There are good customers. There are bad ones. And then there are these people — customers who are such jerks, and so rotten inside that it makes you freeze and do a double-take because you can’t believe your eyes.
From people who leave negative tips for servers after a meal or leave a dirty diaper on the table to customers who throw actual cups of pee at cashiers (no, like, this happened for real), there are some jerks who go out of their way to be mean to the people serving them. Bored Panda compiled the best examples of jerk customers showing off their inner jerkiness, so grab a seat, get comfortable and get ready for some righteous anger at how some people can be incredibly self-absorbed. Upvote your fave pics, and share with your friends! And be sure to scroll down for a double Bored Panda interview!
If you’re still in the mood to read about bizarre customers after you’re done with this list, then have a read through our previous posts about employees sharing their worst client stories and the stupidest things customers have ever said.
This post may include affiliate links.
Local Pet Supply Store Gets Real
My most favorite sign anywhere showed up at an independent bookstore in San Francisco in the 1990s: Any child found unattended will be given an espresso and a free puppy.
This Woman Who Stole The Shop Cat From A Local Flower Shop
Time To Find Better Customers
One place on the internet that collects astonishing examples of customers being some of the biggest jerks in the world is the humongous ‘Trashy’ subreddit which has more than 1.6 million members. This is how the community describes itself on Reddit: “Trashy stories, trashy glamour, all things fake, plastic, and downright trashy, low-class, no-class, white trash, bimbos, and damn proud.”
Bored Panda reached out to the ‘Trashy’ subreddit and talked to one of its moderators, Siouxsie_siouxv2.
“I was not around when this sub was created but I am certain it was born from the same IRC social circle that created r/drama,” one of the community moderators said. “This particular group is vicious, but often very funny, and that would be our mission statement here now that I think about it.”
A Wall Of Notoriety At My Favorite Gas Station, There's About 35 Of These Covering The Front Of The Store
Oh, I LOVE this! Would be illegal here in NL, privacy b******t and all :(
The Shade
Customers Assaulted Me With Drinks And Food. My Back Is Bruised By How Hard A Grown Man Threw His Drinks At Me. Can I Press Charges?
When asked why some customers behave like incredibly rude jerks, the subreddit moderator had this to say: “Some people want the best value for their money. And that includes total deference and subservience.”
“Also, we feel emotional sometimes about the small things that bring us comfort in a chaotic world. To have that disrupted can feel outrageously unfair. Sure, I could get a chicken sandwich somewhere else, but I need Popeye's to pay for the damage done to my chicken sandwich lifestyle.”
“People often mistakenly believe our sub is the place to post news articles about horrible crimes or governments oppressing people. We really wish people would stop posting that stuff here. It's depressing and not really what we are about,” the moderator explained what their community isn’t about.
Lying Customer
Cafe Provides Boardgames Free Of Charge To Customers; Customers Destroy It In Less Than A Week
I Never Walk Out If This Store Without A Story
If jerk customers are getting you all riled up, here are several modern Stoic tips to manage your anger, courtesy of philosopher Massimo Pigliucci who wrote a fantastic essay about the subject on Aeon:
- Engage in preemptive meditation: think about what situations trigger your anger, and decide ahead of time how to deal with them.
- Check anger as soon as you feel its symptoms. Don’t wait, or it will get out of control.
- Associate with serene people, as much as possible; avoid irritable or angry ones. Moods are infective.
- Play a musical instrument, or purposefully engage in whatever activity relaxes your mind. A relaxed mind does not get angry.
- Seek environments with pleasing, not irritating, colors. Manipulating external circumstances actually has an effect on our moods.
- Don’t engage in discussions when you are tired, you will be more prone to irritation, which can then escalate into anger.
- Don’t start discussions when you are thirsty or hungry, for the same reason.
- Deploy self-deprecating humor, our main weapon against the unpredictability of the Universe, and the predictable nastiness of some of our fellow human beings.
