, and prepared to leave. However, before they could, the waiter approached to check: "Did you enjoy your meal?" The woman retorted, "Yes, but no thanks to you."
I could tell the waiter was at the end of his tether when he replied, "Had it not been for me, you would still be waiting." To this, the woman threatened to leave a bad review and get him fired.
The waiter responded perfectly: "Don't stress, I won't be fired over someone like you who doesn’t understand that there’s not unlimited time to cater to her needs." With that, the woman and her group eventually left.
I never discovered what happened later, but kudos to that waiter for maintaining his cool in such a situation. What a ridiculous woman!
35. The Joys Of Motherhood
My boyfriend's cousin is a mother to four of the most fractious kids I've ever seen. Her parenting approach is more about making excuses for their behaviour rather than disciplining them. To add to this, she's also been critical of our decision to remain child-free, implying I'm selfish for not wanting kids.
Because of her general attitude of entitlement, my boyfriend distanced himself from her. But at a recent family anniversary, his dad thought it would be a good idea for us to mend bridges. Despite my hesitation, we decided to reach out and strike up a conversation with her. I greatly regretted that decision later.
During our conversation, my boyfriend let slip about our upcoming vacation to Melbourne, which triggered a glimmer of hope in her eyes. She started lamenting about how her life is hard with four kids and how they haven't had a vacation since their honeymoon.
I immediately sensed where this was heading. My boyfriend, ever-so-kind, offered to treat her family to a getaway in Mt. Abu, a beautiful hill station in Rajasthan. She, however, had different plans and insists on joining us in Melbourne.
When my boyfriend explained why that wouldn't work, she countered with a new "brilliant" idea. She suggested we take their kids to Melbourne while she and her husband enjoy a peaceful weekend in Mt. Abu. An incredulous proposition, that left me stunned.
My boyfriend gave her a final ultimatum. Either accept the offer or nothing. Still, she kept on negotiating, trying to guilt us into taking her kids. This was when his mom, notably, stepped in and silenced her. She remained quiet after that, only if her kids had followed suit.
This was not the end, though. The cousin showed up at my apartment the next day with her kids, ready to pawn them off on us. She stated that she was just dropping the kids off as we were leaving that night.
Confused, I reiterated our refusal to take her kids on our vacation. She tried to pull a fast one, claiming that my boyfriend had agreed to take her kids. When he found out he was so angry that he cancelled their Mt. Abu trip altogether.
She tried to argue but was dismissed. She stormed off with her kids in tow. In the end, we both had a good chuckle about the situation but still couldn't fathom why she thought she could convince us to play her angle.
shygirlturnedsassy
36. One Last Hurrah
During my last shift as a delivery driver, I was instructed to consider the two cents change from a $12.98 order as my gratuity. That was the final straw. In response, I dug into my coin pouch, pulled out two pennies, and flung them back at the customer saying, "If I had needed your two cents, I'd have asked you a question."
I then calmly walked off. That marked my last ever delivery, and it was totally worth it.
37. A Poor Phone Connection
Although I wasn't a waiter, I had a few memorable encounters while working at the Comcast retail center. There was this one person who stormed in asserting confidently that we had doubled his bill.
I dove into his account history and, sure enough, he'd skipped two months of payments. I then pointed this out, saying, "Honestly, you have unpaid bills from the past two months."
The phrase "honestly" seemed to strike a nerve in him. Suddenly he was accusing me of having subpar customer service skills and being unprofessional. He suggested that I ought to work at McDonald’s.
I couldn't resist a comeback, so I quipped, "If I did, where would you find employment?" Comcast may have its issues, but seeing him pay his dues sure made my week truly satisfying.
Flickr
38. Getting Some Special Treatment
Once upon a time, I saw this really unpleasant guy who was giving the waitstaff a hard time and just acting obnoxiously towards everyone. But there was this one male waiter that he called over shortly.
Jerk: "I'll take another drink." Waiter: "I'm sorry, we're all out." Jerk: "I refuse to accept that. Go get the darn drink I ordered, this instant!"
Waiter: "Oh, let me correct myself. We're all out of drinks... for YOU." The waiter then casually strolled off, leaving the rude man to sit alone and wrap his head around what just went down. After a bit, to my astonishment, the unpleasant guy took his leave quietly.
It may not go down as the funniest comeback in history, but for me, it was a highly entertaining show.
39. Extra, Extra, Read All About It
While I was in high school, I had a part-time job at Burger King. There was a customer, a lady who had a peculiar taste for her Whopper Jr—overloaded with onions. I mean, a mountain of extra onions! Yet, regardless of the onions piled onto her burger, she would always claim it wasn't enough. This usually took place during the afternoons which was quite manageable, so we let it slide.
On one instance, however, our restaurant played host to four bus loads of US military recruits at the same time. Thanks to our location, we would often see buses ferrying personnel and my boss had a friendly rapport with the drivers. These folks, apart from being incredibly polite, had gigantic appetites.
They'd order heaps of food, primarily king-size portions of double and triple whoppers—you get the idea. Our boss gave them a 15% 'senior discount', which they took humorously considering they were far from being senior citizens. As pleasant as they were, their mass orders put a strain on our kitchen staff, pushing them to their limits.
Right in the middle of this pandemonium, guess who decides to pop in? Yes, the 'onion lady'. My boss, wanting to avoid drama given the circumstances, instructed me to stuff two handfuls of onions into her burger. It was loaded to the point where closing the burger was a challenge, but we did it and handed her the burger.
In a restaurant packed with US Army enlistees likely munching on fast food after a long gap, the 'onion lady' bustles through the jam-packed entrance and rudely makes her way to the counter, loudly decrying a lack of onions in her burger.
My boss, on the brink of her patience, gives me the freedom to do what I please with the burger. Without second thoughts, I unleashed an entire load of onions, about 1.5 liters, on her ordered item and smoothed it out to be handed back.
When she decided to inspect her overstuffed burger on the spot, the onion avalanche within it cheekily made its explosive escape. The recruits, initially attempting to stifle their amusement, soon lost control when a young 1st Lt. erupted into laughter. This was the green signal for the men to freely join in, enveloping the counter with hearty laughs at the spectacle.
It was one of the most memorable moments of my time in high school. The 'onion lady' stayed away for an entire month after this encounter and from then on, she never spoke a word about insufficiency of onions! -elmonstro12345
40. She Got All Fired Up
One evening while I was working behind the bar, I was serving two customers who seemed a bit tipsy, but not enough to refuse service. After a couple of rounds, they'd been laughing, chatting, and getting along fine with other patrons.
But as the night went on, they started stepping out of line. It was necessary to stop their drinks. I politely informed them that I could no longer serve them due to their unruly behavior and apparent inebriation.
At this point, one of them began to shout at me for cutting them off. Her uproar became so loud that other customers started backing me up. Not stopping there, she also started throwing a fit at them and later at my boss.
But wait, her friend was even worse! This friend had slipped away to the restroom and actually lit one of our wicker wastebaskets on fire. What a night!
41. The Ultimate Staff Confrontation
So, here's what happened. I, the customer, found myself in a bit of a confrontation. Who was the antagonist, you might wonder? A waiter who got in my face in the restroom, peeved because I didn't tip him over and above the compulsory 18% tacked onto my bill. Not to mention, he was ready to brawl. Talk about an unusual experience! But, let's start from the beginning.
Last weekend, my girlfriend and I decided to celebrate her birthday with her mates at a restaurant. We were a bunch, about ten in total, and split our bills into five tables. Each tab had an automatic 18% gratuity. Alas, the service was abominable. Throughout the evening, our waiter was pretty off-putting, constantly responding with snide remarks any time we had a query about the menu.
He messed up our beverage order twice, then cheekily laid the blame on us. Appetizers and mains were dumped on the table at the same time, and he got huffy when we decided to forgo the apps. When one friend paid in cash, she received her change but without any bill. She was counting on getting back about a fiver and coins.
Rather than getting the expected five dollars and change, she only received four. When she asked about the bill, thinking maybe she had miscalculated, instead of offering to rectify the situation, the waiter furiously said he'd junked the receipt.
