Turning the Tables: Karma Finds Its Way to Karens
Entitled Karen's cause chaos everywhere they go but fortunately, karma gets them by making sure none can escape the satisfying bite of justice.
I Cannot Keep Up
Everybody is aware of the chaos around the weekend before Christmas. During that time, a difficult customer (basically a Karen) complained to anyone within earshot about the mess in our shop. The manager had let off one of our staff members in the changing rooms and was engaged in the tidying up of the clothes. Karen then stated that our place was cluttered and utterly disastrous for shopping.
The reaction of the Manager shall be written down in the history texts. She told Karen that, 'Ma'am our store looks untidy at the moment because it is a famous and popular shopping spot. The main reason is because of customers like you who avoid cleaning up after themselves. It's not the actions of our staff causing the disorder.
Basically there are more customers (like you) than the staff we have at the moment and I gotta see Karen lose her steam.
A Terrible Story
Back in the days, the food industry for dining had pretty tricky consumers. And for once, we had a very problematic customer who would finish a salad and slip her hair into the bowl and ask for a refund. We would then offer her a free item from the bakery as a token of apology and the cycle kept repeating often. It went on till to the extent that it happened daily.
In time, the manager asked for a sit-down with her and at her regular table, he straight up said that it was her last meal in our cafe. He said we would stop her refund that day and ban her service for the future.
She began to argue about the 'customers always being right' he had a comeback which was sharp. He stopped her with a wave of his hand and said, 'You are bringing us losses and forget being our customer, you are a liability. We cannot have you here anymore.'
Sadly, people took a painfully long time for it to be addressed. Working in training support, I heard about it during a class for entry-level customer service associates. They had been tolerating her behavior for weeks, hoping for her to stop on her own.
I am not sure about how bad the managers were but I reported about it to their General Manager and District Manager after class. By the end of that week, they had effectively handled it.
Minding Business But Of Other People
There was once an elderly couple who sat on my table and asked about my mother's views on tattoos. I replied by saying, 'Well, my dad doesn't mind.' She did not understand my drift I guess or maybe I was not clear. She kept persistently asking, 'And your mom?' I told her: 'She passed away and she doesn't do much thinking now.'
But did she leave it there? No chance. Her logic was that she was warped on this occasion. Surprisingly, she then blurted out: 'Did she die from SHAME?' to which I patiently responded, 'No, she died of breast cancer.'
I left their check on the table and walked off. They hadn't finished their meal, but it seemed her company was ready to call it a day then and there.
Is The Glass Half Empty, Or Half Full?
I smile whenever I come across my memory of a funny incident I was part of. A friend of mine served a table with a young child who was probably around 8-10 years old. He gave her a glass of grownups for her apple juice. The father then immediately said he did not want his daughter to consume so much sugar and asked for a smaller, kid sized glass.
My friend then patiently went on to explain that all the glasses we have are of the same capacity and the adult ones look bigger because of their thick bases and the father rudely said that the glass was obviously larger and reiterated that he didn't want his child taking in so much sugar.
My friend was cheeky and then responded by an over the top exaggerated nod before he disappeared to the service alley which was behind the bar.
This is where he implemented his funny plan. He came again with a children's cup, placed it next to the original glass, then slowly poured the juice from the adult glass into the new one. He held the adult glass higher and higher until the last drop fell perfectly into the smaller one, all the while not uttering a single word and then walked back into the kitchen without even looking at the father like he did not even matter.
Witnessing all of it, I could not hold myself back and burst into laughter.
Getting A Taste Of Your Own Medicine
My boyfriend lived with his sister and mother in an apartment complex when he was 14 years old. He enjoyed setting the day light in the room on the 2nd floor and would leave his curtains open often through the day. It included times when he was dressed or finished times when he got dressed or finished a shower—meaning that if somebody purposefully looked into his window, they could catch a glimpse of him from the waist up.
This did not go well with a specific neighbor and she decided to storm into their apartment who is a door away and one day reprimanded my boyfriend's mother and called her son an embarrassment because he was seen 'naked' by her daughter and that is when his mother said, he had the right to live freely with his own choice and asked if they did not like the view they should look away.
After a few days to everyone's surprise, the cops showed up at his neighbor's house and it turns out that in order to gather 'evidence' of my boyfriend's alleged misconduct to potentially get them evicted, this neighbor had been taking videos and photos of my boyfriend.