- Practice cognitive distancing – what Seneca calls ‘delaying’ your response – by going for a walk, or retire to the bathroom, anything that will allow you a breather from a tense situation.
- Change your body to change your mind: deliberately slow down your steps, lower the tone of your voice, impose on your body the demeanor of a calm person.
A Customer Wanted To Return Some Produce Because "It Was Too Ripe." I Asked Him If He Had Already Tried Eating It Anyway And He Said "Does It Look Like I Touched It?"
This Coffee Shop Closed Itself Due To Repeated Abuse From Vegan Extremists
Looks like it was an Australian cafe supported by the owners farm. Crazy activist stole their goats in 2018 and even after tons of abuse, only got $1 fine. https://www.farmonline.com.au/story/6008846/you-have-won-gippy-goat-cafe-closes-down-following-activist-attacks/
Wandering Through The Store, When Suddenly I Smell Piss. Stay Trashy Salt Lake
What’s more, Mind Tools explains that it’s important to distinguish between rude customers and unhappy ones. It’s far easier to deal with the latter. Mind Tools suggests you stay calm and don’t be provoked by rude customers’ words; you should also avoid taking things personally, but you should stand your ground when you want to get a particular message across. And if worse comes to worst, there’s always the ‘Trashy’ subreddit where you can get sympathy from strangers online.
When Parents Let Their Kids Destroy The Thrift Store
Store Clerks Had To Lock The Freezers After The Recent Trashy Trend Of People Going Around Stores, Opening Containers And Licking The Top Of The Ice Cream Before Putting It Back
Ergo, I never buy any contained food product that hasn't got a protective seal.
I May Have Chuckled When I Saw This At The Grocery Store, But Still Trashy. This Would Be About $2
Girl Wants Some Company To Go Steal From The Dollar Store
Ripping Off The “Bad” Lettuce From Each Head Until She Finds One With Enough Left Over To Keep
Just Chillin At The Coffee Shop
People Testing Spray Paint At Ollies
Customer Throwing Cup He Peed In At Me Because I Didn't Let Him Use Our Employees Only Bathroom
Bored Panda spoke to Samson about an incredibly uncomfortable situation that happened to him one day at work. Samson stressed the fact that he is a guy, even though some people think he looks like a girl in the video.
“So this guy came in to buy some stuff and asked if he could use our bathroom. The one we have is only for employees and located in our back office, so I just told him we don't have one, which is usually my answer,” Samson began his tale. “Before he left he grabbed a paper cup from the front and said "I guess this will have to do" (at the time I thought this was a joke) and I apologized that I couldn't help and he drove off.”
“About 10 minutes later he drives back, storms in and throws the cup at me and starts cursing me out, yelling something along the lines of: "This is for not giving me the courtesy of using your bathroom, I know you have one." And he mentioned having to pee in the cup. I should mention that the cup wasn't full and there wasn't that much pee in it (my coworker thinks he might've spilled it on himself and that's why he was so angry), but there was definitely still some pee in it and it got in my eye.”
“I was completely stunned and again I apologized and explained that the one we have is just for employees and my coworker backed me up (you can see him turning to curse her out too in the video). Then he left and tried and failed to slam the door. I got his license plate and reported him, but the police said that they can't prove it was pee and it's only being treated as harassment, not assault, so I doubt he's gonna get any serious punishment. [All of] his happened around the beginning of August.”
“I was pretty shocked, I worked at a 7/11 for a little over a year before this and worked at this deli for about a month and a half, and never in a million years did I expect anything like this happen to me. This was also 3 days before my last day there (since I had to leave for college again), so I kept asking myself why couldn't this happen the next week instead. Also police not treating this as assault felt insulting,” Samson said.
“I feel like this guy had to have some serious mental problems and/or extreme entitlement to do something like this to a minimum wage college kid, and people who treat workers like this are incredibly rude.”
How People Leave The Aisle In Forever 21...
