Join the Fun!

It's been long enough that I think anyone involved has long since forgotten. Now, I should say that this didn't happen to me personally, but it occurred in real time while I was (indirectly) present. I was working for A Phone Company in a call center. We were in training for a new scope of service, and part of that training involved listening to some of those calls that 'may be recorded for training purposes'. Normally, the recordings are selected semi-randomly, but this one was specifically selected because it had happened to a supervisor in our center ten minutes prior. Karen called us in a fury. It seems that she had discovered that her son had replaced her number on his 'five favorite numbers' list with the contact information of an unknown female. She wanted us to change it back. We legally could not do that. It's not her phone, after all, and he made the change intentionally. When the agent on the call tells her this, Karen flips her [crap] in the way only a true 'Karen' can. It's the full package: screaming, shouting, accusing us of being crooked, unfair, 'the customer is always right', etc, etc. At this point, I should mention that Karen was calling from the store in her local mall. After about five minutes of Karen Rage, we hear the following exchange: *Serious 'Authority Voice'* 'Ma'am, if you can't calm down, you're gonna have to leave the store.' *Mostly incoherant K-Raging* (sounds like 'I will not calm down!', 'they're cheating me', and so forth). *SAV* Okay -- ma'am? -- you're under arrest.' *Shocked, disbelieving pause in K-Raging* 'I'm what?' *SAV* 'You're under arrest, ma'am, for [something muffled and unintelligible]. This final declaration is followed by the sound of a mobile phone clattering to the floor/countertop, from where the sales person retrieves it: 'Uh...yeah, sorry about that. I don't think you have to worry about this any more, she just got arrested.'

Frednotbob Report

Final score:

201points

POST

kasa alex 4 years ago

worth the read (worst thing is that my name is actually karen :/ )

135points

I deliver appliances for Best Buy. We had a woman call and complain that her fridge was not pre-cooled before it was delivered and that she had to wait for it to come down to temp. No one in the office was prepared for that one.

o0quiksilver0o Report

Final score:

173points

POST

Hans 4 years ago

How dare you! I guess you also deliver ovens at room temperature. Monster!

145points

According to Know Your Meme, a Wiki-style site and one of the cornerstones of internet history, it’s unclear where exactly ‘Karen’ began being used as a pejorative character. It argues that “Karen” the meme might’ve started with the ‘Oh My God, Karen, You Can’t Just Ask Someone Why They’re White’ meme from Mean Girls. Others believe that the popularity of the name may come from the character Karen from the 1989 gangster film Goodfellas.

When I was working retail, this one women had a big bag of coupons. Most of them were unusable because either they were expired or they were duplicates. She berated me because the system was rejecting most of the coupons. She called me stupid amongst other names, telling me I just wasn't doing it right. Then as a typical Karen would, she asked to speak with my manager. My manager came and asked what the problem was. The women ranted about how incompetent I was because I didn't know how to scan a coupon. My manager looked at the coupons and the coupons were the problem, not me. My manager [called] out the customer for being disrespectful for me and told the customer to leave the store. I hated working there but I'm so grateful that I had managers that totally didn't go by the "customer is always right" rule and weren't afraid to stand up for their employees. That was just one of many incidents.

d0n7w0rry4b0u717 Report

Final score:

154points

POST

Shelp 4 years ago

Good guy manager

97points

In medical school, we had a Karen. She was...not a very nice person. She was notorious for losing her temper on just about everyone and being an overall bully. One day, she picked me as a target, apparently I was sitting in "her seat". I asked her to point out to me where it was posted or embroidered on the seat that this was "Karen's seat". I refused to budge. Prof. entered lecture theatre, Karen protested to prof. Prof. proceeded to give her a verbal beatdown on entitlement and how these types of people make horrible doctors. Karen felt wronged and left. The whole class applauded as she was leaving, she mostly kept to herself afterwards. I felt it was long overdue justice being served.

IamsomebodyAMA Report

Final score:

149points

POST

Rick 4 years ago

Why do people embarrass theirselves in public like this? ESPECIALLY in places where they know they have to continue attending?

105points

Wafflesattiffanies Report

The mother of a girl I went to school with, comes into the shop I work at at 5.58pm (we close at 6), lights are half off, front door is closed, roller door is half down, and goes "Hi *my name*! I'm just running in to grab a few things!" Before I can tell her not to, she's gone into the aisles. My manager comes over and goes "what are you doing? We have to be done by six!" He went to find her, she's already got a basket full of things going "where are the capsicums? Can I just grab...?" keep in mind this is a fruit shop - half the items come off the shelves and into the cool room. My manager is literally the nicest guy ever and agrees to ring up her items as long as she pays card, as the cash is all packed into the safe. "No that's ridiculous, I only have cash! *My name* Hun can you tell him I only have cash?" So I tell her the exact same thing, that we literally can't access the cash once the safe is closed for the day. "Oh. Well can you just pay for it on your card and I'll get *daughter* to pay you back?" I tell her that I can't do that, she starts shouting about how unprofessional we are, that the shop is awful because half the items are gone (WE WERE CLOSED), and that she's "never coming back!" (thank god). She avoids me at school events now, and I honestly feel sorry for her daughter, the stories I hear about this cow are shocking. Icing on the cake? Her name is actually Karen.

Final score:

147points

POST

Kathy Baylis 4 years ago

Ahhh, you must’ve run into the original Karen. And yeah, I pity the poor kids who have to endure a Karen as a mother. How embarrassing.

9points

Regardless of where it came from, ‘Karen’ is now a slang term for an antagonistic female character. BBQ Becky is a Karen. Permit Patty is a Karen. Amy Cooper is a Karen.

But not everyone is behind the meme. For example, David Dennis Jr., a journalist who has written about the pitfalls of assigning nicknames to women who do nefarious things, told Insider that calling women like the aforementioned trope by a false name grants them a level of “anonymity” and belittles what they’ve done.

Told me I couldn't work on my car in my own garage at noon because she didn't want my fast looking car to influence her son's to "be hooligans like you"

reddit.com Report

Final score:

142points

POST

Ripley 4 years ago

"Your lack of parenting skills sounds like your problem, so I'm not going to make it my problem".

113points

Blew up at me for ignoring her son, who was trying to hit on me by saying ~konnichiwa~ and calling me ~kawaii~. I had never met him before and I am not Japanese. She called me a stuck-up racist and insinuated that I should be glad he was worldly enough to "speak Asian" to me.

I just responded "Sorry, no English" (they had previously heard me speaking English with my friend, I'm pretty sure) and walked away.

hauteburrrito Report

Final score:

138points

POST

Francis 4 years ago

yes you're racist for ignoring her son speaking asian.. yes totally... NOT

97points

Working retail one afternoon and here comes Karen with a return. At first glance it’s no big deal, just coming in to return a shirt. She walks up to the register, hands me the receipt to start processing and we exchange a pleasant greeting.

I take the shirt out of the bag to examine it and it is beyond disgusting. There were brown sweat stains all over it, from the pits to the stomach to the shoulder. It looked like whoever wore it rolled in mud or some nonsense.

I proceed to tell Karen that I cannot return the product because it had clearly been used and that only unused and resellable items could be returned.

Karen through a fit, started screaming at me and accusing me of calling her a liar and what not. I hold up the shirt and point to the brown pit stains and say ‘Karen, can’t you see this stain?’ Oh man did that make it worse. She continues making a huge scene and demands to see the manager.

News flash Karen, I am the manager and I’m not budging. After 20 or so minutes of complaining she finally leaves saying she’ll be complaining to corporate and getting me fired and blah blah blah.

Fast forward a few days. A guy walks into the store, finds the first store associate he can and immediately asks for me by name. Uh-oh, here we go again. Anyway, my associate bring the guy over to where I’m standing and I politely greet him.

The guy spends the next 10 minutes apologizing for his crazy wife Karen verbally abusing my staff and I a few days prior. Apparently, the guy went to the beach and did some type of CrossFit / HIIT training class IN THE SAND. Karen knows all of this; she was at the class with him! The guy ended up not liking the shirt for some reason and Karen thought she could pull a fast one on us by making a scene.

Think again Karen.

Lovebuttonmyface Report

Final score:

130points

POST

Ripley 4 years ago

Probably because she's made a scene in the past and it's worked a treat. Don't ever reward this kind of poor behaviour by giving in.

92points

Not to mention the real-life Karens caught in the crosshairs. “I spend a lot of time on Twitter, so I find it rather annoying,” Karen Geier, a writer and podcaster from Toronto, told The Guardian. “Anything you say, people can be like, ‘OK, well, whatever, KAREN’ – but that’s not even how the meme is supposed to be used. It’s supposed to be about people who want to speak to the manager.”

