One of the most frustrating things to witness in life is a jerk getting away with his or her horrible actions. Well, lucky for you, the following stories aren't like that at all—keep reading for some truly satisfying tales of jerks getting humbled:
1. The Squeaky Wheel Gets The Pizza
My brother and I were waiting at Domino's for our delicious pizza. The staff was busy, but we patiently stood in the designated social distancing area near the counter for about five minutes. The area was marked with tape a few feet away from the counter.
You can probably guess what happened next. Then, Karen walked in and cut in front of us. Thinking she made a mistake, I politely said, "Excuse me, we were actually waiting." Instead of apologizing, she looked at me and responded, "Yeah, but my order's ready."
As if that somehow justified her cutting in line. The worst part was that the staff served her immediately, even though we had been trying to get their attention while our food was getting cold.
2. What A Piece Of Trash
During high school, I worked at a Tex-Mex restaurant in Cincinnati. It was a family-owned place that served delicious food at affordable prices. One time, on a scorching summer day, a customer ordered a taco salad for take-out.
This was a typical order at the beginning of my shift. Towards the end of my shift, I received a complaint from this customer. I was surprised because I didn't remember doing anything wrong.
The manager instructed the customer to come back to the restaurant so we could figure out what went wrong. We promised to refund him if it was our mistake. When the customer returned, I noticed that the taco salad had been sitting in his car for hours.
The receipt showed that it had been close to four hours since he picked it up. The lettuce was soggy, the cheese had melted, and the container was watery. It was clear that he had left the salad in his car for a long time.
He expected us to refund his money and give him a fresh salad for free. However, we declined because it was his own fault. If he had eaten the salad within an hour or so, it would have been perfectly fine. This made him extremely angry, and he had a tantrum.
Eventually, he gave up on getting free food from us. As he walked towards the exit, he loudly exclaimed, "Trash can's full!" He then opened his salad, dumped it on the floor, and left, thinking that he had gotten back at us.
Freepik, jcomp
3. A Very Sneaky Sando
One of the kids with special needs at our school, Robbie, was really friendly and talkative. Unfortunately, the other boys used to tease him and make him do embarrassing or even harmful things (though nothing too serious).
One thing they loved doing was taking away Robbie's lunch on Fridays, which was the day his mom let him have a Nutella sandwich. On a specific Friday, I managed to persuade my mom to let me have a Nutella sandwich instead of something healthier.
During recess, I went to the park, found some dog poop, and put it in the sandwich. When lunchtime came, I asked Robbie to hold my sandwich and stay put until the boys came looking for him—and right on schedule, they did.
Matt, who was the second biggest and meanest kid in our class, ran past and snatched Robbie's sandwich, shoving it in his mouth as he ran. I was completely captivated, watching it all unfold. He ate about half of it before realizing something was very, very wrong.
He started coughing, gagging, and trying to throw up. While Matt was throwing up, Robbie laughed and shouted, "YOU ATE DOG POOP! YOU ATE DOG POOP! YOU FILTHY POOP EATER!" I didn't even know that Robbie had figured it out!
Everyone burst into laughter, falling to the floor. Eventually, Matt recovered and immediately went after Robbie, which was something I hadn't considered... Anton, who was Matt's sidekick and the biggest guy in our class by far, stepped in and told Matt to leave Robbie alone.
To everyone's surprise, Matt quietly backed down and lost a lot of respect among the boys. His desperate attempts to regain his status made the other boys realize that he wasn't as invincible as they thought, and they started standing up to him much more.
4. Off The Deep End
Once, there was a customer named Karen who tried to return a used expensive handbag. I calmly explained that I couldn't accept the return, but she got angry and started pacing around the checkout counter. Her anger escalated very quickly.
Karen then threatened to bring some people to harm me after my shift. Throughout this whole situation, I kept politely asking Karen to leave, although looking back, it probably annoyed her. Eventually, she grabbed the bag and tried to hit me with it by jumping over the checkout counter.
Luckily, a colleague who hadn't started their shift yet (so they looked like another customer) saw everything happening on the shop floor. They took action and tackled Karen into a wall, accidentally knocking down some glass shelves with about 30 bags on display.
Karen ended up crumpled on the floor. She seemed shocked, quickly got up, and ran away.
5. Hard To Love This Neighbour
A few years after we moved into our house, I decided to clean up a steep, wooded area behind our house. It had been used as a dumping ground by previous owners. It was quite a task, but I managed to haul a large amount of disgusting junk up the slope.
While I waited for a dumpster to come and take it away, I piled it up in my front yard. One of the people in our neighborhood, who we'll call "Karen," took it upon themselves to complain to the local government about the pile of junk.
Even though I don't know for sure who it was, I was pretty sure it was Karen since they had a reputation for complaining. Thankfully, I was able to explain the situation to the local government and they understood.
The junk was gone within a couple of weeks once the dumpster arrived. But there's more to this story about Karen. Karen was known for always meddling in other people's business. His wife, who was a kind and beautiful woman, put up with it somehow, but I have no idea how.
However, even she must have had her limits. Eventually, I noticed Karen with another woman who looked remarkably similar to his wife. I heard she was an online bride from the Eastern Bloc.
6. Time To Make The Pizzas
When my older brother was in high school, he worked at Domino’s. One day, when I was around 12 or 13, I was waiting for him to give me a ride home. While I waited, a frustrated mom came in, saying she had ordered pizzas 30 minutes ago, even though it was actually just 20 minutes prior.
She was pretty upset that her pizzas weren’t ready, even though they were still working on her large order. She started raising her voice, "Where are my pizzas? I've waited 20 minutes!"
The manager stepped in and tried to calm her down. He explained that cooking 20 pizzas takes more than just 20 minutes. To appease her, he even gave her a couple of pizzas meant for another customer, at a discounted rate.
Later, when that other customer came looking for his pizzas, the manager apologized, mentioning they had a big order earlier. The guy responded, "No worries, take your time." It's amazing how different people can react in similar situations.
7. Above And Way Beyond The Call
I used to work in the tool section at Sears. One day, a man walked in with a faulty wrench from Walmart, expecting us to swap it for a Sears one. The cashier understandably said no, but the guy started to raise his voice. Seeing this, I decided to help out.
I looked up the wrench's brand online and suggested calling the manufacturer – even though they had zero connection with Sears. He agreed, albeit grudgingly. I talked to a company rep who was kind enough to send him a replacement wrench overnight.
But instead of being grateful, the man lost it. Maybe he was trying to intimidate the cashier, but I felt like I had to shield her from his anger.
I calmly told him that was the best solution available, and if he didn't like it, there was nothing more I could offer. While he continued his angry rant, even threatening me, I remained unfazed. The cashier, understandably frightened, darted off to get a manager.
Soon after, our store's security arrived, and the scene nearly escalated into a full-blown fight. In the end, he was escorted out and banned. Throughout the day, my coworkers couldn't stop talking about how I'd stood up to the guy.
It was heartwarming to see their reactions, and the cashier and I became good friends until I left the job.
8. Doing What’s Right
I work at a Barnes and Noble cafe. One evening, about an hour before closing, a difficult customer, let's call her Karen, walked in. I cheerfully asked her for her order, and she snippily asked for an iced mocha.
I made the drink, handed it over, and started chatting with my coworkers. Suddenly, she called out, saying I got her order wrong. She claimed she wanted it hot, even though I was sure she'd asked for it iced. I apologized and began to make a new one.
As I did, she started making unnecessary comments about our generation, criticizing our conversation, clothing, and even our accents (we're in Alabama, and she had a different accent).
Things then took a sharp turn—she decided to make a rude remark about our Black coworker's intelligence. At that point, I lost my patience. I took the hot mocha from her, disposed of it, and confronted her about her behavior.
I told her we had security cameras recording everything and that just because she bought a drink, she didn’t have the right to disrespect anyone.
In my anger, I gave her a refund from my own money and told her to leave. Her reaction? She threatened to report us, screamed about personal threats, and even tossed her shoes at a display as she stormed out, nearly causing an accident in the parking lot.
After she left, I cleaned up and resumed my chat about movies. My coworkers were worried I'd face consequences, but nothing happened. In hindsight, I was more upset about her treatment of my coworkers than anything she said to me.
I usually don't react like that, but sometimes, standing up to bullies feels right.
9. Keeping Vegas Safe
My best buddy and his newlywed wife, Kathy, headed to Las Vegas to celebrate tying the knot. I caught up with them at the Imperial Palace. Kathy had to use the restroom, but there was a queue. Every time the door swung open, she'd give us a little wave.
One lady in line with Kathy took notice and jokingly said, "Should we call security on those sketchy-looking dudes?"
Kathy chuckled and replied, "One of those 'dudes' is my husband, and the other's his best mate."
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10. Too Hot To Handle
I used to work at this pizza joint where we'd sell individual slices during lunch rush, and it was always buzzing. I'd just brought out a freshly cut pizza to the front, still steaming hot from the oven.
Not long after, a customer came in, ordered a slice, and wanted it reheated. I told him it was fresh out of the oven and super hot.
He responded with, "I hear that all the time". He seemed convinced I was either fibbing or just trying to cut corners. So, I popped the already scalding slice back in to heat up some more. Once done, I served it to him. But soon, he was ringing our service bell like mad.
He complained, "I've waited for like five minutes, and this slice is still too hot to bite into. I want my money back!"
11. Boom! Roasted
I was shopping with my mom when we noticed some kids misbehaving. Since it was near Christmas, my mom playfully warned, "You kiddos better behave, or Santa might skip your house!"
Their mom quickly approached, telling my mom to mind her own business about her children. Without missing a beat, my mom responded, "Oops! Given how they were acting, I assumed they didn't have parents."
12. In The Privacy Of Your Own Truck
I was working at a truck stop during a hot summer afternoon, managing the pumps for the semi-trucks. Generally, I found truckers to be more polite than the typical customer.
One day, a colleague told me a trucker was openly urinating into a bottle right by the pumps, in full view of passing families in RVs. Even though the store's restrooms were just a short walk away!
