Karen Mistakes Woman For A Coffee Shop Employee, Gets Thrown Out After Harassing Her
Interview
Few people are as passionate about fighting for the truth as the so-called Karens; even if they’re wrong.
Redditor u/Liuo_0901 recently told the ‘I Don’t Work Here Lady’ community about having to deal with one. The ‘Karen’ thought the OP was an employee at a cafe they were at, which could be an honest mistake as she was wearing an apron. The problem was, ‘Karen’ continued yelling orders at the redditor even after being told she didn’t work there.
Bored Panda has reached out to the OP and she was kind enough to answer a few of our questions; you will find her thoughts in the text below.
Dealing with certain customers can be more demanding than one might think
Image credits: Ketut Subiyanto (not the actual photo)
This ‘Karen’ was causing trouble at a cafe after she mistook a fellow customer for an employee
Image credits: Afif Ramdhasuma (not the actual photo)
Image credits: Gary Barnes (not the actual photo)
Image credits: Liuo_0901
‘Karen’ is a broader term encompassing quite a few dissatisfied characters
Image credits: Karolina Grabowska (not the actual photo)
“What upset me the most was the fact that the woman didn’t realize how wrong she was in the situation, and just thought that someone should serve her. Even with me and another person trying to explain to her that I worked elsewhere, she called us liars and was verbally attacking us,” the OP told Bored Panda in a recent interview.
Working in customer service requires patience; loads of it. While some clients are perfectly polite, others become a test of how much an employee can endure without exploding back at them; and the latter group often features a so-called Karen or two.
It might not be fair to use this one name to refer to a collection of arguably aggravating women, but a ‘Karen’ has become a term so widespread that its holder no longer needs a description. According to Know Your Meme, she is typically characterized as an irritating and entitled woman; however, it is a moniker that entails quite a few characters, such as ‘Permit Patty’, ‘BBQ Becky’, or ‘Golfcart Gail’, who all boiled down to this final version, BBC reports. (Oh, let’s not forget ‘Cornerstore Caroline’ as well.)
A couple years ago, a business comparison service, Bionic decided to check if it was actually Karens that tend to complain the most. They carried out a humorous study, which showed that despite being in the top ten—number eight on the list, to be exact—’Karen’ is not the name of the person who complains the most.
After analyzing thousands of complaints from all over the world, the company found that the name Louise was seemingly the most common among dissatisfied people; it was followed by Ann and Jane. As for the men, their equivalent of a ‘Karen’ was found to be John, with David and James coming second and third respectively.
Of course, these are just coincidences, which in no way mean that all Karens, Louises, or Davids bear annoying qualities. However, it’s pretty safe to assume that, no matter the name, there are people with such qualities everywhere. Bionic revealed that the US is the country where people tend to complain the most, but the UK, Canada, Philippines, and Mexico are close on the list.
‘Karens’ are a common nightmare for customer service workers
Image credits: Ketut Subiyanto (not the actual photo)
Typically exceedingly annoying, Karens are a common headache for customer service workers, especially considering the prevalence of the “the customer is always right” motto. But known for their requests to see a manager, such customers might be wrong, too. Take the OP’s example, for instance.
That might make one wonder, what is there for an employee to do when faced with a troublesome ‘Karen’? MindTools covered five steps that can help deal with a rude customer, the first one being staying calm and trying not to react to avoid biting back. Research suggests that employees who expect to face rude customers at work react to them less strongly than those with no such expectations, and in the case of the latter, fighting fire with fire would only escalate the situation even more.
Other tips include not taking the remarks personally, listening to them and apologizing if the situation calls for it, standing firm on things such as rules and regulations, and trying to find a solution to the customer’s problem if possible.
In the OP’s situation, finding a solution couldn’t have been easy, mostly because the ‘Karen’s’ comments and demands were unfounded. Be that as it may, Arthur—the sleeper of the establishment, whose sisters were the managers of the cafe (and whose name wasn’t actually Arthur)—came in to save the day, and the redditor was left with a funny story to share with their co-workers.
“Every now and then we are still reminded by my manager, since she was there and her personality doesn’t allow her to avoid jokes,” she told Bored Panda.
People in the comments shared their opinions on the matter
I have bad eyesight but when I’m in a shop and need help, seeing a person in uniform with a name tag I check if the uniform matches the colour scheme of the shop, observe what the person in doing and then politely ask if they work there. Even if they are stacking shelves or cleaning, unless they are behind the till I never just assume they work there. How mentally unstable does someone have to be to insist someone works there when they say they don’t? It’s scary. Even if OP did work there ya know staff gets to have a break.