#10

One time, Karen put her own hair in her half-eaten plate of food and then threw a royal fit, demanding that her meal be comped and that she speak to the manager. I went into the back of the restaurant, pulled out the orange hair with 3 inches of regrowth and asked the Mexican guys in the kitchen “HEY, DID ANY OF YOU BRING A WIG TO WORK TODAY?” They told me to f**k off. Went back out, told Karen that nobody on staff has red hair with blonde roots (while staring directly at her disastrous dye-job) but the manager said we would be HAPPY to buy desert for the whole table to make up for this strange phenomenon. The 4 other people at the table were clearly mortified and declined desert. She ordered cheesecake and they all sat there and glared at her while she devoured it. [Friggin] Karen.

goodytwotoes Report

Final score:

127points

POST

Shelp 4 years ago

I feel the other people at her table

113points

#11

My grandparents live on a lake, and the first 20 feet from the lake is communal property. I was about ten years old and feeding the geese corn on the lake across from my grandparents' house, and Karen walked halfway around the lake just to tell me that I wasn't allowed to "encourage" them to poop on her lawn and that I had to stop feeding them immediately. When I told her that my grandfather said I was allowed she marched me up to his house, rang the doorbell, and only deflated when she realized my grandfather was the president of the HOA and pissed at her for grabbing his granddaughter. From that point on I made it a point to scatter corn on the 20 feet directly in front of her lawn.

SaltySolicitor Report

Final score:

125points

POST

deanna woods 4 years ago (edited)

No adult should be grabbing a child, especially if they don't know that child.

129points

Truth Monster 4 years ago

*unless they're about to be hit by a bus

19points

Kathy Baylis 4 years ago (edited)

I was managing a pet-friendly riverfront townhouse community that was also on a Canada Goose migration route. Migrating flocks would sometimes land to eat and rest, leaving their poop (goose poop is really big) on the lawns, which we’d remove as best as we could. Had one woman, a cat-hater, who swore up and down that people’s cats were responsible for all the poop, so they should be told their cats had to stay indoors, and any stray cats should be immediately destroyed. I repeatedly told her the cats were NOT responsible for the poop, we cannot tell people their cats must stay inside while okaying dogs to be outside on the fenced patios, and that we were not in the business of destroying “strays” who could possibly be pets from the surrounding neighborhood, so she could take it upon herself to call Animal Control if she liked, but cats were not the problem. She refused to believe me. Come to find out, she’d already made a nuisance of herself repeatedly calling Animal Control, who told her it was private property and up to the property management—-ME!

5points

Meyer Weinstock 4 years ago

Can I help you? I like geese.

3points

Helenium 4 years ago

id scatter so much bird seed itd look like a gravel drive way

2points

Diana Dodd 4 years ago

Good girl😘

1point

Hotdogking 4 years ago

what's the HOA. I'm Europian

1point

Nancy McLaughlin 2 years ago

Home owners association

1point

Chloe *Leah* Pheonix 3 years ago

For example my HOA controls everything my house looks like. Theres different HOA's in different areas, but my HOA feels like it is RUN by Karen's and Kyles. They complained that we planted grass seed and the grass want grown the next day, they made the whole neighborhood go out and paint their garage the same color as their house, and throw an ABSOLUTE FIT when the lawn isnt exactly 70% green. And we cant own any backyard pets like chickens or ducks. But my grandma's HOA is barely existent. So different HOA's have different rules.

1point

R De Backer 4 years ago

Home Owners Association (something like a syndic for an apartmentbuilding in Europe)

1point

Celtic Pirate Queen 4 years ago

I would have tossed some onto the lawn just because. Entitled b***h.

1point

Azure Adams 4 years ago

I'd call the cops for assaulting a child on her dumb a*s to really hit home the consequences of her behavior

1point

Bob 1 year ago

I love how you put corn right next to the Karen’s lawn

0points

Susie Evans 1 year ago

Good for you!

0points

Nancy McLaughlin 2 years ago

She should have never touched you! But I would have definitely done the same thing with the corn, lol, hope she had a big shitty mess to clean up on her lawn after you threw corn over there!

0points

Sooploosh MacSchnibble 2 years ago

I would pick up all the goose poop (with gloves), put it in a bag, and dump it on her lawn.

0points

Chloe *Leah* Pheonix 3 years ago

I would put in ON her lawn.

0points

Bryan X 3 years ago

imagine a karen grabbing a child to speak to his parents then realizing the parent is here boss at work

0points

M_E the Meguca Wolf 3 years ago

do me a favor and shove some of that corn down her throat so she'll shut the hell up <3

0points

Victor Lail 3 years ago

oh. my. god. sound the perv alarm!

0points

scrappyrat 4 years ago

Please don't feed the wildlife because one way or another the animals always end up paying for it with their lives. They get shot/poisoned/killed/otherwise abused by angry Karens and Kevins, have animal control called in to put them down when they get overly friendly or aggressive toward children and parents get upset, or they end up killed by HOA's or city management folks who don't like them congregating near homes/parks. It just never ends well for the animals. Wildlife needs to stay wild. Protect and admire them at a distance and only intervene in a true emergency and with the help of a licensed wildlife rehabilitator. Sorry to be the killjoy. I get it...I love animals and it's tempting to give treats to wildlife, but the animals need us to be informed and careful about this kind of thing so we don't inadvertently lead them to harm when we intend to be kind.

0points

Daniel Callaway 4 years ago

She had a good point but her follow through was terrible.

0points

#12

When I worked at a bakery, Karen bought a chocolate cupcake and ate half of it. Karen then asked if she could return her half-eaten chocolate cupcake...not because she didn't like it, but because she wanted to exchange it for half of a vanilla cupcake, "something less decadent."

Like most bakeries, we did not sell cupcakes "by the half." She became offended when I asked if she wanted to purchase a vanilla cupcake.

cabernetcat Report

Final score:

117points

POST

Scagsy 4 years ago

So entitled

54points

What is a Male Karen Called?

Is there really a Ken to every Barbie—or every Karen, in this case? The internet thinks so, and a few names are in the mix.

The contenders? ‘Ken’ himself, ‘Greg,’ ‘Keith,’ and intriguingly, ‘Terry.’ The name ‘Terry’ has mirrored ‘Karen’ in its rise and fall in popularity since the 1950s, which makes it a strong candidate for the male equivalent. But it’s not just about the name. It’s the behavior—demanding, entitled, and often complaint-driven.

Speaking of complaints, a study by Trustpilot threw a curveball. The name ‘John’ came up as a frequent complainer in their records for the US, with ‘David’ taking the first place in the UK. So, while ‘Karen’ has become a catchphrase for a certain type of behavior, ‘John’ and ‘David’ might be her male counterparts—at least in online reviews.

#13

That I needed to leave the gym because I made her son feel like only fat people go to the gym

Ultimosome22 Report

Final score:

111points

POST

Berry Budgie 4 years ago

I would like to see her answer me when i ask if Dwayne Johnson is fat

65points

#14

Was at the park with my daughter(she was 3 at the time). Her and a couple other kids started to play together. Then she attempted to use the monkey bars(she’s a very adventurous child). About mid way through, she fell. I didn’t do anything because she’s fallen before and I want her to learn to get back up on her own and not be scared to try again. Anyway, one of the boys was about to get on the monkey bars too, until I heard a woman run toward him screaming to stop. She picked him up and looked at my daughter. Told her it wasn’t “smart” of her to go on the monkey bars if she wasn’t fully ready because then others might get that same idea. That’s when I got up and went to my daughter’s defense. Sternly told the woman to not speak to her that way and it’s no fault of hers that she wasn’t scared to try something new. She took her kid and left.

[deleted] Report

Final score:

107points

POST

Scagsy 4 years ago

Good for her; if at first you don't succeed, try the heck again

76points

#15

I was working a backdrive at a fast food joint years ago, and older Karen comes driving in to give her order. Now, this location doesn't have a speaker due to a neighborhood ordnance, so all the orders in drive thru are taken face to face. She orders a double cheeseburger without onions, and I ring it in, complete her order, and send her on her way. About five minutes after she's picked up her food she comes back through drive-thru and says "they put onions on my burger". I apologize, print her up a duplicate recipt to confirm to her and myself that I rang it in without onions. I then tell her that if she goes up to the front window and tells the manager who's working up front that they'll replace the burger for free made correctly, but that I can't do anything about it back here. She does so and they give her a brand new burger and an apology. I thought that was the end of the situation, but boy was I wrong. Karen called the state government on me, by name, demanding I be fired. If I recall correctly I was told that she called the food safety department, the Chamber of Commerce and the governor's office. The franchise owner called to say that it turned out that Karen is allergic to onions, and she straight up accused me of deliberately ringing her sandwich in wrong and trying to poison her, then printing up a false duplicate receipt of her order to make her look like a liar (keep in mind that I read the receipt back to her and she confirmed it was her order). I didn't get along with the manager who was working at the time, but even he was like "that's complete [crap],, it wasn't even his mistake it was the kitchens and we fixed it for her". The franchise owner was told by whichever branch of the state government called them that Karen had demanded that I be fired. I wasn't, I wasn't even written up, but I did stop wearing my name tag at work when I could get away with it. TL;DR - got the state government called on me by Karen because the kitchen messed up an order, which got replaced free of charge. Could've been fired for a mistake that wasn't even mine.

