25 Times Someone Was Able To Shut Down A “Karen” In The Wild

No one willingly wants to engage with a rude and obnoxious person that they randomly encounter while going about their daily routine. There are enough and more entitled people around that it feels best to just ignore these potentially abrasive exchanges and quickly move on. Sometimes, however, we all have our moments when we say, ‘Enough is enough!’

#1 Back when I was in college I had a part-time job in some call center for a cellphone company, so I’d get calls from customers, and they were pretty evenly split between people who needed help with some minor tech issue, or people who had some issue with their bill or service.

Many of the billing issues had to do with people who didn’t pay their cellphone bill on time and their service got suspended, and most of the time those people had terrible credit and that’s why the company only agreed to give them a very specific sort of contract that severely limited the things they could do and how much money they could owe as well as for how long before their cell simply stopped working, partly for their protection so that they wouldn’t rack up even more charges, but also because the company knew based on their credit score that they were terrible at paying their debts and it was a terrible business decision to allow some broke dumbass to keep racking up thousands of dollars in cellphone charges across months and months when they couldn’t pay, and often didn’t even intend to pay.

So this one time some humongous a*****e of a lady called me demanding to get her service re-activated in the rudest way possible and, after checking her account on the system and patiently explaining the situation and suggesting she pay her due balance in order to get her line re-activated as soon as possible, she demanded to know how a total nobody like me working at a call center even dared to try to tell her, a successful and very important entrepreneur, what to do with her money and she let me know that my incompetence was causing her to lose business because her wealthy clients couldn’t call her phone.

I was probably 19 or so at the time, and I admit I lost my cool at that point and I told her that I was a just a college student and this was my part-time job and, even so, I still had a much better credit score than her and, unlike her, I understood that paying my f*****g cellphone bill was my responsibility and I also knew how to read the contracts I signed, and no important businessman had a f*****g 150 dollar limit on their cellphone bill, and if for some unexplainable reason they did and it was indispensable for their job they’d simply pay it on time every month. She flipped her lid and demanded to talk to my supervisor, and to be honest she had pissed me off so much that at that point I didn’t care if I got fired, so I handed my headset to the supervisor.

However, after listening to her version of the events and putting her briefly on hold to check with me, he promptly told her to f**k off and pay her outstanding bill because the only way her service would be suspended was if she was more than a month late with her payments and that was completely on her, and to stop wasting everybody’s time trying to pretend she was some VIP and being an a*****e in order to get a service she was literally refusing to pay for despite having signed a contract because she was broke as f**k, and hung up on her when she tried to argue. Then he just turned to me, handed me my headset and nodded before walking back to his desk like he was the Wolverine walking away from that exploding helicopter.

Edit: Thanks for the downvotes from the Karens who got offended for some reason!

Image source: Tough_Stretch

#2 I used to have a coworker who was *strange*.

Image source: EarhornJones, Valeria Boltneva

We used to go to the same BBQ joint every Friday, and without fail, my coworker would order a “wagon, no wheel”.

The person working the register (usually someone different every week) never knew what he was talking about, so he’d have to explain that he wanted a Chuckwagon sandwich with no bun.

We went through this every week for probably a year.

One day, a new soda dispenser had been installed, and a guy was looking it over as we got our drinks.

The guy asked us how we liked the dispenser, we told him that it was nice, and he thanked us, and explained that he was the owner of the place.

My coworker immediately started ranting about how he needed to hire smarter people to work the register.

The owner wanted to know more, and coworker explained that the never knew what a “wagon, no wheel” was.

The manager asked, “What the hell is a ‘wagon, no wheel?”

My coworker explained.

“Jesus Christ!” exclaimed the owner. “That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard. What kind of idiot thinks he can make up names for things that aren’t on the menu?”

Then he looked my coworker dead in the face and asked, “Are you some kind of moron, pal?”

Coworker stammered that he wasn’t, and the owner said, “then quit saying stupid s**t to my staff. Order off the menu or get out.”