Customer Being Jerk
People Keep Stealing Little Buddha Figurines From This Store At My Local Mall
Spotted Some Opened Up, Upside Down Nail Polish Bottles At Our Local Target
This Is How A Table Left The Tip For One Of My Servers
Nothing Screams Parenting Win Like Letting Your Kid Stand On The Bar And Play With The Taps For A Half Hour
Bringing Your Kid With You To An Adult Toy Shop
Someone Put Out Their Cigarette In A Dog Dish Outside This Local Shop.
Decided They Didn’t Want Their Bag Of Frozen Chicken Breasts So Why Not Leave Them Here To Drip Over Everything Below It
All of that is now contaminated and has to be thrown away. Humans can be such garbage.
Happened To A Co-Worker Today. If You Can't Afford Diapers Why Are You Out Drinking?
As if the tip would be a big difference, like 1,5 or 2$. Don't use your baby for an excuse.
I had to explain what a hashtag is to my 90yo grandmother who kept seeing it in newspaper articles about the #metoo movement. Then I had to explain what THAT was. She's a question machine <3
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How about the employers just pay you a fair wage/salary and you wouldn’t rely on tips. Why does the customer have to pay your wage and not your employer? #sounds-s**t-but-I-am-right-tho
Truth! Coming from a country that do not have tips, I find it unfair why consumers have to pay or give tips.
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All the Americans here bashing her for this are the reason these companies continue to pay fk all to their staff on the assumption the hard working public will pay. America has let the lunatics take over the asylum. As a British person , you get a tip for outstanding service and for nothing less. The way it should be.
Republicans won't establish a minimum wage above the poverty line and servers don't even get minimum. In the US, 15-20% is standard. Unless they set you on fire, you should do that. More for great service.
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1) I disagree with the concept of mandatory/expected tipping. Just pay your employee the proper wages and a tip can be used for "above and beyond expected performance" and the customers pay the proper price for the product. HOWEVER, 2) Since we do not have this in most places that serve food or drink, this person is dead wrong. Unless you received TERRIBLE service, you honor the person not disrespect them using your kid as an excuse.
Or... Have the employers pay high salaries to employees so tips are not needed anymore. Look at Japan and other countries who do not require tips hmm?
I've worked in bars for quite some years, and I heard excuses like that way too often. People have been drinking for 40€,but when it comes to giving a tip - "sorry, I can't, I'm a student and got no money". Yeah, thanks, f**k you too.
What? The guy with the totally nice attitude didn't get tips???
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I think this one is meant for Americans to agree. Everyone else is like "why pay a tip?"
If you can't tip then go to the liquor store and make your own overpriced alcohol
I mean they literally have 5$ vodka if you aren't going to tip make it yourself at home
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Here is where I point out that whole tip thing is BS & we should just pay waiters a living wage!
I wonder how this "single mom" would feel if when it came time for her next paycheck, her boss said, "Sorry, #smallbusinessowner #employeehealthbenefitspackage #buildingmaintence", and she wasn't paid for the last six hours she worked?!?! Something tells me she wouldn't be nearly as understanding as she expects this server to be, who I might add, is probably struggling just as much, if not more than our supposed "single mom". I swear, some people are just a******s sometimes.
If your wages aren't enough, get a different job. I'm not subsidizing your salary.
Diapers or stuff that I don't need? Ah yes, my child doesn't matter so here; let me buy this instead of buying basic child needs!
because everyone owes them because they are a single mother who sperm donor won't pay for their child
Hey guys! Even single, low-income moms deserve a night out occasionally. Not everyone can afford to leave a tip, no matter how small.
That's not a bar tab size bill, so I don't get the title. Also, people still need to eat!
Strippers and their unknown Baby-daddys are sooo entertaining after work!
Am I just going to go through this list commenting on adults s****y handwriting...?
They should raise the salary for waitress it's 2019! They shouldn't depend on tips to pay bills
probably spends 100$ a week out of her pension on cigarettes and another 100 on liquor leaving her kids with s**t
Sorry, instead of being a mother, Id rather get wasted and dump my kid off on a babysitter. She probably short changed the babysitter, too.
