'These were free... and you're going to complain? Come on!': Servers discuss how free things actually bring the Karen out of customers

Author image for Elna McHilderson
Elna McHilderson • Managing Editor
Jun 27, 2023 10:00 AM EDT

So you think you know restaurant edict but have never worked in the service industry? HA! Don't make us laugh. You might know the basics, but there are so many things that can mark you as a crappy customer. The number one thing servers are currently discussing on Reddit? Complaining about free things. So you got a free basket of chips with salsa. Okay, so? You say, "thank you so much!" and move on. You do not complain about the chips being too salty, like the server can even fix that. You cannot demand more free stuff just because you got one thing for free. And you most certainly cannot tip less just because you had one thing comped on your bill. That is just rude and you will instantly be deemed as a crappy customer. How do people not know this already?

Recently, a server took to Reddit to vent about this exact thing. A woman came in with her child, the server noticed that the child looked impatiently hungry, so they served them a free basket of chips with salsa, on the house, which was not typical for that restaurant—the server just did it out of the kindness of their heart. And the mother had the audacity to complain that those FREE chips were too salty and then proceed to have her show her how to give her a less-than 20% tip. The AUDACITY of some people is just insane. Servers have flooded to the comment section of the Reddit thread to share instances that convinced them to never give anything free again because, for some reason, free stuff tends to bring out the entitled Karen in customers. See for yourself below! 

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  • 01
    Organism - Posted by u/dmdc256 2 days ago Complaining about free Short D Group of three, two adult women, one child. Took the order, kid was hangry, so I took them some chips and salsa. "She looks hungry, these are on me." Few minutes later, "These chips are too salty, bring us some more."
    via u/dmdc256