Her plan failed badly when the apartment management alerted the police about her invasive actions, resulting in her and her family being the ones to face eviction instead.
One Must Plan For The Future
This story is not about me but about my boss. I am employed at a shop where a lady would come in every Sunday and as she showed up she also complained each and every time. No matter what happens in the shop or something she is looking for, she definitely discovers something to grumble about.
On her recent visit to our shop she announced that, 'I won't be returning' and my boss was cool as he could be and said, 'Okay, see you next week!'
Snatching Away A Candy From A Baby
An hour back, I was grocery shopping and saw a few chocolate bars and decided to grab a few and a high decibel protest erupted from a 5-6 year old young boy. He was tugging his mother's arm strongly while pointing at the chocolate bars and demanded that he received some for him.
At this point, his mother turned towards me and complained, 'Do you really need to grab those right in front of my son?' And UI thought to myself—Excuse me? The mother then rudely said, 'Don't you understand that's causing my child distress?' My stance on it: Well, I think that's your issue, not mine. To which the mother responded: 'You need to return those. My son only started to crave chocolate when he saw you with them. Please return them. Right now! You can always grab some later. You're making him jealous!'
I responded by smiling and made my way back to the chocolate aisle and instead of returning them, I decided to add a few more to my basket.
Her face was a picture! My action earned me a glare from her and triggered a reputation of those tantrums from her son. Was my response childishly bitter? Absolutely. But did it bring me a dose of quiet pleasure? You bet!
Language Obstacle
In all my time in retail, I've never seen such a humorous response from a customer service employee. We had this customer who was unfairly harsh towards our cashier, who happens to be gay. Her response was accidental: 'Apologies, I don't understand gay language.'
But he kept his calm and the cashier immediately shut her down by saying: 'No worries, I'm quite proficient in understanding difficult people.'
Taking A Snappy Decision
This is not about an event taking place at a shop or diner but instead a university's guest information center. It was during the Education Week festivities where an event was planned in such a way to showcase our educational programs to the parents from around the globe.
At one point, a nasty woman walked up to the desk and snapped her fingers right in the face of a student who was then working there and asked, 'Tell me where the Marriott Center is?'
Without skipping a beat, the student worker snapped his fingers back at her and politely replied, 'Try again.'
Taking In The Fumes
I am 7 months pregnant and I wait tables at a bar I do not drink when I am at work or pregnant. Once Karen walked in with her family to have lunch and we are at a bar, but we do keep snacks like wings and sandwiches.
While giving them menus, Karen questioned if I worked there because of my pregnancy. I laughed making sure that I work and not drink here. She was doubtful of the responsibility I would have as a parent in such an environment. I don't usually get defensive, but this time I did.
The conversation did not go well and they waved me off. I wasn't hoping that I would be tipped but definitely hoped for the discussion to end but no, they called for the bartender, likely for the manager, since they weren't happy seeing a pregnant woman working here.
This bar had bartenders, co-owners and servers. It was the co-owner who was on duty and was quite busy, and he would get irritated if I interrupted her but, I had to. Karen was adamant about speaking with her.
After I introduced the manager, I asked if they needed any assistance but their ground-breaking revelation was obvious—I was pregnant. The owner assured them that none of us drinks on duty, especially not me being pregnant. They started arguing over religious beliefs, child safety, and the thought of me being around alcohol was absolutely unacceptable.
Karen wanted me to be thrown out of the place and was in favor of child protection in her own absurd ways. The owner calmly asked them to leave, in vain, while Karen went on a strange unjustified rant.
Later, the authorities were called and were told that we were witnessing child endangerment. The officers said that despite the boundaries of it not being advised, it wasn't against the law. Karen was horrified. The officers offered to speak with me and provide some resources for new mothers. Patrons, who were at this point more concerned about me, started offering their support.
Finally, the cops asked Karen and her family to leave after the owner informed them of the on-going trespassing. Karen made a scene on her way out threatening us to the liquor authority that we were serving minors. We underwent an investigation, but of course, it came out clean. But yeah, that was quite a day!
