“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
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
Image source: lonewolf15mr, Andrew Turner
#2
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
Image source: apparently_unoriginal, Unknown
#3
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
Image source: bread_farm, Vinqui
#4
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
Image source: squeakersyarn, Randal Phoenix
#5
Under blend their smoothies so the little chunks block their straws
Image source: ebonymallinson, Kari Sullivan
#6
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
Image source: mattnj26, Paul Sableman
#7
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
Image source: rachaelhendrick, Wikimedia Commons
#8
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
Image source: k_serasarah, Wikimedia Commons
#9
allow them to put their card in to pay and hit escape so they have to do it again. repeat until I feel better
Image source: fiercemel, Unknown
#10
If they threw their money at me to pay, I’d throw their change back at them, smile and walk away
Image source: mirellesminis, Paulien Osse
#11
I “accidentally” forget to take the sensors off so they have to come back and I can waste their “precious time”
Image source: kayraalvarez, Wikimedia Commons
#12
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
Image source: amzukiwsky, Wikimedia Commons
#13
booked their airplane seat on a 10+ hour flight right next to the bathroom
Image source: renroh71
#14
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
Image source: danirectangle, pixel1
#15
I put extra, extra hot sauce in their salsa then do not refill their drinks
Image source: laelwehnerhill, Maxell Miklós
#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
Image source: amiekleigh
#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
Image source: rehtaeh.l
#18
she payed me in ones…. i checked each and everyone up to the light
Image source: clarak19, Unknown
#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
Image source: rhyanrose1
#20
I’ve given a tip back and said “ you clearly need this more than I do”
Image source: miss_struff
#21
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
Image source: mickmoo420, Unknown
#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”
Image source: kristachuu
#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
Image source: bakemydaymimo
#24
I worked at Verizon and I would make sure a little dust got under their glass screen protector on their phone
Image source: rebeca68r
#25
give them decafe espresso shots
Image source: seekingsunflowers
#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
Image source: kaiteeliz
#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!
Image source: _brendalc
#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
Image source: 15minofame
#29
I used to purposely put the french fries at McDonald’s upside down so it would spill as they pulled them out
Image source: _dee_nice_, Wikimedia Commons
#30
Nonchalantly break their candy bars in half as I bagged them
Image source: emxiloveyouu
#31
Not offer whipped cream on their hot chocolate because it’s the best and they’re the worst
Image source: robothive
#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
Image source: mitcheoso
#33
If a customer spells their name out to me rudely, I spell it wrong just to make myself feel better
Image source: spillinbeans
#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
Image source: megan_brown2012
#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
Image source: yasgee1.11
#36
When I worked at McDonald’s and rude people would ask for extra sauce, I would give them pancake syrup
Image source: thekuebz13, Unknown
#37
In a hotel… put them in a room above the parking garage entrance/valet. Also scheduled 4am wake up calls
Image source: pooter076
#38
Left them on hold or mute until they hung up
Image source: kissthecreolequeen17
#39
I’m an ultrasound tech…I used the COLD gel even though we have gel warmers
Image source: joypompeo
#40
Leave them on hold….. for a long time…. and then *accidentally* hung up and turned off my phone for lunch
Image source: megbgr
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