Also, in Tesco hipermarkets you have to check, if the person is hired by the Tesco itself, or by let's say Coca-Cola to fill up their brand-shelves. It's very obvious, because shelf-fillers for different brands doesn't wear any kind of color T-shirts, what can remind you to ÍTesco's T-shirts uniforms. Also no name tags.
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How many times has someone claimed to not work somewhere to get out of helping that person? Maybe like 3 times in all of human existence. It's hilarious people like this think it's an actual thing...just to spite them personally. lmao
Yeah, the last time I wore a red tshirt out shopping, I got mistaken for an employee at two different stores! In both cases, when I said I didn't work there, they were horribly embarrassed and apologized profusely. I just thought it was funny. I don't understand these bizarre karens who just scream and scream... it seems to happen a lot on reddit :/
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I've learned not to wear a red shirt to Home Depot. People will just walk up and start asking things. Even if my hands are full of my stuff. Once, I had good enough reflexes to direct somebody all the way to the end of the store, for the washroom. Good luck!
Yea, being a cabinet maker and having been to Home Depot, and other stores, literally hundreds of times, I know the store better then most employees !!!
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I have had someone insist I show her where the lightbulbs were in Tesco while on my Sainsburys uniform! Pointed out to her that she was in Tesco not Sainsburys as it clearly says across the back of my jacket, but she wasn't having it. In the end just sent her to the furthest point on the shop and said they were there. You can't reason with stupid
Took 10 minutes to react? I wouldn't have waited a fraction of the time
Yep, when people say the 'shouting at me for 10, 20, 30 minutes' i call it a bs post.
Load More Replies... Happened to me once. I was in an audio and video store to buy a new TV. While the owner was in back getting something, an elderly man (nice to know there are still people older than me) came in at and asked me if they sold TVs here. Since that's all that was displayed, I said I certainly think so. So I asked him what he was looking for. He told me and I looked around, pointed to a specific set, and said this is what you're looking for, and it's even on sale! He asked me to write it up and that's when I told him I was a customer too. I was wearing a sports coat and he just assumed I worked there. I said no problem, we found what you were looking for, and he bought it. Even though I've been retired for a decade, I had a very successful career in Sales, and I guess instinct took over. The owner and I laughed about it, but he did knock fifty dollars off my bill, saying it was my "commission" for making a sale. And of course I took it!
I had a red shirt on once and this older gut came to me and asked a question. I said sir, I don't work here. He said yes you do.
I was in an outdoor gear store once with my sister who was buying hiking boots. I happened to be wearing a dark brown t-shirt, which was also the colour the staff wore. Mine had no logo, though, nor was I wearing a name badge. At one pint, I suggested a pair of boots to my sister. A few minutes later some woman comes over and asks me for a specific size. I said, I’m sorry I don’t work here. She got angry and snapped, I saw you talking to someone else! Riiiiight because no one ever goes shopping with another person. I just turned and walked away - wish I’d thought to say “I’m sorry no one likes you enough to spend time with you, but I can see why.”
I think walking away was the right response and totally sensible. Snapping at her could have escalated the situation and gotten you both kicked out. Nothing wrong with venting later and out of harm's way.
Load More Replies...
I don't know why you were downvoted but that is absolutely true. There has been a 300% uptick in adderall prescriptions since many moms are self-diagnosing on tiktok and getting the meds online. I had to switch to ritalin because I need my medicine and could not get it anywhere but it ended up being a good thing because the adderall gave me terrible anxiety and nausea but the the Ritalin does not
Load More Replies... I don't know, man. ... What are these wild-Karens stories coming 95% from the USA? I'm living in Europe, I was living decades here in different countries, but the most wildest Karen-stories I have seen or experienced were those, when a Karen was taken a pre-booked seat on a plane or train. But treating a retail worker in such a manner, never. Never seen, never experienced as third party, never heard even as Urban Legends about it, in those very different countries, I was lias living. I don't want to bash USA, I'm just really curious how-the-fück?!