I wonder if the next time she dines out, or drinks at a club, she'll leave no tip because she has, ohh....kidney disease? Ulcers?
And 'single mom' can't even write a proper sentence, she communicates only in hashtags. Merciful Zeus. We need a superflu.
it would have been more respectful if she just said, "sorry i'm a f*****g cheapskate"
I think tip is not compulsory and being a single mom is not an excuse to write and seek sympathy.
It should be against the law for someone like this to have children.
Oh my god, why? Most servers in the US get their ONLY MONEY FROM TIPS. That's how they live because their paycheck is so small!
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You have ever head about "babysitters". That are people who watch at kids when their parents have to leave them alone.
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Sitting On Raw Chicken While Chatting With A Comcast Rep At Walmart
She Was Blocking The Handicapped Space At The Convenience Store With Her Toddler's Stroller Drinking Mountain Dew And Crushing Her Cut-Rate Cigarettes Out On The Sidewalk And Throwing Them Into The Parking Lot
Customer Leave This Note Instead Of Tip
When You Steal A Bra From The Store, But Replace It With Your Old One
What My Coworker Was Given Tonight
A Customer Tried It On Their Dog And Put It Back On The Shelf
They wanted to test if it's really self-cleaning... which obviously it isn't :D
Customer Leaves Dirty Diaper On Restaurant Table For Waitress To Clean
This would warrant bringing back putting people in stocks and then the public can throw rotting cabbages or what have you at them. Maybe they'd actually learn...
Someone Just Made This Mess, Dropped A Few Napkins On It, And Left The Store
Please Stop Being A Thot In The Gas Station Ice Machine
Walmart Shoppers Using Handicapped Spaces As A Cart Drop-Off
In this is why, in France (and probably elsewhere) , you have to use a coin to unlock your cart, and can only get it back when you lock it back....
What Is It In Your Cleavage... At The Grocery Store?
Trashy Customers
The Letters A,w,s And D On Your Gaming Keyboard Are All Worn Out Or You Hit The Keys Too Hard? Just Go To The Next Store And Steal Yourself Some Key Caps
This Customer’s Car Smelled Exactly Like You Would Imagine
A Customer (21 Yr Old F) And Her Boyfriend Thought It Would Be Funny If They Left Me A Drawing Of A Dick Instead Of A Tip
Boyfriend’s bill was $40 of alcohol and I didn’t get tipped on that either.
Conroe, Tx Grocery Store. 30 Years In Texas And First Time Seeing This Level Of Open Racism. 2017 Keepin’ It Classy
I’m An Uber Eats Rider And This Was My Customer
A Customer Left Their “Shopping” List At The Store
Whoever Put This In My Tip Jar
This... Person, Willing To Strip Down In The Middle Of Store Instead Of A Change Room
She looks really old, what if she has mental problems? I refuse to believe normal functioning people do this
Found Globs Of Wet Toilet Paper Thrown Against The Mirror At The Retail Store I Work At
Two Of My Favorite Ways That A Customer Has Left A Cart In The Parking Lot
The Way Customers Stacked The Baskets
not to support the customers, but there should also be staff who make sure this things didn't happen. that high of a stack means it had been left there for a long time, someone needs to clear them. it looks unstable and could fall on unsuspecting people or pets. (I worked at a supermarket years before, and one thing I learned is that to never to rely on customers on anything; they will f**k it up, and we're the only one to blame)
Someone Dropped Off These Devices To Be Returned. You Don't Even Want To See The Hair On The Inside Of The Remotes
So, I’m going to say it would be courteous to clean, as we did when we returned our cable. BUT I have such a bad taste for the companies, I can see why someone said F it and good riddance
I agree, if I said what I truly think, I would definitely be banned!
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And people say that violence is never justified. I say a good old fashion smack should be in order for most of these people. Backhanded though because it's somehow more demeaning.