Telcontar86 Report

Final score:

105points

POST

Shelp 4 years ago

That's horrible

57points

For more Karen moments, check this: 33 Moments ‘Karens’ Were Nothing But Typical ‘Karens,’ As Told By Retail Employees In This Viral Online Thread

#16

I used to work retail, so I have come across my fair share of Karens. They were a huge reason why I went back to school and no longer work as a cashier.

Anyways, one day while I was manning the registers with a few other coworkers of mine, I had a massive nosebleed right as I was finishing a transaction. I grabbed a tissue and quickly excused myself to run to the restroom so I could try to get it to stop bleeding; this meant that I couldn't say goodbye to Karen and give the little spiel about how I was oh so grateful for her shopping with us.

Anyways, after about 10 minutes, I was finally able to get my nose back under control and headed back to the registers. I saw her waiting to the side with a scowl on her face, arms crossed over her chest, the whole nine yards. She proceeded to scold me about how rude I was for not saying goodbye. After I apologized and explained that I had an unexpected nosebleed, she told me I should have tried holding it in and that the customer comes first.

lamenite Report

Final score:

104points

POST

Helen Haley 4 years ago

The whole 'customer comes first' 'customer is always right' thing, needs to die.

187points

#17

Doctor here.

I used to work in a public night shift service, kinda like an emergency room but for non-emergencies, to keep the hospitals clear of white codes (so anything from a fever to a sore throat, to prescriptions for urgent treatments), and a Karen walks in at 3am asking for a prescription for hypertension drugs, which isn’t unusual, as people (old people, more often than not, but she looked 55~) sometimes don’t notice they’re running low. Anyway, the law (not a rule, not my decision, the law) states that this service can only write prescriptions for potentially life threatening conditions’ drugs for a maximum of 72 hours coverage (so if you take one pill a day, I can only prescribe you a single blister. Here we don’t have bottles, but blisters), and while I’m writing the prescription Karen casually mention that she was insomniac, and while cleaning the medicine cabinet she realise she was down to her last full blister. My pen stops, I ask her to repeat, “full blister?” “Yeah”, so I take the prescription, tear it in half, then again, then I throw it in the bin, explaining her the law. She gets mad, starts yelling and threaten to call the cops. “Go ahead.” Cops came, and she triumphally announce that I’m refusing to treat her. I explain the situation, and they ask her if it’s true that she has a full blister, and she of course (being a Karen who is always right no matter what) confirms it. The cops look at her (still with a look of triumph, waiting for them to arrest me), then at me, then ask her politely to leave, as I’m in the right. She’s livid.

The day after my boss called me and cracked up cause she went there during the day to talk to “the manager”, and she (my boss) told her the exact same thing. Never saw her again in there, weirdly enough...

andrewfoxs Report

Final score:

101points

POST

BusLady 4 years ago

If you see her coming again, quick, lock the doors!

50points

#18

My manager Karen sat me down for an hour after my shift had ended preaching to me why it was my fault I was physically assaulted by a customer.

winniemanhattan Report

Final score:

101points

POST

Shelp 4 years ago

That's really sad

81points

reasonable_doubt1776 Report

#19

So glad I finally get to post something. Buckle up, it's story time.

For my grade 2 end-of-the-year school party, we went over to a community pool. It was designed for kids, with a lazy river, slide, etc. There were a few kids that had gotten hold of inner tubes, like the style you find at water parks all the time. I wanted one too and found one sitting on the edge of the pool. I grabbed it and started to play with it, as kids do. Some lady comes over and tells me that she had rented it, and that I couldn't play with it. Ogre lady takes the tube and leaves it on the edge of the pool, not even using it, smirks back at me with this crappy face like she beat me in some major contest of wills. Me being raised to respect people that were (at least technically) adults, I say fine, whatever, weird flex to prove your adulthood by bullying a seven-year-old but w/e, moved on with my play. Some swim instructor that had another tube noticed and let me play with one that her class was done using. I say thank you, happy me has a tube now.

Another kid in my class immediately bobs over and asks if he can use my newfound tube. I tell him no, I just got it. he shrugs and goes over and takes ogre lady's tube, which she is not using and has left on the edge of the pool. I keep playing for probably another two minutes when ogre lady comes splashing back. The conversation goes like this:

OL: "I told you to stop playing with that tube. Give it back."

Me: "This isn't your tube, that swim instructor gave it to me and another kid in my class took yours down the lazy-"

OL (interrupting and now shouting): "I don't believe you! Give it here!" *proceeds to yank the tube off my head*

Me: "Hey!"

OL: *puts tube back on the edge of the pool right where the last one was and comes over to me* "you're a little thief and your mother ought to be ashamed of raising a liar. If I see you going near that tube again, I'll have you kicked out of the pool." *goes back to gossiping with the other stereotypical suburban moms*

I obviously am terrified and feel awful cause I got yelled at and insulted by a stranger. I don't remember the rest of the day, other than it was pretty miserable after that. The injustice of the whole thing, especially that the other kid who took the tube got off with the whole thing (he often wasn't very nice to me), still makes me grit my teeth. I am now a full-grown adult.

TL;DR Karen called seven-year-old me a thief and a liar at a public pool because I was the closest punching bag when she lost track of a pool tube.

Final score:

94points

POST

Shelp 4 years ago

I felt really angry while reading the whole story

154points

#20

I met plenty of Karens while working retail but there's one who stands out. Karen was Indian and had the most entitled attitude of anyone I've ever met. She was also a regular customer so we had to deal with her [crap] at least twice a week. Karen's favourite pastime would be to literally fill a trolley with clearance items. These are a nightmare as you have to reduce the price on the till manually. Management were worried about scanning fraud and so had disabled the multiplication button on the till. This meant that each item has to be scanned and discounted individually. Once all of her items had been scanned and discounted, Karen would always kick up a fuss over the price, accusing us of overcharging her and demanding to see a manager. Some managers would give in to Karen, which meant voiding the transaction and starting over. If they told Karen to get lost, she'd complain about "never shopping here again" and storm out, leaving a full trolley of goods to put back. Thanks b****. Either way, the entire [crap]show would take at least an hour. There was a nice moment of karma for Karen however. One winter, we had an especially heavy snow storm. Our policy in this case is to clear the car park access to the spaces closest to the door. We do this as very few people come out when it's snowing and it lets people park as close as possible. Not Karen though. Oh no. She pulls into the car park, drives into the uncleared section and tries to drive through a snow drift, hitting a covered bollard in the process. She then clomps into the store, demands to see the manager and proceeds to yell at him point blank. Apparently she was going to sue us and get every employee fired for "not clearing her usual parking space of snow". Our manager responded by banning her from our store for being abusive towards staff.

Shas_Erra Report

Final score:

89points

POST

Berry Budgie 4 years ago

Ooooohohooooooo

39points

#21

Came up to my register and asked for the price of a protein bar. Every item in the store had a physical price tag, because we didn't have scanners at the register. I took it from her, flipped it over, and let her know it was $2.49 before tax. She asked me how much the case would be. Normally we did discounts for cases, but they had to be ordered ahead of time, so I started explaining we couldn't do a discount unless - she cut me off aggressively and hissed "I didn't ask for a discount." So I typed in $2.49 x 12, added tax, and told her the final price. She stared me down for a few minutes before asking me to get my manager. Once my manager arrived she spent literally 10 minutes tearing into me, describing me as the least helpful person ever, talking about my bad attitude, complaining about how awful and rude I was, etc. etc. etc. I was working nearly full time (35.5 hours per week) and commuting to a school over an hour away four days a week. This lady took the time out of her day to break me down to the point I started crying. Thanks Karen, I still remember you - hope you enjoyed your [friggin] protein bar.

Scoozie Report

Final score:

83points

POST

Hans 4 years ago

How can such people nor be ashamed or themselves? Their rulw of life mist not tbe to make at least one person per day to smile, but to cry. Ultimately they need to be pitied.

9points

#22

Cut more holes in her daughters swiss cheese because her daughter wouldn't eat the sandwich because it didn't have enough holes.