Following the usual protocol for such incidents, I made a generic announcement reminding everyone of the restrooms inside the store and that the pumps were under surveillance. I didn’t call out anyone specifically.
To my surprise, a visibly upset, large man stormed in a minute later, shouting at me for embarrassing him and revealing his bladder issue. His next move took me aback—he threatened to "mess me up" if I made another such announcement.
My supervisor, AJ, although much shorter than the trucker, confidently stepped in. He looked the angry man in the eye and firmly told him to leave the store. The trucker made a scene, ranting about never returning, before finally leaving.
I wanted to tell the man he outed himself by reacting that way, but I held my tongue. A huge shoutout to AJ for having my back that day. And a quick tip: If you really must use a bottle, please do it discreetly in your truck cab.
I get that bladder issues are real, but there’s a time and place for everything.
13. One Crummy Customer
When I was about 15, I worked in a supermarket bakery. We had these "kids' buns" that youngsters could munch on while shopping with their parents. During one of my shifts, we ran out of these buns and had a queue of parents waiting for them.
After giving the last bun to a customer, we began offering pastries as replacements. Soon, those were gone too. While most parents understood, one mom went full-on meltdown when I couldn't give her daughter a pastry.
She made a massive scene, with her daughter picking up on her anger and getting upset too. She went so far as to fetch my boss, fuming and red-faced, trying to get me in trouble over a missing pastry.
Thankfully, my boss escorted her and her daughter out and later checked on me to ensure I was okay. The experience was both startling and oddly amusing, given how over-the-top the mom's reaction was.
Working in customer service has taught me that people can be incredibly rude and entitled. But it's also made me resilient. I wish there was more emphasis on teaching kids the values of patience and kindness.
14. A Little Bit Of Heat Went A Long Way
I once worked as a brunch cook at a tennis club for some extra money. There was this one customer I had run-ins with on two separate occasions.
On her first visit, she complained her bacon was "too salty". I just reheated the same slices and served them again. She found them "much improved"
The following weekend, she returned and said her fruit crepes were "too sweet". I warmed them up again without changing anything and sent them back. She was suddenly happy, claiming they were "perfect".
Pexels15. Desperate Times…
Growing up, I was always taller than most kids my age. In elementary school, my parents warned me against fighting. They believed that because of my size, I'd be blamed even if I was just defending myself.
So, I never retaliated, making me an easy target for bullies. This weighed heavily on my self-esteem, but things were about to change.
After a particularly rough day, my teacher told my parents she couldn't do anything since she never saw these incidents firsthand. My mom then took a deep breath and told me, "You have the right to stand up for yourself."
The next day, when the bullies came for me, they were in for a surprise. When one tried to hit me, I quickly defended myself, handling each one of them in turn. The best part? I didn't face any consequences for standing my ground
16. Record Scratch
I once oversaw loss prevention at a retail store, and if a customer became challenging or aggressive, I was the one called in because I was trained for those sticky situations.
One day, a frustrated customer, we'll nickname her "Karen", was at the service desk with her kid, trying to return a DVD. There were a few problems: she didn't have a receipt, the DVD was already opened, and it was scratched. Before I even got close, I could hear her heated argument—and I knew things were about to get intense.
As I approached, Karen launched into a tirade about our return policy. I tried to calmly explain that it wasn't just about our store rules, but there's also a copyright law against returning opened DVDs. She countered by saying she discovered the scratch after opening it at home. I offered a solution: I could swap it for a new one, but I'd need to unwrap the replacement right there to prevent similar issues.
This didn't sit well with her. After much shouting, and in front of her kid no less, she angrily threw the DVD in my direction, declaring she didn't want it. But here's the twist: about half an hour later, I got a call. It was Karen, saying she'd made a mistake and wanted her DVD back. I couldn't help but chuckle a bit as I informed her it had already met our trash compactor.
Had she been more civil, I might've gone the extra mile. But with that attitude? No way was I going to bend over backward for her.
17. Nitpickers R Us
I'm allergic to latex, so during the COVID outbreak, I opted for fabric masks. Once, a lady, let's call her Karen, criticized me, claiming fabric masks weren't safe. When I mentioned my allergy, she lost it, ironically calling me a "Karen" for not wearing a "proper" mask. Seriously? At least I had a mask on. Plus, I always make sure to wash it after each use.
18. She Fried My Nerves
After church, a lady ordered fries for herself and a friend. When I served them, she complained, "These are too cold. We'd like a fresh batch." I personally made the next set, cooking them a bit longer, and served them piping hot, straight from the fryer.
She took one look, felt them, and declared, "These are ICE COLD." That's when I had to call in the manager to handle the situation
Flickr, Marco Verch Professional Photographer
19. Speaking Truth To Power
I transferred to a Catholic high school in the tenth grade, even though I'm not Catholic. One day in theology class, the priest/teacher was discussing his views on homosexuality, suggesting parents shouldn't allow same-sex partners in their homes and so on.
I couldn't help but ask why he'd advise anyone to potentially shun their own children for any reason. He responded by questioning if I'd be comfortable seeing my hypothetical kids with same-sex partners. I replied that I'd rather see my children happy, and that his approach might do the opposite.
Admittedly, I could've been more diplomatic in my response. He sent me to the principal, who echoed the same line of questioning. Fed up, I told the principal I was leaving. He warned it was against the rules, but I insisted that he might need to call the cops then, because nothing was going to keep me there.
When I got home, my dad was initially upset about me walking out of school. But once I explained the situation, he was proud. After all, his own brother is gay.
20. Driving Me Up The Wall
I was once the general manager at a moving truck rental place. We had trucks of various sizes, and also vans and pickups which were leased in a unique arrangement. Those vehicles had specific rental rules because they were often targeted for theft.
One day, a lady, let's call her Karen, walked in wanting to rent a cargo van. I explained our policy: for the van, she needed to present a driver's license and a credit card. But she just wanted to give a $100 deposit.
I tried to explain that for vans, we typically required a $1,000 deposit. This policy was firm; breaking it would cost me my job. But Karen wouldn't have it. She even started fake crying to get her way.
The situation escalated with her demanding to speak to my manager. I informed her that I was the manager and her best option for complaints was our corporate number. Thinking I had seen the last of her, I turned to another customer, but Karen barged back in, accusing me of refusing her service because of her gender and race. (For the record, we're both white.)
After a few more dramatics from her, including failing to slam the door and an awkward car start, she finally left. The other customer, clearly not used to such scenes, was left amazed. I just shrugged it off; after all, in the world of customer service, the drama never really stops.
21. A Lick And A Promise
I work at a casino and, because of the pandemic, we put in a bunch of safety measures to keep everyone safe. This meant masks on at all times unless you're eating or drinking, fewer seats at games, and regular social distancing.
We also switched out cards more frequently. We did our best to create a safe space in these tough times. Most visitors were understanding and followed the rules. If someone didn't, a quick chat usually got them on board.
But then there was this one guy, a middle-aged dude at the craps table, who was on another level. He pulled out a wad of cash, slid his mask down, and began to lick his fingers as he counted his bills. Gross! I told him that wasn't okay and asked him to sanitize his hands.
He got pretty defensive and said, "How else am I supposed to count my money?" I suggested he hand it over to the dealer to count—something they'd need to do anyway. Instead of listening, he just moved to another table.
From a distance, I saw the dealer and other players just shaking their heads. Some people just don’t get it.
22. Sundae Funday
Back when I was younger, I was a shift manager at a Hӓagen-Dazs shop located on a bustling street in town. During summer, the place was jam-packed, with lines extending out the door. We mainly served tourists, so we weren't really concerned about securing repeat customers.
Once, a man ordered a massive banana split with four scoops of ice cream, topped with just about every treat you could think of.
I went to town, creating an epic banana split adorned with whipped cream towers sprinkled with bits and drizzled with hot fudge and caramel. It had Oreo pieces, brownie bits, and chunks of Heath bars - the whole nine yards!
However, when the man found out that his extravagant dessert came to almost $15, he balked at the price. I directed his attention to the price list on the large board behind me, explaining that I couldn't give him more than a ten percent discount without landing in hot water myself. But he flat-out refused to pay.
In the midst of a blazing summer day, with the shop filled with tourists and their excited kids, I decided to get back at this difficult customer. I lifted the splendid dessert—a feast for at least three people—and announced it was on sale for just three bucks.
A guy standing behind the disgruntled customer didn't hesitate and snapped up the deal, sharing the bounty with his kids. The first customer was furious. I calmly explained that he had ordered a customized sundae to his liking, while I sold it as a pre-made treat that might not perfectly suit the buyer's preferences.
In the grand scheme of things, the company lost only a few pennies on the transaction, but the expression on that difficult customer's face? Absolutely priceless.
23. Stroke Of Genius
In high school, I was a giant, standing tall at 6'6" and weighing 350 lbs. My parents taught me to be accepting of everyone. So, when I saw someone bullying my friend, who happened to be gay, I had a unique way of stepping in.
I'd playfully act affectionate towards the bully, making them super uncomfortable. And when they threw insults at me, I'd clarify that I was straight but just confident enough not to be bothered by playful actions. It was a quick way to put those bullies in their place.
24. One For The Money
Here's a story I'll never forget. I worked at a mostly online bank. Instead of traditional branches, we had small kiosks set up in grocery stores, where I would assist customers. It was an open area with no doors, and while I couldn't handle cash, I helped with other matters.
One day, a lady in her 40s came by, teary-eyed, needing help with her late husband's accounts. It was heartbreaking; she was openly crying, and we were in full view of everyone entering the store.
While helping her, a customer, let's call him Mr. Clueless, approached the nearby ATM, which ended up retaining his card. He yelled over to me about it, clearly seeing I was occupied.
These machines sometimes retain damaged cards—a fact clearly mentioned on multiple signs. I politely informed him that it'd take around 30 minutes to sort out, and then resumed helping the lady.
But shortly after, another guy, Mr. Rude, faced the same ATM issue. Mr. Clueless told him I was useless, and Mr. Rude started to berate me, completely disregarding the emotional lady I was assisting.
