40 Passive-Aggressive Ways To Get Back At A Rude Customer Shared By TikTok Users

"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!

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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

Final score:

408points

POST

Heather Atwood 3 years ago

This is epic!

103points

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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

Final score:

352points

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Jubilee 3 years ago

lol i wonder what they did to deserve it

96points

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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

Final score:

340points

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Graham Baker 3 years ago

that’s... really smart

142points

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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

Final score:

329points

POST

actaully...nevermind 3 years ago

ouch.

134points

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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

Final score:

295points

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Beaner 3 years ago

I hate when that happens

84points

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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

Final score:

283points

POST

Anna roberts 3 years ago

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

65points

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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

Final score:

271points

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Shazz Winchester 3 years ago

Modern Problems, require Modern solutions.

192points

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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

Final score:

265points

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May Day 3 years ago

he he

52points

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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

Final score:

261points

POST

actaully...nevermind 3 years ago

i think i've had this done on me...

104points

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#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

Final score:

255points

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Camden 3 years ago

You can feel the karma in this one

101points

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#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

Final score:

254points

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May Day 3 years ago

Good idea

48points

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#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

Final score:

240points

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May Day 3 years ago

Ouch!

83points

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#13

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

renroh71 Report

Final score:

230points

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Graham Baker 3 years ago

ok... that’s not an inconvenience that’s just torture

101points

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#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

Final score:

219points

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actaully...nevermind 3 years ago

yikes flat bread

63points

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#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

Final score:

215points

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Average Grizzlies Fan 3 years ago

This is just evil lol

88points

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#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

Final score:

213points

POST

May Day 3 years ago

Evil :-D

67points

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#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

Final score:

195points

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Graham Baker 3 years ago

well... except maybe them.

104points

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#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

Final score:

188points

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John Baker 3 years ago

Did it occur to you that ones may have been all she had?

261points

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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

Final score:

188points

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May Day 3 years ago

They will.

93points

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#20

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

miss_struff Report

Final score:

182points

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Alexis draskinis 3 years ago

EVERY SERVER'S DREAM!!!

42points

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#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

Final score:

179points

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Robert Catte (It, It's) 3 years ago

👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

56points

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#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

Final score:

179points

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Adriana Coppage 3 years ago

👏👏👏

11points

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#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

Final score:

177points

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Stille20 3 years ago

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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

Final score:

171points

POST

Shazz Winchester 3 years ago

Sinister, I like it muhuhahahahahhaha

73points

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#25

give them decafe espresso shots

seekingsunflowers Report

Final score:

167points

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Leah Minne 3 years ago

hahaha

41points

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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

Final score:

164points

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Robert Catte (It, It's) 3 years ago (edited)

What if they go to a different restaurant?

34points

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#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

Final score:

155points

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Graham Baker 3 years ago

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

89points

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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

Final score:

154points

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madi6320 madi6320 3 years ago

LOL!!

32points

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#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

Final score:

152points

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Graham Baker 3 years ago (edited)

o_o they hold all the power

72points

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#30

Nonchalantly break their candy bars in half as I bagged them

emxiloveyouu Report

Final score:

151points

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Average Grizzlies Fan 3 years ago

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

66points

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#31

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

robothive Report

Final score:

151points

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Average Grizzlies Fan 3 years ago

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.

63points

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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

Final score:

144points

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Robert Catte (It, It's) 3 years ago

What if the next person is rude, too?

35points

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#33

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

spillinbeans Report

Final score:

141points

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Id row 3 years ago

steven-dog...012e60.jpg

52points

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#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

Final score:

131points

POST

Lemonclouds20 3 years ago

This is deserved, takes nothing to show some respect

10points

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#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

Final score:

131points

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Piet Puk 3 years ago (edited)

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

142points

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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

Final score:

122points

POST

Leila Noury 3 years ago

* chugs syrup* I'll come there and ask for extra :3

59points

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#37

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

pooter076 Report

Final score:

118points

POST

Id row 3 years ago

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

17points

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#38

Left them on hold or mute until they hung up

kissthecreolequeen17 Report

Final score:

118points

POST

Ian Koch 3 years ago

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

32points

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#39

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

joypompeo Report

Final score:

96points

POST

Daisy Chain 3 years ago (edited)

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.

63points

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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

megbgr Report

Final score:

93points

POST

Leonora Roper 3 years ago

This comment has been deleted.

122points

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Note: this post originally had 50 images. It’s been shortened to the top 40 images based on user votes.

What do you think ?

Caroline 3 years ago

Some of these are funny and revenge is sweet, I'm just not very amused if someone is being stressed. When I'm upset or having a really bad day I can sometimes be rude, but when I calm down a little I'll apologize (if I'm still there, say like McDonalds, I'll go back to the cashier to apologize) for my behaviour. Everyone can have a bad day or be very stressed. I would feel really stupid if I did something mean to a customer in secret, only to have the customer apologize later.

19points

Candy Rae 3 years ago

Its not ok to be rude but its also not ok to mess with peoples orders/ sabotage stuff aka not do your job. Id rather be the better person.

9points

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Uncommon Boston Premium 3 years ago (edited)

Have you ever made a difference in someone's day? Helped someone feel better when treated with kindness, seen anger lessen, small smiles appear? Thing is, you can't tell in advance -- you must treat everyone like this. You are hurting the customer, the store owner, but in the end it hurts you the most.

3points

Natasha Press 3 years ago

As someone who works in retail, I can tell you from experience, that someone apologising after the fact never makes it better. Everyone occasionally has a bad day, but don't make innocent people suffer.

1point

jiri-krizka 3 years ago

Caroline follower

-3points

Violet Smith 3 years ago

Piper McLean 3 years ago

Ms.GB 3 years ago

Lord Ponsonby 3 years ago

I think this article is somewhat harmful. Its one thing to be petty in your personal life but i dont think i want to celebrate people purposely do ing a crap job because someone was was a bit rude. Lower yourself to their level...does that make you a better person? I like the " act super fake nice so they cant complain" thats the only one i would do.

Ray Lebowski 3 years ago

Some people just don't get it when you're overly nice, trying to make the point that they shouldn't be jerks. Sometimes you have to hit them twice with a 2 x 4 before they realize it's wood.

0points

Zoe Snyder 3 years ago (edited)

My mom works at a Starbucks and she regularly gets a lady we've dubbed "Patricia". Patricia will order a frappuchino, drink the whole thing, and then come back into the store saying that the drink wasn't sweet enough. She comes about 3 times a week. Once, my mom was working the drink station and she purposefully pumped a crapload of syrup in there just to piss Patricia off. Patricia didn't come back for 2 weeks after that. Edit: I don't understand why I'm getting downvotes, because my mom works for almost minimum wage on a regular 9 to 5 basis. Also, Patricia will criticize and not even drink her drink anymore, my mother says it's a control thing, and Patricia is just being a big nuisance.

8points

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40 Passive-Aggressive Ways To Get Back At A Rude Customer Shared By TikTok Users

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