I got a kinda reverse Karen in a Edeka (Germany)last month. The cashier was a little bit uhm not so talented and had to ask a colleague twice in one sale. His colleagues told him to use his eyes in a stressed but understandable tone. Reverse Karen shouted at the colleague rather aggressiv that she can't talk to him like that and Interrupted the cashier (who was not irritated by his colleague)twice that he should not be accepting such a tone... and was quite loud doing so. There were a few swear words and raised arms. After 15 minutes (i was only second in line) I just got a hysterical laughing flash. (I told him it was not against him but reverse Karen was just soooo over the top and I had a s**t day)
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I'd like to think I would gave wasted her time by not clearing up the mistake. "I might be with you in 5 minutes... customer service is not like it used to be, don't you agree?" some b******t that keeps her shouting or perplexed and she has lost more time in the end.
The greatest argument I've had so far was that I *must* be an employee of a certain electronics store because I'm a girl and I'm walking around as if I knew what I was doing. Apparently, women don't go to electronics stores unless they are paid to do so. Mind you, the colours of the store are yellow and blue and I was wearing red. Also, don't wear green to zoos because everybody and their mother will mistake you for a worker. At least with those types of questions, I can usually help because I'm an ecologist. 🤷🏻♀️
When are we going to do away with this unfair labeling of obnoxious women as "Karen’s"? I know many lovely women named Karen, who get comments and are treated unfairly just because of their names. How is that different from any other type of prejudice?
I used to have suffer similar incidents to this during my lunch break. Old people in shops assumed I worked there (it happened in more than one). Countless times I had an old person wrestle a shopping trolley (which I had paid for with my hard earnt £1) with them declaring that I was an employee. Funniest episode was when I was waiting for my (then) colleague to finish at the till (I was stop near the exit/entrance) and a rather rude woman barked at where she could put her bags whilst she shopped shrugging and a little bemused I said "Wherever you want" and so she did... Next to the exit/entrance! I would imagine the manager of that store had an interesting conversation when they were no longer there...
I really loathe the whole 'Karen' trope: usually a thinly disguised way to label, ridicule and dismiss women. Disgusts me, really. We all do stupid stuff sometimes.
My issue with the term is that I've known some pretty nice women called Karen - they really don't deserve to be associated with self-righteous entitlement. I can use other epithets for customers who harass fellow customers for wearing a bun and an apron.
Load More Replies... Did anyone else picture Arthur, a young man in his 50s as Arthur Weasley?
I have bad eyesight but when I’m in a shop and need help, seeing a person in uniform with a name tag I check if the uniform matches the colour scheme of the shop, observe what the person in doing and then politely ask if they work there. Even if they are stacking shelves or cleaning, unless they are behind the till I never just assume they work there. How mentally unstable does someone have to be to insist someone works there when they say they don’t? It’s scary. Even if OP did work there ya know staff gets to have a break.
Also, in Tesco hipermarkets you have to check, if the person is hired by the Tesco itself, or by let's say Coca-Cola to fill up their brand-shelves. It's very obvious, because shelf-fillers for different brands doesn't wear any kind of color T-shirts, what can remind you to ÍTesco's T-shirts uniforms. Also no name tags.
Load More Replies... How many times has someone claimed to not work somewhere to get out of helping that person? Maybe like 3 times in all of human existence. It's hilarious people like this think it's an actual thing...just to spite them personally. lmao
Yeah, the last time I wore a red tshirt out shopping, I got mistaken for an employee at two different stores! In both cases, when I said I didn't work there, they were horribly embarrassed and apologized profusely. I just thought it was funny. I don't understand these bizarre karens who just scream and scream... it seems to happen a lot on reddit :/
Load More Replies... I've learned not to wear a red shirt to Home Depot. People will just walk up and start asking things. Even if my hands are full of my stuff. Once, I had good enough reflexes to direct somebody all the way to the end of the store, for the washroom. Good luck!
Yea, being a cabinet maker and having been to Home Depot, and other stores, literally hundreds of times, I know the store better then most employees !!!
Load More Replies... I have had someone insist I show her where the lightbulbs were in Tesco while on my Sainsburys uniform! Pointed out to her that she was in Tesco not Sainsburys as it clearly says across the back of my jacket, but she wasn't having it. In the end just sent her to the furthest point on the shop and said they were there. You can't reason with stupid
Took 10 minutes to react? I wouldn't have waited a fraction of the time
Yep, when people say the 'shouting at me for 10, 20, 30 minutes' i call it a bs post.