I tried to defuse the situation, apologized, and put up an "out of order" sign on the ATM. As Mr. Rude was leaving after his shopping, he couldn’t resist another dig, saying I must be pretty useless to upset the woman so much. This triggered her—and she totally lost it.
She let out a heart-wrenching scream, stood up, and pushed Mr. Rude, who toppled over into his cart. The scene got even crazier. Store employees, including the manager, rushed over. Mr. Rude, probably embarrassed, tried to claim she had attacked him.
I jumped in, saying he just slipped and she hadn't moved from her seat. He left, fuming. The lady, ever so considerate, asked if I'd get into trouble. I shrugged, not overly concerned about a grocery store job that wasn’t my ultimate career goal.
After we were done, she clarified things with the store manager. The next day, I heard Mr. Rude came back to complain but was shut down by the manager who said the CCTV footage showed he simply slipped.
Apparently, Mr. Rude was threatened with trespassing charges if he didn't leave. I never heard more about it, but man, that was a day to remember!
25. Pet Store Problem
I was already having a tough day with my sick pet, Bunny, so I headed to the pet store to find something to comfort him. When I got back to my car, I noticed an SUV had moved and parked next to me again.
The driver, a young woman sporting that infamous "Karen" haircut, came over and claimed I’d dinged her car with my door.
Honestly, I didn't remember hitting her car. But given how emotional I was about Bunny, her accusations were the last thing I needed. So, I snapped a bit.
I told her to either report it to her insurance and risk a rate hike or just accept my apology for an incident I wasn’t even sure happened. Without waiting for her response, I hopped into my car and left, not in the mood for further confrontation
26. Picture-Perfect Pizza
One time, a guy returned his pizza to us because it didn't match a picture on his phone. Weird thing was, the photo wasn’t even from our restaurant or any pizza we serve.
He confidently strutted to our kitchen, claimed the pizza was overcooked (I thought it was slightly undercooked), and thrust his phone at us to show the picture. We did our best to recreate what he wanted.
But honestly, if he had approached us more kindly, we would've been even more eager to help him out.
27. Crotch Fruit Gone Wild
I was at a coffee shop, and this woman's young kid was causing chaos. He was creating a mess and bothering everyone. The tipping point? He kicked an elderly woman standing behind me in line. The mom saw it, just smirked, and did nothing. So I thought, maybe I should step in.
"Excuse me," I voiced out, loud enough for everyone to hear, "Seems like your babysitter's taken the day off. Mind if I teach your child some manners, since it seems you're preoccupied?" The woman hurriedly left, clearly embarrassed. The older lady behind me gave a grateful pat on my arm, saying, "I thought your generation didn't care, but you proved me wrong."
28. Bird Brain
A few years back, I was running a local pet store. Being young, people often didn't see me as the manager. One evening, a lady comes in with a regular parakeet cage priced around $30 and asks if she buys it, can we toss in some extra stuff for free?
I politely told her I couldn't do that, but I'd be happy to give her a discount if she's buying other things. This sets her off—BIG time. She goes on a rant, saying she works in retail and knows that customer happiness is paramount.
She storms off before I can even respond. The other customers and staff and I just shook our heads in disbelief. Fast forward 30 minutes, and I get a call from a furious lady.
Yep, the same one. She wants to speak to the manager about the "disrespectful kid" she had an encounter with.
She goes on to exaggerate the whole story—claiming I was hurling ferrets into their pen like basketballs, calling her cheap, and rejecting her massive $500 purchase.
I listened patiently to her tall tale, then calmly offered her our corporate number for complaints. She declined but kept stressing how awful her experience was. Finally, I described the so-called "disrespectful kid" she was talking about, and she confirmed it.
I revealed, "Well, ma'am, I am that kid. And just so you know, none of what you said happened. Plus, we have surveillance cameras everywhere. So, I can easily pull up the footage and show my boss the real story.”
She lost it and shouted before hanging up. And the funniest thing about the whole situation? We didn't even have cameras. Bluffing her felt so good, especially with her wild accusations.
I had several moments of "Yes, you're speaking to him" during my career, but this one topped them all because of her over-the-top reaction.
29. Taking The High Road In Style
My wife and I were shopping at a fancy grocery store. Being Black in America, sometimes you just sense when you're being observed closely. We noticed two older white women eyeing us throughout our shopping trip.
Interestingly, my wife had met me there in her new Buick Encore. I loved her car so much that I got one just like it. Both cars, looking almost identical, were parked side-by-side.
Seeing these women still watching us, I thought of a little mischief. I remotely started my wife's car, then mine. We strolled to our vehicles, loaded our groceries, and drove off. As we left, I gave the ladies a friendly wave.
Sometimes, when you've been judged, actions speak louder than words.
30. Three Strikes And She Was Out
I used to frequent this Mexican restaurant in town. Thinking it'd be a great spot, I took a girl there for our first date. She claimed to love Mexican food, so I thought, "Awesome! I know the staff, they'll make us feel special, and it'll be a smooth evening." Boy, was I wrong.
She took ages deciding on her order, even after two drink rounds. After asking about nearly every dish, she picked enchiladas. When it arrived, she took a few bites and said, "This isn't what I expected." Back it went. Next, she tried a chicken burrito.
Same reaction. I was slowly going from, "Oh, she's just indecisive," to, "Seriously? Another order?" She finally settled on tacos, only to say Taco Bell did it better. She then criticized the restaurant and the staff, which was a red flag for me.
They were doing everything they could to accommodate her. The cherry on top? She complained about being charged for two dishes and even tried to make me use a coupon she had. To show my gratitude for the staff's patience, I left a generous tip.
She wasn't thrilled, accused me of being on the restaurant's side, and let's just say the drive home was...silent.
31. Cool In The Face Of Danger
I tried to chat with a guy while waiting for drinks at a rough bar in a small Canadian town. Instead of a friendly response, he surprisingly punched me. Maybe it was the alcohol, but I genuinely asked, “Did you just hit me?”
He answered with another weak punch. I remarked, “You really did hit me! That was weak.” After grabbing my drink, I made sure he was shown the door. I always imagined I'd be a fighter in these situations, but turns out, I'm way more chill than I thought.
32. Do Not Touch
I witnessed an account get shut down and its address banned forever by a senior Vice President. This lady tried to restart her service, but when told she couldn't, she demanded to speak to management.
It's mind-boggling to think she escalated her complaints to the senior VP, given that even big issues usually only reach someone a few ranks below that. I checked the account details, and I was shocked.
She had service calls nearly every day for over three years, always complaining and seeking discounts. The account notes were clear: "This address will never be served again. If she somehow gets our service, anyone involved will lose their job."
33. He’s The One They Call Dr. Feel-Bad
I once got a super condescending response from a doctor on an online forum. I had posted a question about a cardiac MRI I took. To clarify, I wasn't looking for a personal diagnosis or anything.
I was just surprised the MRI took so long, and my arthritis acted up, causing unbearable pain. I had to stop the test 15 minutes early, so I simply asked if the images would still be reliable.
Instead of a helpful answer, one doctor scolded me, saying I was just seeking attention and wasting everyone's time. He questioned why I even asked if I couldn't complete the test.
I clapped back, telling him he could've scrolled past my question if it bothered him so much. I also wondered aloud why he was even on the platform if he couldn't be kind.
The whole ordeal soured my first experience on that platform. I ended up blocking him and tried to forget the whole thing. Ugh, some people!
34. Burger Beast
Once, a woman ordered a 1/4 lb burger but got a 1/2 lb instead. Even though it only took a couple of minutes, she came back fuming, claiming she waited for ages and that the order was all wrong.
She said she didn't want the extra calories from the bigger burger and kept on complaining without letting me speak. So, I decided to fetch my manager. He managed to soothe her, took the burger, and handed it to the cook. All the cook did was remove one patty and give it back to her.
She ate it in a huff, made a mess, and as she left, she shouted about how she'd never return and would badmouth us to everyone she knew. Funny thing? She was back the very next day, with her family and friends, raving about how great we were while waiting in line. Some people, right?
35. Panic On The Dance Floor
Picture this: a wild night out with my friends, venturing into the depths of a redneck biker bar in a charming, medium-sized town. The place was buzzing with energy, packed to the brim with rowdy patrons.
Amidst the sea of faces, I found myself standing out as one of only two Pakistani or Indian individuals in the entire joint. If memory serves me right, there were perhaps five or six other non-white souls scattered about, if even that many.
As fate would have it, I somehow managed to lose sight of my group amidst the pulsating beats of the dance floor. Determined to reunite with my comrades, I embarked on a quest to find them amidst the chaos.
Just as I was navigating through the crowd, a stranger abruptly seized my shoulder, spinning me around to face him. Our eyes locked, and with a mischievous glint in his gaze, he uttered those infamous words, "Shouldn't you be driving a cab or something?"
Now, instead of letting anger consume me, I decided to take a different approach. A mischievous grin spread across my face as I boldly stepped towards him, wrapping my arms around him in an unexpected embrace.
With a twinkle in my eye, I whispered, "Oh my dear friend, the truth is far more extraordinary than you could ever imagine. Brace yourself, for I am your long-lost father. Yes, that's right. I had the pleasure of romancing your mother for quite some time."
Leaving him utterly dumbfounded, I gracefully turned on my heel and sauntered away, leaving him speechless and unable to conjure a response.
36. More Than She Bargained For
I used to be the assistant manager at a big women's clothing store. One day, a woman came in wanting to return some items with a gift receipt. Now, according to our store policy, if you return something with a gift receipt, you get a gift card, not cash. Well, this didn't sit well with her—and she reacted sorely.
Upset, she started to leave. And, in a classic dramatic exit, she slammed our glass door so hard that it broke! Luckily, she left her receipt behind, so we had her details. She got a bill from us for that door
37. Sweet Revenge
So earlier this week, my buddy V and I planned to go kayaking. She came over, I let her into my building and asked her to wait in the lobby while I got ready. Almost immediately, a lady, let's call her Karen, accused V of loitering and told her to scram.
V, staying calm, mentioned she'd be on her way soon. But Karen got all high and mighty, saying, “I’m the manager here, and you need to go. Or else I’m calling the cops!” V just kept flipping through a magazine.