He even had the gall to pull out his wallet and said, somewhat defiantly, "How about I just give you a dollar if you want it that bad?" This rubbed us all the wrong way, so we didn't leave any additional tip other than what was applied automatically. To make a point, I wrote "NOPE!" in the gratuity line of my bill. Then, things escalated when I went to the men's room—the server cornered me as I was washing my hands, crankily suggesting we take it outside so he could show me his 'funny' side.
I was taken aback, and immediately brought the manager into the loop, explaining that their employee was trying to pick a fight over a tip. All while this was unfolding, the waiter was fuming in the corner, being restrained by colleagues as he attempted to interrupt the conversation.
Despite the offers of gift cards, I declined. Why would I want to return to a place where I'm going to face confrontation?
42. Thinking Inside The Box
Just to set the scene, I'm a woman in my twenties who works at a high-end restaurant. I had this older man who was causing me grief all evening. He'd order things like raw vegetable platters, then describing them as "rabbit food" before sending them back.
As he finished eating, he asked, "Where should I leave this comment card?" I told him, "See that black box over there? Just put it in there!"
Then, thinking he's being the joker of the year, when he's actually just embarrassing himself, he replied, "Did you just tell me to stuff your box?!" I responded, "No, mine isn't black, sir. I have other customers to attend to now."
His buddies started laughing and his face become as red as a tomato. I really can't understand why some people find it acceptable to make inappropriate remarks in public.
The incident cast an awkward shadow over the rest of the night's dinner service, and his friends didn't seem too pleased by the way he was acting either.
43. Living Your Best Life
For about a year, I lived in Melbourne, Australia. There, I became close with a lovely bisexual couple, Brian and Derek (not their real names), who lived just above me. We eventually began a romantic relationship, which at times included other partners.
However, our relationship wasn't just about romance, it meant a strong friendship that we still maintain. Unfortunately, a couple living across the hall from me, Karen and Todd, weren't as understanding of our relationship. After seeing Brian and Derek frequently leave my apartment in the mornings, they were quick to judge.
One day, Karen confronted me in the elevator, inquiring about my relationship with "those two gays". I replied that it wasn't her business. When she persisted, I told her, "If you really want to know, I'm friends with benefits with them. Now, please respect my privacy." I never forgot the shock on her face to my bold answer.
When I shared this encounter with Brian and Derek, they had their own stories about its Karen and Todd's discriminatory attitudes. They revealed that Karen and Todd had previously expressed concerns to the property manager about gay individuals living in a building with families and children.
Despite being rebuffed, they continued to visibly scorn Brian and Derek whenever they crossed paths. Regardless of their parents' behavior, their children were respectful and polite. Sadly, they were caught in the middle of their parents' prejudices.
Karen even tried to involve my next-door neighbors in her boycott, insinuating that they should file a noise complaint against me for "ungodly" sounds presumably emanating from my apartment. Thankfully, they declined, as I'd always been a considerate neighbor.
One Sunday, after a night with Brian, Derek, and their friend Dean, Dean walked me back to my apartment. As we chatted happily in the hallway, Karen saw us and accused me of "selling my body". I rejected her outrageous accusations and asked her to leave me alone.
Later, the property manager informed me that Karen and Todd accused me of being a "loose woman" and a bad influence on children, due to the different men I was seen with.
Fortunately, the property manager knew Brian and Derek well and called them for their side of the story. They explained the situation and reassured the manager that the man seen with me was a mutual friend. The manager then warned Karen and Todd against making false complaints.
Brian, Derek, and I, had a good laugh over the situation, relieved that the property manager was understanding and supportive. The ill-natured accusations from Karen and Todd ended, though their hostile glances endured.
Once in the elevator, Karen tried to humiliate me by asking sarcastically if I was expecting male company that night. I could only laugh, as I felt no shame for my lifestyle choices.
I retorted by cheekily detailing my colorful plans for the night. After that, Karen and her husband made sure to avoid me altogether. All in all, those were some interesting experiences.
44. Just One Of Those Things
So, here's a slightly lengthy but entertaining story. I was working at a resort and we had a guest who was the domineering, know-it-all type. He played the odd leader of a group of four or five guys. As I was serving the table, I let them know we had run out of a specific item, which honestly, I can't even remember now.
As I take their orders and finally reach him, he confidently orders the dish we've run out of. I remind him of the unfortunate situation, however, he threatens to call his 'dear friend', our general manager, implying he had a special privilege.
I nonchalantly suggested that he certainly could, but reminded him that the number he'd received at the reception was the office number, not his pal's personal number, and ironically, the manager was the one who informed me of the shortage.
I ended the matter by implying that maybe if he would have informed his 'dear friend' of his arrival, we could have saved some for him. You may think this didn't carry much weight but to him, in front of his colleagues while trying to showcase his power, it hit hard—very hard. He tried to save his image, but let's say it wasn't his best performance.
Frustrated, he attempted to guilt me by suggesting they should have dined elsewhere if we couldn't keep our food in stock. I suggested a reservation at our steakhouse in response. With a sigh of relief, he agreed and began to rally his group.
But they were more puzzled and amused by his behavior, viewing it as nothing short of lunacy. Industriously, I rang up the steakhouse and asked if they had a table for one. Yes, he wasn't the only one who could pull off surprises.
I returned to inform him that our steakhouse was ready to host him. After a sarcastic thank you, he urged his friends to follow, falling right into my trap. I clarified that I'd only reserved a table for him as his friends had ordered items we had available.
Stunned, he stood silent, finally processing the situation as one of his colleagues suggested he proceed alone and they would join post-dinner. He left in a huff, and his colleagues had a good laugh at his expense, hinting that his antics would have repercussions come Monday.
The night carried on and after dessert, the general manager approached, perplexed by the accusations of rudeness flung at me by the guest. I explained the situation, including the satisfaction of the remaining guests.
The manager checked in with the table, only to return assured that all was well and the fault was with our antagonist's behavior. His friends didn't miss the opportunity to give him a good roast.
All in all, it was a gratifying experience and I stand by my actions. If there's a takeaway here, it's that nothing annoys uppity people more than when they receive exactly what they demand, but in an unexpected way.
Shutterstock
45. Out Of The Frying Pan, Into The Fryer
Years ago, I was serving at a ski resort café. One day, a sassy teenager approched me holding a portion of French fries, declaring that he had no money and asked for them for free. I denied his request. He declared that he was a good customer, to which I responded, yes, but our French fries are for those who pay.
I took the liberty of reclaiming the French fries and casually ate one right in front of the teenager. His response was a stunned silence. This was followed by his friend bursting into laughter and apologizing for his buddy's manners.
Evidently, he was really mortified by his mate's antics. As I turned back, all my colleagues had witnessed this golden moment and were utterly impressed.
46. Stopping The Gravy Train
My older next-door neighbor knows some folks who work at the Boston Pizza restaurant chain. This familiarity allows her to always secure free gravy for her fries. On one occasion, she visited this different restaurant named Humpty's, and as usual, she requested gravy.
However, they informed her it would cost a slight additional charge. In response, she stated, "But I always get it at no cost at Boston Pizza." The waiter quickly suggested she could return to Boston Pizza if she preferred.
Pexels
47. Party Poopers
I resided in a rectangular housing complex with a common central court. Everyone's entrance faced this shared space. It was a close-knit community situated just one block from the seashore, where all tenants were friendly, except one pair. Gathering in the court was our usual pastime for barbecues, picnics, or unwinding after a long day.
While it seldom reached festivity levels, we sometimes threw courtyard parties and welcomed external friends. However, one elderly couple was oblivious to the social norms when moving in and sought to halt any outdoor mingling. Any sign of chit-chat would result in a call to the property owner.
Their approach involved shouting from behind their screen door for silence, no matter the time of day. If any gathering occurred post-dusk, they wouldn't hesitate to summon law enforcement. Being their next-door neighbor, even TV viewing, hosting friends, or nighttime phone calls were met with a tantrum of wall thumping. We put up with them until their antics went overboard.
The woman eventually swayed the landlord to dispose of the communal patio furniture and my BBQ set. Although the landlord agreed to give it back to me, it had to be off the property. Their manipulation led to the happy atmosphere of our abode crumbling. One instance that stands out was when a young family organized a courtyard picnic with their newborn, sans patio furniture.