This was my first month of restaurant ownership and still the most Karen request thirteen years later.

anotherouchtoday Report

Final score:

80points

POST

Myrtille rat 4 years ago

that's all? thirteen years... what's the secret is there some sort of "Karen repellent" sprayed around the restaurant?

65points

#23

In tech support, this Karen had started a Powerpoint presentation, saved it, gave it a name, worked on it for 8 hours, closed it, and when the program said "Do you want to save changes" said 'No'. So the program did what it was told and dumped them, and 'surprisingly' when she reopened it it was blank. I explained that she told it not to -- Interrupt'd!

"No, that is not acceptable. You will fix it."

"No, there is no --" Interrupt'd! (go around this circle several times)

I finally call the on call support for her company and explain what was going on. Have you ever had someone roll their eyes so hard you could hear them over a phone? Then conferenced Karen, who started right in before either of us could say anything with how incompetent I was etc etc... He let her burble for a minute then cut her off. She started squawking and he cut her off again, and again, and again until she finally shut up out of sheer surprise, I think. "Screeching like a harpy didn't work? What world is this?"

He explained to her the same thing that I had, and she started yowling again and he chopped her off. "No. You've wasted my time on my day off, working as a favor to people with ACTUAL PROBLEMS, and you've wasted tech support's time. You were abusive to both of us and I'm going to report you to HR in the morning. Good bye." (click) He hangs up, and I'm laughing my ass off as she spits and sputters like an engine that just got a good solid swig of water.

Note: In this particular version of Powerpoint from decades ago, early 1990s, while it did have auto save, the auto saves were both unreliable and automatically deleted when you closed the program. Microsoft wouldn't support anything over 25 slides, and hers was over 250.

StarChaser_Tyger Report

Final score:

75points

POST

Viktor Feurer 4 years ago

Making a powerpoint presentation of 250 slides is a crime on its own...

166points

#24

Left her card in the eftpos machine at the McDonalds I was managing as a teenager, rang me to say I needed to drive it out to her, that I ruined her night, ruined her family's night, owed her free food and that she'll be laying a formal complaint when I refused all of the above. She showed up 3/4 of an hour later with steam blowing out her ears asking for her card back. Last we heard from her.

deadlysyntax Report

Final score:

74points

POST

Hans 4 years ago

The worst people are those who blame others for their failures.

74points

#25

I was a supervisor at Cost Plus World Market, a Karen comes in one night pushing a cart full of obviously used throw pillows and asks to return them. Of course she has no receipt, and instead wants us to just "look her up in the system". Except she refuses to provide her information for us to try to look her up. She starts yelling at my cashier and that's when I stepped in to tell her very politely and calmly that she either needs a receipt or needs to provide us her name and phone number. She starts screeching and screaming about how we're [idiots] and she'll get us fired and blah blah blah, then she demands an apology from the president of the world. I'm certain she meant the president of World Market, but in her bleached hair fury she said "the president of the world" and I barely held it together as I calmly offered her the corporate feedback number. She wouldn't take it and instead walked out of the store still yelling and without her cart of dirty pillows. She returned about 20 minutes later, quietly apologized, and took her pillows with her, we never heard from her again.

ChickenPicture Report

Final score:

74points

POST

Hans 4 years ago

At least she apologised. Probably a moment of self awareness. Maybe you changed her for good!

10points

#26

Once I told a Karen I didn't know where something was because I didn't work there and she said "Well, you're just useless"

Badbadbobo Report

Final score:

74points

POST

Raine Soo 4 years ago

Karen didn't work there either. Ergo, she is also useless.

97points

#27

My sister in law is the biggest Karen I've ever met, complains in almost every restaurant we have gone to, but this one time they were moving house and my bro asked me to help, I was staying at their place for the delivery truck that was to arrive early in the morning, we were having drinks and my bed / mattress was on the living room floor, at around 1:15 I said I think I'm going to go to bed.

She replied are you kicking me out of my own living room, not realising she is crazy I joke I guess I am. She said no one does that and even though she had finished her last drink made herself two cups of tea. She didn’t go to bed till after two thirty she told me the next morning she stayed up to show no one tells her what to do

Doogie34 Report

Final score:

70points

POST

varwenea 4 years ago (edited)

That's not a Karen. That's a Bit*h.

140points

Dutch Swimmer Goes Viral For Super Revealing Trunks During 2024 Olympics: “Is This Legal?”

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Thrill-Seeking Diver Jumps Down Extreme Waterslide, Ignoring The Strict Ban For Women

#28

I was working at my job as a cashier at my local supermarket. We were swamped with people I had at least 7 people waiting in my line. One of my good friends from high school was in my line and I talked to him as I was ringing up his stuff. After he left I welcomed the next lady in line and asked the usual stuff “did you find everything okay?” “How are you doing?” Etc. Before I could get a word out she asked to speak to my manager. Apparently I was rude to her for not including her in my conversation with my high school friend. She didn’t even chime in or anything and I never seen her in my life [friggin] karen man

Elba-3 Report

Final score:

70points

POST

deanna woods 4 years ago

How can you be rude for not including a total stranger in a conversation between you and a high school friend?

57points

#29

Worked at a grocery store and a coworker put a 99¢ sticker on my shirt. We were 2 of maybe 5 employees so we were all good friends and everything is funny when you gotta pass time on a shift so I just left it there. Some woman came through my line and asked me why I had a sticker on my shirt and I just kinda laughed it off. She asked if I thought it was funny and I was like "not really but sorta". she asked if my coworker put it there to which I responded yes. She told me she was going to speak to the store owner cos it was "disrespectful" to behave that way at work. She told me to call my manager and I did but he was a super cool guy and knew this lady was a [friggin] idiot. She talked to the store owner and my manager about firing me to no avail. She accomplished nothing and was a c*nt, the end.

gotteemboi Report

Final score:

67points

POST

Rick 4 years ago

I would have stuck it on her and then raised a complaint that she was overpriced.

112points

Woman Put A Water Fountain With A Camera In Her Yard, Here Are 24 Photos Of Regular Visitors (New Pics)

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“Ma’am I Live Here”: Woman Refuses To Back Out Of Driveway, Learns A Lesson The Hard Way

#30

I used to own a photography store (sold cameras and did pictures for passports etc), we opened at 1pm on Mondays, but I happend to be at the store on Monday morning because I needed to get something, was planning on just grabbing what I needed and go home when Karen tried to get in through the locked door. Door had a sign on it that said we were closed, and a sign with our opening hours. I didn't turn on any of the lights so it was also very dark inside. Karen started banging on the door, I was just about to leave so I went outside to tell her we were closed. Karen didn't take it well and immediately demanded to speak to the manager. I said that I'm the owner, she then proceeded to shout, and curse, so much so that the manager of the supermarket across the street came out to help me. She then tried to make the supermarket manager force me to open my store almost 4 hours earlier. Didn't work. Never seen the woman again.

Pien85 Report

Final score:

66points

POST

Kathy Baylis 4 years ago

Good for you! She needed a comeuppance.

34points

50 Of The Most Incredible Shots That Were Submitted To The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards

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French Diver’s “Jewels” In Tight Swimming Trunks Become Talk Of The Town At Olympics

#31

Asked for my manager’s personal cell phone number to complain that I (seven months pregnant at the time) would not carry a refrigerator (that she had not paid for in the cost of her room) up to her second story room (we did not have an elevator), rather than just accept an upgrade for free because she didn’t want to unpack her stuff. She refused to believe we had rooms without fridges and I was just being fat and lazy.

When I refused to give her the cell phone number, she asked for corporate’s number. I wrote it down on a sticky note with a smiley face. She came down later and asked to move rooms. I made her pay the difference.

MadameMothman Report

Final score:

64points

POST

Kathy Baylis 4 years ago (edited)

W T Actual F? So I guess Karens/Chads look upon employees of a business as lesser human beings—-if human beings at all and not cattle—-whose health and welfare are immaterial to THEM and the satisfaction of their ridiculous whims. These people must’ve slept through the History class lectures about what happened to the vastly outnumbered entitled during both the French Revolution and the Russian Revolution. Otherwise they’d realize what could be in store for them if they keep pulling this kind of s**t on the majority of the population, who may make less money—-but are vastly more worthy—-than them.

44points

#32

Had a Karen threaten to report me to my manager for talking with other customers I was serving.

Plonkie Report

Final score:

64points

POST

Becca Gizmo the Squirrel 4 years ago

I had a Wal-Mart worker be a Karen to me, the customer, a few weeks ago. I was in the self check out with like 5 items. I gather my bags and the plastic bag with the milk in it busted them the gallon milk busted on the ground. It landed just right to where the circle on the side split perfectly and milk went everywhere. I was mortified. I dropped to me knees apologizing profusely and trying to put the gallon in another bag. Another customer tried to help. We both got milk all over our clothes. The Wal-Mart lady walked inches away without even looking at me as I'm apologizing and then past me again seconds later then just stands behind her podium a few feet away. Another customer stomps up to her and snatched the paper towels behind the podium and said something like can you not help her? The Wal-Mart Karen rolled her eyes at me. I'm still in my knees in the milk. Then a manager comes running up apologizing to me because no one had helped me and I'm about to cry I was so embarrassed.

