Rude Karens Harass Waitress For Wearing Shorts in 100-Degree Heat

Author image for Emmy Pratt
Emmy Pratt • Senior Editor
Jun 4, 2023 12:00 PM EDT

Older adults always have something to say about what young people are wearing. When I was 15, I went on a school trip alone with my yearbook teacher and a small group of parents and kids. This was during an era when overalls were coming back into fashion, and I wore my favorite pair of overalls for several days of this trip. The amount of slack I got from other kids' parents for wearing jeans with holes in them was monumental. It was true that my overalls had one giant hole in one of the legs that had grown over time, but these random parents didn't have to rag on me about it for days on end. 

Criticizing people's clothes to their faces doesn't stop when you become an adult. Old people have so much to say about short shorts and crop tops; they will tell you exactly what they think. 

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  • 01
    Font - r/Serverlife u/MrsCyanide 16h Yq Bitter old ladies on a Monday opening shift asked me where my clothes were.... Join
    via u/MrsCyanide
  • 02
    Font - So for context I work at a bar/restaurant that's slightly higher end. Our uniform is blue jeans(no rips)/black shorts/or jean shorts and ANY style black top with no logos. I live in Arizona so it gets pretty hot running around with patio tables so some of us girls wear sports bras and shorts on occasion. Anyways I opened on Monday and was wearing baggy blue jean shorts and a black tank top tucked into said shorts. I get a 4 top of old ladies (mid 60s) on the patio and they're rude from th
    via u/MrsCyanide
  • 03
    Font - exclaim "we didn't want ice!" Okay, I wish they would've said that beforehand but whatever it wasn't busy yet so I bring them new ones. When I come back with the new waters they say with an attitude, "where are your clothes? You have nothing on." I was taken aback because why would you criticize what I'm wearing when it's 100F outside? Anyways I respond with "actually I am wearing clothes, and my outfit fits within my uniform guidelines. It's amazing that I'm able to wear shorts and a tan
    via u/MrsCyanide
  • 04
    Font - around in 100 degree weather :)". From that point on they became even more rude and would side eye me the entire time they were there. I just don't understand why some old people (mostly women) make such rude comments like this. It's baffling but my coworkers/managers and I had a laugh about it in the back. Has this ever happened to you?
    via u/MrsCyanide
  • 05
    Font - Away-Calligrapher-80 - 15h S 2 Awards A few shifts ago it was very slow and I work in a very casual place. An old couple walked in and I sat them. Our benches are very tall so when I came back to take their order i was slightly leaning on one. Before I could get a word out the lady (70-80 yrs old) look at me and says "Do you work here??" I relied with a yes and asked why and she told me "I was a waitress when i was you're age and we were never allowed to lean" and I replied "Ok and you we
    via u/Away-Calligrapher-80
  • 06
    Font - Detroitaa • 10h . I love it! One day my aunt said something like that to a waitress. I was a kid, so I can't remember clearly what it was. I think her hair wasn't totally pinned up, or something, and she told the waitress, in my time, bla bla bla. I just remember my pops looking at auntie & saying, but after that, Lincoln freed you & you could do anything you wanted! Everyone at the table burst out laughing. 333
    via u/Detroitaa
  • 07
    Font - Buckys_Butt_Buddy. Regarding the ice in their glasses, one of my favorite coworkers would tell guests "don't worry that will melt" when an ice cube accidentally made it into their glass when refilling it with a pitcher. Considering the heat and how the table treated you, that would have been the perfect line at their first complaint 14h Reply 214
    via u/Buckys_Butt_Buddy
  • 08
    Font - imSOsalty 15h ● The uniform where I used to work was basically a three finger tank. Deeeeeep v neck. No cardigans allowed. In the winter when it was snowing people would ask why I was 'silly' enough to wear a tank top. I would tell them I don't want to be in this either, but please complain so that I can change!! Reply 308
    via u/imSOsalty
  • 09
    Font - MrsCyanide OP. 15h That sounds terrible I'm sorry :( at my work they let us wear jackets/hoodies/cardigans as long as they're black. They should at least give you the option to purchase one with their company logo or something. ... 111
    via u/MrsCyanide
  • 10
    Font - imSOsalty 15h Oh, get this, turns out that there was a long sleeve option and a more modest scoop neck approved bar uniform...the GM just never let that be known. He was an....interesting man 129
    via u/imSOsalty
  • 11
    Font - Oakley2212 16h ● S 1 Award Tell them you left them by their husband's nightstand. Make sure they understand they don't have to tip....since her husband gave you his. Reply 438
    via u/Oakley2212
  • 12
    Font - The_Haunted_Shining 16h Sounds like they need to do the job a little bit and quit acting entitled to someone trying to help them and do a service in 100+ degree weather. It doesn't matter how much money you spend. If they don't like it, go dine in a church. All acting holier than thou lol Reply 88 88
    via u/The_Haunted_Shining
  • 13
    Plant - bitchghost 11h Was wearing an imho very appropriate dress (which I wear all the time for work) - 3/4 length sleeves, a couple inches above the knees, somewhat low cut in back but def not inappropriately so (like you can fully see the tattoo on the back of my neck but not my bra or anything) Weird old man kept going on and ON about how "skirts are so short these days". Reply 28
    via u/bitchghost
  • 14
    Font - moniqueheartslaugh. 7h I work at a kinda skanky but very popular tequila bar/taco spot. Our uniform is similar but we can where whatever we want on bottom. Lots of the girls wear super short shorts and crop tops. In the summer it gets extremely humid where I live and our restaurant gets extremely hot. One time, I had that exact outfit on and an old lady looked me up and down and said to me "you know people bring their children and husbands in here?" I told her I wasn't hired to seduce hus
    via u/moniqueheartslaugh
  • 15
    Font - JesusStarbox. 13h Jealousy. I worked at an office with a lot of women. The older ladies were suddenly in an uproar over what the younger ones were wearing. They came to me to complain. One older lady was complaining about the young ones showing their tits. Meanwhile she had cleavage showing everything, in every top she wore. Wrinkly cleavage. The only thing that made sense to me was they were just mad because they weren't young anymore. Reply 118
    via u/JesusStarbox

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