Seated on a blanket, this family was embarrassingly photographed by the intrusive couple, scaring them indoors. This was the tipping point. We drafted a petition for the landlord offering two choices—either clamp down the troublesome couple and restore the patio and BBQ set, or we all vacate.
Endorsements for the petition came from every resident. The following month, the disruptive couple vacated. Their move-out day was celebrated as a farewell party in the courtyard, sans the couple. After they locked their door for the last time, our collective goodbye was an echo of "Na-na-na-na! Na-na-na-na! Hey, hey, hey! Goodbye!"
48. Slow Eating Psychos
Once, while working as a waitress at a bar in Philly, I had an interesting encounter with a couple of customers. They were enjoying our special—50-cent wings—but were upset because they hadn't eaten their wings quickly enough and a few had gotten cold. They demanded a refund for what they perceived as poor service on my part, a request I, understandably, couldn't fulfill.
But as the saying goes, karma never loses an address.
After they left, I discovered a $5 bill on the table that they had unwittingly left behind as a tip. I pocketed it with no second thought. When they returned, frantic and on the hunt for their lost cash, I didn't feel guilty in the least about not assisting in their search.
49. Did I Hear That Right?
Even though I wasn't a waiter, I thought this story would amuse you guys. I used to work at Target. We have a loudspeaker that sounds an alert about 15 minutes before closing time, letting customers know that they should wrap things up. But, there was this woman who was leisurely perusing the clothing rack at a tortoise's pace, completely ignoring our first warning.
Despite her slow-moving shopping trip, she didn’t react to the reminder at all. Suddenly, the second announcement echoed, sharing that we were about to close within a minute. That's when I came up with a quirky idea.
Approaching her, I mimed sign language, although I have no knowledge about it. Out of confusion, she asked about my actions. My response was, "Oh, I apologize! I assumed you were hearing impaired since you seemed unaffected by our closing announcement."
She was totally flabbergasted by my statement.
50. Two Meals For The Price Of None
I encountered a lady who frequently grumbles about her meals in hopes of not paying for them. As expected, she didn't have to pay for this one. But then, surprisingly, she requested for a takeaway box. Perplexed, I asked, "I was under the impression you weren't fond of your dish. Are you certain you want to bring it home?" She reacted with irritation. I contemplated denying her the box, but as a newbie, I decided to pack it for her. Unfortunately, I didn't receive any tip, which was not at all a surprise.
Shutterstock
51. Slicing Up His Ego
So I've got a job at this pizza place in North Carolina. One day, a guy walks in and orders a slice of pizza. This is how our chat turned out. Him: "Is this really a New York style pizza?" My boss replied: "Why don't you just step outside? Is that New Yorkish enough for you?" The customer actually found it funny. It was a pretty cool moment.
52. The Family That Fights Together…
Recently, a new family settled in my neighborhood. It's a lovely, friendly area where everyone knows everyone else, and we've all regularly bonded over good old block parties and holiday fireworks. This new family consists of a middle-aged couple with their four children, who range from 14 to two years old.
Here's the thing—I've experienced a few issues with this family since they've moved in. This particular story starts on an ordinary day while I was in the living room, watching TV and enjoying my downtime. Suddenly my attention was drawn to my backyard—the cover of my swimming pool was retracting!
I was alone at home and nobody else could access my backyard due to an insurance-mandated lock I keep on the gate to secure the pool area. I rushed out to see what was happening and was shocked to find the new neighbor’s mother and her children, clad in swimsuits, at my poolside.
I questioned what they were doing in my private yard, and her reply stunned me. She essentially said her well-behaved kids wanted to swim and had decided to use my pool. Startled, I sternly reminded her that my pool was not public property and insisted they leave my property at once as they had no permission to be there.
Her response was explosive—it involved yelling and insisting that her kids were going to swim in my pool despite my objections. She seemed to think this was acceptable because it was something they did in their old neighborhood. Before it spiraled further out of control, I warned her I would call the authorities if they didn't leave immediately.
Despite my warnings, she continued to argue and even allowed her children to jump into my pool. Eventually, she began to see that I was serious about involving the authorities, and she tried to 'reason' with me, suggesting I was heartless for denying the kids a swim on such a hot day. Unmoved by her attempts, I firmly asked her to leave my property.
She muttered something to her young children and started to escort them out of my yard. Yet the older boys lingered by the pool, and that's when I realized a blood-boiling truth—they were urinating into my pool! At this point, I was livid and practically had to force them out of my yard.
The mom threatened to involve the police, accusing me of manhandling her children. She then walked off, leaving me in total shock and regret for not having called the authorities sooner. I later discovered that my gate's lock had been broken, prompting me to invest in a more heavy-duty one. This was just the start of inflated issues with this new family, unfortunately.
53. Phoning A Friend
Here's a memorable moment from my work life. I'm in the retail industry, specifically a major home improvement store that caters to many contractors. Recently, I've moved up to a position in Human Resources but I still help out on the shop floor occasionally because I enjoy it.
There was this instance when a contractor who doesn't usually order in large quantities tried to return three full flat carts of items she bought for her last project. All she wanted was an immediate cash refund, no receipt needed. We offered to sift through the system and locate her receipts but she was in a hurry and didn’t want to wait.
So, I started scanning all her items knowing well enough that the system wouldn't allow a cash return without a receipt; I just wanted her to see for herself that getting store credit was the only choice here. The total value of the items was around $3,000, and when I showed her that the register indicated "Store Credit Only," she became quite upset and insisted on speaking to the store manager.
I politely informed her that he was unavailable and even if he was present, he wouldn't have the power to bypass the system. She curtly responded, along the lines of, "I don’t know what trick you just pulled, but the store manager has assisted me in situations like this before and I’m sure he will again. He’s familiar with me, once you let him know who's asking for help." Well, I wasn’t going to let her leave without a reality check.
I took out my phone and dialed the store manager's personal number. I said, "Hello, Store Manager! Apologies for the intrusion on your day off, there’s a customer here who insists that you can solve her problem. Do you recall [Contractor's name]? No? She claims that you've helped her in the past to get a cash refund on returned items without a receipt. Oh, you don't remember that either? Alright. I'll pass this onto one of the assistant managers."
She didn't take the news well. I explained that what she was asking was possible only by dialing in our Regional Asset Protection manager, who'd then have to probe and then make the call on approval – a process that might take quite a while. In the end, she accepted the store credit.
54. Take Me To Church
Let me tell you a story I'll never forget about this. Every Sunday after church, there was an elderly couple, around their 70s, who frequented a popular restaurant. The wife was incredibly courteous, but the husband was the very definition of obnoxious. His rudeness extended to his wife and the wait staff alike.
One day, they turned up again. He was rude as usual, especially towards his wife and also me. I'd had enough of watching his bullying behavior and I warned him, “Listen buddy, bear in mind, I could be alone with your meal for a couple of minutes before bringing it out. Enjoy your meal!”
His wife roared with laughter. Although he stared at her trying to shut her up, she quickly dismissed his mean look and laughed even louder. I, of course, never messed with his food...and he never touched it. My warning worked though. They never returned to the restaurant. I do hope the wife is doing well!
55. Ask A Stupid Question, Get A Stupid Answer
When I was a 16-year-old working my first job as a waitress, I served a woman who continuously complained about her food on a particularly hectic evening, insisting we comp her meal. Eventually, she started targeting me with her harsh words.
I answered back with the best come-back I could think of at the time: "I know you are, but what am I?" Yes, I was quite proud of it! She then decided to take her complaints to my manager, who simply didn't have the time or patience for it, and left while she was still talking.
56. She Needed To Pipe Down
At the age of 18, I found myself working in the timber section of a major home improvement store. I was perched on the forks of a forklift, trying to maneuver an extremely heavy solid-core front door, fetching it from a two-story shelf for a customer.
I was in a somewhat dangerous position, midway through extracting the door and loading it onto the forks, when a petite elderly lady approached.
In a gentle voice, she asked, "Pardon me, young man, could you direct me to where the plumbing goods are?" I replied through gritted teeth, struggling under the weight of the door, "Please bear with me a moment, I'll help you as soon as I put this door down."
What followed, though, was far from what I expected. She snapped back, "You people can't even label your products properly! I've had enough of this store's nonsense! And the prices are sky-high, too!" I was taken aback and stood there, my mouth wide open in surprise.