    Photo via u/wikimediacommons-FlorianPlag

  • 02
    Font - No apology, no thanks. What is wrong with people? These were free, it is as my choice to give them to you and you're going to complain? Come on!
    via u/dmdc256
  • 03
    Font - Sereous313 Did they tip lol? ↑ 16 ↓ 2 days ago Reply Share dmdc256 OP. 2 days ago Two bucks in sixty. But I didn't do it for the tip, I knew they weren't going to leave much, I was just trying to give the kid some food.
    via u/Sereous313
  • 04
    Font - wafflesareforever 2 days ago Server Emeritis Two on sixty?!?! The fuck is wrong with people 19 Reply Share dmdc256 OP. 2 days ago Sad thing is I had to show her how to do a custom tip on the kiosk instead of hitting 20 or 22%.
    via u/wafflesareforever
  • 05
    Font - texasdeafdogs. 1 day ago Stg those kiosks bring out the ballsiet people I've ever seen. Watched a great server show an older lady how the thing worked and he kept a smile on his face while she had him dial it back to .38 for a tip. Idk how much her bill was but I also had heard her ask his ethnicity a bit before that like wtf....
    via u/texasdeafdogs
  • 06
    Font - dsdsds 2 days ago 86 same siders We used to not have mints at the host stand. No complaints. We got mints for the host stand, and had constant complaints about the mints being too small, or not liking the flavors. We don't have mints anymore.
    via u/dsdsds
  • 07
    Font - PoiLethe 1 day ago Remind me of a place, twenty years old, had free plain peanuts and Cajun nuts. Regulars dumped the shells on the floors. After twenty years... and way too many years of regulars making messes for no damn reason, the nuts got removed. No more mess. Regulars still show up.
    via u/PoiLethe
  • 08
    Font - Sssnappy 1 day ago One guy and his snarky wife, regulars (and crappy tippers): He would empty the entire bowl of mints into his pocket on his way out and his wife would empty the sugar/sweetener packet caddy into her purse before they left the table. We finally hid the mint bowl and under the host stand and removed the caddies from their table and the surrounding empty tables when we saw them coming.
    via u/Sssnappy
  • 09
    Font - They ordered iced tea every time, and whoever was serving them knew to bring the exact amount of sweetener (2 Splendas for her and 2 sugars for him) with every refill and two mints when the check was dropped.
    via u/Sssnappy
  • 10
    Font - DaniMW 1 day ago I realise as a paying customer, I'm entitled to a mint in those circumstances... but I usually decline because I feel like the children should have them! I just feel awkward about taking a mint, lol. So I don't.
    via u/DaniMW
  • 11
    Font - So the fact that people would COMPLAIN about a little complimentary freebie makes no sense to me at all! Just decline for heaven's sake!
    via u/DaniMW
  • 12
    Font - dixhuit_tacos. 2 days ago Gotta improve your service if you want your guests to be happy - you should've licked the salt off each chip right there at the table! 594 Reply Share sbahr85 2 days ago Chew em up and baby bird it back into the customers mouth
    via u/dixhuit_tacos
  • 13
    Font - middle26 2 days ago In Australia, hardware stores have a monthly egg and bacon breakfast for customers. All the trade customers love it. Especially me! I'm a regular customer and knew the worker cooking the bbq. He told me a customer complained the bacon wasn't cooked properly. The worker was a bit pissed off. He said to the customer to get a refund.
    via u/middle26
  • 14
    Font - The customer was puzzled and said it was free. The worker then said : yes fuck off! The customer then said you can't talk to me like that. He just said, yes I can. He didn't suffer any repercussions for that. I laughed my head off when he told me. When I left after eating, I complimented him on cooking the bacon perfectly. I always liked that bloke. Straight forward talker.
    via u/middle26
  • 15
    Font - girlsledisko 2 days ago Why I don't comp anything ever. ✩ 47 Reply Share trashmoneyxyz . 2 days ago Literally unless I know the person. No good deed goes unpunished. People can be so predatory with hospitality
    via u/girlsledisko
  • 16
    Font - straightouttasuburb 2 days ago Don't worry you will lose your faith in humanity over time... the sheer entitlement will gnaw at you... Reply Share 21 HoundIt 1 day ago "Boy that kid is super hungry. Sucks for them." - me after 10 years of waiting tables.
    via u/straightouttasuburb
  • 17
    Font - Cherryy- 1 day ago Had a woman in Togo who only ordered food for herself when she had two children with her, so she had them go inside while she was in the car to repeatedly ask for food. After giving them both free drinks and free sides,
    via u/Cherryy-
  • 18
    Font - they asked for full meals which we of course refused. Woman came in and told us to go f ourselves. I can't fathom how entitled, unintelligent, and how much of a sh ty parent you have to be to act like that
    via u/Cherryy-
  • 19
    Font - Alice_Alpha 2 days ago I hate giving free things. As a cashier in a grocery store, sometimes we will give away some item just to get it in customers hands and for them to try. Some customers can't believe/understand/accept it is free and have so many irrational questions. They can't either just say thank you or keep their mouth shut.
    via u/Alice_Alpha
  • 20
    Font - bkuefner1973 - 1 day ago Oh you don't like these they will all be the same so let's get the free chips off the table no more because like u said they will be just like the first bowl. God people are such dicks we give free pie on Mondays and the people that pissed and bitched of there kinda small pieces I always said no they have always been that size we have pie cutters so there always that size..you don't want your free pie?
    via u/bkuefner1973
  • 21
    Font - spiritjacket52. 1 day ago My SO works at a bowling alley bar/restaurant. They sell lane time by the hour. When they're slammed with reservations and an insane waitlist they'll try to squeeze folks into any 30-45 minute slot that pops up and most often give it to the group for free.
    via u/spiritjacket52
  • 22
    Font - Woman comes in on a rainy summer Saturday where the waitlist is so long they're telling folks that it's unlikely they'll be bowling before closing time. She still wants to be added. Group hangs out, has lunch. A 45-min window opens so desk attendant offers it to them free of charge.
    via u/spiritjacket52
  • 23
    Font - After their free bowling session she complains to my SO that the place is a scam and they only kept them here to get them to spend money on food with no intention of letting them bowl and how dare she not be offered a full hour after spending over $300.
    via u/spiritjacket52
  • 24
    Font - Discmfrt Comes Clearly 1 day ago • edited 1 day ago I don't know whats wrong with people. My parents are visiting this weekend and they are so fucking clueless I remembered why I don't go out to eat with them when I go home to visit.
    via u/DiscmfrtComesClearly
  • 25
    Font - They try to seat themselves everywhere we go, I have taken to just stopping at the host stand and not following them, waiting for the host, asking for a table for 3, and going to that table until they come join me from wherever in the hell they went and sat themselves. Explaining to them every single time why I do this, how server rotations work, and why what they just did was extremely rude and sets them off on the worst possible foot with the restaurant staff.
    via u/DiscmfrtComesClearly
  • 26
    Font - Last night we went to dinner, after this exact thing above happened (luckily they hadn't found anywhere to sit yet and just awkwardly followed me upstairs with the host). As soon as we were seated, the waitress comes to greet us and ask how we are doing, my stepdad responds with "Why is it so hot in here?"
    via u/DiscmfrtComesClearly
  • 27
    Font - and my mom asks if they do their sandwiches "half sizes" and if they have a senior menu. No acknowledgement of the server asking them how they are, no pleasantries exchanged, nothing. We got shity service because they probably thought we were cheap as hell, which tbh my parents are but I always bring cash to supplement their 15% tip.
    via u/DiscmfrtComesClearly

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restaurant-edict boomer-customers waiter entitled-boomers karen-customers server-story entitled customers waitress Reddit tales from your server karen service industry entitled-karens
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