When you work in any form of retail these come as no surprise. People just assume they can do what they want and you will sort out any mess etc left, then complain to social media when you ask them nicely not to behave that way. If it was their home would they tolerate you coming to their house and making a mess , of course not, but you get paid to be their nanny/housekeeper/cleaner etc etc while they are shopping, don't you?
My theory is that this kind of people have never worked in a service job, and truly believe they are better than people who do. Or they used to work in service jobs, and are now snobs about it. Some people think that if you work in lower paying jobs, that you don't deserve respect, dignity and courtesy.
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Ok but why is this under funny? BP ik yall have a social issues section and yall also have a people one. This wasnt funny this was disgusting
I just don't understand what's happened to part of society? In my youth, no one would have acted like anyone in any of these photos. So sad.
I worked retail for 5 years...the "best" was when a woman who had taken 6 dresses , all over $100 each, to try on and left them in there because they didn't work. No problem...except she balled them up in the corner and peed all over them. I have an amazing memory so next time she came in the store I berated her loudly in front of at least 6 customers and she never came in again. I did get written up BUT it was totally worth it!
These are all totally unacceptable, but perhaps some of them could have been prevented by better toilet, seating and changing room provision?
The two clothing based ones are fine. Who the hell cares what people are wearing so long as they're being respectful.
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Y'all realize this is cultural right? this doesnt happen in most countries in know
Don't see it in Canada unless it's at one of our border Discount Outlet stores where Americans come to shop by the thousands. Good deals, good exchange on the American dollar and who cares about the Canadian employee and store owner anyway?
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Some people have become so self-entitled, yet if any of these were to happen to them, we all KNOW there would be outrage, and probably violence. What happened to leaving things/places better than you found them? *sigh*
Sadly these aren't wilderness campers (who have a code of respect for the environment). Garbage/trash dumpers show their pig behaviours anywhere and everywhere (no offense to real pigs btw). Take Mount Everest or your local beach for example: Trash dumping grounds for the human pigs of society.
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Just charge them for everything, they don’t put cart back on it place charge them, too many bags charge them, destroys property charge them, banned them, people are entitled because they think they can get away with it.
It pains me to see what a sorry heap some of the human race have become.
And my friends wonder why I hate people..... I am an old lady and while this will get me several "eye rolls" I just have to say this - we never did this c**p when we were young - we respected people.... And the consequences of have our parents called because we messed up a store or anything were too horrible to contemplate! I really hope Dr. Spock is in hell with his " no correction or punishment for bad behavior ""let them express themselves" ideology!!!!
If I ever find a button that can kill all humans and humanity is still the same I will press it because most of humanity and it’s actions are bad for Earth sorry
All of these situations show that even though we claim to live in a civilized society, it is not civilized for everyone. In these times of entitlement and suing to get your way, disrespecting someone else's property or business is growing more common. As a society, we need to work together to correct as of these issues and try to make things better for the future.
I swear everyone and i mean every single person on this planet needs to work a retail job for at least a year. I used to work at an ice cream shop that has a jukebox and no joke parents would let their kids just climb and play on it. Some of the buttons actually broke because of parental neglect. It's so agitating that people act like they were raised by swamp dwelling cavemen.
Faith in humanity competed lost. If only animal living on this planet it would have been much better place..
These dregs of society make me despair! I think I need to look at some vids of cute kittens to cheer me up after looking at this post.
I honestly don't know why I feel compelled to read these types of articles - they just make me so angry and I'm left with a red-hot burning, anxious stomach and a feeling of complete hopelessness.
I think it's quite amusing that people are paid to look after a store but don't think it's their job to tidy the stock after customers or watch the store...... Makes you wonder what they are actually doing all day.
Not a nice thing to say. These people are jerks. Period. Doesn't matter where they live.
Load More Replies... I agree, if I said what I truly think, I would definitely be banned!