The customer I was assisting was so shocked that he quickly covered his son's ears. The old woman was the very definition of a 'Jekyll and Hyde' character. Fortunately, just as she began to rant, my boss happened to be passing by.
He immediately approached the irate old lady and firmly told her, "Regardless of who you are, no one should be treated this way. I would suggest you leave the store right now." The timing couldn't have been better.
57. Going Down With The Ship
I used to be a waiter, but now I'm a flight attendant. My usual spot is on a small regional plane, sandwiched in the tiny rear jump seat. I've got two passengers to my left and a pair more to my right. It's quite a tight fit.
Once, a passenger was giving me a hard time about my cramped position in the back. He was making snide remarks and trying to ruffle my feathers. To that, I calmly responded, "If there was an unfortunate mishap and the plane went down, I've got four cushion-like human bodies around me.
I'd likely be the one to come out without a scrape. That's why I'm here in this snug little seat in the back, right in the center. Believe it or not, humans make excellent protective padding."
His reaction? Utter silence. Best part? He stayed quiet and didn't bug me for the rest of the trip!
58. All’s Well That Ends Well
During my time working in a restaurant, one day a rather obnoxious man and his friends entered. Throughout his visit, he was consistently unpleasant towards me, always snapping his fingers to get my attention, addressing me with condescending names such as sweetie, and overall he was just difficult. He kept insisting that as an "acquaintance of the owner", he should be allowed to order breakfast food.
However, I informed him we'd already cleared away our breakfast items as we were operating under dinner service hours. Eventually, I reached my limit with his behavior. When it came time for the bill, given the size of his group, I had the option to add an automatic 20% gratuity charge to their bill.
So, I handed him the bill, elaborating on the added gratuity. He responded, "Wow, are you really okay with just this amount as your tip? I could've tipped you more, you know!" With a quick comeback, I said, "Oh, no worries, there's a section below the automatic tip where you're welcome to tip more if you wish!" With that, I took my leave. Perhaps out of embarrassment, he did indeed leave an additional tip.
59. Take It Up With The Board
This is a funny story that involves my boss at a high-end, boutique hotel. Interestingly, the hotel is located in a old town, surrounded by antique shops and cobblestone lanes and dates back to the 16th century. Visitors are attracted to the vintage charm of good old times. One day, a customer unexpectedly left an online review on TripAdvisor. The cause for the complaint made us all chuckle—she was spooked by the hotel's old floorboards!
My boss cleverly addressed her complaint by referencing the hotel's historic essence and suggested that she might find a stay at Travelodge more comfortable next time. His response brought a burst of laughter amongst us. Even more amusing was that a guest who checked in a few weeks later mentioned that he'd read my manager's witty reply to that complaint and it had been a deciding factor for him to book a stay with us.
60. A Wild Ride
When I was 16 years old, I worked at our local amusement park, which wasn't tiny but wasn't huge either. Most attractions were mainly for younger kids, although some were suitable for the older ones too. My job was to operate the rides, and one day I was assigned to a ride meant for the bigger kids.
This ride was designed with a ride bar that fits across your stomach, so shorter kids could fall off if they were too small. To ensure safety, they had to meet certain height criteria; otherwise, they couldn't get on the ride.
This incident happened during a shift when an obstinate mother and her stubborn kid queued up for the ride. I instantly noticed that the boy was too short for it. After a few rounds, they reached the front and I told them that the boy was too small for the ride.
I suggested they try a smaller version of the ride instead. The mother stared back at me and just said, "We're gonna wait here." When their turn came, I measured the kid; he was about 6 inches short of the height limit.
I explained the safety risks, but she stubbornly tried to bypass me. When I still insisted on safety over anything else, she demanded to speak with my manager. Things instantly got heated.
While waiting, she accused me of delaying the ride because I 'wasn't doing my job'. Eventually, my team lead confirmed that I was correct: her son couldn't ride due to the height limit. To appease them, he offered them a "skip the line ticket" for an age-appropriate ride.
Then things went downhill. Her son started throwing a tantrum that was hard not to laugh at, and while loading the next ride, I realized that the boy wasn't where he'd been standing. Panic soon followed when I noticed the woman recording the ride on her phone.
Rushing toward the ride, I discovered the boy had, indeed, sneaked onto it. He could easily have flown out if the ride started because he hadn't properly locked the safety bar. Anger flared up as I hauled him down and he sprinted away, traumatized. Inexplicably, he fell face-first on the ground, getting minor injuries.
The mother, seeing all this, raced towards me. She shocked me with an unexpected move—she slapped me across my face, and accused me of assaulting her son. Security was alerted instantly, and amidst the confusion, I managed to explain the situation to my lead.
Thankfully, eyewitnesses came forward stating what actually happened, which was contradictory to the woman's claims. Regrettably, she bolted with her son when she noticed eyewitnesses being questioned. Despite her escape attempt, security managed to apprehend her and I pressed charges against her for assault. All these events were too much for me and I resigned on the spot.
61. Spicing Things Up A Bit
I don't spend my days at a usual eatery or a generic retail outlet, but this tale involves a customer service event linked to food selling. My workplace operates round-the-clock, we're open no matter the hour on the clock. One particular night, around twelve, a customer pops in in search of a specific product.
She seemed about 65, grumpy and rather loud, demanding a supremely particular item for her dish. Unfortunately, it wasn't on our shelves and as far as I knew, wasn't available in any other store in the area. It was an unusual foreign spice, very niche.
At this point, I've forgotten the name of it as the incident occurred more than ten years back. Long story short, after enduring the woman's persistent hollering, our deputy store manager steps in, flashing a soothing smile, eager to help. We didn't even call him, he had listened in from the store's rear.
He approached the irate customer, probing what she needed, and her absurd request was repeated. He apologised gracefully and informed her, "Regrettably, we don't stock that item. However, [alternative 24/7 grocery store name] may do, located just a mile up the road."
She expresses her gratitude and exits. I question his response, realizing it's a fib, and he admits, "No, they definitely don't have it, she was entirely unreasonable. But it's now their issue to handle, not ours." Hard to dispute that logic! I'm often curious about the scenario that unfolded when she learnt that the other store didn't stock it either. I suppose I'll never find out!
Shutterstock
62. Dinner And A Show
In this situation, I was actually a patron, but I saw everything unfold. One evening, while I was waiting for my take-out order of crispy fried chicken, I overheard a boisterous country fellow arguing with his waitress about his plate of fried chicken that, according to him, didn't live up to his mother's standards.
The waitress just stood there stonily for a bit, before suggesting he should go ahead and cook it himself if our restaurant's version didn't please him.
She then proudly strolled away, leaving the guy totally flabbergasted, speechless and unsure what to do next. Without missing a beat, every individual in the restaurant broke into spontaneous clapping and cheering./
63. Cracking The Code
Once upon a time, a customer was giving me a hard time over an item he purchased and wanted to send back. He didn't have a receipt, the return window had long closed, and he claimed he'd paid in cash, leaving no record of the sale at all. I explained to him our return policy only applies within 30 days of the purchase, and a receipt is required to process any refund.
He remarked, “You’re just spouting off what you're paid to say.” I quickly replied, “You're absolutely right! I do say these things because that’s part of my job.” He was left speechless. Lucky for me, I never saw his tricky self back in my store again!
64. Nickle And Diming
Back when I was in high school, I had a job as a checkout clerk at the local grocery store. On one particularly hectic Saturday, an elderly woman joined my long line holding about $150 worth of various groceries. Among her items was a prepackaged slice of meat from the deli, typically priced by weight, but it was missing a price tag. Usually, I'd have to rely on calling over a bag boy or manager to dash to the deli to get the price.
Given how slammed we were, I chose to use some quick thinking, and I placed it on my scale. "Seems nearly a pound, let's see...how about $2.77? Does that seem reasonable?" I was about to log it as a general food item—but her reply made me jump. "No, it does NOT seem reasonable!" she shrieked. "You need to have that item properly priced!" An impassioned sigh echoed from the waiting crowd as I sent a bag boy to fetch the price tag.
A curious manager appeared to check the source of the outcry. Both the woman and I recapped our sides of the story. Predictably, the manager took her side (which we chuckled about later), and she seemed pleased with his apology. All we could do then was wait, avoiding eye contact and fiddling with our thumbs to pass the awkward silence.