We ate our lunches, and coworker never ordered a “wagon, no wheel” again.

#3 About 25 years ago at an expensive steakhouse restaurant in Dallas, a couple of mid-age ladies were led to their table by a young waiter. The place was surprisingly almost empty at the time.

Image source: _stuxnet, Jessie McCall

A few minutes after eyeing the menu, the waiter approached them to ask if they’d be ready to order. I don’t know what led to a sudden yelling from one of the ladies, but ended up the waiter leaving while saying something along the lines of “I don’t have to put up with your attitude”, in a polite way.

Not even a minute later, a tall older man with a perfectly trimmed white beard and magnificently dressed in a cowboy outfit (with the hat included), approached the table to ask about the encounter. That guy looked like he meant business, his demeanor and the way he carried himself showed authority, he didn’t need to speak to make himself present, you knew he was the owner.

He approached the table and immediately went into a squat position to be at the same eye level as these ladies (as if he was seating down), shortly after a small and quiet conversation, he stood up with authority but without breaking out eye contact. I was probably about 20 feet away, but until today, I do vividly remember hearing the man saying: “I’m going to bring the waiter back and you will apologize to him, loud and publicly, just like you were berating. If you decide not to do this, I will forcibly remove you myself from the premises”.

Everyone, including me and my entire table, stopped in their tracks and turned around, it just felt like a good ol’ western cowboy duel was about to go down. The lady couldn’t believe this man was siding with the waiter, and even worse, everyone else was watching what she’d do next.

With a defeated and angry face, the lady slammed the towel napkin on the table and said: “fine!, bring him back!”, as if trying to keep some sort of dignity. The waiter came back, and the lady complied. At no point the waiter showed any sense of pride or being haughty. The apology was accepted and business continued as usual.

Edit: misspellings, I’m on mobile.

#4 Worked at a DQ. Gave the wrong change, twice (oof) and the customer turned to his kid and said “see? That’s what happens when you dont go to college”.

Image source: M1n1sn00py, Mike Mozart

Highlight of the week when the kid, maybe 9 year old, says “that was mean”.

Now I know I’m not smart, and it’s true I didn’t go to college lmfao, but that s**t cut hella deep.
The dad did apologize to me and I give him props. Ain’t easy to admit you f****d up. Really I think he was just trying to make a point to his kid and he didn’t think about how it sounded. No hard feelings.

But yeah new core memory lol I’ll never forget that feeling of overwhelming shame.

#5 This was 20+ years ago, on a Halloween weekend. A friend & I were headed to a costume party, and made a pit stop at Walmart. We were both in costume (he was Zorro, I was Uncle Fester). We were in the checkout lane, and I looked around me (I have anxiety, so I prefer to be aware of my surroundings). Behind me was a woman and her young daughter. I didn’t engage, but the daughter took one look at me and starts screaming bloody murder. The mom (our Karen) starts to unleash on me:

“Who the f**k do you think you are, walking around like that, scaring innocent people? Today isn’t even Halloween! You are a horrible f*****g person, and you need to take that off right now!”

Me: “It wasn’t my intention to scare your daughter. How about this? Let’s compromise – I’ll remove my makeup, if you take off your mask.”

Karen: “But I’m not wearing…. you son-of-a-b***h!” She hits me square in the face. I maintained my composure, looked at the cashier and asked if she could page Security. Cops are called, Karen is escorted out in handcuffs.

Image source: VengefulJedi

#6 Worked at a pizza shop as a delivery driver when I was younger. Shop was owned by 3 (extremely polite, professional, and hard-working) Russian men, 2 brothers and a cousin.