7points

#33

I worked at a coffee shop where a woman came up to me to complain that her lattes weren't filled to the top(I had seen her husband sneak sips on the walk over but I wasnt gonna say that). So I gladly offered to remake both drinks but she said "I dont want you to fix this, I just want you to know Im dissappointed in you"

HushTheWise Report

Final score:

64points

POST

Ripley 4 years ago

Not angry, just . . . disappointed.

44points

Woman Moves Out Of Parents' Home After They Asked Her To Give Her Space To Brother, They Freak Out

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Mom Leaves $250k Inheritance To Son, Throws A Fit When Daughter Stops Looking After Her

#34

This random lady that lived in my neighborhood said I couldn’t bike in front of her house without wearing a helmet because she was afraid of getting sued by my parents if I were to fall off my bike in front of her house or something along those lines. I was like eight. Told her the street wasn’t her property and rode away. Didn’t really look back for a reaction.

Jummatron Report

Final score:

61points

POST

Night Owl 4 years ago

Bravo! You were raised right

58points

#35

I was standing on a crowded train and a pregnant Karen started screaming at ME because she had nowhere to sit. Me, the person who was standing because there were no seats. She started screaming like it was my fault that there were no seats.

decearing-eggz Report

Final score:

58points

POST

Rick 4 years ago

Visibly pregnant and on a crowded train and nobody bothered to get up for her? Yeah it wasn’t nice that she started screaming, especially at you as it wasn’t your fault, but I understand her frustration at the selfishness.

42points

#36

I just had a Karen start yelling at me because I parked my car too close to her house. Not on the driveway, literally on the public streets.

yolo_bet 4 Report

Final score:

56points

POST

WilvanderHeijden 4 years ago

Yes, it's quite annoying when parked cars do not match the color of your curtains. I know the feeling all too well. /S

76points

Woman Refuses To Chip In For Babysitting Because She Doesn’t Even Have Kids, Asks If She’s A Jerk

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“This Breaks My Heart”: People Stunned—And Angry—After Woman Buys Lost Luggage From Airport

#37

I used to manage a restaurant. I had a lady complain about an issue with a previous order and she wanted something replaced. She didn't have what she wanted to return. She had a receipt dated October of last year. She came in to complain about it in January of this year. She went on to say the manager was a tall white guy that told her that she can replace it. I was the only manager at that time. I'm black. So she threw a tantrum, saying how she was never coming back and was talking about complaining on Yelp. I'm glad I don't have to see her again.

slapaho Report

Final score:

56points

POST

Kathy Baylis 4 years ago (edited)

Don’t you just love it when the manager calls out someone who’s lying that blatantly—-and a racist to boot—-instead of immediately going to the damn “customer is always right” b******t? Karen thought a black person could never be manager, so of course she’d describe him as white. Idiot doesn’t realize that qualified and capable people come in all shapes, sizes, races, religions, countries of origin, etc etc etc. Personally, all I care about is if they’re good at their jobs and polite to customers—-even when calling them out (you know, like being able to tell them to go to hell in such a way as to make them actually look forward to the trip). The manager in this story was one of those capable people. Karen’s racist assumptions only serve to show her up as a social dinosaur, who well deserves her eventual extinction. Can’t happen fast enough to suit me, though.

54points

#38

I was working at a place that is kind of like Subway but with pizza. Anyway, a family of four came in. Husband, wife, two kids. The wife is immediately mean spirited and insulting. I put the company recommended amount of sausage (about half a handful) on her pizza. Instead of saying, "Oh, can I please get some more sausage?" like a normal adult, she says, "What are you, dumb? That's barely anything! Put more!" I do it with as genuine a smile I can and pretend she didn't just talk to me in that way. She then acts like a b**ch to every single person on the line. The manager saw her the entire time and overheard what she said. Her husband and kids don't say anything (probably scared to say anything to her). She gets to the register and then complains about me and the other two people on the line. Manager defends us and asks her to leave the store and not come back. That, of course, wasn't the end of it. She calls corporate to complain about being banned from the store. The district and regional managers are sent in. The situation is explained. They say we're all clear. That lady was insane. I felt most bad for her kids. Do they think that's normal behavior? Also the husband didn't say a word or make eye contact with us, but I got the vibe from him that he was embarrassed. Poor guy.

saya Report

Final score:

54points

POST

Tabitha L 4 years ago (edited)

Poor guy who allowed the situation to happen. Karens flourish because people enable them.

65points

"I Didn't Start The Dryer": Karen Gets Taught A Lesson After Throwing Out Neighbor's Wet Clothes

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#39

Preparing to return a rental car at Gatwick Airport. It's the type you have to queue to check in and there's no drop off. I'd been standing in the exact same spot for about half an hour. A lady came in, said out loud, "I'm not standing in line," and then sat on a couch off to the side. Fine.

My turn was up next, and the lady said, "Excuse me, I was ahead of you. I came in first." I told her she didn't, and I'd literally been standing in the same spot for 45 minutes, including half an hour before she came in. I suspect that because I'm sort of brown (half-Filipino) she thought my English would be subpar, because she seemed surprised when I started speaking in my fluent American English.

She said that I wasn't there when she came in. So I told the people in front of me, who I made polite conversation with when I first arrived, "I'm sorry, but I've got a funny question: I was here right after you, wasn't I?" They confirmed it.

She sat down with an harumph, saying, "I don't think that's very funny."

Then she got up 5 minutes later and literally tried to skip over the entire line to get her car, but the man at the desk wasn't having it, saying, "let me help this gentleman first," while pointing at me.

sadwer Report

Final score:

52points

POST

Vanta Black 4 years ago

Hopefully she was blacklisted from future rentals.

33points

Guy Divorced 3 Years Ago Drops Off 3 Y.O. With His Ex-Wife Completely Out Of The Blue

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“All Three Shot Out Pink”: Triplets' Baby Shower Turns Sour, Pregnant Wife Wants A Divorce

#40

I worked at a home improvement store for a while in college. I was a cashier in the garden section. This woman pulls up on the curb in a no parking zone. Grabs her fertilizer and soil. After I check out she goes [friggin] ballistic that I didn’t help load her car and she was going to report me to managers. (Due to company policy, I wasn’t allowed to. Other employees were though). Her face mole was shaking and everything. Over a bag of soil that weighed under ten pounds and a handle of fertilizer.

Grandaddyspookybones Report

Final score:

50points

POST

Helenium 4 years ago

honest if slavery was still legal these bitches have a fleet of them

51points

#41

At work.

I made a tiny mistake filling out a booking sheet for a company: i set the time 15 minutes later than asked by complete accident. Its a 2 second fix (for anybody!) to log back into the account and click on the correct time in the drop-down box.

Karen sat next to me and watched me do it.

Karen logged in, took a screenshot of it - didnt fix it - then sent said screenshot to my line manager and said nothing to me.

After the lecture from my line manager about "paying attention to the details" I turned to her and was like "Why not just say 'Hey dude, you made a mistake' and just fix it?"

She doesnt look at me, continues clicking away at her keyboard and says "Yeah, well, if you cant do it right the first time, maybe you need somebody to tell you."

O_O

I requested to move desks after that.

crochetprozac Report

Final score:

48points

POST

Helenium 4 years ago

i used to work withsomeone who thought they were a manager but they weren't and would micro manage me and the actual manager who was a lazy cow just let her do her job for her, every tiny thing she would complain about, she even stalked me, followed me home, printed off my face book posts and showed manger so id get called in even though it wasn't work related, glad I left.

34points

sweetsummerchild97 Report

#42

I used to work at a fast food in a theme park when I was 18. Karen held up the line cause she was demanding us to assemble a food for her daughter which we aren’t allowed to do cause we go by a menu.

“My daughter can’t have that.”

“Well, what can you do for me?”

“Do you want her to starve?”

Are one of the most irritating lines I ever encountered.

Final score:

43points

POST

Kathy Baylis 4 years ago (edited)

So Karen, is your arm broken or something? You can’t remove the offending article from your child’s food, if the restaurant employees aren’t allowed to do so? I mean, if they’re not allowed to alter menu items, you just have to improvise. Then you write on the suggestion card that the service was great but, going forward in regards to the food, management (yes, the people responsible for the no menu changes rule) might consider adding a couple menu items for at least some of the more common (and dangerous) food allergies.