Eventually, the bag boy returned and passed me the pork slice. I couldn't resist a smirk as I revealed the price. "$2.78. Well, I would've saved you a penny!" A gentleman behind her let out a bark of laughter. I never saw her again after that.
65. Now That’s What I Call A Corny Reaction
I'm a proud business owner with a pretty awesome story to tell. Back when I ran a popular food stand, selling treats like kettle corn and shaved ice, there was a particularly busy event.
Busy is putting it lightly—we were swamped with never less than 50 customers in line throughout the whole day. Consequently, the wait for our goodies was slightly long, as you might imagine given these seemingly never-ending queues.
Still, my team and I went all out, working like there was no tomorrow to serve everyone as swiftly as we could. But in the midst of this, one guy wouldn't let up. His complaints were so loud, they reached me from behind 20 other patrons. I held my peace and waited. When he got closer to our counter, I signaled my team to "power down the gear!"
Our equipment was noisy, so its sudden silence split through the air, leaving an unusual quietness. With well over 50 eager customers still waiting in line, I turned to Mr. Complainer, leaving him utterly shell-shocked. I made sure my voice carried to everyone present.
"Sir, I'm not sure if you're aware, but my team is giving their all to serve you your kettle corn as quickly as they can. Do you have any tips for us to speed things up for you?"
I don't recall if the man stayed or not, but what I do remember vividly is the applause that filled the air from the rest of the line, in support of my team. Indeed, the customer isn't always right.
66. There’s Something Fishy About This
I'm from a small town where I worked at a fish and chips shop — one of two in our area. We're known for our tourism and the prized fish and chips that we take pride in.
Our shop was likely among the best within the county, at least to my thinking. Townsfolk seemed to think we had a fierce rivalry with the other shop, but that couldn't be further from the truth.
We had a team of over 25 people, while the other shop employed seven or eight staff members. Our customer base outnumbered theirs by thousands, especially during the summer. Occasionally, a displeased customer would threaten—“FINE, I'M HEADING TO [NAME OF THE SO-CALLED RIVAL SHOP] INSTEAD, AND I WON’T RETURN!”
Suffice to say, they made it seem like a huge blow to our operation. In response, we would nonchalantly tell them not to worry about coming back and to enjoy their meal at the other shop. We kept a fun little secret under wraps though—we were the owners of both businesses.
67. Down To A Science
At the eatery where I'm employed, we don't use serving trays. Our method is simply grabbing what you can hold and heading back for the rest, or asking a colleague to tag along with the additional items.
To prevent any mishaps, my usual method is carrying just one product in each hand when delivering orders to guest tables. Quite frequently, I receive an immediate relief, "Umm, we're still waiting on [random item]" spoken in either a patronizing or discourteous tone.
It's mostly the older customers who make such remarks, accounting for about 99% of the instances. My reply is always prompt and courteous: "Ma'am [or sir], I only have two hands."
It might not be the most original or clever response, but it usually silences them quickly while providing me a certain satisfaction. It makes me wonder, why can't people be more kind to the service personnel who are there to assist them?
68. Take A Picture, It’ll Last Longer
During my time working in a photo printing lab, we'd often have customers accusing us of messing up their photos. Once, a woman asked us to print 800 of her vacation pictures. Unfortunately, they were of poor quality: dark, blurry, pretty much a difficult batch to handle.
Yet, the story doesn't end there. When she came to collect them, she was adamant that we had spoilt them. According to her, the photos were flawless on her camera, which was also quite pricey, and hence there was no way they could turn out dark or blurry.
Despite our innocence and losing valuable time and resources, we ended up refunding her. Then, around 30 minutes later, she called us to say that another store across town had reprinted all her pictures to perfection—bright and sharp. It was then I had to tell her—our boss also owned that store.
Moreover, it would've taken several hours for them to reprint 800 photos, and their printer was actually out of action that day. Hence, they couldn't have possibly printed anything. She ended the call abruptly right after.
69. Freebie Fiasco
At the pizzeria where I was employed, we had a special "two for one" deal running every Tuesday. The more you bought, the more you saved, so it was always a busy day.
One week, we shifted the deal to "any large pizza for $15." Usually, they ran between $20 and $24. A customer was extremely upset, hollering about how our business would suffer without the free pizza deal.
She claimed she knew people struggling to afford food who depended on our Tuesday deal and vowed she wouldn't return. I just grinned, because I knew what was coming next. Sure enough, she returned the following week and even placed an order in advance.
70. Born This Way
One sunny day, my best buddy and I decided to relax on the beach. Now, she's generously endowed, and that makes finding bikinis a bit tricky for her. Trust me, unwanted attention isn't her cup of tea.
After spending time in a tranquil corner of the beach and taking a dip, we relaxed on our chairs. We noticed a family had set up close by—a lady in her late 30s, a man in his early 50s and their young son.
We relaxed and chatted, oblivious to our surroundings. I did notice the family's father casting glances at my friend, but I brushed it off. Shortly after, I decided to get refreshments from the nearby bar. My friend wanted a lemonade.
In line at the bar, the family's mother approached. Her: "You and your friend are close to me and my family." I nodded in recognition. Her: "Your friend is very attractive, but she's revealing too much!"
I blinked at her, pondering my reply. Me: “She can't really help her size, can she?" Her stare seemed to anticipate my agreement, instead, shock registered. Her: "She could try a different swimsuit!" The tone in her voice was distinctly irked. Me: "She can wear what she pleases, ma'am."
Her face turned beet red. I gathered she wasn't accustomed to differing viewpoints. Her: “This will scar my child for life!" Glancing back at their setup, I could see her child happily immersed in sandcastle building and her husband unashamedly ogling my friend.
So, it wasn't about her child— it was about her husband. Me: "There isn’t much I can do, please excuse me." Shrugging off her furor, I grabbed our drinks. She continued, unhappily: “Don't disregard me, young man, I have more to say." Calmly sipping my drink I countered, "Ma'am, your kid is more interested in his sandcastle, but your husband is a different story..."
I gestured towards her husband, who was rather blatantly gazing at my friend. The woman's face paled. Returning to my friend with the lemonade, I sat by her, stealthily observing the livid wife confront her husband. Shortly after, we chose to leave the beach. I didn't burden my friend with the story, she battles with confidence already. Fortunately, we never crossed paths with that family again.
71. For Karen And Country
Straight after high school, I entered the army. As a trainee, I joined a unit named The Old Guard, with various tasks like conducting ceremonies in Washington, D.C., and performing duties at Arlington National Cemetery. This unit includes well-known groups like the US Army Drill Team and the Sentinels of the Tomb of the Unknowns.
Now, imagine it's July 4th in D.C., where grand celebrations take place, mainly at the National Mall facing the Capitol. Part of these festivities involves my unit, the Presidential Guns Salute Battery, providing the bass line for the 1812 overture. Only experienced members are chosen to perform this so the remaining crew and our families get an exclusive area at the front.
Leading up to the performances, we have a daytime cookout, relaxing and getting ready for the show. The area gets packed toward the evening, but we're comfortably in our designated place, well separated from the public crowd.
The day usually includes polite requests from individuals hoping to join us, which we respectfully decline. We may not be in uniform, but our unit T-shirts keep us representative of the army. Enter a woman, let's call her "Karen," intruding on our leisure time in the afternoon.
I was near our area's boundary when Karen asked me if she could share our roped-off space — which supposedly is public — as her kids couldn't get a good view of the Capitol. This was despite clear signs explaining the purpose of our area.
I told her about our unit, The Old Guard, but she rather sarcastically suggested we should be supporting the president somewhere if that's our duty. My Sergeant then took it upon himself to deal with her.
We thought our encounter with Karen was a one-off. But no. A couple of hours later, she came back, bringing along two Capitol officers. She had accused us of making lewd gestures and comments towards her family, a claim the sergeant firmly denied. The officers left without much fuss, but Karen was still indignant about us taking up public space.
The sergeant tried to reassure her we’d be done and out of the area in about 20 minutes. Karen's reaction was utter bewilderment. And we thought that was it. But as we were taking down the ropes for our space, Karen forced her way through one of our unit members, causing him to fall and injuring her own son by accident.