Strike Right Where It Hurts
I am currently working at a retail outlet and not long ago, a distinctly ill-mannered shopper released his fit of rage on me by screaming, 'Don't you have a REAL job?' Feeling tired of that, I chose to strike back and responded by: 'Well, if I did, what would you have left to gripe and grumble about?'
Of course, as expected she did not find my remark very funny. Nonetheless, it did not make me feel satisfied, quite a bit!
Two Targets With A Single Aim
I was employed at a neighborhood pub and once there were a bunch of rowdy group drunk patrons who were causing a messy scene, wasting our staff's time, and also disturbing other customers. I did not take it for a second. Eventually, I went up to them and told them about the problem and said, 'Our manager has decided that all of you need to exit. We do not have the right to decline service to anyone, and your actions certainly justify this."
The most vocal person in the group replied, 'Fine, if you push us out, we shall never return here' and I politely responded by, 'That is exactly the goal. I kindly ask you to leave.'
Destroying Her Grand Plans
I worked at a store where a grumpy shopper walked in and said, 'I am not a fan of ____ (insert anything here), is this boss around? We are familiar.'
Without skipping a heartbeat I became bubbly and replied, 'Wow, what a coincidence! I'm familiar with the boss as well! Unfortunately, he is not around at the moment but because I am the on-duty manager, I am at your service.'
She did not find that funny. Karen's, I tell you!
The Old Bait And Switch
Earlier when I worked as a waiter, I earned a reputation for going the extra mile. I was known for consistently remembering to refill drinks, adding extra lemons when requested, and ensuring a generous glass of ice for those who preferred their beverages extra cold. I made it a point to write down every single order, even though it would have been simpler to memorize them.
But one chaotic Friday evening, I found myself managing a large party of around 20 tables. The kitchen was in full swing, and while everything seemed to be going smoothly at first, trouble began when I started delivering drinks and salads. A woman at the table complained loudly, claiming that I had gotten her entire order wrong—from her salad dressing to the lemon in her drink and even the amount of ice in her glass.
Determined to handle the situation gracefully, I chose to address her concerns with patience, knowing full well that I hadn't made any mistakes. I apologize for any inconvenience and assured her that I would correct the issues she raised.
However, things took a turn for the worse when the main courses arrived. The woman continued to berate me, insulting my professional abilities. I responded calmly, complimenting her on the vivid example she was setting regarding how to treat others and noting her colorful language. I then showed her my detailed notes where I had recorded all of her specifications—such as the type of salad she wanted, her choice of dressing on the side, and even the straw placed under her bread plate to affirm that I had fulfilled her requests.
I also mentioned that I had overheard her tell her sister that she had preferred a different dish and suggested that it might have been more effective if she had simply asked me to make the necessary adjustments instead of unfairly criticizing me. I hinted that perhaps she should be more mindful of the server’s presence before making such comments.
To make amends, I offered to bring her the dish she actually wanted, though I warned her that it would take an additional 10 minutes. The restaurant fell into a hush as the situation unfolded.
As the events unfolded, the woman’s father spoke up, scolding her for her behavior and insisting that it was time for her to be held accountable for her actions. To show his gratitude for my patience and professionalism, he generously tipped me a hundred dollars, shook my hand firmly, and expressed his appreciation with heartfelt thanks.
The Ranch Request Fury
Once I worked with another waiter with catering service for a party where there were 40 guests. While taking the plates in hand in a rush, a woman asked me to bring her a side of ranch dressing. In the middle of juggling the serving, she kept repeating her request every time I came out with a fresh set of plates. I prioritized keeping the hot meals rolling over her side of the ranch, which led me to forgetting about her request for the dressing.
She was still there while others left and all the time, she was a guest at this business opportunity meet-up where the meal was on the house. Once alone, she condescendingly questioned me about her ignored ranch request. I blurted out a simple 'no' without even thinking.
After listening to this, she flew off the handle and began to shout at me and while I maintained my calm because usually people react more when you display calmness in an event of fury so I calmly responded, 'Alright, maybe calm down a bit' which only fueled her anger. So, I repeated, 'Okay, but perhaps lower your voice.' This time, it seemed to hit home.
It was a moment of self-awareness washed over her. Her reaction to my straightforward reply wasn't clever and it made her think about her mood. To experience that switch was indeed satisfying.
He Was Salty!