31points

#43

When I worked at Harris Teeter (a small grocery store) I had a woman tell me that my nail extensions, which I had gotten for Prom, were not sanitary and that I was unhealthy. I tried to explain, no I wash my hands, I keep them clean, but before I could get a word out she said “I really don’t care.” And wouldn’t let me speak. She then went and complained to my manager because I was “slow”. The order before her was a $300 dollar order, yeah it took a bit. She also had three items and could have gone to self-check out. I had another woman insult my hair and another expect me to open my line for her when I was having a system error on that check out line. Needless to say I quit fairly quickly.

Poetic_Pilgrim Report

Final score:

42points

POST

Meyer Weinstock 4 years ago

Really sad. I hope the prom was good, though.

45points

#44

I was sitting next to a lady on a plane, and she instigated some small talk before takeoff. When I told her I studied earth science, she proceeded to ask me if there was any real proof that plate tectonics existed, and asked what my Lutheran church thought about that. I'm not religious and there had been literally zero talk of religion at all in the conversation before that haha

alienbanter Report

Final score:

41points

POST

Tabitha L 4 years ago (edited)

Lutherans have no problem with plate tectonics. Lest anyone think otherwise.

71points

#45

I work in a dentist (booking appointments).

A mum was bringing her Autistic son to an appointment. I barely remember the phone call but she asked if there was parking, to which I said there is opposite but can get full quick.

About 2 weeks later her sons appointment comes up. She doesn't turn up but 10 mins later, calls to say she can't make the appointment, was "promised" parking but was no parking available.

Told her she wasn't promised parking and asked where she is. Turns out she drove past the clinic, couldn't find a driving spot, drove to the other side of the city, to park, to call to cancel...

The phone call went on along the lines of;

"You lied to me"
"How dare you do this to my autistic son"
"I want to make a complaint as you're discriminating"

After a few more cusses, I apologized if she was offended, to which she goes;

"That's not an apology"
"I want an apology" (Never gave her one)
"I want your managers name"
"You need to go on a customer support course"

I'm pretty chill so I never talk back or raise my voice, but she just went on and on and on...

Kosstheboss123 Report

Final score:

40points

POST

Helenium 4 years ago

prf another mom using her kids as an excuse for preferential treatment,

37points

#46

I used to work at a coffee shop and this one male Karen gets pissed that we don’t have the small individual sized cartons of white milk. Like, raging. My coworker offered to give him some milk in a cup, but this just wouldn’t do, you see. He continued shouting and hollering about the principal of the matter.

sixhoursneeze Report

Final score:

39points

POST

Jude Bennett 4 years ago

Male Karen = Ken

52points

#47

I worked at McDonalds during the time they switched to child's fries and discontinued the caramel dip in Happy Meals.

Everyone was pretty cool with it but one country club looking Karen came in with her daughter and ordered a nugget Happy Meal with three cups of caramel dip, because Braelynn likes to dip her nuggets in it. I apologized and let her know we discontinued to caramel dip, which resulted in an instant melt down. Kid threw herself down on the floor in an absolute screaming tantrum, and Karen was screaming at me that we do have caramel dip and I'm obviously keeping it from her. Then the accusations of me, a 17 year old, purposely trying to starve her daughter. (Honestly, kid coulda benefitted from starving a bit) I've ruined her day, she's a regular customer but she's never coming back, where's my manager, typical Karen stuff.

Manager eventually came out and just grabbed a sundae cup and filled it with a couple pumps of caramel, and Karen gave me a smug look and flipped me off.

abortionlasagna Report

Final score:

38points

POST

deanna woods 4 years ago

People should never be rewarded for bad behavior and at some point we have to stop giving in just because they are having a meltdown.

47points

#48

When I worked in a retail outlet store, I was asked to size order the shoes when Karen used me as her personal shop assistant to grab shoes for her out the back in multiple sizes. She got mad that we didn't sell half sizes so she threw the shoes at me and stormed out of the shop.

MagicalGirlShame Report

Final score:

37points

POST

Helenium 4 years ago

f**k her then hope she ends up in Crocs

49points

#49

We were about to board a plane and all the passengers were organised into two queues. The employees slowly allowed the queue my family and I were in first.

This random woman in the other queue noticed she wasn’t going anywhere and was obviously impatient, so she tried to pretty much pick a fight with my mum, complaining to her why she gets to go first and that apparently she has priority and a bunch of other nonsense that couldn’t be further from my mum’s fault.

Blysse102598 Report

Final score:

34points

POST

Helenium 4 years ago

Karens are just selfish bitches im finding

24points

I'm a Visual Editor at Bored Panda since 2017. I've searched through a multitude of images to create over 2000 diverse posts on a wide range of topics. I love memes, funny, and cute stuff, but I'm also into social issues topics. Despite my background in communication, my heart belongs to visual media, especially photography. When I'm not at my desk, you're likely to find me in the streets with my camera, checking out cool exhibitions, watching a movie at the cinema or just chilling with a coffee in a cozy place

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Writer on a quest to explore every corner of the world, one country at a time. Fueled by my love for Arcane, oversized hoodies, and weightlifting, I try my best to bring even more fun energy to Bored Panda. My cup of tea? Pop culture, funny content, sharing interesting facts about the world, and creating listicles for fellow Pandas. When I’m not crafting articles, my eyes are still glued to a screen — be it binge-watching my favorite shows, leveling up in video games, or learning Spanish with Duolingo. Always on the hunt for the ultimate playlist, I scour Deezer to find the right tunes to listen to while working on my creative projects.

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Rokas is a writer at Bored Panda with a BA in Communication. After working for a sculptor, he fell in love with visual storytelling and enjoys covering everything from TV shows (any Sopranos fans out there?) to photography. Throughout his years in Bored Panda, over 300 million people have read the posts he's written, which is probably more than he could count to.

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What do you think ?

POST

WilvanderHeijden 4 years ago

Let's just solve that misunderstanding that Karen is a name. It's not. It's an abbreviation. Known Abhorrent Rabid Evil Nutcase.

41points

Meyer Weinstock 4 years ago

Good one, Wil!

9points

Chutney Hawkes 4 years ago

(K)nobheads (A)nd (R)acist (E)ntitled (N)obodies.

3points

Isabella Vasquez 3 years ago

0points

natie marie 4 years ago

I am more and more repulsed by the term "Karen" to mean a narrow minded racist woman. Karen is someones name, and most of them are not "Karens". Just tell it like it is. A Racist woman didn't want a black contractor.

15points

Guinevere 4 years ago

Thank you!

8points

Hugo Raible 4 years ago

Maybe you should speak to Bored Panda's manager.

2points

steven 4 years ago

is that you karen?

0points

Aunt Messy 4 years ago

This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

deanna woods 4 years ago

Those were infuriating to read because it is a shame that people behave like this. Too many think that if they throw a tantrum that they will get their way and it's time for society to stop letting them believe this.

11points

Carrie de Luka 4 years ago

That does seem to be more of a US thing - the letting people get away with it I mean. There isn't the same belief that the 'customer is always right' outside the US. You do still get customers with a dreadful attitude, of course, but there isn't the expectation that staff put up with it. As customers are generally well aware of that there are far fewer people trying it on. I ran an office with staff that took calls from the public and I made it very clear that they didn't have to tolerate any rudeness - tell the customer that if they continue to be rude they'll hang up and then absolutely follow through if need be.

11points

kalastaja774 4 years ago

I think we should drop this Karen-thing. I mean it was fun while it lasted but it's getting out of hand. Obviously if people act like a******s, by all means do tell, but please call them something non-Kareny.

9points

Chris Cox 2 years ago

Really Karen?

1point

Isa 4 years ago

I have been very lucky because I never got a Karen on my way...Maybe it's an American thing? I have been living in the Netherlands for almost 20 years and not even once...and In Portugal I used to work in retail and...I can't remember to get any kind of this Karens...Or maybe I am to distracted for my own good....

5points

Light Fairy 4 years ago

Good for you...It could be an American thing, the customer over there is spoiled unlike in Europe, where most customers are intimidated, too scared to complain, even when they are treated badly.

3points

Light Fairy 4 years ago

This comment has been deleted.

0points

Meyer Weinstock 4 years ago (edited)

True. Nederlanders are too busy and self-comported to lower themselves to a Karen/Ken level...or is that also a stereotype? -from a Dutch-American

0points

Foxxy (The Original) 4 years ago

I used to work in a $2 shop where everything was $2 or under. Anyway this women comes through the checkout and the item she wanted to purchase scanned at 50c, well when I told her she blew a fuse. She had a go at me saying “everything is supposed to be $2 not 50c yaddi yadda” I told her that she is getting it cheaper so what is the problem. She demanded I call my manager so I did, she started going on about how we are supposed to be selling things for $2 and that it is false advertising and shouldn’t be allowed. He tries explaining that the item was on special and that he didn’t name the shop etc. In the end he just changed the cost of the item from 50c to $2, we both looked at each other and did the biggest eye roll.