Despite causing the chaos, Karen went on a furious rant, accusing us of assault and ruining her vacation. The sergeant had had enough. He gave her a stern warning, silencing everyone around them. But then the same Capitol officers returned, having witnessed the whole incident, and promptly arrested Karen for assault and harassment.
The charges stuck, and we found out later she’d also been carrying unauthorized prescription pills and credit cards that weren't in her name. We enjoyed our overture performance that night. We comforted our slightly bruised teammate, and for weeks after, had a good laugh at Karen's expense.
72. Check, Please!
Years ago, I worked as a waiter in Muskoka, Ontario, a high-end Canadian resort area popular in the summer. It's renowned for its celebrity visitors, and I've had my fair share of serving celebrities like Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn, as well as Martin Short and Dan Akroyd.
However, there was this local guy who seemed to think he was a big deal. He never gave tips and had a weird habit of scrunching up his Visa bills into tiny balls. But it gets weirder—he'd even chew the papers until they looked like spitballs. One time, he came in with his friends and treated them to dinner, charging a hefty $600 bill.
At the end of the meal, he scrunched up the Visa bill into a tiny ball and tossed it at me, grinning. Quick as a flash, I kicked it off the patio into the nearby lake. With everyone watching, he cheekily remarked, "Well, now you won't know your tip!". I shot back, saying he never tips anyway, leaving everyone with some interesting food for thought.
That wasn't the end though. Once they had left, I immediately contacted the police, claiming he'd left without paying his bill. There was no proof he'd paid, after all, his receipt was floating in the lake. To further solidify my statement, I even erased the pre-authorisation from our card machine.
The police eventually showed up at his door, forcing him to return to the restaurant and pay his bill. After that incident, he stopped giving me a hard time.
73. X Marks The Spot
Even though I've never had restaurant experience, I did manage parking at a neighborhood ski center. Sometimes, it was permissible for me to volley back at impolite patrons, which I found pleasantly satisfying. Here's a classic instance.
A guy asked, “Why can't I just park over there?” I responded, “That's because we're expecting a fleet of school buses filled with youngsters latterly and need to keep this area clear for them.”
He retorted, “But I'm a skilled driver. Look, there's absolutely no place else to park!" I replied, “Sure there is. It just means you'll have to stroll a tad further to reach the elevator.” He whined, “But I'm not willing to do that!" I retorted, “Well, that's unfortunate.”
I then took a brief bathroom break, and upon returning, discovered the man and his family prepping up and unloading their gear from their vehicle, which was parked precisely where I prohibited them to.
When he saw my return, he had a smug grin on his face, seemingly victorious in his craftiness. Silently maintaining eye contact, I promptly filled in a parking violation notice and slotted it under his windshield wiper right there in front of him and his family.
The man objected, “Hey, what on earth are you doing, guy?” Without wavering, I shot back, “Either move your vehicle promptly, or I’ll have it towed.”
And just like that, the situation was nipped in the bud!
74. Phoning It In
As a biracial woman who grew up in a low-income community, I've always worked hard. A high school scholarship led to a college degree and now I'm in a job that I love that pays well. I’m proud of my roots and I do enjoy the spoils of my hard work, like my brand new Samsung Note 10.
Racism is, inevitably, a sensitive topic for me. One day when I was chilling in my local coffee shop, enjoying my day off in my cozy hoodie and sweatpants, I noticed a mother and her child had their eyes fixed on me.
There's a certain expectation of how I might look in a wealthy neighborhood. They eventually approached me, the mother pointedly asked, "Where did you get that?"
Feeling a bit puzzled I replied, "I bought it of course." Her response was, "But how could you afford it?" I was taken aback and fell eerily silent when she carried on to accuse me of stealing it. She even had the audacity to demand I give the device to her son!
Despite my disbelief, I calmly stated, "You're not going to get my phone." The situation escalated fast and got the attention of the store manager who intervened to help smooth things over. Not so successfully though as the woman continued to act entitled and demanded a so-called stolen phone and compensation.
With confusion hanging in the air, I adamantly assured them that the phone was indeed mine. The boy was now hysterically crying while his mom insisted that I stole his phone. Frustrated and familiar with this sort of situation, I stood up for myself, leading the manager to call the police.
On arrival, they heard from the manager, the woman and her son first, and their account twisted the truth dramatically. It was as if they portrayed me as a criminal who had boldly robbed a teenager in broad daylight. It was finally my turn and the only defense I had left was the security footage.
Although there was initial reluctance obtaining it from the store who seemed convinced they had a thief apprehended, it eventually unveiled the truth. The officers awkwardly apologized, contrasting the silence that now filled the café. Yet, the woman remained unapologetic all the while her son continued his tantrum.
My relaxing day off was tainted by entitlement and racial profiling—another one to add to the growing list! It’s sad but true, that the audacious behavior of this woman is something I've grown accustomed to encountering, but it's certainly not a surprise anymore.
75. Owning It
Back in the day, I used to work for this restaurant franchise that began roughly 15 or 20 years ago and now runs about 15 branches. Regularly, customers would vent and voice a common, ambiguous threat, "I know Tommy!" (Tommy being the founder and owner of the franchise).
They would threaten to contact him, insinuating that this would improve the service. This kind of complaint was common in the restaurant biz, so we just had to grin and bear it.
But on one occasion, the interesting twist was Tommy happened to be dining in the restaurant. He visited occasionally, wanting to gauge the service quality as any regular customer would (ironically, his experience always ended up being seamless).
Now, during this visit, a certain woman, who had been quite a handful all night, started griping, implying her meal was either cold or not up to par, although she had nearly cleared her plate.
She demanded a refund for the 'injustice'! And then came the game changer. “I know Tommy! He wouldn’t accept such standards!” The catch was, Tommy was almost directly seated behind her, clearly not familiar with her, and she failed to acknowledge him.
Tommy gave me a subtle nod of approval, after which I said, “Ma’am, Tommy happens to be in the restaurant right now. If you could point him out, I’d be happy to pass on your feedback about his restaurants.”
She stuttered, followed with a, "No, he's not here, I would've noticed him!" until Tommy himself stood and extended a greeting. He maintained a polite facade, although with a definite undercurrent of sarcasm. She quickly retreated and settled her bill soon after.
76. This Comes Right From The Top
I once worked at an age-old, family-run auto repair shop-cum-gas station in a tiny remote town. Most of our clientele, about 90%, were recurring customers who either worked with us through their business or got their family vehicles serviced at our shop, which had been the tradition for generations on both ends.
Consequently, occasional customers stopping by for gas while traveling between cities on either end of the town were quite insignificant to our business.
Income from the gas station component of our business formed possibly a mere 2%. Out of this, a trivial .5% comprised non-regulars. Hence, my boss wasn’t really bothered about some of the troublesome customers that came in. We once had a particularly grumpy soccer mom visit us during a summer a few years back when gas prices were sky-high.
She was absolutely delusional—she was convinced that we were intentionally miscalibrating our gas pumps to dispense lesser amounts of gas. Her 'evidence' was the fixed amount she spent on gas and the consistent percentage that filled up her tank each time.
But we had just had our equipment fine-tuned for that year, so we knew it was functioning properly. Despite her persistent complaints, I, being a high school student, was indifferent.
However, I maintained a courteous demeanor and reassured her time and again about our recent calibration of the gas pumps. She paid no heed and continued her ranting. Eventually, she demanded to speak with the manager.
Little did she know, my boss was in the office located right behind the counter, overhearing the entire conversation. As soon as she requested him, he put an end to it: “GET LOST!”
I just shrugged at her, and she left. My boss had quite a knack for handling rude customers.
77. Subway Spinach Spat
I used to work at a Subway restaurant. There was this one evening when we were running low on spinach. In walks this guy, decked out in cowboy attire, wanting to order a foot-long sandwich.
When we got to the part where he was to choose his veggies, he made it clear he wanted plenty of spinach. Normally, I’m one to sneak in a bit of extra — as long as my boss isn't there to scold, just how I like to roll. But not that day.
Once he noticed the small portion, he insisted, "You’ve to add more than that." Calmly, I explained, "We’re running low on spinach today," inwardly bracing myself for a potential outburst. He refused to back down and demanded more spinach, despite only receiving a pinch each time.