Load More Replies... Happened to me once. I was in an audio and video store to buy a new TV. While the owner was in back getting something, an elderly man (nice to know there are still people older than me) came in at and asked me if they sold TVs here. Since that's all that was displayed, I said I certainly think so. So I asked him what he was looking for. He told me and I looked around, pointed to a specific set, and said this is what you're looking for, and it's even on sale! He asked me to write it up and that's when I told him I was a customer too. I was wearing a sports coat and he just assumed I worked there. I said no problem, we found what you were looking for, and he bought it. Even though I've been retired for a decade, I had a very successful career in Sales, and I guess instinct took over. The owner and I laughed about it, but he did knock fifty dollars off my bill, saying it was my "commission" for making a sale. And of course I took it!
I had a red shirt on once and this older gut came to me and asked a question. I said sir, I don't work here. He said yes you do.
I was in an outdoor gear store once with my sister who was buying hiking boots. I happened to be wearing a dark brown t-shirt, which was also the colour the staff wore. Mine had no logo, though, nor was I wearing a name badge. At one pint, I suggested a pair of boots to my sister. A few minutes later some woman comes over and asks me for a specific size. I said, I’m sorry I don’t work here. She got angry and snapped, I saw you talking to someone else! Riiiiight because no one ever goes shopping with another person. I just turned and walked away - wish I’d thought to say “I’m sorry no one likes you enough to spend time with you, but I can see why.”
I think walking away was the right response and totally sensible. Snapping at her could have escalated the situation and gotten you both kicked out. Nothing wrong with venting later and out of harm's way.
Load More Replies... I don't know why you were downvoted but that is absolutely true. There has been a 300% uptick in adderall prescriptions since many moms are self-diagnosing on tiktok and getting the meds online. I had to switch to ritalin because I need my medicine and could not get it anywhere but it ended up being a good thing because the adderall gave me terrible anxiety and nausea but the the Ritalin does not
Load More Replies... I don't know, man. ... What are these wild-Karens stories coming 95% from the USA? I'm living in Europe, I was living decades here in different countries, but the most wildest Karen-stories I have seen or experienced were those, when a Karen was taken a pre-booked seat on a plane or train. But treating a retail worker in such a manner, never. Never seen, never experienced as third party, never heard even as Urban Legends about it, in those very different countries, I was lias living. I don't want to bash USA, I'm just really curious how-the-fück?!
I got a kinda reverse Karen in a Edeka (Germany)last month. The cashier was a little bit uhm not so talented and had to ask a colleague twice in one sale. His colleagues told him to use his eyes in a stressed but understandable tone. Reverse Karen shouted at the colleague rather aggressiv that she can't talk to him like that and Interrupted the cashier (who was not irritated by his colleague)twice that he should not be accepting such a tone... and was quite loud doing so. There were a few swear words and raised arms. After 15 minutes (i was only second in line) I just got a hysterical laughing flash. (I told him it was not against him but reverse Karen was just soooo over the top and I had a s**t day)
Load More Replies... I'd like to think I would gave wasted her time by not clearing up the mistake. "I might be with you in 5 minutes... customer service is not like it used to be, don't you agree?" some b******t that keeps her shouting or perplexed and she has lost more time in the end.
The greatest argument I've had so far was that I *must* be an employee of a certain electronics store because I'm a girl and I'm walking around as if I knew what I was doing. Apparently, women don't go to electronics stores unless they are paid to do so. Mind you, the colours of the store are yellow and blue and I was wearing red. Also, don't wear green to zoos because everybody and their mother will mistake you for a worker. At least with those types of questions, I can usually help because I'm an ecologist. 🤷🏻♀️
When are we going to do away with this unfair labeling of obnoxious women as "Karen’s"? I know many lovely women named Karen, who get comments and are treated unfairly just because of their names. How is that different from any other type of prejudice?
I used to have suffer similar incidents to this during my lunch break. Old people in shops assumed I worked there (it happened in more than one). Countless times I had an old person wrestle a shopping trolley (which I had paid for with my hard earnt £1) with them declaring that I was an employee. Funniest episode was when I was waiting for my (then) colleague to finish at the till (I was stop near the exit/entrance) and a rather rude woman barked at where she could put her bags whilst she shopped shrugging and a little bemused I said "Wherever you want" and so she did... Next to the exit/entrance! I would imagine the manager of that store had an interesting conversation when they were no longer there...
I really loathe the whole 'Karen' trope: usually a thinly disguised way to label, ridicule and dismiss women. Disgusts me, really. We all do stupid stuff sometimes.
My issue with the term is that I've known some pretty nice women called Karen - they really don't deserve to be associated with self-righteous entitlement. I can use other epithets for customers who harass fellow customers for wearing a bun and an apron.
Load More Replies... Did anyone else picture Arthur, a young man in his 50s as Arthur Weasley?
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