5points

Dani Elle 4 years ago

P.S: Sorry for all those whose name is Karen but are not a karen.

4points

Raine Soo 4 years ago

A Karen by any other name will still stink as bad.

4points

H Edwards 4 years ago

The most 'Karen' thing that happened to me was actually from a man. I was working in a busy cafe with table service. A guy had ordered a cappuccino, and another server had taken it to his table. We were all rushed off our feet because it was lunch time. As I was going to the kitchen to pick up a food order, he stopped me and demanded that I take his cappuccino back and remove the foam from the top. I mean, why even order a cappuccino? And if the foam bothers you that much, take it off yourself with the spoon. I even asked to confirm that we hadn't given him the wrong drink, but no. He just wanted his cappuccino with no foam.

4points

Gage Franke 4 years ago

A karen who is a man? I think you call them "Ken"

0points

Craig Silberman 4 years ago

This goes waaaaaaaay back to my second job in high school, working at a pharmacy. A woman called in and wanted to buy a Timex watch from our counter display. Not sure how they knew which one she wanted. When she arrived to pick it up, she took one look and put it back on the counter, angrily telling my coworkers: "It's not set. Call me when it's set."

3points

Katinka Min 4 years ago

What kind of psychopath do you need to be to want someone to be fired over some minor glitch? You can destroy a person's life that way and for what? Feeling inconvenienced for a moment?

3points

CatWoman312 4 years ago

As much as I appreciate these posts, Karen culture has turned into a way to bully any woman who expresses displeasure towards something. I get boxycharm and me amongst many had an item that was damaged and I like many others shared my grief at the damaged item as well as boxycharm not replying to emails. Someone called me “being a Karen” over that. We’re allowed to complain. Women aren’t these creatures that just smile and say okay to everything. Karen means you have a full blown tantrum, are usually racist and entitled, and you demand to speak to the manager. It really upset me to be called Karen for just complaining period.

3points

Idasbo 4 years ago

It's not the fact that someone is complaining when something is not right. I read through all the Karen examples, and the way these people complain and talk to others matters. Examples: One person being frustrated because they have left their card somewhere is perfectly understandable. Turning into entitled person (aka. Karen, to some people) is when they get annoyed at the people working in that business and demanding that they bring the card to their house and so on. It is just over the top.

1point

Shelp 4 years ago

Wow, those were really infurating to read. Good thing most of them ended good. I don't know how I would've survived the whole article, if they didn't.

3points

Idasbo 4 years ago (edited)

I have been working as a waitress in Norway for so many years, but have never experienced anything this bad...

2points

Nanc C 4 years ago

Karens are bullies. Since they are basically cowards they need to be called on their BS with every breath. They have learned that if they are loud enough and angry enough they will get what they want. I love the kid who said "Lady, you don't own the street." and pedaled on.

2points

Meyer Weinstock 4 years ago (edited)

I had an aunt named Karen, and she was never like this. (RIP, tante.) However, her still-living twin sister, my mother (name withheld for MY safety) has been like these Karens since I can remember. Every little thing!!!! SO embarrassing. My sister is also like this, but took time to get to that point. I still find myself apologising to service workers, even if nothing went wrong. (My adult children have remarked about this.) I remember being the 15 y/o kid working a fast-food drive-through and being berated for mindless issues. -Rev Dr M, retired teacher

2points

get trolled 3 years ago

Karens have egos as big as the monstrosities on their heads that they call "haircuts"

1point

get trolled 3 years ago

Karens egos are as big as their disgusting haircuts

1point

Stille20 4 years ago

So... racist white men... just get a pass? Men who use intimidation to get what they want from 16 year old cashiers... I'm not hearing any stories about that. It's something experienced a great deal into my 20s when I was running a sales department. I simply don't understand why a white women is the face social injustice.

1point

Gabby M 4 years ago (edited)

These stories are the reason why I have never worked with the public. Because I treat people how I wish to be treated, it' how I was raised. I'm super SURE my very first Karen would have landed my butt in jail. I have been behind a Karen a time or 10 and let's just say when I spoke up in defense of the employee......NO manager was needed lol

1point

Jordan 4 years ago

I know somebody who hated everyone she knew/saw and walked up to them, and said straight to their face, " I hate you." Whether she knew them or not. I'm one of those people she said that to, and it was not just because she saw me, it was because of some small thing I told a teacher about (I'm still in school) and she blew up on me. I don't even remember what it was, and now she's moved to my church, where I see her monthly. We even gaze at each other for one second, and she blatantly says, " I hate you." And there's nothing I can do about it. I just have to tolerate it for now. All it reminds me of is Karen as a kid.

1point

Nubmaeme 4 years ago

In my many years of working retail, I had my share of Karens. Usually when they would start their rants, I'd just look at them with a deadpan expression and ask "Is that the best you can do?" That usually put a stop to it because they didn't know how to react to someone who wasn't intimidated and they'd leave, never to be heard from again. I did have one that was maddening. While she always made huge purchases, she was never satisfied with the service. One day, she pops off with "I can do you job better than you." To which I replied "that's fine ma'am. I'm leaving in three days. Let's go to the office and I'll see you get my job." She huffed, grabbed her packages, and left. Then I heard from behind me "You don't how many time I've wanted to say something like that to her." One of the managers had witnessed the whole thing. I replied "What does it matter if I leave today or three days from now? I'm gone either way." He just shook his head and walked off laughing.

1point

Bebe 4 years ago

I remember one now. So my son, husband and I went to a park, like a long drive and some hiking. It was almost lunch time and all the benches were taken. I spotted one and proceeded towards it. My seven year old was cranky with hunger now. A woman quickly took up the bench as well as the one adjacent to it. She said she has a large family of ten people so we should go somewhere else. My polite husband says no worries. Incidentally we find a bench nearby, and sit down to lunch. Her family arrives- a woman a baby and a man. That's it! And she lied blatantly, like atleast don't lie through your teeth.

1point

deanna woods 4 years ago

She sounds like a nut who wanted to infringe on someone else's day.

0points

blugeagua 4 years ago

Don't forget, its not just women, but just as many men too. "Kyle's" exist.

1point

Gage Franke 4 years ago

I thought they were called Ken's.

0points

jknbt jknbt 4 years ago

the last "Karen" I met really was named Karen... She was standing on the corner of the intersection of two highways in the summer heat... I asked her if she needed a ride, so she got in. She asked if this was about sex, I said, no, just trying to do a good work... She gave me a sob story that would break a concrete heart, told me God had just healed her grandson, and asked for assistance, traveler's aid they call it. So I took her to the store & paid for some things she needed. Then she asked for help with her motel room rent so she did not have to sleep outside in the rain. I told her my church had a place for homeless people if she needed to stay for free. Nope, just take me back to the motel. So I did. There was a city cop there taking pictures of license plates. Yep, she was whoring and was a big liar. I did not go in. I told her that I could no longer help her. She cussed me out and said that her god does not judge her, and she will nave nothing to do with mine.

1point

Ray Heap 4 years ago

I have known a hundred Karens, and a hundred Stevens, in fact my boss is a Steven, but that´s topic for another thread. Anyway I used to live in Switzerland, a country inhabited by Karen´s and Steven´s. One time I was having problems with my motorbike, it had blown a gasket and was dribbling oil. So I got my spares and tools and went to fix it, as I had no garage I had to do it on the kerb. Along comes "Karin" and I see your Karen´s and raise you a Karin with a badge and a parking ticket dispenser. "Your motorbike is leaking oil" she says with a frightening obviousness. "Yes, I know" I say looking up from under the bike. "You have to do something about it..!" "No worry, as long as I can fill up faster than it runs out it should be ok!" That was not what she wanted to hear and as fast as an old timey gunslinger her ticket computer was out and at operating temperature. I got a ticket and she called the firebrigade to clean the drips of oil. Very costly indeed.

1point

Julie Ann Al buzbeba 2 years ago

I remember when I encountered my very first Karen....years and years before there even WERE Karens....it was at a McDonald's in my town. The lines were pretty busy as I remember. And they weren't moving anytime soon. The reason? The Mom at the front of the line holding the little doll figurine....which just happened to be a little black girl doll....who was ranting and raving to anyone of any importance as to how in this world could they...WOULD they...EVER GIVE HER DAUGHTER A BLACK DOLL IN HER HAPPY MEAL! The poor little girl of about 4 just stood next to the screaming mom. I felt so bad for her. She looked embarrassed even though she probably wasn't exactly sure what was even going on. But it was the mom that I was more embarrassed for...what a fool she made of herself. Downright disgusting behavior to teach your children...and in public to boot!

