How long is 4 minutes? One song, right? Could you wait that long for breakfast to be served? You probably would, right?

Well, sadly, not everyone has this temporal aptitude and, when expectations aren’t met within a fraction of a second, opt for verbal violence and supposed justice until a discount is dished out.

However, Karens aren’t the only ones who have tricks up their sleeves. The hotel staff affected by the said Karens might also whip out something maliciously compliantly special and serve some justice themselves.

More Info: Reddit

4 minutes might not sound like much, but you’d be surprised that there are folk who can’t even wait that long

Image credits: Louis Hansel (not the actual photo)

A Karen couldn’t wait 4 minutes to have her breakfast and proceeded to terrorize an employee, but got slapped with some malicious compliance the next morning

Image credits: u/anna12o

Well, the next morning Karen was told to wait for 6AM sharp. And experienced the deadly stares of an entire construction crew

Image credits: snowpea&bokchoi (not the actual photo)

So, Reddit user u/anna12o works at a hotel. Because she often works the graveyard (night) shift, she also happens to be the person responsible for setting up the breakfast table early in the morning. Most days she’s already done by around 5:30AM, but if some unexpected force of chaos happens to spawn nearby, a few minutes after 6AM is the latest.

During “construction season”—the time directly contrary to winter time—there are a lot of construction crews doing their thing in the area, so most of the hotel’s clientele are professional builders. They are also the most common patrons of the morning buffet. So, the morning table is usually set up with love for them.

Well, cue one morning when the usual constructive contingent of concrete creators come and a wild Karen pops up. This is also one of those mornings that has OP react a bit too late to setting things up, which is always fine with the construction crew, but never fine with someone who is a Karen.

Instead of being patient for 4 (if not less) minutes, Karen decides she’s going to channel all that she is into making sure breakfast is 15 minutes late instead and also makes sure the employee gets into trouble over being late by shouting until all of the air escapes the bagpipes she calls lungs.

Unfortunately, all of this leads to the manager having to give OP a warning, and, to smooth things over with the customer, the Karen also gets a discount. What she, however, doesn’t get is that she’s about to feel the debris from the explosion that is malicious compliance.

The next day, Karen arrives at the scene before 6 and before the construction crew even show up (raising even more suspicion about her tactics to get discounts) and is just a pain. However, not for long as the construction crew shows up. Even though the breakfast space is all set up, none are to enter. Why? Well…

Image credits: Larry Lamsa (not the actual photo)

Due to some discrepancies from the last day regarding the time when breakfast was served, OP was essentially told that breakfast is at 6, and while that means no second later, it also means no second earlier. One indicative head nod the Karen’s way later, every single construction crew member slowly (and probably very dramatically) threw an intimidating thanks for that! stare at her. Oh, you better believe Karen found a very nonchalant reason to leg it out of there. Promptly after, the guys were let in and all was well. Karen was never seen again. At least by OP during her shift.

The construction crew (and even the foreman) loved the display of power and payback. The comment section of Reddit also loved it. So much, in fact, that the post was upvoted 4,500 times (96% upvoted).

Folks online thought that this was quintessential malicious compliance. Even more satisfying since a Karen was involved. In fact, some suggested including some maliciously compliant shrapnel for the manager who wrote OP up—maybe an undocumented verbal warning to cover the manager’s hide against corporate. Or something.

Besides loving the post, one commenter also shared their concern and frustration on how it became commonplace for folks to be rude and entitled all of a sudden. What is worse, this often leads to situations when one employee’s no—a no justified by rules—is overridden by a superior, all in the interest of retaining a bad customer (empowering them too, in fact).

Another commenter also saw quite a bit of irony in the Karen’s behavior (further emphasizing the absurdity of the situation) by pointing out that she was deliberately stopping OP from preparing breakfast when she came there for the very particular reason of partaking in breakfast. Odd.

Image credits: Oleksandr P (not the actual photo)

I think it’s time for a refresher on how to handle a difficult customer, hotel edition. The first thing you’re gonna do is apologize, remain calm, and be polite. Even if you’re not wrong. Hotel clientele can be a bit rowdy for a number of reasons, most notably because they are tired or the needs they were promised would be met are not met. Which leads us to our next step…

Acknowledge their frustration and do something about making sure their frustration is reduced by meeting their needs. If possible. If not, give them the best that you can give them—maybe that might just be enough to save face. And the day. And probably your sanity.

A key rule in any job that deals directly with customers is to never take these things personally. Again, customers can be rash and rude and any other negative r-word for a number of reasons, quite likely none of which are your fault. Be professional by keeping it professional throughout the entire exchange.

The last step, if the situation is resolved (or seems like it), is to follow up, ask if everything is OK, take feedback and draw conclusions from it (if any). And if none of that works, hey, malicious compliance might be something that might just help.

You know what else helps? Share your thoughts, frustrations or anything, really, in the comment section below!

Folks online loved the story–so much in fact that it garnered 4,500 upvotes as well as very Reddit remarks and comments

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