Image source: ivehuckedyourmum, Artranq

Took a delivery right down the street, I’m talking a tenth of a mile. Guy comes out hot about how they shouldn’t have someone with such a heavy accent taking orders because “nobody can understand what the f**k he’s saying and he just wants his order correct.” I let him know that I’ll pass on the message. I go back and tell the owner that took the order about this guy’s complaint. Owner immediately calls him, tells him that if he doesn’t like the way he speaks that he can f**k off and order from somewhere else since he was too lazy to drive 30 seconds to place the order in person. Ended it with “do you understand my English now?”.

#7 An aunt who’s always been critical of my weight since childhood said to me after not seeing for 5 years “How did you get so fat? You had such a great figure and you’ve really just…let yourself go.” I’d just had a kid.

Me: “Gee, Auntie. You’ve gotten so old. Has life been hard? You used to look so average. Now you just look so…haggard.”.

Image source: soybeanwoman, Leah Newhouse

#8 Was a male Karen. He would constantly call and berate us for perceived issues with network speed (it wasn’t us, it was his equipment).

Image source: zerbey, sarah b

Then he escalated to pretending to cc newspapers in support emails, but since he was incompetent they weren’t valid. One day my boss sees one, they get into a brief back and forth with him telling him to stop being rude to staff, then finally my boss just sends a final message “Your account is £45 every three months, we do not need your business and so I’ve canceled your contract. Good riddance”. He copied the entire support team on that one, there was a cheer in the office.

I miss working for that guy, he was one of the best bosses I’ve ever had.

#9 I’m telling this story for a friend who passed away suddenly several years ago, her name was Marcia. We both worked at a university as non-academic staff members. One day Marcia saw a student park in a parking spot that was reserved for faculty/staff, when she informed the student that she couldn’t park there, the student shot her the middle finger and walked off. Marcia called the parking office and had an officer come write the student a ticket. The student later appealed the ticket, but guess who makes the decisions on the appeals? Yep, that would be Marcia. I can still see Marcia’s sly grin when she told that story.

Image source: Bob_12_Pack

#10 When I worked retail, I was the guy that would go outside and bring the shopping carts in. One particularly busy day, as I’m bringing a round of carts in, I notice a little woman in her mid 40’s or so standing next to the area where the shopping carts are stored. I didn’t really think anything of it and just started putting the carts away.

Image source: Chavestvaldt, Markus Spiske

Without moving, she yells at me (from about 30 feet away, standing next to multiple available carts) to bring her a cart. I figured I must have misheard her since she was standing next to so many available carts, so I just looked at her and waved

she looks shocked, yells “bring me a cart *right now,*” and *snaps her fingers at me*

I laughed at her and walked back outside to get more carts, and she immediately filed a complaint about “a very rude cart boy” lol.

#11 I was in line about the fourth person back and this old lady was holding up the line at a Bed, bath, and beyond because she had a bunch of coupons that were expired and was demanding that they give them to her. Not recently expired, like expired over a year ago and she said she “didn’t notice”.

Image source: TheBigC87, rohaneh

Guy behind her with a thick New England does this:

Guy: Just show em’ yer special privileges card…

Old Lady: I don’t have a special privilege’s card

Guy: why don’t you have one?

Old Lady: I don’t know

Guy: do you think that’s because you don’t have special privilege’s?

Old Lady: Blank stare

Everyone else in line just started busting out laughing, when the lady finally figured out that the guy behind her insulted her, and there isn’t a goddamn thing she can do about it, she just walked out.

Guy proceeds to put his stuff down and the cashier told him that she was going to give him 50% off on the sheet set he was buying.

Dude was a legend…

#12 When I was in long line for a new roller coaster, a group of guys probably 16 years old cut in front of us.. a bit later they even complained how long the line was.. I waited until we were almost to the ride and then when we passed a worker, I told them these guys cut in line… they were removed and waited for nothing. ?.

Image source: Jaded-Inevitable-302, Aaron Burden

#13 Very much enjoy the “I demand to speak to the manager!!” walk off for 10 minutes to make them wait and then come back and go “Good news! You were already talking to the manager… And now I’m going to ask you to leave please…bye bye”. Only happened a couple of times, I haven’t been back in the hospitality game very long,, but it’s good fun.

