ADVERTISEMENT

"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

ADVERTISEMENT
#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

Add photo comments
POST
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

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#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

ADVERTISEMENT
#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

ADVERTISEMENT
#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

#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

ADVERTISEMENT
#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

#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

ADVERTISEMENT
#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

Add photo comments
POST
Stille20
Community Member
3 years ago

This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

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

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#24

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

rebeca68r Report

ADVERTISEMENT
#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

Add photo comments
POST
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.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#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

ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#30

Nonchalantly break their candy bars in half as I bagged them

emxiloveyouu Report

Add photo comments
POST
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

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#31

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

robothive Report

Add photo comments
POST
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.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#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

ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#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

Add photo comments
POST
Piet Puk
Community Member
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.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#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

Add photo comments
POST
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.

View more commentsArrow down menu
#38

Left them on hold or mute until they hung up

kissthecreolequeen17 Report

Add photo comments
POST
Ian Koch
Community Member
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.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#39

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

joypompeo Report

Add photo comments
POST
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.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#40

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

megbgr Report

Add photo comments
POST
Leonora Roper
Community Member
3 years ago

This comment has been deleted.

Stille20
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Not great because they are just going to get more pissed at someone else and you are likely to have to give them something for the trouble

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

Wonder where this peron worked, Xerox would fire you for that, or at best give you an HR 'interrogation'

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

Geez, most of these passive aggressive actions seem really childish. A lot of people need to grow up. How can you feel good about yourself at the end of the day when you behave as badly, if not worse, than the person who offended you for some reason. Gross.

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

Why are people's comments being downvoted when the comments say they upvoted it? im so confused.

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

I suspect they are being downvoted for following the suggestion to upvote a deleted comment. Seems a tad pointless and just fills the comment section with boring rubbish.

Load More Replies...
Damo Lee Park
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

rung back, spoke to a supervisor, "accidentally" got them sacked for unprofessional behaviour

Joshua Topash
Community Member
3 years ago

This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

Never seen a deleted comment as the most up voted.

Nicola Roberts
Community Member
3 years ago

This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

hahaha I've never upvoted a deleted comment before!

ADHORTATOR
Community Member
3 years ago

This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

I am a Customer Service Manager - I would kick your ass. If you are not able to deal with a rude customer, transfer the call to your boss.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
Continue reading with Bored Panda Premium
Unlimited content
Ad-free browsing
Dark mode
#41

I work at checkers/rally's fast food. Rude people come thru all the time. I full their cups up with so much ice so they get barely any soda lol

__alexxaaaaaa__ Report

#42

Used to cut off the ends of mustard packets

leimomihi Report

#43

I used to double charge them so they had to go wait in the customer service line to get a refund

misticfox0 Report

Add photo comments
POST
Stille20
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

You would get fired for this. Now they are angry and it's your fault and they are going to be angry at a different person. You prolonged how long they were there and it will quickly become evident you can't do your job. Not a smart revenge

View more commentsArrow down menu
#44

When I worked retail I made sure to charge for each and every bag they use. Where as usually I just charge for one or two but never the full amount

lyssashealeen Report

Add photo comments
POST
Jenny Li
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Forgive me and my brain, but I don't really understand. the full amount of money? Sorry it's confusing to me. P.S. Sometimes I'm kinda dumb.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#45

Karen got angry because we aren't allowed to hold anything, second she left the store i hid every single item she was after so she wouldn't find it

bifuriousguy Report

Add photo comments
POST
Daisy Chain
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

But she had already left the store? Isn't this just making it inconvenient for other customers? And your fellow employees have to somehow find those things when other people need them,

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#46

Give 3 ice cubes when they say light ice

baileyhollenbeck Report

Add photo comments
POST
Swyft
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

assuming this is only rude customers, because I don't really like having tons of ice in my drink, so I ask for light ice

View more commentsArrow down menu
#47

Late arrival guest didn't tip when I help them with the luggage
I phoned them in the middle of the night and hang up

gezadanielmolnar Report

#48

I unscrewed their shampoo bottles and put all their stuff in a really big bag!

queenofthecircus Report

Add photo comments
POST
Heather Atwood
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is not inconvenient and costs money to the store when they bring it back to be replaced.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#49

When they leave their cards behind, I throw them away now they have to wait 5-7 business days before they can get a replacement

s.bradshaw Report

ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#50

When i worked at mcdonald's we'd charge karen's and rude customers for extra sides, sometimes $5 worth

sapphicsativa Report