When I got downstairs, I found Karen dialing up the police. Here's where things get juicy. V filled me in, and just as I was about to intervene, she signaled to wait and enjoy the show. Turns out, not only was Karen not the manager, she didn’t even live in the building.
Oh, and the cherry on top? V is actually a sergeant with our local police. Talk about a plot twist!
38. The Color Of Meat
So, I used to work customer service at Food Lion. One day, a lady walks in with 80/20 ground beef her hubby had picked up a couple days earlier. I asked her what the issue was. She said he bought "bad" meat.
When I dug a bit deeper, wondering if it was spoiled or something, she just said the beef was pink. Honestly, I couldn't help but laugh. Yeah, that was one of the days I got in trouble for chuckling in front of a customer. Oops!
39. Heckling The Heckler
So, I was about to graduate from Hampshire College in Western Massachusetts, a pretty liberal artsy place. A grad from the 70s dropped by to share his memoir. The students in the hall didn't take it well, especially how he portrayed the college back in his time.
One student kept criticizing him, trying to make him feel bad about his own experiences. The kicker? She confessed she hadn't even read the book, just a snippet of a review. The next time she started talking, I jumped in and said, "You didn't even read the book!"
The room burst into applause, and the author even shot me a grateful smile.
ESB Professional, Shutterstock
40. Do You Know Who I Am?
Imagine handling a Karen as a police officer. "Do you know my husband?" "Don't even think about touching me. My husband is Mr. Important." Cool, you can fill me in on who he is while you're heading to jail.
It gets worse, too.
Then there's the military officer's wife Karen: "My husband's a captain. Why haven't you saluted me?"
41. Small World
So my fiancée and I were out grocery shopping. She's disabled and uses a cane. In stores, she prefers their electric scooters, and for parking, we have a disabled pass for our car.
After parking in a disabled spot, I was helping her out when I heard someone shout, "Hey, you!" It was a lady—total Karen vibes.
"Why are you in a disabled spot? You're not disabled!" she snapped. Keeping my cool, I responded, "I'm not, but she is," pointing to my fiancée. But Karen wasn’t having it. "She’s faking it just to park here! I'm calling the cops."
The twist? When the police arrived, it turned out one of the officers knew me from my Army days. "Hey, Sarge! Long time no see! What’s going on?" Karen tried her whole "she's faking it" spiel, but the officer checked our pass and was having none of it.
With clear frustration, he told Karen, “This is the fifth time you’ve falsely accused someone this month. You were warned. Now, you're coming with me." Her reaction? Priceless. She was in shock, shouting about connections and demanding his badge.
He calmly put her in his car and drove off, while my fiancée and I headed in for our groceries.
42. Know Your Onions
A customer once returned a sandwich, claiming there was a green onion on it. Funny thing is, our kitchen never stocked green onions! When I checked the sandwich, I had to hold back a laugh.
The so-called "green onion" was just a tiny stem from the chopped spinach she had specifically asked for, instead of the usual spinach leaves. What irked me more was that she'd already eaten most of the sandwich before complaining!
43. You Got Told
I was on the bus with my four-year-old stepson, heading to the local pool. A group of rowdy college guys were dropping a lot of swear words.
Out of nowhere, my bold little stepson piped up, “THAT’S A BAD WORD! MY MOM WOULD WASH YOUR MOUTH OUT WITH SOAP IF SHE HEARD YOU!”
The guys were utterly taken aback by this tiny preschooler telling them off. They glanced my way, and I just raised an eyebrow, struggling to keep a straight face.
44. Some People
I once worked at a cafe where a lovely woman with Down Syndrome worked part-time. She's a family friend and incredibly sweet. The town attracts a lot of tourists during the summer, so I've interacted with various kinds of people.
One summer day, a man and his wife came in. They ordered a smoothie and an iced americano. Now, as a trained barista, I know the difference between an americano and regular coffee. But to simplify things, I often say "coffee" since many customers don’t distinguish between the two. When recapping their order, I mentioned "coffee", and the man was quick to correct me. I assured him it would be an americano since we only use an espresso machine.
After preparing the wife's smoothie, I handed it to our colleague with Down Syndrome to deliver. Shortly after, she returned with the untouched smoothie, looking puzzled. When I checked with the wife, her response shocked me. She wasn't comfortable accepting the drink from our colleague, hinting at her special needs.
I asserted that she's a valued member of our team and quite capable. But the interactions didn’t end there. As I finished the husband's iced americano, I accidentally called it an "iced coffee". Instead of picking up his order, he chose to educate me, the experienced barista, on the difference between brewed coffee and an espresso drink, even after I had clarified our setup.
Losing patience, I firmly explained what's in his drink. But then he took it a step further, asking if our colleague with special needs had prepared it. I told him, quite sternly, to either take the drink or leave it, and if he couldn’t treat everyone with respect, he should leave. My manager only had words with me for letting a swear slip during the conversation.
45. Vaped Crusader
I was at a restaurant, and after eating, I stepped outside to vape while waiting for my bill. While I was out there, I spotted a family parking their car. The mom was smoking inside the car, even though her two kids were in the back. When they got out, she shot me a judgmental look.
I returned her stare and saw her hurriedly guiding her kids away from me. With a sarcastic tone, she said, “Nice spot to vape, so we all get to breathe that in.” Seriously? I shot back, “At least I’m outside with my vape. You smoked in a closed car with kids. Who’s really being inconsiderate here?”
I couldn’t hold back and asked her husband, “You’re okay with her smoking around your kids and then lecturing me?” The silent shock that followed was oddly satisfying.
46. She Tried To Out Pizza The Hut
I used to work at Pizza Hut. One day, a customer came in and requested a Meat Lover's pizza, but without any meat. Basically, she'd end up with just sauce and cheese, and it would be pricier. So, we made it and handed it over saying, "Here's your cheese pizza."
She fired back, "I didn't ask for a cheese pizza! I wanted a Meat Lover's!" And this wasn't the only time she did this.
Freepik, ASphotofamily
47. A Nose For Trouble
Back in middle school, I was the only Indian kid in town. There was this one guy in gym class who'd always mock me during roll call. I'd usually let it slide, but one day he crossed a line.
He decided to call me "Osama Bin Laden", referencing the 9/11 mastermind. That was it for me. I lost it and went for him, kicking him straight in the nose. He was caught off guard and before he could respond, others pulled me back. I got a day in in-school suspension, while he got a week and was also charged with a hate crime. Safe to say, he never messed with me after that.
48. I’m The Only One Who Matters
I used to be a House Manager at a major performing arts venue. One Saturday night during a showing of The Book of Mormon, I met the most frustrating guest, let's call her Karen. Even thinking about the incident makes my blood boil.
So, here's the scene: A young veteran was seated in his regular wheelchair, flanked by his elderly parents in banquet-style seats. These banquet seats are typically used for those with mobility needs. We'd remove a few regular seats, creating space for the wheelchair and then use the banquet seats for their companions. The thing is, these banquet seats were exactly the same height as our regular theater seats. Yet, for Karen, this setup was a catastrophe.
She felt the family was obstructing her view. Moving to another available seat wasn't an option for her. She loudly voiced her discontent, emphasizing how much she had spent on her tickets, all while dramatically waving her designer purse and flashy rings.
Her complaints continued through the entire intermission. I tried to calm her down, even having security on standby because of her behavior. Her piercing complaints were so hard to ignore—it felt like her voice was weaponized.
Sadly, the young man and his parents felt so uncomfortable due to Karen's complaints that they decided to leave. I felt awful and offered them complimentary tickets or a refund, but they politely declined and just wanted to head home. Karen, on the other hand, returned to her seat to enjoy the rest of the performance.
Honestly, I hope every future show she attends gets interrupted, given her incredibly entitled attitude.
49. Communication Breakdown
Since she was 17, Maggie has been juggling full-time hours at our retail store while finishing high school and chasing her dreams of becoming a physical therapist. Everyone adores her. She's super respectful, unbiased, and treats everyone the same.
Despite her young age, Maggie's got wisdom. She's the kind of person who's hard to find fault with. But on one particular day, she looked deeply upset, which was rare for her.
Maggie shared that a customer had called her a "dirty little pig". What made it worse? Both Maggie and the customer belong to the same minority group. Now, Maggie always goes the extra mile for customers, but she doesn’t set the prices.
That was the root of the issue. I couldn't let it slide.
As the rude customer waited to pay, I confronted her. I was aware the cameras were rolling, but I also felt the store would support me.
I told her off, making it clear her behavior was unacceptable and even claimed she was banned from the store (though I really didn’t have the authority to do that).
During this, I asked Maggie to get the store owners. That’s when I noticed a teenager, probably the customer’s son, looking utterly embarrassed beside her. My heart sank. He looked like he could be my own kid, and he clearly didn't deserve to be in this mess.
The store owners eventually spoke to the young man, as his mother pretended not to know English. Turns out, she frequently pulled this kind of behavior. I can't imagine how mortified the son must feel.
Standing up for Maggie felt right, but dragging this innocent kid into it made the whole situation bitter-sweet
50. Say Cheese, Please!
I used to work at a fancy restaurant. One day, a young girl asked me about the cheese plate. So, I wheeled over our cheese cart, which had this cool glass dome, and showed her all the different kinds. I described their flavors, and she decided to try a bit of each.
But soon after, I heard she sent it back. She said the plate was just "too much cheese" for her. Now, this wasn't any ordinary kid. She was 11, super polite, and was trying to fit in with the adults. She even had me pour grape juice into a wine glass!
I knew that uneaten cheese plate was still in the kitchen. Chefs love snacking on those leftovers! So, I dashed in, and with all the fruit, berries, jellies, chocolates, and kid-friendly snacks I could find, I made her a new plate. The smile on her face was priceless.
She was worried she'd get in trouble for not eating the first one, but by the time she was done with my version, there was nothing left to clear away.