Once a man requested pepper at a table which I immediately gave. Just when I was leaving, he snapped with his fingers, exclaiming, 'This pepper isn't coarse enough!.' I immediately apologized and informed him that we only had that type of pepper. He then responded, 'Hmm, okay, then, take this back. Perhaps you could fetch me some sea salt instead.'
Sadly, I told him, 'I apologize sir but we have standard table salt and not sea salt' to which he replied negatively, 'Hmm, I apologize too. I thought this was a REAL restaurant.'
By this point, I had enough. I kindly replied, 'I understand, sir. But it seems you may have misunderstood. I'm not one to tolerate rude requests. Enjoy your soup!' And just like that, our exchange was over!
Calling Out Her Fraduness
Once a woman was whining about her cocktail telling us that it lacked the 'kick' she was expecting and requested us to make it stronger. We did a favor by adding an extra splash even though it was already a double.
Despite the alcohol, she said she could taste it and asked for more but I understood her drunk state as soon as she walked in and aimed to become even more so at a bargain.
There is a reason why I decided to take back her cocktail, politely apologizing for not meeting her taste expectations. I also told her I'd remove it from her bill, meaning her drinks for the night ended there.
Early Bird Drunkards
I used to work as a server at a popular upscale Italian restaurant chain. Although we officially opened at 11 AM, I was frequently scheduled to start my shift around 10:30 AM to get everything ready. On one particular day, two middle-aged women showed up at our doorstep around 10:45 AM.
Expecting the usual “Karen” scenario, I was prepared for the worst. To my surprise, the situation turned out to be even more challenging. Since their arrival was before our official opening, I allowed them inside without making a fuss, as it wasn’t a significant issue. However, they immediately requested alcoholic beverages, which presented a problem. Our bartender was scheduled to arrive at 11 AM, and I informed them of this. They seemed to accept the situation with little complaint.
While waiting for their drinks, I offered them glasses of water. One of the women responded with a sarcastic joke, saying, “That’s great, sweetie, but that’s NOT what I asked for! HAHA!” It was clear she was attempting to be humorous. I reminded them that it was only 10:55 AM and our bartender had not yet arrived. Despite this, they insisted I make their drinks myself.
Company policy prohibited me from preparing alcoholic drinks, so I sought my manager’s assistance. While he handled their drink order, I took their food orders. By 11:05 AM, they had received their drinks and appetizers. They expressed their frustration with, “UGH, was that so HARD? FINALLY!”
As the area began to fill with other diners, including families with young children, the ladies sampled their calamari appetizer but complained that it was undercooked. I immediately requested the kitchen staff to prepare a new batch, extending the cooking time by an additional minute. Despite this effort, they found the updated dish unsatisfactory and refused to eat it, calling it “trash.” I asked my manager to remove the appetizer from their bill as a gesture of goodwill.
Their constant demands and complaints were consuming a lot of my attention, so I moved on to assist other tables. It became apparent that I wasn’t the only one struggling with them. Other customers in my section voiced their concern about the ladies’ behavior and requested that they refrain from using inappropriate language in front of their children.
When I reminded the women about maintaining a respectful atmosphere, they brushed me off, saying, “Blah blah blah, it’s a free country. Oh, and I need another DRINK!” I took their new drink order and went to retrieve their meals, which were just about to be served.
Upon returning with their food, the women loudly demanded, “WHERE IS MY SECOND DRINK?!?! HELLO!?!?” and began banging their glasses on the table. Their shouting and escalating demands caused me so much distress that I broke into tears, all while trying to manage my other, more understanding tables. Eventually, I had to call my manager to address the situation. He intervened and informed them that they would no longer be served.
My manager’s stern reprimand had the desired effect, and the women were clearly displeased that they could no longer order more alcohol. They requested their bill, which they paid with just enough to cover their charges. However, one of the women returned to question the tip amount. I candidly told her, “No, you left a 2% tip.” She then added an extra five dollars on the counter. I was relieved that this was the last I would see of them.
Removing The Mover With Another Mover
I work at a moving firm where it is pretty common for people to get upset when we cannot provide an item on the spot, for last-minute, non-reserved requests. Their typical reply is 'Alright then, I head to (competitor's name)!'
I would usually revert with the same reply like, 'Perfect, they are just one block towards the north, on the right. It's hard to miss it.'