0points

Kae Matsuda 4 years ago

There is a horrible old couple who pop in for coffee every so often & the woman orders two iced mochas with the espresso shots divvied up between them uniquely. Whatever, anything for you, it's just another drink, right? No! The first time I encountered her was on my first day at that store. I had a colleague who was a fresh-faced 18yo at his very first job, doing very well, until he let her watch him begin to prepare the drinks. We use a chocolate syrup for mochas, add shots and milk, and stir really well. So she threw a tantrum when she saw him add syrup and not stir it (there was nothing to stir, as he hadn't pulled the shots yet). She tore into him about how bad he was at his job and should be fired, she'd never seen such terrible customer service, she'd tell store management on us, etc. She did tell the director, who came over and asked US if WE were okay! The kicker: she was back recently and complimented the same guy for remembering how she wanted her order! How could he forget?

0points

Gage Franke 4 years ago

I genuinely feel bad for all the women named Karen who completely nice and normal.

0points

Katie Allen 4 years ago

These are good stories but every woman named Karen I ever knew was super nice and not b****y at all. (One was even a little bit of a doormat.) I really think calling b****y women Karens needs to die the same death as that "you lost the game" BS.

0points

Idasbo 4 years ago

Same here. "Karen" is just the collective term right now for someone who is being very unreasonable. That does not at all mean that all people named Karen is this kind of a "Karen".

0points

Tobias the Tiger 4 years ago

I've heard a Karen story about a woman who desperately wanted an "uncarbonated bagel" (meaning "carb-free bagel", which can't even exist since bagels are made of wheat). She argued with the person for a while and didn't leave until the manager gave her a bagel that he said was "uncarbonated".

0points

Lenka Smetanová 4 years ago

I working as receptionist at hotel. Im responsible for making orders for guests including making appointments for massages... We have only one masseur (if we are full then two) and we must reserved termines from morning to afternoon one after anothet (when the time at that date is taken Iam unable to do anything, I can only offer different time). There was some older woman came, and demand massage at morning before breakfast. I was unable to fulfill her request due the fact that those times was already taken by others guests. Any other times was unacceptable for her. One was after breakfast and she would vomit, and this time she heading outside and walking around town, and after lunch is too late. She started asking me, why we dont have another masseur there, when we dont have free termines (we have pletny of free termines for massage, just not at the morning), I try to explain her, that masseur work from 8pm. do 4am. and there is aby day of full taken termines.. TBC

0points

Katie Allen 4 years ago

should you even be giving massages to someone who just vomited??!

1point

Lenka Smetanová 4 years ago

Another one was also good. Woman came at 9am. evening at reception and start talking. She leaving tomorrow, and the wole week she tayed at the hotel she was really dissapointed with her room... That room is located at the top floor nex to elevator, so she heard the motor of the elevator and it was too noisy. Also the shower in the next room was too noisy... and she demand a discount. Lets put aside the fact that, she lived there for a WEEK! And we had a plenty of free rooms there so she can came there anytime to change her room. But she came in the evening before leaving, when I was the only remaining empoyee there, no manager, just noone. And Im not qualified to made any discount, that can do only a daytime shift along with our manager...

0points

Lenka Smetanová 4 years ago

And even if we have two masseurs there, We must start making appointments for both of them right from the morning, so she would sill not be alble to get her wishfull time, even If we have two of them. Also, we dont hold two masseurs at the same time if it is not absolutely nessesary (full hotel with too many procedures), because we have limited space for massages... So she asked why we dont make more room so there could be more masseurs. I said, that in the place, where those massages are located Is not another free space, but her response just blow out my mind... "But I heard the chef saying, that in the fisrt floor is full of free rooms!!! So you just need to use those rooms!".... Im not going to mentioning more, only chef there at that time was hired ONE WEEK ago! And also those rooms works as sorages without windowst etc... At the end I found one free room for massage at the morning and also told her to came at reception during the daytime not at night... TBC

0points

Mimi777 4 years ago

One time at the clothing store I worked this Karen and her teenage daughter come in and got upset the extrasmall size was gone from a certain shirt. She saw that I had the shirt on and asked if she could buy it off of me I said no sorry I love this shirt. We told her we can order it and it will take a few days. She got my manager and demanded I sell her my shirt literally off my back. My manager was like if she doesn’t want to sell it I can’t make her. So she said she would order it but she wanted her daughter to try mine on to see if it’s a good size. Her daughter was clearly a medium and I was an extra small. So my manager made me take my shirt off in the middle of the store I only had a bralette underneath and let her daughter try it. She couldn’t even get her arm into the sleeve before I told her to stop and she was going to rip it.

0points

Gage Franke 4 years ago

Please tell me you quit that job...

2points

kathryn stretton 4 years ago

Too many to read here. Wish I had the time to read and react to the ones I have missed.

0points

POST

WilvanderHeijden 4 years ago

Let's just solve that misunderstanding that Karen is a name. It's not. It's an abbreviation. Known Abhorrent Rabid Evil Nutcase.

41points

Meyer Weinstock 4 years ago

Good one, Wil!

9points

Chutney Hawkes 4 years ago

(K)nobheads (A)nd (R)acist (E)ntitled (N)obodies.

3points

Isabella Vasquez 3 years ago

0points

natie marie 4 years ago

15points

Guinevere 4 years ago

Thank you!

8points

Hugo Raible 4 years ago

Maybe you should speak to Bored Panda's manager.

2points

steven 4 years ago

is that you karen?

0points

Aunt Messy 4 years ago

This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

deanna woods 4 years ago

11points

Carrie de Luka 4 years ago

11points

kalastaja774 4 years ago

9points

Chris Cox 2 years ago

Really Karen?

1point

Isa 4 years ago

5points

Light Fairy 4 years ago

Good for you...It could be an American thing, the customer over there is spoiled unlike in Europe, where most customers are intimidated, too scared to complain, even when they are treated badly.

3points

Light Fairy 4 years ago

This comment has been deleted.

0points

Meyer Weinstock 4 years ago (edited)

True. Nederlanders are too busy and self-comported to lower themselves to a Karen/Ken level...or is that also a stereotype? -from a Dutch-American

0points

Foxxy (The Original) 4 years ago

5points

Dani Elle 4 years ago

P.S: Sorry for all those whose name is Karen but are not a karen.

4points

Raine Soo 4 years ago

A Karen by any other name will still stink as bad.

4points

H Edwards 4 years ago

4points

Gage Franke 4 years ago

A karen who is a man? I think you call them "Ken"

0points

Craig Silberman 4 years ago

3points

Katinka Min 4 years ago

What kind of psychopath do you need to be to want someone to be fired over some minor glitch? You can destroy a person's life that way and for what? Feeling inconvenienced for a moment?

3points

CatWoman312 4 years ago

3points

Idasbo 4 years ago

1point

Shelp 4 years ago

Wow, those were really infurating to read. Good thing most of them ended good. I don't know how I would've survived the whole article, if they didn't.

3points

Idasbo 4 years ago (edited)

I have been working as a waitress in Norway for so many years, but have never experienced anything this bad...

2points

Nanc C 4 years ago

2points

Meyer Weinstock 4 years ago (edited)

2points

get trolled 3 years ago

Karens have egos as big as the monstrosities on their heads that they call "haircuts"

1point

get trolled 3 years ago

Karens egos are as big as their disgusting haircuts

1point

Stille20 4 years ago

1point

Gabby M 4 years ago (edited)

1point

Jordan 4 years ago

1point

Nubmaeme 4 years ago

1point

Bebe 4 years ago

1point

deanna woods 4 years ago

She sounds like a nut who wanted to infringe on someone else's day.

0points

blugeagua 4 years ago

Don't forget, its not just women, but just as many men too. "Kyle's" exist.

1point

Gage Franke 4 years ago

I thought they were called Ken's.

0points

jknbt jknbt 4 years ago

1point

Ray Heap 4 years ago

1point

Julie Ann Al buzbeba 2 years ago

0points

Kae Matsuda 4 years ago

0points

Gage Franke 4 years ago

I genuinely feel bad for all the women named Karen who completely nice and normal.

0points

Katie Allen 4 years ago

0points

Idasbo 4 years ago

Same here. "Karen" is just the collective term right now for someone who is being very unreasonable. That does not at all mean that all people named Karen is this kind of a "Karen".

0points

Tobias the Tiger 4 years ago

0points

Lenka Smetanová 4 years ago

0points

Katie Allen 4 years ago

should you even be giving massages to someone who just vomited??!

1point

Lenka Smetanová 4 years ago

0points

Lenka Smetanová 4 years ago

0points

Mimi777 4 years ago

0points

Gage Franke 4 years ago

Please tell me you quit that job...

2points