51. Tough Guy
My friend, who's gay, had a surprising encounter at a small-town Iowa gas station. As he was leaving, an employee hurled a homophobic slur at him. Instead of ignoring it, my friend confronted the guy, grabbing him by the collar, and said with a sassy lisp, “Sometimes we fight back.” He then pushed him into a big candy stand. All of us, including me, were completely taken aback.
52. Being Extra
The most frustrating thing for me is dealing with Karens who love to argue, especially when they're completely wrong or fussing over trivial stuff. This one Karen made me absolutely lose it:
"X should have strawberries!"
Actually, it doesn’t; Z does. I can make Z for you or add strawberries to X for an extra $8.
"But X should already come with strawberries!"
(I show her the menu)
"Well, that must be wrong because I know X comes with strawberries."
So, do you want me to add strawberries to X?
"X should already include strawberries!"
Come on, ma'am. Arguing won't change the facts. Your choices are simple: either ask for strawberries to be added to X or order Z. Please decide and let others order in the meantime.
53. No Good Deed…
One day, a woman, let's call her Karen, almost got me in serious trouble at work. Here's what happened: Karen and her daughter were standing on the sidewalk, waiting to cross the street.
Instead of waiting for a safe moment, Karen walked right in front of my work van while she was busy with her phone.
Luckily, her daughter pulled her back a bit, and I quickly honked my horn to alert her. But instead of realizing her mistake, Karen started yelling at me, accusing me of speeding. Thank goodness there were plenty of people around who saw the whole thing.
After the incident, I parked my van in a nearby strip mall and went into a store. About 20 minutes later, I returned to find Karen jotting down my van's details, probably to complain to my workplace.
As I had feared, she did call my office. But jokes on her! My boss knew about our vehicle's GPS system, which clearly showed I wasn't speeding. Plus, my supervisor knows how some customers can be and didn't take her complaint seriously.
I just wish I could've told Karen that her efforts to get me in trouble didn't work.
54. She Got A Raw Deal
I used to work in the seafood section at Central Market, an upscale place kinda like Whole Foods. Some of the customers there felt super entitled, probably because the store always aimed to please them no matter what.
One day, this flashy, middle-aged woman, decked out in a tennis outfit and driving a fancy car, bought two pounds of our Florida Key West pink shrimp, priced at $17.99 per pound. These shrimps have a vibrant pink-orange color that makes them look like they're cooked, even though they're raw. Plus, they still have their shells on. We even displayed them right next to other raw shrimp options, while the cooked ones were far away.
A few hours later, she came back returning just the shrimp tails, saying they tasted bad. She later called, complaining that her family felt sick after eating them and that the shrimps tasted raw. Well, they ate two pounds of raw shrimp! I couldn't help but laugh when I heard that.
55. Worst Excuse Ever
During my last week in Tokyo, I was chilling by Shibuya station, enjoying some prime people-watching from the circular benches. Seriously, it's the place to be; everyone meets up there.
As I was sitting, I spotted a European man in his mid-thirties trying to chat up women and striking out every time. It was pretty amusing watching his clumsy attempts.
Things took a turn when he sat down next to two young girls who seemed to be in middle school. They looked uncomfortable with his mix of English and Japanese chatter, but were too polite to leave.
Feeling annoyed, I stepped in. I might look local because I'm Asian-American, but I made sure he understood me. “Do you realize these girls are in middle school?” His weak response was, “I just like girls”.
Seriously? The girls used the interruption to slip away, and after a last unimpressed glance from me, the guy made a hasty exit.
56. A Slice Of Life
I once worked at this cafe/bakery where our manager really stood up for us. We had a young co-worker, around 18, who had a tough home situation. So, one day, this lady in her 50s walks in with what looked like her friend.
My co-worker serves them, but the lady was acting pretty rude. And the worst bit? She tore her pizza apart and sarcastically told him, "You couldn't even slice this properly”. Man, our manager was livid.
I've never seen someone so close to losing it. He was super mad, but held himself together just enough to ask the two women to leave and told them not to come back.
The women wanted to talk to the owner after realizing he was just the manager. But when the owner showed up, he backed our manager. The ladies made some noise about calling the cops, but they backed down after we refunded their money.
Some people just lack empathy, I guess.
57. You Need To Calm Down
While working at the bank, I met an interesting customer. He came in to make a withdrawal, placing his bank card and ID on the counter. I handed him a slip to fill out and, in the meantime, used his ID to access his account details.
Once I was done, I placed his ID and card back on the counter, thinking he'd grab them when he finished with the slip. I've seen many customers accidentally leave behind their cards, and I didn't want that to happen. After completing the transaction, I noticed he looked a bit frustrated.
Curiously, I asked if everything was okay. He expressed his wish that I had handed the cards directly to him, mentioning it felt inconsiderate to place them on the counter. I tried explaining my intention but seemed to only upset him further when I pointed out he hadn't handed the cards directly to me either.
His frustration grew, and he requested to speak with my manager. I obliged, allowing them to discuss the situation. After that day, I never saw him at the bank again, and part of me is relieved.
58. Regular Pain In The Necks
My mom ran a restaurant, and we had this one family—a mix of four adults and three kids—that dined with us almost twice a week. Every single time, they found something to grumble about with their meal.
They'd complain, and my mom, being the sweetheart she is, would knock off some of their bill. But then one day, with my mom away and me at the helm, they pulled their usual stunt. On top of their regular complaints, they ordered three lemons sliced up for their soups.
We usually don’t charge for extra lemon slices, but I was just fed up with their antics, especially when they began arguing about their food being cold. So, I added a modest $.75 for the lemons. They quickly claimed I was trying to rip them off and demanded a free meal.
I'd had enough. "Look," I told them, "You're here every week, always fussing about the food, letting your kids run wild. I'm just not having it today. If you leave without paying, I'll have to involve the [authorities]."
Then came the old "we know the owner, and you'll be out of a job" threat. I shot back with, "Sure, let's call her. She's my mom." They went silent, settled their bill, and left. And you know what?
The next time they visited, they were pleasant as pie. Sure, my mom wasn't thrilled about my approach, but standing my ground felt so good.
59. My, How The Tables Have Turned
One of my buddies once shared a four-hour train journey with a mom, her young son, and another woman. The boy, who seemed about five, was all over the place—yelling, hopping on seats, and just generally being a nuisance. At one point, he even spat on the other woman.
Clearly upset, the woman wiped herself off and asked the boy's mom to control him. The mom responded with, “I believe in learning through experience, so I don’t want to limit him”. When the train finally pulled into the station and my friend got up to leave, he spat on the mom and quipped, “Guess what? My mom raised me the same way”.
60. Nowhere To Go But Down
I lead the complaints team for a global company, and dealing with difficult customers is my everyday.
To reach me, these customers first have to discuss their issues with our team members, team leads, and then managers. All of these folks are trained to address and resolve complaints.
Many conversations have been like:
"Sorry Karen, but we can't fulfill that request. We hope your next experience with us is better."
"That's not fair! All I asked for was a trip to the moon and a map to Atlantis! I want to talk to your boss."
"I'm the end of the line, Karen. This is our final decision."
That was annoying enough—but she continued to make things worse.
"But you don't own the company. I want to talk to the person who does."
"No, Karen. I'm your last stop."
Karen often ends up sending a complaint to the CEO about me, only for the CEO to send it straight back to me.
"Hey Karen,
As mentioned earlier..."
61. Someone Is Not Amused
Here's a story for you. I was on a city bus headed downtown when a weary-looking young mom with twins in a double stroller boarded. A few stops later, another woman got on and immediately began berating the young mom. “These seats are for the disabled! I need that spot!”
The mom tried to explain that the stroller meant she couldn't move, but the woman was having none of it. The bus driver pointed out other available seats meant for disabled passengers and mentioned that strollers are also allowed in the spot the mom was in.
But the woman, clearly not interested in reason, kept on insisting. “She should move her stroller! This is absurd!” She finally sat down, allowing the bus to proceed. As we reached downtown, she suddenly yelled at the driver, claiming he'd missed her stop. Thing is, she never signaled for it. “I'll be talking to your boss about this!” she threatened.
With a grin, the driver responded, “Feel free.” She then declared, “I'm the QUEEN! I deserve respect!” After a beat, she added, “Well, I'm related to the queen. And trust me, your manager will hear about this.” She then stormed off in the direction of the bus company office. Every time my husband and I spot her now, we chuckle and say, "Look, it's 'the queen'."
62. Kosher Crackpot
At the diner I worked at, a customer ordered a cheeseburger cooked "medium-rare" without any other special requests. When the burger was served, she complained about the cheese, saying mixing meat and dairy wasn't kosher.
I mentioned to her that she'd ordered a cheeseburger, so naturally, it came with cheese. If she wanted no cheese, she should've asked for a plain hamburger. She angrily said, "I just wanted a kosher cheeseburger. This feels like discrimination! I want to talk to the manager!"
Just then, an elderly gentleman from the next booth stood up. He told her, "I grew up Jewish in Poland and survived Auschwitz. I've witnessed real prejudice. It's reactions like yours that can give our community a bad name."
The customer quickly turned red, left a $20 bill on the table, and hurried out before the manager could even step in.
63. Malicious Compliance For Sure
In high school, I had this shirt with George Bush's face and the words “international monster” on it. One of my teachers, who happened to be both an American and a Republican, asked me to take it off. I think she wanted me to change into another shirt, but I cheekily just removed it right there in class, giving her a defiant look.
My classmates couldn't help but laugh at the unexpected moment. Ultimately, she suspended me over it. In response, I penned a passionate 12-page letter to the school board, emphasizing my right to free speech. To my surprise, they let me return to school just two days later.
64. Pie in The Sky Idea
I recently started working at Target, mainly because I was in a "whatever happens, happens" phase. One day, a lady entered and headed straight for the Pizza Hut express just as they were about to close. Unfortunately, they were out of pan pizzas.
Not convinced, she approached me at the self-checkout, asking for a manager. Without missing a beat, I just yelled, "manager!" Soon enough, one appeared. The lady voiced her doubts about the pizza situation, but the manager confirmed they were indeed out.
She turned bright red in disbelief. I casually remarked that they'd closed for the day, but she kept stressing how much she wanted that specific pan pizza. Another co-worker and I suggested a few nearby pizza places, including a full-scale Pizza Hut that was still open.