This reply would usually draw a resentful sigh and more often than not, they would return an hour later to book a slot to realize the competition isn't any better equipped either.
The Popular: Old McDonald Had A Farm
My brother worked as a waiter and had quite a challenging patron. Once a customer specifically ordered a salmon dish, then asked if it came from a farm when it was served to her. She was sad because of my brother because he did not specify the salmon's source even though the menu displays it as 'farm-raised.'
To replace the salmon, she then ordered a chicken and my brother, who is a light bulb turned his head on and cautioned her, 'Just so you know, this chicken is also farm-raised.'
In The Heat Of The Night
I work at a store specializing in delectable biscuits adorned with a sweet, sugary icing. Every weekend without fail, a particular woman comes into our shop with a firm insistence on getting the freshest biscuits possible and always requests extra icing. Despite our efforts to accommodate her preferences, she consistently seems dissatisfied with her purchase.
Her recurring issue? She always claims that the biscuit is "too cold." We’ve tried to explain to her multiple times that this is a common result of the extra icing she requests, but it never seems to satisfy her.
During her most recent visit, we served her a biscuit that was freshly baked and topped with a generous amount of icing. However, she immediately complained that it was still too cold. Our manager stepped in to address the issue, explaining that the only way to make the biscuit warmer would be to microwave the icing, which unfortunately isn’t something we can do.
The woman, clearly frustrated, demanded a more detailed explanation for why we couldn’t heat the icing. Our diligent manager, with a touch of firmness, responded, “Heating sugar makes it dangerously hot. Despite your insistence, I won’t risk our store facing any potential legal issues just to meet your request.”
Let Me Play The Music
Once while riding the bus to university and jamming to this punk band from Brixen, a place in Italy's German-speaking region of South Tyrol. The band is called Frei. Wild, and I have been getting deep into their music lately. It was a pretty crowded journey, so I had to stand near the area designated for strollers and wheelchairs.
Later a woman boarded the bus with a pram and there was just a single seat free, beside me and for whatever reason she looked into my phone and noticed that I am listening to a song, 'Sieger Stehen Da Auf, Wo Verlierer Liegen Bleiben' which mostly means 'Winners Stand where losers fall.'
Without any prior warning, she pulled an earphone from my ear and arrogantly said, 'You live in Scotland, cut out that dreadful Polish music. Honestly, all you Polish people are alike, rejecting attempts to be decent citizens and communicate in English.'
Just to be clear, I'm as Scottish as they come. I’ve barely stepped foot out of the UK, except for a brief stint in Amsterdam, Morocco, America, and France. I’ve never been to Poland, or Germany for that matter. My patience wore thin and I replied: 'This here is German Music and, for your information, I was born here to Scottish folks.'
Before this Karen could counter back, I jumped back in again, 'Besides, why should my love for punk rock in German bother you? You can't even hear it. I have my headphones on.'
The shine in Karen's eyes suggested she had hit the jackpot. 'Why are you filling the air with that ungodly, evil music? It's going to terrify my child!'
I looked into the pram and said, 'Firstly, your kid is snoozing happily and second of all, you cannot hear it, I cannot bother you with it so stop harassing me and let me enjoy my music in peace. Maybe Polish folks aren’t the issue here—rather, it's nosy, prejudiced people like you.'
After I said so, she hit the stop button and swiftly exited the bus, pram and all. And that was a relief, honestly!
Keep Yourself Hydrated
During Sunday Morning, I booked a table for 10 at a fancy dining spot, nursing a hangover. As the restaurant opens, a group of customers floods in, instantly filling my area. However, I've got this under control — it's just another day for me.
I went to the big table looking forward to their tap water already on its way. I start listing off everyone's drink preferences. As I do this, a lady abruptly interjects, demanding water. She repeatedly yells out, interrupting her companions mid-order to remind me not to forget her water.
Every time, I confirmed her request, up until the fourth time — that is when I finally snapped finally and responded: 'The next time you ask for water, everyone here will get served except you.'
Surprised, she went back to her seat and jotted down her orders and went straight to the bar.
Pocket Full Of Surprises
I tucked a note into the pocket of one patron's coat with a paper that had a smudge of lipstick and wrote the following words 'You were wonderful...I had a great time...let's repeat it' before placing it inside. But there was a twist.