Image source: Vinegarinmyeye, Weedezign_photo

#14 Not too long ago, im in line at Subway, and the guy ahead of me is throwing a FIT, something about a coupon for a free sub.The manager insisted it was expired, he can’t get a free sub. This man throws a huge fit, hes screaming, cops get called, he stomps out the front door, FINALLY, as I get to the register to pay. The cashier gave me my sub for free for being chill about the whole scene.

Image source: blazeoftori, Abhijeet Barak

#15 We were fly fishing in a park and a lady started harassing us despite the spot being perfectly legal to fish in. What she didn’t know was DNR was there doing license checks and stuff and when they came over to us she got cited for interfering with us.

Image source: gaybatman75-6, Boris Hamer

#16 My brother held the door for a pair of older women walking into a store behind us. One of them screamed at him not to hold the door just because she was a woman. He replied, “I’m not. I’m holding it because of your age.”.

Image source: Gruneun, Natabuena

#17 I had to slam on my brakes one time at a crosswalk because a family started to walk across that I didn’t see on the sidewalk obscured by a bush. The family didn’t even react to my tires screeching because I stopped well before they were in the road. The woman behind me saw how hard I braked and after the crosswalk she drove next to me and was yelling out her window and pointing her finger at me while she was driving… then she hit the car in front of her as we came up to a stop sign because she was so busy yelling and looking at me in the lane next to her instead of ahead of her at the stopped car.

Image source: farkwadian, Art Markiv

#18 I was on a super croweded bus, there was no where to move so people weren’t being allowed on.
we get to a stop so people can get off and a man forces his way on. He starts yelling at people to get out of his way and trying to push people so he can get on. So this girl, who is around 16 and meets every stereotype one might have about chavs, pushes him back until he’s off the bus and yells something like “don’t push people you old c**t! There’s no room for you here!”
I was so proud of her.

Image source: CaptainFartHole

#19 Was at a Panera a couple months ago and a Karen was complaining about her soup and berating the help. Young girl behind the counter told her to f&@k off. It was hilarious. She’s still working there so I’m glad to see the young lady was not reprimanded too badly. I was snickering. Karen deserved it.

Image source: BendyJ

#20 I’m a pilot and I had an emergency landing the night before. I was sitting on a commercial plane in first class as my ride back home from my stranded aircraft. The FAA actually called me right then and there and I answered the call while the plane was boarding and called the flight attendant over and explained the situation that it was the FAA on the phone and it will be a quick phone call while I tell them some brief info and that I will call back when I land after my flight.

A Karen who then boarded and sat down behind me and eventually noticed I’m on the phone gets pissed that I’m on the phone and says “I’m going to tell the FAA and motions for the flight attendant” (it was that time for everyone to have been off the phone by now and I was seconds away from hanging up the call). I looked directly at the lady and said Ma’Am I’m actually on the phone with the FAA right now with an an important phone call regarding an emergency landing I had to do last night would you like to talk to them?” The look on the woman’s face was priceless.

Image source: CaptainWaders

#21 About twelve years back, I had a cow-orker who was former military. He did a couple of tours in the sandbox, lost his leg to an IED, and mustered out of the service. When we worked together he had a prosthetic leg, though it fit him well enough that he only rarely had to walk with a cane for balance. He didn’t have a handicapped plate on his car, he had a placard that you hung on your rearview mirror.

Image source: virtualadept, Jakub Pabis

Anyway, we were going to lunch offsite one afternoon. We pulled up at the deli and parked in a handicapped parking spot (as one does). He was in the middle of saying “Virtual Adept, could you go in my glove compartment and get my placard?” when a woman walked up to his side of the car, banged on the window, and began berating him for using a handicapped parking space, what do you think you’re doing, don’t you know there are crippled people in wheelchairs who need that (yes, she said that)…

I wasn’t sure what to do, I was sitting there with my hand in the glovebox wondering what he was going to do. My cow-orker sat there for a good, long while, listening to this woman yell at him. Three, maybe four minutes at the outside. Total poker face, like he was carved out of stone.