However, she seemed fixated on getting her pizza from Target's Pizza Hut Express. In the end, she left in a huff, mentioning something about grabbing a prescription. We didn't have the heart to tell her that the pharmacy had shut its doors two hours earlier
65. How Dare You?!
I was about to enter a store when I saw a young mom with two kids coming towards the door, each child holding one of her hands. I decided to hold the door open for her, thinking it would help. To my surprise, she didn't take it well. She started scolding me, asking if she looked helpless and that she didn't need anyone's help.
I calmly responded, "I was just trying to be kind. And it's probably best not to use that kind of language in front of your kids." I continued into the store, a bit taken aback by the encounter. It really made me reconsider being helpful to strangers in the future.
66. She Wanted Her Proper Piece Of The Pie
Once, a customer waved me over and pointed out that her sugar pie didn't look like the picture on our dessert menu, accusing us of false advertising. Curious, I asked her what seemed off about her slice.
She pulled out the menu, counted the designs on the pie in the photo—13 in total. Her slice had only 12, leading her to believe I'd given her a smaller piece. But the truth is, all our desserts come pre-sliced.
67. Like A Ton Of Bricks
In second grade, a girl in my class kind of liked me. One day, during recess, another boy started picking on her, throwing dirt and stuff. Feeling all heroic (and probably influenced by the comic books I read), I confronted him, telling him to mess with someone his own size.
He responded by picking up what I thought was a clump of dirt. Planning a cool dodge, I expected the dirt to sail over me. But, surprise—it was actually a dirt-covered brick. As I tried to dodge, it smacked me right in the face. Ouch.
With blood streaming from my nose, a teacher rushed me to the nurse. My nose still bleeds easily because of that incident. And no, the girl and I never became an item.
But that day taught me a lesson: sometimes, standing up for what's right doesn't go as planned, but it's essential to stand up anyway.
68. I’d Do Anything For Cheese
I had a run-in with a classic "Karen" while working in a store. This middle-aged lady was trying to swap price tags on cheese blocks. She was attempting to replace the cheese's actual price with a $5 chicken label.
When I approached her with a casual, "Need any help?" (because it's better not to confront a Karen head-on), she tried to argue that the cheese was $5 the previous week. I clarified that it was a different brand back then. She then falsely claimed the cheese was in a sale bin.
Just when I thought the issue was settled, I heard a commotion at the checkout. My colleague signaled for the manager. As I walked over, knowing it was the same lady, she was loudly claiming, "The manager said I could get it for $5!" She seemed surprised when I identified myself as the manager and reiterated that I never agreed to that price.
Attempting another tactic, she claimed to be close friends with the store's managers. To which I responded, "That's funny, considering I'm the manager and I've never met you." She stormed out, threatening to report me, with our security guard trailing behind her.
The cherry on top? The next day, other branches emailed about the same lady trying her cheese discount trick everywhere. All that effort to save a buck on cheese!
69. Maybe It Was A Rhetorical Question?
One time, my partner parked our car near a store while I waited inside. Karen, thinking he parked too close to her car, stomped over looking pretty mad. She leaned in through the driver's window and snapped, "Could you park any closer?"
Even though I was clearly in the passenger seat, she directed her frustration at me. I responded with a few choice words of my own. I hoped for a witty back-and-forth, but she just called me a name and stomped off.
Freepik, nakaridore
70. Bleu For You
When I was waiting tables, a customer ordered his steak "bleu". After serving him, he quickly flagged me down, saying it wasn't rare enough. But "bleu" essentially means the steak's almost raw, cold in the center. If it were any rarer, it'd be totally uncooked!
71. Snappy Comeback
I was at a Cher concert with my partner. On our left were two guys who kept leaving their seats for drinks or restroom breaks, which got a bit bothersome. On our right, a lovely older woman was really getting into the show, more so than us.
At one point, sensing our annoyance, one of the guys tried to make chit-chat, pointing at the woman and saying, "I bet that's not even her real hair." My partner quickly responded, "You really shouldn't talk about my mom like that."
The look of surprise on their faces was priceless! After that, they started exiting their row from the opposite side.
72. The Cat Who Ate The Cream
I used to work at McDonald's and we had this older lady who'd visit daily. She'd always order a small coffee with a whopping 10 creamers on the side. And every time, she'd return shortly, complaining her coffee was cold, asking for a new one and another set of creamers.
We usually played along since she seemed a bit lonely. But one day, after her third complaint, I gently suggested she might want to use fewer creamers if she preferred her coffee hot.
Well, she wasn't pleased—and her reaction was totally uncalled for. She went off on me, calling me names and questioning my coffee-making skills. She demanded to speak with the manager.
I'm not sure what was said between them, but after that day, she toned it down, became much friendlier, and started asking for only five creamers. What a wild ride.
73. That Escalated Quickly
The other day at the grocery store, I got a front-row seat to a classic Karen scene. She was getting worked up because the cashier asked her to give me some space. I had a mask on, she didn't.
The poor cashier was just following her boss's instructions. It was a whole drama, but honestly? It gave me a bit of a chuckle watching the whole spectacle.
74. A Tricky Tuna Situation
A customer once returned a tuna steak, convinced that we had deep-fried it. Although it had the classic grill marks and appearance, she was adamant that it was fried. We never deep-fry our tuna steaks, but she still wanted a replacement.
Despite explaining that it was grilled, as indicated on the menu, she felt we were trying to deceive her. She even thought we would intentionally ruin another perfectly good tuna steak by frying it, just to fool her.
75. Now There’s A Happy Ending
I was attending a high-end business cocktail gathering where all the attendees were in their best formal attire. There was this one man there who was remarkably large, both in height and weight, and he was clearly inebriated.
He recklessly decided to pick up an attractive woman from behind, embracing her chest and swinging her around. The woman's face was filled with pure terror.
At that point, whilst standing at an average height and weighing roughly 150 lbs, I calmly approached the man and declared, "If you don't release her immediately, you and I are going to have a problem." He let her go. Then, later that night, I found myself in good company.
76. Look Who It Is
When I was running a cinema, there was a regular duo, Karen and a man we'll call Boss - a nickname owing to his frequent use of the term. Every time we spotted them buying tickets, we'd immediately start whipping up their usual refreshments.
So by the time they reached us, their snacks would be served to their liking, an example of excellent customer service. However, Karen never missed an opportunity to complain. Instead of addressing issues with a manager, she'd email the head office.
We'd then receive the complaint and be obliged to offer them free tickets and goodies. We also have another loyal customer, Bob, who loved to cook for us. I'm talking about full-blown, authentic Italian feasts. Everyone adored Bob and he was exceedingly kind to us.
He even struck up a close bond with the general manager, even inviting him over for meals. One day, as Karen and the big boss entered and Bob was chatting with the general manager. The general manager rolled his eyes in exasperation.
When Bob asked what was wrong, the manager expressed his frustration over Karen's incessant complaints when they received nothing but our best service. On recognizing Karen, Bob exclaimed that it's his cousin.
The manager showed Bob the latest email complaint from Karen, which prompted him to confront her about it. Miraculously, Karen stopped complaining to the head office after that.
77. Conversation Ender
One day while I was focused on my schoolwork, the school's notorious bully decided to hassle me. Not the best decision. She'd been on my nerves for quite some time already, and this was inevitable. She and her group even resorted to throwing pencils at me at one juncture.
But moving on, here's how our heated exchange went... "You're way more irritating than I am!" said the bully. And trust me, it brings me great joy if you envision her voice as grating as can be. My response was, "At least I'm a kind person."
Her face turned a bright red. As she was backing down, she hollered, "Well, at least my chest is larger than yours!" I took her remark as a signal that she'd basically accepted defeat. I gave her a knowing glance and continued with my day.
78. Hold The Bacon, Please!
Once, when I worked at a restaurant, a customer ordered a bacon chicken ranch quesadilla. I served him his food and let him dig in. However, in just a matter of seconds, he called me back over. He unfolded one section of his quesadilla revealing, "There's bacon in here."
My response was, "Indeed, you did order a bacon chicken ranch quesadilla." He confessed, "Oh, I see. But, I can't have bacon." Taking this into account, I offered, "Would you like to order a different dish? Perhaps we could try something that doesn't include 'bacon' in the title this time around?"
79. Big Man Off Campus
I had returned home for the summer break from university when I spotted two of the biggest goofballs from my primary school times as I was entering Chipotle. As soon as they noticed me, one of them threw an unkind insult at me.
Then, a brilliant spur-of-the-moment idea hit me. I swirled around and cheerfully greeted them with, "Hey guys! How's university going for you?" They had no words to reply. Triumph was mine.
Cast Of Thousands, Shutterstock
80. A Walk Down Memory Lane
Let me share a blast from my past! Back when I was a studious, but not-so-wealthy college student, I earned my bread working in a call center for an insurance company. This company had massively botched a few things, leaving scores of people in insurance hitches.
My team and I were in charge of smoothing things over with these frustrated customers, apologizing for the mess and trying our best to soothe their concerns.
Nothing about this was enjoyable, especially considering a considerable segment of our clientele were seniors struggling to secure their medications due to our company's blunders.
Prepare yourself for the interesting tale of “Mr. Karen.” When Mr. Karen's phone call came in, his voice was already elevated. He was furious about his medication's insurance fiasco and the potential hit to his pocket.
Initially, I empathized with him, thinking he had every right to be annoyed. Nevertheless, I stuck to my script of soft apologies and patient problem-solving. Nothing worked for him—he was seething.
After about a quarter of an hour, he demanded my personal details and threatened to get me fired. He blamed me for ruining his life and all the rest. I gave him my details, including my last name, which is rather uncommon.
Here’s where the story takes a sharp turn. After hearing my last name, the man fell silent, stammered a bit, and then asked, "Are you related to (the name of an old, famous but less-celebrated baseball player)?
I answered that yes, the player was my great, great, great uncle who had starred in the 1920s. Suddenly, Mr. Karen turned into Mr. Cordial. He was utterly taken aback and thrilled.