He was expecting handfuls, and bellowed, "I NEED MORE SPINACH THAN THAT, BOY." I patiently informed him once more, "Sir, we're short on spinach."
He fired back, "DO YOU KNOW HOW OFTEN I EAT HERE? THEY ALWAYS GIVE ME ALL THE SPINACH I WANT." To which I responded gently, "Yes, but we have other customers who would also like some spinach in their sandwiches."
He shot back with a complaint about continuous price raises at the restaurant and questioned why. I explained as kindly as possible that I was only an employee and not privy to management decisions.
Frustrated, he claimed I had lost a customer and demanded my manager's contact information. Instead, I gave him my number. After he left a message, all I did was simply reply with a cheeky, "Yeehaw."
Wikimedia Commons, Corey Coyle
78. The Queen’s English
Five months ago, an amusing incident happened. Let me give you some context first – my stepmom originates from Wales, the beautiful hilly part situated west of England, famous for its sheep.
She was born there but raised in England. Nevertheless, my grandparents or as we say in Welsh, Nain and Taid, made sure she and her sibling learned Welsh, honoring their roots.
Welsh folks are proud of their heritage, and my stepmom is no exception. She learned well, attended university, landed a job at a renowned tech corporation, and relocated to the US to provide staff training.
That's where she met my dad, and soon became part of our family. I was not very receptive initially, given I was mourning my mom’s loss, but she, subtly and gracefully, won my heart over time.
Skip to today, we’re leading a comfortable life in a large mid-western town, where most people welcome outsiders, but a select few remain hostile.
Moving on to this past Christmas, when my girlfriend Charlie and I visited from college, planning to spend quality time, especially with my stepmom. We were hunting in the mall for a craft glue for my dad, an avid Warhammer fan, while my stepmom enjoyed a Welsh conversation with her UK-based brother.
Their chat in Welsh offended a lady nearby, who we now refer to as "Karen". As we looked at the mall directory, a rude scoff from her caught our attention, followed by her hustling her kids away from us as if she was alarmed.
I didn't think much of it, but Charlie, who is very protective, confronted her with, "Something offend you, ma'am?” The lady took a moment and retorted, "You're in America! When you're here, you speak English! Not Muslim! My kids don't need to hear that!"
Honestly, mistaking Welsh for Arabic was a new one for me because they're vastly different languages. This Karen though, I guess she wasn't very big on cultural riches outside New York and Los Angeles.
My stepmom then got off the phone and responded to Karen in a distinctly British accent, "Americans might have a stereotype for being ignorant, but you're not doing them any favors." Karen responded, "Oh my God! Your accent is awful! Where did you even learn to speak English?" My stepmom deadpanned, "England."
A bit taken back, Karen glanced at Charlie and me, saw my stepmom, took a moment to process the situation, and then just walked away with her red-faced tween kids.
My stepmom mumbled something in Welsh, chuckled about it, and then helped us find the craft store on the directory. All in all, we had an excellent day and amusing anecdote to share when we returned home.
For those upset by multilingualism, really, the world does not revolve around you. And to my bilingual friends, continue sharing and preserving your cultural identity. And Karen, if someone isn't speaking English, at least get the region right next time.
79. She Complained, And I Chirped Right Back
I'd recently purchased a camping stove and was keen to try it out. So, I tossed in some small twigs, ignited it, and melted some beeswax for a woodworking project.
No sooner had I started than my busybody neighbor marched onto my driveway, shouting at me and warning me about calling the law enforcement. The nerve of her words got under my skin: "It's summer. Our doors are wide open.
"The fumes from your fire are sneaking into our home, leaving black soot stains on our walls; you're damaging our property. And our parakeet is choking from breathing the smoke from your fire; he's suffocating."
The flame on the camping stove was minuscule and produced hardly any smoke. Naturally, I thought she was making a mountain out of a molehill. Her antics were vexing but humorous.
I decided to turn the tables. I told her to quit stirring the pot in the neighborhood and to stop fabricating issues where there were none. She burst into tears and ran to her husband, who then told me not to disrespect his wife.
I explained to him that we are now in progressive times; women are on an equal footing with men. Hence, there was no reason for him to defend her or finish an argument she started, especially since I'd already put the fire out, which was what she wanted.
80. I Wanted To Pan This Nini
During a summer gig at a cafe on the Jersey Shore, I had an interesting encounter with an attractive woman. Clearly, she was a vacationer there to enjoy the summer sun. One day, she strolled in, curious about our range of sandwiches. She was particularly interested in knowing if they were paninis.
I clarified to her that while we grilled our sandwiches using a panini press, the bread we used was actually sub bread, not the typical kind you'd find in an authentic panini.
Inquisitively, she asked, "So, it's somewhat like a panini?" I agreed, mentioning a resemblance. However, when she received her sandwich, her reaction was totally unexpected. She dramatically unwrapped it, then flung it in my direction. Next, she was hollering for the manager's attention.
When he emerged, she loudly accused me of deceiving her, claiming I'd promised her a panini. Moreover, she refused to pay for the sandwich and demanded that I be dismissed. The manager simply and calmly asked her to leave the store.
81. Mommy’s Little Monster
I was engaged in a game of Minecraft with five of my buddies when this incident occurred. A new kid entered our game and our Skype chat. He was a bit disruptive, messing up our constructions and continuously asking for our in-game items. Though we initially contemplated banning him, we instead decided to create a bit of mischief by repeatedly defeating him in the game. Our Skype chat morphed into a cacophony of laughter from us and frustration from him, with accusations of us hacking.
In the midst of this, his mother chimed in onto the Skype call. "ALLOW MY BOY TO PLAY FAIRLY ON THE SERVER, YOU UNGRATEFUL LOT!", she demanded. We all declined in unison. She threatened, "MY HUSBAND IS A LAWYER AND HE WILL SERVE YOU LEGAL NOTICE! I WILL ALSO REPORT YOU FOR HARASSING MY SON!" We brushed her off, resulting in her demanding respect and claiming her son's entitlement to our items more than ours.
She got even more upset when we stood our ground, even after she told us off for using harsh language. Her rage escalated when one of us referenced a popular meme about maintaining a Christian demeanor on a Minecraft server. "HOW DARE YOU MOCK MY FAITH! WHERE ARE ALL OF YOU LOCATED?" In response, we gave her bogus addresses. After she left in a huff and blocked us on Skype, we often find ourselves reminiscing and chuckling over the entire situation.
82. She Got A Doggone Sweet Surprise
I used to handle the cleaning duties at a local gymnastics centre over the weekends. This centre was often booked for birthday celebrations, and one of the coaches would be there to supervise. On one occasion, as I was winding up my cleaning job in the lobby while the electricity was off due to light replacement, a lady drove in about an hour prior to her party time slot.
She went upstairs, but came rushing back down in a fluster only moments later. She angrily questioned why there was no power, demanding an explanation of how she was supposed to prepare for her party without light. Taken aback, I simply explained to her that on the owner's instructions, no one was permitted inside the facility without a coach's presence.
Her response was full-blown fury. She ranted about her entitlement to be present whenever she wished, granted by the owner, and belittled me for thinking otherwise. Despite her outburst, I calmly suggested she wait in her car until the power was restored, and the coach arrived.
Dismissive, she attempted a dramatic exit, then attempted to dial the owner's number. When the coach eventually showed up, I relayed the earlier events, and also left a note to the owner and gave her a call. After that, I headed home. When I returned the next day to collect my pay, the owner reassured me that I had acted correctly.
I then got the rest of the story. The woman had not only been rude to the coach too but had overstayed her booking hour without paying for the party. But then came a bit of poetic justice. While the guests were gathering inside the facility her dog, left unattended in her car, had managed to snack on half of the party cake.
Disturbingly, she suggested just cutting around the parts the dog had eaten. But, it didn't end there. Within about 40 minutes she rushed back inside the centre, grabbed some paper towels, and darted back to her car. Apparently, in her absence, the car had become a mess as her pet had excreted all over the car—the seats, floor, armrests and even the dashboard were smothered.
83. Stay In Your Lane
I resided in an apartment block where parking slots were predefined. There was this individual with a white Civic who kept intruding into my allotted space daily. As a result, I had no choice but to park steadily closer to her vehicle. Eventually, I mastered the art of parking extremely close to her car without causing any collision.