He rolled his window down. He pulled his pant leg up. He popped his prosthetic leg off and he handed it to her.

#22 Was watching the Thanksgiving Macy’s Parade on Thanksgiving morning with my kids, having breakfast and a great ole time, and the Karen next door neighbor knocked on my door accusing my kid of putting “white stuff all over her car” and said that she called the police.

Image source: pdxjen, KYNASTUDIO

Cops arrived, I pointed up at the tree she was parked under and said “it’s bird s**t” as it was actively happening on her car. I took my kid by the shoulders, went back inside and left them out there.

#23 I worked at a wine bar one summer. My manager was serving a group of middle aged ladies, and one of them was being so rude to her. You could tell she was an impatient, entitled B. After my manager told her twice that she didn’t care for the way she was being spoken to, she kicked her out. A few customers cheered.

She left a scathing review online. The owner replied and told her how multiple witnesses saw her rude behavior, and it’s disgusting she would treat others that way. Said she can take her attitude elsewhere and she was banned from his establishment. Right on!

Image source: sweet_dream515

#24 About 25 years ago I worked in a family-owned sub shop. A very drunk guy came in and rudely demand “half an Italian”. He didn’t specify cold cut, steak sub, or anything more, and eventually after some back and forth, it kind of seemed like he was asking for a cold cut. So we made it and gave it to him, and he payed for it. The guy could barely keep his eyes open he was so plastered, but it didn’t stop him from being loud, aggressive, and belligerent about everything. He had some history as an annoying customer, but it had never been anything this bad.

Image source: PowermanFriendship, Bimo Luki

Anyway, he pays for the food and then slides over at the front counter about 2 feet from the register. The person behind him steps up and starts trying to order food, but while this is going on, the drunk guy very sloppily opens up his sub at the counter, deconstructs the sandwich, flapping his hands around angrily, tossing shredded lettuce and tomato all over the place (including onto the other customer), and starts cussing up a storm saying something like like “isss fuggin s**t isssn what I order, guddammit…. I WANNA FUGGINHAFFF ITAAALLIAAANN—”

Like mid-sentence the owner vaults over the counter, bends the guy over, aims him at the side door, and uses his head as a battering ram to literally throw him out of the place. Like the whole thing took 10 seconds, and he was back finishing taking the next customer’s order. It was like when Uncle Phil would throw Jazz out of the Banks’ house on Fresh Prince, it was glorious.

Drunk a*****e never came back.

#25 I work at a small local bakery, but big enough we have two locations. I had a woman come in to order a cake, already extremely impatient. I take her down to the order areas where the computers are. She brought in her own coffee (which we sell) which isn’t a problem except it was also in an open mug, but I don’t say anything about it because she is clearly already in a testy mood. I give her a book to look through some of our cake selections and she goes to sit down in our lobby. I tell her, I apologize ma’m but because we have had some people carry off our book (it is huge, extensive, and hard to replace), I have to ask you to stay at the counter. She gets huffy, asking if she has to stand the whole time, so I bring her a chair, which is no issue. She sits down and sets her coffee on the computer!! Like on the modem! I say ma’m I do apologize, but if you don’t mind moving your coffee so we don’t have any accidents. She gets extremely angry, yelling about how this is why she wanted to sit in our lobby and how disrespectful and uncomfortable I’m making her feel. She then throws the book down on the table and walks out, yelling about how she would be going to other location and telling them about this. Lo and behold, as soon as she walks out the door, our head baker says no more cake orders for either store, we are full. I’ve never felt more satisfied than knowing she left our store, fully able to order a cake, drove to the other store, only to no longer be able to order one. And the only person she can blame is herself.

Image source: MissBeanBurrito