Apparently, he had watched my illustrious great uncle play in his youth (Mr. Karen himself was quite advanced in years, hovering around his 80s or 90s).
Speaking with me, a distant relative of his baseball hero, utterly delighted him. In a flash, he flipped from irate ranter to a giddy fan, bombarding me with questions about my great uncle (who, unfortunately, passed away a decade before I was born).
That fleeting experience brightened both our days in an unforgettable way. Post that conversation, Mr. Karen wasn’t a ‘Karen’ anymore. I thought it would be a refreshing change to share a heart-warming story among the usual barrage of "terrible Karen" tales.
81. These Are The Karens In Your Neighborhood
When I was a kid, we had this neighbor, Old Mrs. Berg, right beside the greatest skateboarding street in our area. Boy, she was tough to deal with. She was this super curious elderly lady who would literally spray us with water when we passed by on our skateboards.
Plus, if her neighbors left their garbage cans out too long, she'd stick unkind reminders on their doors. Not to mention, she'd dial up animal control if she noticed your dog running around unleashed.
82. Barking Up The Wrong Tree
I once had a job at a bakery. A customer came in one day wanting to exchange a piece of chocolate bark they'd bought the previous day. They had stored it in the refrigerator overnight and noticed white spots along the edges of the chocolate.
This is a common result of fat crystals reacting to the cool, moist environment inside a fridge—a phenomenon known as "fat bloom". They mistakenly thought it was mold. I kindly explained the situation to them and reassured them that the chocolate was still safe to eat.
Despite my explanation, they insisted on getting a new piece. So, in the end, they managed to get double the amount of chocolate for the price of one simply because they misunderstood what fat bloom was.
83. What Happens On The Plane To Vegas…
When I was 21, I took a flight to Las Vegas on an older Southwest airplane. This plane had an unusual seating arrangement with some seats facing the rear. I chose one of these backward-facing seats.
Directly in front of me, a young and attractive woman sat by the window while a random man in his 40s occupied the aisle seat. I generally don't mind chatting with strangers, so when the 40-year-old man initiated a conversation, I was open to it.
Suddenly, he pointed towards the young lady and said chauvinistically, "At least you have something pretty to look at during the flight." She was visibly irritated. Pretending to misinterpret his words, I replied, "Um, yes, your daughter is indeed beautiful."
The man was dumbfounded and strangely remained silent for the rest of the journey.
84. We Don’t Do That Here, Lady
During a busy lunch hour, one of my supervisors was super irritated—and the reason why was so stupid. He had to clarify to a customer, we'll call her Karen, why it wasn't possible to remove the onions from the French onion soup.
85. Beware Of Owner
Once, when I was employed as a door-to-door salesperson, I had a surprising encounter with a particularly aggressive woman. She unexpectedly chased me all the way across her lawn, shouting loudly and pelting my company van with stones.
86. Sushi Psycho
A customer had an issue that the Nigiri sushi rice was falling apart when they soaked it in a concoction of soy sauce and various seasonings to disguise the flavor of the fish.
They wished the sushi rice to be shaped similarly to what they've seen at a conveyor belt sushi restaurant and wanted it served cold.
This feedback came from a somewhat upscale sushi restaurant where patrons willingly pay a hefty price for the fish, as it's delivered overnight by FedEx.
87. It’s Called Fashion, Sweetie
Back when I was in high school, the class troublemaker approached me in front of everyone and sarcastically said, "I thought only girls rolled up their jeans". Without missing a beat, I retorted, "I thought only girls bothered about what others wore".
That had everyone chuckling at him. The cherry on top was that he never pestered me again after that.
88. The Best Offense Is A Good Defense
I was dealing with an extremely irate customer at the front lane of the drive-thru, and she was literally shouting at me. I simply allowed her to vent without interruption. After she had finished, I gave her a moment to process. Then, I dropped the hammer. I calmly said, "Ma'am, you may proceed."
She was taken aback and just drove off, completely surprised. It could have taken a different turn, but I'm thankful it didn't.
89. Netflix And Go Berserk
When I was just a little seven-year-old, I found myself in the park across from my home, engrossed in a Netflix show on my iPad, with my parents keeping an eye on me from our house. Out of nowhere, a busybody lady marched up to me.
She lectured me about proper park behavior, implying I was loitering, then questioned if the iPad I was using was really mine. "Yes, miss, it's mine," I replied while preparing to head home. Despite my parents' precautions about bias, I was puzzled.
I couldn't understand why a child chilling on the grass in a public park could be seen as loitering. I didn't question her, though. As she grabbed my arm, I tried to pull away. "Come back! You've stolen that iPad, haven't you?" she fired off.
Her grip was cold, clammy, and unyielding. "Miss, can you please release me," I pleaded. But she was stubborn. Even at such a young age, I'd learned that confronting older people, especially those with racial biases, was a precarious situation.
As she reached for my iPad, I held it close. Luckily, my dad bolted from the house just in time. "Ma'am, unhand my child or I'll need to involve the police," he warned. With a huff, she let me go. As she left, she muttered, "You probably stole the iPad for her anyway."
Freepik, freepik
90. On The Edge
When I was small, we ran a bunch of pizza joints as a family. I was too young to contribute much, but my older sisters had jobs at the largest one, serving and handling the till.
One evening, they had an incident where a nicely dressed man, who was with a big family, ordered a lot of large pizzas. After eating almost all of it, except for the crusts, he made a fuss about not paying, claiming the pizza toppings didn't extend to the "brim" of the pizza.
The guy was really irate and caused quite a scene, even bringing my sister to tears. He shouted loudly and demanded to speak with the owner—my father. When my dad arrived, he found my sister crying and got the whole scoop from a cook.
He didn't utter a single word. In response, he pushed the man's head through the wall and into the shop next door. The guy ended up leaving on a stretcher.
The staff and some patrons covered for my dad with the authorities, saying that it was a response to the customer threatening my sister. My dad wasn't one to resort to violence often, but when he did, he didn't hold back.
91. Lost In Translation
When I was 10 years old, I took my little 4-year-old brother to the nearby grocery store, just a block away from our home, to get some candy. On our way back, another kid his age ran up to us and tried to steal my brother's candy. My little brother didn't let him get away with it.
They tussled over the candy, both about the same size, so it looked like a tug-of-war game. Suddenly, the other kid's mom intervened, and to my surprise, she began to harshly pull on my brother’s arm!
I attempted to explain in my limited Korean that her son initiated it and my brother was just trying to keep his candy. But it seemed all she could see through her progressing anger was my brother, who refused to let go of her now sobbing son.
I was desperate because I couldn't get her to understand the true situation. Her pulling got so severe, I feared she may dislocate my brother's arm! That's when I defended my brother with a forceful karate-chop on the lady's forearm.
It had the desired effect—she instantly let go of my brother’s arm but then turned her rage towards me. I quickly grabbed my brother and bolted home, with an angry Korean mom hot on our heels. Unknown to me, my dad had been watching the commotion from our apartment window.
Exhausted and breathless, I explained the situation to my dad just as the livid mother came charging down the hallway, her crying kids following her. She began to loudly complain to my dad. He politely nodded, wearing an apologetic smile.
But then he sternly told her to not touch his children ever again, or he'd get the police involved, and asked her to leave kindly. It seemed his word had a calming effect. The lady bowed slightly, shot us a menacing look implying, "You will pay for this," and left.
Whether she understood English or not was uncertain, but I was really grateful she left. From then on, my dad was my ultimate hero.
92. Boxing Clever
I'm a professional mover, and once we were working on a big job. It was so big it filled up two 26-foot lorries, and most of it was art. I remember lifting one painting and the owner casually told me it was one of his cheaper pieces. But the price sticker on it said $50,000!
The move was from a sprawling mansion to a city apartment. But this wasn't just any apartment—it took up an entire floor of the building and the lift opened straight into it. By the time we started unloading, it was already dark.
The items were bulky, heavy, pricey, and to add to the challenge, the owners insisted on supervising us. They were impatient and even tried to persuade us to skip lunch by offering us pizza. We kindly refused because we really needed a proper break, away from them.
The lady owner—a typical ‘Karen’—was particularly hard to please. She told us not to place cardboard boxes on her freshly polished wooden floor, fearing the fibers would stick to it. As we unloaded the furniture, she became more demanding, instructing us to move items incrementally here and there.
Usually, we don't precisely position furniture while moving, but she insisted. One of my colleagues was so frustrated that he almost quit—but I had an idea. I asked him to stay in the truck while I tried to soften up Karen.
First, I stacked the cardboard boxes on every window sill in the apartment. The visual impact was dramatic as the boxes towered to the ceiling, blocking every window. Then I filled the kitchen counters from end to end with boxes that reached the ceiling.
On top of that, I put boxes on the kitchen floor, in the bathrooms, and in other rooms that didn't have wooden floors. All along, I kept asking her where she wanted each and every thing: here, there, or a little over here?
While all this was happening, my coworkers got to take more breaks. But I kept going and going and going. Finally, after a grueling 14-hour day, I walked in with a dresser and asked, "where would you like this?"
She looked around and found her place overflowing with boxes. She paused, sputtered, then said, "just put it anywhere, I don't care anymore." And that's when I took my break.
93. The Bad Old Days
I used to work in the gift wrapping section of a popular store chain. It was the Christmas season, so everything was pretty crazy. This whole situation occurred on my final day of temporary work, before I went back to college after my holiday.
I knew I had a challenge on my hands when a woman approached me, carrying a large stuffed toy. This woman asked if we could wrap the stuffed toy, which was almost as tall as me.
I explained that we didn't have any gift boxes big enough for it, but we had two options: a) combine two cardboard boxes together or b) simply put a big festive bow around the toy's neck. However, she found neither suggestion satisfactory and was downright upset.
Suddenly, she jumped over our counter and frantically began searching through all our gift boxes, as if we had lied to her. She was so busy causing a ruckus that she totally disregarded me. I ended up calling security—which surprisingly got me in trouble—but my hands were tied.
What else can you do when a customer goes rogue? This was during the times when the motto was 'the customer is always right,' even if they really weren't.