Load More Replies... And people say that violence is never justified. I say a good old fashion smack should be in order for most of these people. Backhanded though because it's somehow more demeaning.
When you work in any form of retail these come as no surprise. People just assume they can do what they want and you will sort out any mess etc left, then complain to social media when you ask them nicely not to behave that way. If it was their home would they tolerate you coming to their house and making a mess , of course not, but you get paid to be their nanny/housekeeper/cleaner etc etc while they are shopping, don't you?
My theory is that this kind of people have never worked in a service job, and truly believe they are better than people who do. Or they used to work in service jobs, and are now snobs about it. Some people think that if you work in lower paying jobs, that you don't deserve respect, dignity and courtesy.
Load More Replies... Ok but why is this under funny? BP ik yall have a social issues section and yall also have a people one. This wasnt funny this was disgusting
I just don't understand what's happened to part of society? In my youth, no one would have acted like anyone in any of these photos. So sad.
I worked retail for 5 years...the "best" was when a woman who had taken 6 dresses , all over $100 each, to try on and left them in there because they didn't work. No problem...except she balled them up in the corner and peed all over them. I have an amazing memory so next time she came in the store I berated her loudly in front of at least 6 customers and she never came in again. I did get written up BUT it was totally worth it!
These are all totally unacceptable, but perhaps some of them could have been prevented by better toilet, seating and changing room provision?
The two clothing based ones are fine. Who the hell cares what people are wearing so long as they're being respectful.
Load More Replies... Y'all realize this is cultural right? this doesnt happen in most countries in know
Don't see it in Canada unless it's at one of our border Discount Outlet stores where Americans come to shop by the thousands. Good deals, good exchange on the American dollar and who cares about the Canadian employee and store owner anyway?
Load More Replies... Some people have become so self-entitled, yet if any of these were to happen to them, we all KNOW there would be outrage, and probably violence. What happened to leaving things/places better than you found them? *sigh*
Sadly these aren't wilderness campers (who have a code of respect for the environment). Garbage/trash dumpers show their pig behaviours anywhere and everywhere (no offense to real pigs btw). Take Mount Everest or your local beach for example: Trash dumping grounds for the human pigs of society.
Load More Replies... Just charge them for everything, they don’t put cart back on it place charge them, too many bags charge them, destroys property charge them, banned them, people are entitled because they think they can get away with it.
It pains me to see what a sorry heap some of the human race have become.
And my friends wonder why I hate people..... I am an old lady and while this will get me several "eye rolls" I just have to say this - we never did this c**p when we were young - we respected people.... And the consequences of have our parents called because we messed up a store or anything were too horrible to contemplate! I really hope Dr. Spock is in hell with his " no correction or punishment for bad behavior ""let them express themselves" ideology!!!!
If I ever find a button that can kill all humans and humanity is still the same I will press it because most of humanity and it’s actions are bad for Earth sorry
All of these situations show that even though we claim to live in a civilized society, it is not civilized for everyone. In these times of entitlement and suing to get your way, disrespecting someone else's property or business is growing more common. As a society, we need to work together to correct as of these issues and try to make things better for the future.
I swear everyone and i mean every single person on this planet needs to work a retail job for at least a year. I used to work at an ice cream shop that has a jukebox and no joke parents would let their kids just climb and play on it. Some of the buttons actually broke because of parental neglect. It's so agitating that people act like they were raised by swamp dwelling cavemen.
Faith in humanity competed lost. If only animal living on this planet it would have been much better place..
These dregs of society make me despair! I think I need to look at some vids of cute kittens to cheer me up after looking at this post.
I honestly don't know why I feel compelled to read these types of articles - they just make me so angry and I'm left with a red-hot burning, anxious stomach and a feeling of complete hopelessness.
I think it's quite amusing that people are paid to look after a store but don't think it's their job to tidy the stock after customers or watch the store...... Makes you wonder what they are actually doing all day.
Not a nice thing to say. These people are jerks. Period. Doesn't matter where they live.
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