One morning, as I was heading to my vehicle for work, I happened to notice her struggling to get into her car through the passenger's side while mumbling a string of expletives.
At that moment, our gazes met as she was clambering over her central console. Seconds later, she fired up the engine and sped off. Intriguingly, since that day, she has been parking strictly within the boundaries of her space.
84. No Connection
Once a rather irritable lady from the high-end social circles walked into our store. She was upset that her brand new Microsoft surface, which her husband had purchased for $3,000, was faulty. The issue? She wasn't able to access the internet while she was out and about. It wasn't long before I figured out she was talking about Wi-Fi, and I attempted, in the best way I could, to explain to her how the Wi-Fi works. Boy, was that not a good idea!
I informed her she wouldn't be able to use her home Wi-Fi beyond her home's range but suggested that she could use her smartphone to create a personal hotspot. This explanation didn't sit well with her. She then made a startling accusation—she accused me of telling fibs and making fun of her. She even demanded to converse with my manager, who backed me up by repeating practically the same information I had given her. Unhappy with us, she left, making a scene.
85. Life Is A Box Of Chocolates
This chat wrapped up with a customer hurling a jumbo packet of Lay's Sour Cream and Onion crisps at my noggin. A lady walked into our shop, her eyes set on a box of chocolates. But there was a significant snag—her wallet was empty. So, she suggested that she'd collect the chocolates now and pay later once she had some cash.
"Do you really expect me to trek all the way home and then return with the money?" she questioned. My response was, "Indeed, since letting you walk out without paying would be considered shoplifting, and we'll have to alert security." “But I really need these," she insisted. I remained firm. That's when the potato chip pack took flight.
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86. Putting Your Worst Foot Forward
My mom loves cleanliness and order, seriously, she's on another level with it. The first home she purchased with my dad was carpeted wall-to-wall with pristine white carpeting, except for in the bathrooms and kitchen, of course.
It was immaculate and she treated it like her third child, investing hours upon hours into making sure it stayed spotless. Her number one rule? No shoes indoors, which is pretty self-explanatory.
About a month after moving in, one of their appliances broke down, prompting them to call in a repairman. Upon his arrival, my mom kindly requested he remove his shoes, which seemed to make him uncomfortable.
This annoyed her a little, she thought to herself, "It's not a big ask, it’s my home, just take off your shoes." She didn't voice this though and quietly waited. Finally, he broke the uncomfortable silence, "Well, um, I suppose I could hop around."
That's when she noticed he had a prosthetic leg. She was both shocked and horrified, immediately regretting her request. She profusely apologized, "Oh no, please, keep your shoe and leg on. I'm incredibly sorry. It’s so lifelike!" Needless to say, he graciously proceeded to enter with both shoes on.
This encounter has become an heirloom story in our family. For more than two decades now, she retells it and laughs tearfully each time. "Of all the people in the world, who would guess that I'd pick the one repairman with a prosthetic leg to leave a shoe outside?"
87. Room Service
For an entire year while at university, my roomie was secretly sleeping with my boyfriend whenever I was away for classes. Since I often was loaded up with more than the normal coursework, I used to spend every morning either attending math and science lectures or participating in study groups.
However, one fateful day, I returned home early after a class cancellation and caught them red-handed.
Needless to say, I moved out. The anger I felt towards her outweighed the heartbreak. And to add salt to the wound, I also ended up losing most of my pals due to the blowout breakup, while she and my ex stayed together for a considerable time.
Fast forward five years, and an extravagant engagement bash is thrown by the duo at my ex's parental beach house. Some of our friends, who somehow managed to stay mutual, attended and, of course, filled me in on the juicy gossip.
The cherry on top? My ex-former best friend walked in on my ex-boyfriend getting frisky with a caterer in the restroom at their own party. Despite this, they got hitched anyway. I can't help but feel a bit sorry for her even though it seems like she got a taste of her own medicine. She appears to think being with a cheat is the best she can do.
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88. Sounds Wrong
My uncle works as a deputy sheriff. One day, he was in an airport having a-phone-conversation in Spanish with my aunt. After finishing his call, a lady who had been listening to him came over and insisted on seeing his green card. Big mistake.
My uncle decided to play along—he pretended he didn't know what a green card was.
He informed her that he'd never even heard of such a thing. This made her even more frantic and she continuously pressured him to show his green card. My uncle continued to tease her and finally said, "Well, I don't possess a green card, but I do have this." He subsequently pulled out his wallet and flashed his badge.
She hastily retreated as my uncle couldn't help but chuckle at her reaction.
89. Every Office Needs An Otis
Once, I worked in a dog-friendly office. All of my co-workers brought their pets except for me—I didn't have a dog and to be honest, I felt left out. We worked in an open-space setting with dog food right near the front door—no fuss since we didn't have client visits. Opposite to us was a dog daycare.
One hectic day, a lady rushed in with her big Basset Hound. It wasn't common for people to bring dogs, but this day was an exception. She asked me if I could take in her dog as something urgent came up. I was unsure so I asked her for her name. After giving her name, she asked me if she needed to sign any form, which left me puzzled.
She left the dog (Otis) with me and went off. My colleagues were as confused as I was; none of them knew her or the dog. While I was worried she might not return, I was also secretly thrilled since I now had an office dog for the day—and Otis, he was a dream.
Otis lounged around, happily accepting my care and attention. I made sure he was comfortable and took him out for walks. At the end of the day, the lady returned. She talked about her dog's anxiety issues and then asked me how much she owed. At this point, I realized she mistook us for the daycare across the street.
I was hesitant, however, I did want compensation for spending the day looking after Otis. I quoted a price, which she gratefully paid. My colleagues found the whole situation hilarious.
To our surprise, she returned the following week, praising our "daycare" as being more affordable and less crowded. I was just happy to have Otis for company and welcomed him. Soon, Otis started coming in several times a week. We even included him in our office Christmas photo—in a Santa hat, of course.
However, the jig was up when one of our clients who also happened to be Otis' owner's friend saw the Christmas card with Otis. The owner confronted us asking if we were just an office and not a daycare. Not knowing what to say, I admitted we just liked having Otis around.
Rather than being angry or demanding her money back, she seemed a bit baffled but after confirming my narrative with my colleagues, she decided to let things be. In fact, she continued to leave Otis with us because nowhere else would look after her dog for so little. Otis remained my office dog until the day his family moved away, which coincidentally was around the time I was leaving for a new job.
90. It Just Looks Old
My mother-in-law can sometimes say things that are a bit hard to understand. Recently, for example, we were visiting Italy and she pondered why they haven't demolished the Colosseum, considering its age—a question that left me at a loss for words.
Interestingly, she was asking this based on the photos she saw on social media, rather than experiencing it in person. She has a strong opinion that the United States is the best country, so she doesn't feel the need to travel. Honestly, this might actually be for the best for everyone involved!
91. That’s What Big Brothers Are For
Back in my fifth-grade days, there was an incident involving my little brother, a third-grader at the time. A woman had grabbed him by the neck, lifting him up, and forcefully threw him against the lockers. It was a rough throw, about three to four feet distance.
She was furious because my brother had pushed her kid, who had tried to jump the queue at the water fountain. It was absurd, and I found it hard to digest.
Unable to hold back, I started scolding her, using every derogatory term that came to mind as I trailed her towards the exit. I wasn't just using childish insults, I was pulling out the big guns.
Growing up with my Marine father, I had overheard some strong phrases, and despite not supposed to be listening, they came in handy. I continued my barrage as we reached the area where school buses picked up the kids.
Suddenly, she spun around, locking her gaze on me. It felt like she was preparing to annihilate me. No teachers were around, they were all inside, oblivious and trying to comprehend the situation.
It was just her and me, and there was an unmistakable threat lurking in her eyes. She seized me by the shoulders and shook me vigorously while I let out a cry.
Just then, I heard the screeching sound of brakes. To my relief, it was my mom who rushed in, took the woman down – football-style, and gave her a good thrashing. Mom ended up with skin lodged under her nails and bruised knuckles from the intensity of her blows.
That night, I was rewarded with ice cream for standing up for my brother but also had an early bedtime for the harsh words I'd used.
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