94. She Didn’t Know Jack About Cocktails
Once, when I was mixing drinks as a bartender, a lady returned a Jack and Coke she'd ordered, unhappy with it. I inquired about what her initial order was. "Jack and Coke," she confirmed.
I gently advised her that a replacement or refund wasn't available, and suggested she should consider ordering something more to her liking next time. Yet, she repeatedly came back, making an attempt each time to talk with a new bartender, in hopes of swapping her drink.
However, all of them just gave her a baffled look and said no.
95. Guardian Angels
My buddy and I were stopped at a red light when we noticed a young couple across the intersection. The man was yelling at the woman so loud, it drowned out the city noise, and he seemed on the verge of hitting her.
As we drove past, I couldn't help but shout, "Don't talk to her like that!" However, my friend took it a step further, hollering, "Back off, you jerk!" It wasn't premeditated; we were just really upset about the situation.
But the guy got so mad that he dropped his bike and bag and started chasing us, swearing he'd harm us and the woman. The moment he took off after us, I called the cops. Eventually, they caught up with him.
96. Pool Party
I was working at our local community pool where we have a strict policy that prohibits bringing external food and drinks. This rule seemed to upset Karen, who couldn't help but make it known she had just splurged $12 on a Starbucks coffee.
She compared us to the public pool in the neighboring town that apparently allowed this. Despite my repeated explanations about our policies prohibiting outside food and beverages, she wouldn't back down.
What happened next was unbelievable. She reacted by pouring her coffee on our computer! I had to involve the law enforcement officers who arrested her. The legal process in our town ensured she faced all applicable charges.
97. Special Agent Karen On The Case
When my wife, son, and I visited the renowned Texas supermarket, H-E-B, a funny incident occurred. I had just gotten my son out of the car and placed his car seat on the truck bed. My wife, meanwhile, was dealing with allergy symptoms and was seen dabbing her eyes and nose with a tissue—to an outsider, it could've looked like she was tearing up.
While my wife attended to her allergies, I tried amusing my son with some goofy faces when this woman— a classic "Karen"— approached us unexpectedly. She went over to my wife and asked whether she was aware of this man (me!) seemingly annoying her baby.
She then said, "Are his antics making you cry? Do you want me to call someone for you?" I kept quiet, finding the whole situation to be somewhat amusing. My wife was caught off guard for a moment, but then calmly clarified, "Ma'am, this man is my husband and the baby's father."
Realizing her mistake, the woman was taken aback and found herself in an awkward situation of her own making. After mumbling a half-hearted apology, she hastily made her exit. Can't help but wonder, where would we be without these 'Karens'?
98. They Were Allergic To Paying
The situation unfolded this way: a customer requested all dishes be modified due to alleged allergies, and then complained about the taste. They insisted upon receiving a brand-new, allergy-free meal, on the house.
They seemed to enjoy the new dish until they realized it wouldn't lead to complimentary meals for their entire group. Suddenly, the dish was dubbed 'undercooked', even though a good chunk of it was already demolished.
My boss, while a bit rough around the edges, decided to stand his ground that evening. He swiftly made it known that their meal would not be replaced, and payment was due for the additional four meals.
Subsequently, the kitchen staff and I had to position ourselves between the customers and the exit, sporting stern expressions.
99. A Living Legend
In my junior year, I often took the school bus as I didn't have a car. Two sophomore boys used to pester a freshman girl, teasing her about her weight. She was naturally curvaceous, not at all unattractive, but they couldn’t understand that beauty isn't just about being skinny.
The girl was not shy, trading insults with the boys. I didn't mind the banter; it reminded me of my younger days of practicing wit. But when one of the boys tried to touch her inappropriately, I couldn't hold back. The boys sat toward the front, while I was at the back.
I marched up to them, grabbed the bigger one by his neck, and pushed him towards the window. Holding him by my forearm, I let him have it. “You lowlife!”, I bellowed, “Feel lucky that I didn’t toss you off the bus for your actions. If I see you or your nasty friend touch her again, you’ll regret it."
The other boy, thinking he was brave, tried to challenge me. Despite not being physically imposing, I dealt with him too. After a swift arm-lock, and a wrestling-inspired slam onto the bus floor, he was out of the game.
I escorted the girl back to my seat, stepping over the dazed boy. For the rest of the year, she accompanied me on the bus. The trouble makers were moved to the front seat, under the driver’s watchful eyes. From then on, my word was law on that bus.
Fast forward two years, out of the blue, I received an email from the girl. She thanked me for standing up for her, and she confessed she developed a crush on me afterwards.
So, after I finish college, I'll be coming home to a girlfriend—all because I did what someone should have done a long time ago.
100. Good Riddance To Bad Rubbish
For a time, I worked at an outdoor equipment store. I recall distinctly one incident involving a former-Marine co-worker of mine, who was in charge of bike repairs. During a routine sprint to the back of the store to fetch a part, he had an unfortunate encounter with a rather belligerent customer.
This customer, already notorious for being loud and abrasive, decided to aggressively grab my co-worker's arm and force him to turn around. The unexpected attack didn't go down well, and thanks to instinctual Marine training, this rude customer ended up sprawled out conveniently among the remains of a nearby display.
Upon standing, he immediately screamed threats of lawsuits and job terminations. However, our manager, after listening to the account and reviewing security footage, took a firm stance. She advised the customer that such behavior towards staff was intolerable.
Instead, if he wished, he could contact law enforcement since she was prepared to accuse him of assault. Consequently, he was banned from our store. None of us were particularly dismayed to see him go.
He had a reputation for being unpleasant and constantly exploiting our return policy.
101. People Of Walmart: Karen Edition
I was at Walmart, in the grocery aisle, and found a lady with two kids who had her trolley blocking the shelves I wanted to access. She was moving up and down the aisle, adding items to her cart, and I was patiently standing there, hoping she'd notice and move her cart but she didn't seem bothered.
At one point, when she came back to her cart, I gently pointed out, "I just need to grab something from behind your cart". However, she brushed me off, not giving me any attention and continued her shopping spree.
I waited for about five minutes for her to finish shopping from that section, and then decided to slightly push her cart away so I could get what I needed. That was a mistake. She turned around, shocked, yelling, "You touched my cart!” This happened before the pandemic.
She started rushing back towards me, shouting at the top of her voice, accusing me of invading her personal space. I tried to explain that I just moved it to grab my item and asked her to relax.
Surprisingly, she responded with, “No, you need to calm down! You’re creating a commotion”. Trust me, there's never a dull moment at Walmart.
102. Environmentally Unfriendly
I used to work as a barista. One time, a woman insisted we recreate her coffee for the oddest reason. We were using the pour-over technique to prepare her beverage. Unfortunately, our brewing tools like the measuring cups, filters, and the like were made of plastic.
As we started brewing, she lost her cool. Claiming we were "introducing toxins to her." She raised her voice, exclaiming, "Hold on! You can't use that plastic material. It's lethal to me!" Frankly, we were taken aback.
We'd never experienced such a dramatic reaction from any customer. We wondered what her problem was, and she mentioned our plastic tools probably contained BPA and other harmful substances which could endanger her life if she ingested the coffee.
To appease her, we had to improvise a brewing setup using other stainless steel equipment readily available. After all the effort, she didn't even thank us. She just glared at us suspiciously throughout the entire process.
103. Life Of The Party
Back in 1997, during my time at the University of California, Santa Barbara, we found ourselves with some unexpected guests at our lively party house.
Due to a noise complaint from the neighbors, the police came knocking at our door asking us to turn down the music. We complied and lowered the volume, but then the officers began trying the doors to the bedrooms.
Thankfully, we were in a party-centric house, so everyone had the foresight to keep their doors locked. "Who lives here? Open these doors!" an officer demanded loudly. So, I walked up to them, calmly, with my drink in my hand (being over 21, of course), and hushed the room with what I said next: "I'm no legal expert, but we've already turned down the music.
Unless you have a search warrant on you, I believe you're overstepping the law and I may have to request you all to leave." This seemed to rile one officer in particular. She decided to start threatening that she'd take me to the police station.
I calmly asserted that I was on my private property, abiding all the laws, and unless a legitimate warrant was produced, their presence was infringing on my rights and I might file a trespassing charge.
A senior officer then stepped in, gently but firmly pulling her aside and stating, "We need to leave". In that moment, I felt pretty heroic!
104. Going In Circles
I had a phone conversation with a client. We went round and round on a topic beyond our control, and the client expressed, "Well, that's inadequate.” As patience wore thin, I casually responded, "Just because you're unhappy with the reply doesn't alter the response”.
She retorted sharply, "That's unspeakably unprofessional”, To which I replied, "Perceptions of unprofessionalism don't shift the response either”. She then demanded, "I want to speak with your supervisor”. That was my moment for a virtual mic drop.
I coolly responded, "I am in fact the supervisor. We're spinning our wheels here. Feel free to drop me an email, I'll review your issue then decide if it warrants escalation”. She hanged uptight and definitely displeased.
105. If The Shoe Doesn’t Fit…
I'm employed at a shoe store. One of our services includes checking that school shoes fit perfectly on our smaller, school-going clients. After a staff member attests that a pair is a proper fit, we allow returns if issues arise.
This one occasion, a mom and her son returned a week post purchase, verbally expressing her frustration about the tightness and resulting blisters of the shoes. Despite her aggressive approach, we agreed to replace the pair.
Back in the children's section, she recognized the employee who originally fitted the shoes. She insisted that the same employee be present during the refitting so as not to repeat the same mistake.
Even though the mom was rather unkind in her comments, the employee agreed to oversee the new fitting as a way of fixing things. She recognized the customers, even remembered the name of the child, and was honestly affected by the perceived failure on her part.
Back at the counter, the employee willingly processed the exchange as a show of good customer service. Then, it dawned on her - "These aren't your son's shoes", she told the customer. The shoes bore a nametag 'Tommy' inside, while her son's name was Billy.
Apparently, the boy had exchanged shoes with a classmate named Tommy. Needless to say, we got quite a laugh as we escorted the embarrassed mother out of the store.
