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"The customer is always right," reads customer service rule number one, popularized back in the early 1900s. Is this slogan truly correct, though? I'm pretty sure that anyone who's ever worked in this field has had the pleasure of encountering at least a few customers that were being rude to them for no apparent reason. I mean, we've even made a list of times customers acted like total jerks and got shamed for it.

And even though in such situations, the staff are expected to suck it up and stay collected, there's always a sneakier and a more subtle way to get back. Recently, TikTok user @officialtbw asked fellow customer service workers to share things they've done to a customer who has been rude to them, and started it all by revealing how he sometimes gives people cold butter instead of room-temperature, because he knows that cold butter will rip up their bread. Since then, thousands of TikTok users have jumped on the bandwagon by sharing their own little stories.

Without further ado, Bored Panda invites you to look through a list of some of the funniest, most savage and passive-aggressive ways customer service workers have gotten revenge on impolite customers. Don't forget to vote for your favorite ones and share your own stories in the comment section!

#1

40 Passive-Aggressive Ways To Get Back At A Rude Customer Shared By TikTok Users someone paid me $17 in change while laughing to their friend that I'd have to count it so I lost count 6 times right as I was about to be done countin

lonewolf15mr , Andrew Turner Report

#2

40 Passive-Aggressive Ways To Get Back At A Rude Customer Shared By TikTok Users As a delivery driver I once spent the entire drive en route to a chronically rude customer's house shaking the bottle of soda they'd ordered

apparently_unoriginal , Unknown Report

#3

40 Passive-Aggressive Ways To Get Back At A Rude Customer Shared By TikTok Users I took a deep breath and was extra nice to them. They were so triggered but sounded insane complaining to my boss about how nice I was being

bread_farm , Vinqui Report

#4

40 Passive-Aggressive Ways To Get Back At A Rude Customer Shared By TikTok Users when I was a teacher I had a parent was constantly rude. I told her her baby started walking so she missed her first steps

squeakersyarn , Randal Phoenix Report

#5

40 Passive-Aggressive Ways To Get Back At A Rude Customer Shared By TikTok Users Under blend their smoothies so the little chunks block their straws

ebonymallinson , Kari Sullivan Report

#6

40 Passive-Aggressive Ways To Get Back At A Rude Customer Shared By TikTok Users I'm in heating & air and if they're rude...I tell them it'll take 3 days to get the part for their heater..even though I have the part. be cold karen

mattnj26 , Paul Sableman Report

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Anna roberts
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Worked at a Wendy's in HS. Do not piss of the people while ordering at the drive thru. JS

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#7

40 Passive-Aggressive Ways To Get Back At A Rude Customer Shared By TikTok Users Sprayed fart spray in the isle because they didn't wear a mask and cussed me out when I told them we required a mask

rachaelhendrick , Wikimedia Commons Report

#8

40 Passive-Aggressive Ways To Get Back At A Rude Customer Shared By TikTok Users When I was a cashier if anyone came to my register on the phone I always talked to them loudly to make it harder for them to talk on the phone

k_serasarah , Wikimedia Commons Report

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Hello
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Was this fair though? I know my family was very overworked. I could never talk to my parents without finding them in a meeting or call somewhere. I know neither of my parents talked to friends on the phone in public, but they often had to take phone calls from their office. In some households, it could be impossible not to be on call.

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Bender Bending Rodríguez
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I really didn't care if someone was on a phone as long as they paid attention, paid the bill when their order was done and didn't wasted my as well as other customer's time.

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Id row
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Oh, that's annoying when people won't get off the phone for 5 damn minutes.

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Lady Snowfall
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yah, we have an unspoken policy not to assist a customer on the phone. We have been cussed out too many times for "interrupting" their conversations. It doesn't take anything but a second to pull the phone away and cover the mic if you can't hang up, or say "excuse me one moment" to the person they are talking to. They don't have to hang up the phone to use good manners.

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Ragnhild Nilsen
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm a librarian. If someone I assist accepts a phone call (more than "I'm busy right now, can I call back?") I simply walk away.

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Louloubelle
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I used to just stop and not proceed until they put the phone away.

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Ray Lebowski
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I've done that. It's amazing how often they'll finally notice that I'm not talking and say, "Did I miss anything?" "No, just the instructions on how we file your tax returns, how much you owe, who to pay, when to pay, your estimated tax payments, where to mail things, and such. Nothing important to you, apparently." Yes, it's cost me customers/clients, but in many cases, I don't care.