Surprisingly, he was the same dude who made fun of my co-worker who lived with Down's syndrome. He did so in the full view of his supposedly religious family, and surprisingly, none of them appeared to bat an eyelid.
Swallow One’s Words
I embrace my feminine side, even though I’m a guy, and I’m completely unfazed by what others might think or say about it. Sometimes, people even assume that I’m gay because of my demeanor. This particular aspect of my identity becomes relevant to a story I’m about to share.
At one point, I was working as a cashier when a customer approached me and made a comment that was both surprising and offensive. He said, “I don’t understand why there are so many gay people working in this restaurant. I’m not sure I want to eat here anymore!” His tone was rude and dismissive, which didn’t sit well with me or my colleagues, many of whom are indeed gay.
As it turned out, when it came time for this customer’s order to be filled, none of my coworkers were keen on serving him due to his insensitive remarks. So, stepping up to the plate, I decided to handle the situation myself. Given the circumstances, I thought I’d respond in a way that would be both amusing and a bit of a subtle statement.
I took it upon myself to serve him his meal with all the flair and enthusiasm I could muster. For about five minutes, I went all out with my Disney princess persona—speaking with confidence, addressing him with overly affectionate and charming nicknames, and delivering top-notch customer service with an extra dose of friendliness.
I have to admit, I had a blast doing it. It was my way of turning the situation around and injecting a bit of joy into an otherwise unpleasant experience.
The Shoe Doesn’t Fit Someone It Doesn’t Belong To
I work at a shoe store where we offer a fitting service for school shoes tailored to young customers. Our policy allows customers to return shoes if any fitting issues arise after the initial assessment by one of our staff members. About a week after a child's fitting, a mother came back to the store, quite upset and vocal about her dissatisfaction. She claimed that the shoes were too tight and had caused her child blisters.
Despite her confrontational demeanor, we remained professional and offered to replace the shoes. When we went to the children's section to sort out the issue, the mother insisted that the same sales associate who had originally assisted them be present for the re-fitting, to avoid any repeated errors prior. Although the mother's remarks were harsh, the sales associate agreed politely to help with the re-fitting process.
The sales associate recalled the particular pair of shoes and felt genuinely regretful for the mistake that had been made. At the counter, she began processing the return, demonstrating a thoughtful gesture even amidst the tension. However, just as she was about to finalize the transaction, she noticed something unusual. She informed the mother, "These aren’t your son’s shoes." The tag inside the shoes clearly read "Tommy," while the mother's son was named Billy.
It soon became clear that the child had accidentally swapped shoes with a classmate. We handled the situation with courtesy and guided the mother out of the store. In the end, we shared a light-hearted moment and a good laugh about the mix-up.
A Degree Of Separation
Few days back when a shopper arrived at my shop, she was being troublesome so I reverted as a kid; not my finest moment. She clearly wasn't too impressed by this. She cracked at me and warned me by saying, 'Watch your step, I am familiar with your boss.'
Without batting an eyelid, I said, 'So am I, what is your point?' She was taken aback about what I said and did not utter a single word after that.
Train Of Thought
We had an Italian customer who visited a budget friendly steakhouse in the US and remarked: 'My pasta was not exactly like Al Dente' to which I said: 'So you have just got off a flight from Italy, opted for pasta at a low-cost American steakhouse, and you're taken aback that it's not up to your usual standard? I'm not entirely sure how you'd like me to address that.' which was EPIC!
He did not have anything to say in return.
Icy-Icy Ice Baby
I spent my years waiting at a local eatery, and the frequency at which customers would shake their empty, ice-filled cups at me as a sign for a refill was surprisingly rude.
I would respond in a cheeky manner by saying, 'Are you trying to entertain me with some sort of ice-melody, or do you need any help?'
Just use your words instead because it is not right to treat me like a pet.
Going Absolutely Crazy
Once I served a lady who asked for a Pina Colada and surprised me by whining about the coconut flavor in the cocktail, clearly unaware that coconut is a crucial component of the pina colada she had asked for.
So, I made her another drunk and her next question caught me by surprise: 'What will happen to the original drink? Are you just going to bin it?'
With a glare in her direction, I let her know that I enjoyed the coconut and decided to take a drink myself.