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Kisses4Katie
Community Member
3 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I was taught to do so by 2 managers. Gladly. If they hold up a finger, we were allowed to "do work" behind the counter or call the next customer until they quit.

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Mad Mar
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I used to just wait until they noticed I wasn't ringing them up an said I didn't want them to miss anything while on their call. They would get off the phone then for sure.

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Dorrie Kimkaran
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I've been there.....I just stand there, smiling and doing absolutely NOTHING, then smile at them and say "Good morning, how are you today?". Everyone in line BEHIND them gets furious at them, not at me ;-)

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Jessica Otto
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I do this at work. Sometimes I'll try to talk to the person the customer is on the phone with. My personal best was leaning over the counter and talking to a girl's friend while she was video chatting at my register. Makes my boss laugh every time.

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Samantha Hurrell
Community Member
2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I should totally do that. Although I usually just give them, a 'bye' instead of 'have a nice day.' It is usually accompanied by them ignoring the till free call multiple times. (Increasingly I'm having to move tils on our 6 till joined system because of the threat to lose my voice)

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Collette Moisan
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That drives me nuts, when they talk on the phone in line. Tell them you will call back. You are taking really long to load your groceries(with one hand), you can't hear the cashier, and then you take your time packing your groceries! And they are the first to complain when they are held up a little in line! GRRRRR

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Marie-Helene Briere
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

When i was a cashier and someone was talking on their phone I would do the entire transaction without saying a word. No Greetings, no good bye, not telling the amount due, juste pointing to the screen, All while looking a them straight in in their eyes...

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NinjaWolfy94
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

There could have been people behind them waiting and they likely wouldn't have stood to the side to let others go first.

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Memere
Community Member
3 years ago

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May
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm a simple person. I see a picture from Norway, I upvote.

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Kim
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is just obnoxious. Sometimes you have an important phone call and simultaneously have to buy something because you’re in a rush. Entitled cashier.

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Ray Lebowski
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Wrong. The person on the other end of the phone probably will understand if you say, "Give me two minutes, I'm in a line at the store, you'll have my undivided attention after this".

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C.S. E.
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3 years ago

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C.S. E.
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3 years ago

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Katherine Ann
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I understand why but sometimes people are busy and have to take certain calls even at inconvenient times

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Requiem
Community Member
3 years ago

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You arent there to talk to the cashier, most cahsiers will spend the whole time talking to the customer infront of you even while putting your stuff through and ignore you

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MiraiJack
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3 years ago

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CLIENT: "Don't do it son, wait until dad gets home. Everything is going to be okay, don't pull that trigger and don't turn off the phone I'm comin (...)" CASHIER: "IS IT GOING TO BE CASH OR CREDIT" (...) (...) CLIENT: "hello, son? son?" And that is the result of a cashier who couldn't mind his own business.

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CORLEONE
Community Member
3 years ago

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That's why I use self-check. I hate this lazy pigs. Just do your job right...

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#9

40 Passive-Aggressive Ways To Get Back At A Rude Customer Shared By TikTok Users allow them to put their card in to pay and hit escape so they have to do it again. repeat until I feel better

fiercemel , Unknown Report

#10

40 Passive-Aggressive Ways To Get Back At A Rude Customer Shared By TikTok Users If they threw their money at me to pay, I'd throw their change back at them, smile and walk away

mirellesminis , Paulien Osse Report

#11

40 Passive-Aggressive Ways To Get Back At A Rude Customer Shared By TikTok Users I “accidentally” forget to take the sensors off so they have to come back and I can waste their “precious time”

kayraalvarez , Wikimedia Commons Report

#12

40 Passive-Aggressive Ways To Get Back At A Rude Customer Shared By TikTok Users Be nice to the wedding photographer. If you're not I include all the awful photos of you & sometimes even add some weight in photoshop

amzukiwsky , Wikimedia Commons Report

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#13

booked their airplane seat on a 10+ hour flight right next to the bathroom

renroh71 Report

#14

40 Passive-Aggressive Ways To Get Back At A Rude Customer Shared By TikTok Users Used to work at a grocery store, if people were extremely rude to me I would squash their loaf of bread in my hand while packing it in a bag

danirectangle , pixel1 Report

#15

40 Passive-Aggressive Ways To Get Back At A Rude Customer Shared By TikTok Users I put extra, extra hot sauce in their salsa then do not refill their drinks

laelwehnerhill , Maxell Miklós Report

#16

If someone was being very rude to me I would save their number at the end of the day and put it in insurance offers and stuff so they would get calls

amiekleigh Report

#17

I worked in the drive-thru at a Wendy's. rude people got broken straws for their sodas. because nothings more annoying than a cracked straw

rehtaeh.l Report

#18

40 Passive-Aggressive Ways To Get Back At A Rude Customer Shared By TikTok Users she payed me in ones.... i checked each and everyone up to the light

clarak19 , Unknown Report

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#19

Sometimes if they get kids meals, I'll give each one a different toy so maybe the kids will fight over it and annoy the parents

rhyanrose1 Report

#20

I've given a tip back and said “ you clearly need this more than I do”

miss_struff Report

#21

40 Passive-Aggressive Ways To Get Back At A Rude Customer Shared By TikTok Users I work at a deli and when I customer is being a Karen I'll squish the cheese together after I slice it so it's impossible to separate later

mickmoo420 , Unknown Report

#22

One time I gave someone their 99 cents change back in nickels and pennies because “that's all we had in store at the moment”

kristachuu Report

#23

I put them on my “don't take cake from her” contact list so when they call, i always tell them I'm booked

bakemydaymimo Report

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Stille20
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3 years ago

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That assumes you can afford to lose money just to screw them .. and maybe you can

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#24

I worked at Verizon and I would make sure a little dust got under their glass screen protector on their phone

rebeca68r Report

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#26

I work at a restaurant and I made a lady wait the entire 40 minute wait time we quoted her even tho her table was ready in 20 minutes

kaiteeliz Report

#27

I used to work at a coffee shop and if someone was rude to me, I wouldn't stir their coffee so that all the sugar would just sit at the bottom!

_brendalc Report

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Graham Baker
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

or you could over-sweeten their coffee. because they could stand to be a whole lot sweeter.

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#28

Grocery store worker here and when rude asking To see if a product was in the back politely told him it had been recalled cuz people died

15minofame Report

#29

40 Passive-Aggressive Ways To Get Back At A Rude Customer Shared By TikTok Users I used to purposely put the french fries at McDonald's upside down so it would spill as they pulled them out

_dee_nice_ , Wikimedia Commons Report

#30

Nonchalantly break their candy bars in half as I bagged them

emxiloveyouu Report

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Average Grizzlies Fan
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If this is Kit Kat or Hershey then you are helping them, any other candy and it is just what they deserve

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#31

Not offer whipped cream on their hot chocolate because it's the best and they're the worst

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Average Grizzlies Fan
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm honestly not a huge fan of whipped cream. I know a lot of people that love it though; it's always the most popular thing with the Thanksgiving dessert.

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#32

I don't say a word to them and the person after them I'm alway extra and hyper with them. the look back like huh

mitcheoso Report

#33

If a customer spells their name out to me rudely, I spell it wrong just to make myself feel better

spillinbeans Report

#34

When I worked at a grocery store & ppl would throw their money onto the moving conveyer belt instead of my open hand, I'd let the belt eat the money

megan_brown2012 Report

#35

I work at a bqq restaurant and someone ordered $150 worth of food with no tip and I “forgot” all their bqq sauce oopssss

yasgee1.11 Report

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Piet Puk
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3 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Your boss is the real assh0le here for not paying you an honest salary.

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#36

40 Passive-Aggressive Ways To Get Back At A Rude Customer Shared By TikTok Users When I worked at McDonald's and rude people would ask for extra sauce, I would give them pancake syrup

thekuebz13 , Unknown Report

#37

In a hotel... put them in a room above the parking garage entrance/valet. Also scheduled 4am wake up calls

pooter076 Report

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Id row
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That's just going to get one of your co-workers screamed at.

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#38

Left them on hold or mute until they hung up

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Ian Koch
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3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Just pushing a hidden comment out of the way. keep scrolling and have a nice day.

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#39

I'm an ultrasound tech...I used the COLD gel even though we have gel warmers

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Daisy Chain
Community Member
3 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I feel like this is a bit rude, as it's someone's body you are being rude to. Also, if it's a pregnant lady, as a women, I know that hormones tend to skyrocket when we are pregnant.

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#40

Leave them on hold..... for a long time.... and then *accidentally* hung up and turned off my phone for lunch

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Leonora Roper
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3 years ago

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