‘This [customer] is just, WOW': Toy store employees stay open 20 minutes extra for kids to play for free, Karen mom still writes poor review

Author image for Elna McHilderson
Elna McHilderson • Managing Editor
Aug 10, 2023 7:00 AM EDT

This story really had me feeling frustrated. I still remember the days of getting super excited to play at Toys R Us. (RIP) Multiple times, I recall a Karen mom throwing a tantrum for no good reason. It's worse than an actual child's tantrum. 

Reddit user u/Puzzleheaded-Brush58 shared his story from working at a Buy-Sell-Trade toy store in a mall. There was a place for the children to build their own figurines that they could purchase and take home. One mom came in with a group of several children. They wanted to build their own figurines, and OP and his coworker were more than happy to oblige them. They did, however, warn them that the mall closed early that day, so they would be closing earlier than usual. That seemed like no problem for the kiddos and the mom, and they continued their play. 

However, 10 minutes to close, they alerted the party that they were going to have to close up. They gave them an extra 10 minutes, but they couldn't stay open much longer because the entire mall was closing. The mom gave them a little attitude, so they were just trying to be nice and gave them another 10 minutes. However, after that, they approached them again, saying they really had to close, and that's when the mom went into Karen mode. 

She threw a tantrum, yelled at them, and then had her kids drop everything, not purchase a single thing, and storm out. OP and his coworker had to stay another 20 minutes just to clean up after them. The next day, their boss showed them the poor review she left them; however, they showed their manager the security footage that corroborated their story, and they were not punished in the slightest. Karens in toy stores truly ruin the experience for everyone, even the children. 

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  • 01
    Font - Customer Writes Bad Review After Keeping Store Open 20 Minutes After Close. M I've written on here before, but this one is just. Wow.
    via u/Puzzleheaded-Brush58
  • 02
    Font - Background: I work at a Buy-Sell-Trade toy store that has both new and used toys. We also have a build station where kids can build minifigures. The store is located in a mall.
    via u/Puzzleheaded-Brush58
  • 03
    Font - So a woman and her 5 or so kids (didn't count) came in on a Sunday, and were wanting to make their own mini figures and look around the store. My coworker and I were more than happy to help them, and they all went to build their figs. We waited patiently, then about 10
    via u/Puzzleheaded-Brush58
  • 04
    Font - minutes before close time, we let them know that they had 10 minutes before we had to start closing procedures. Side note: There is one day a week where this mall closes early, which means the store closes early as well.
    via u/Puzzleheaded-Brush58
  • 05
    Font - They all said that was great, and my coworker and I went ahead and started cleaning up other areas of the store. After ten minutes, we let them know that we would have to start closing down the store, and we could start ringing them up if they
    via u/Puzzleheaded-Brush58
  • 06
    Font - wanted. The woman started to get extremely huffy, and asked us why we were rushing them. I explained that our store wasn't allowed to be open longer than the mall was, and that all store
    via u/Puzzleheaded-Brush58
  • 07
    Font - employees were supposed to be out at most an hour after close. We told her she could let her kids. finish their figures, and that we would give her 10 minutes to do so.
    via u/Puzzleheaded-Brush58
  • 08
    Font - When the ten minutes were up, I went over to let her know. We had another conversation about why she couldn't stay longer, which turned into a 5- minute argument where I
    via u/Puzzleheaded-Brush58
  • 09
    Font - was trying to stay calm and she was getting more and more aggressive. I told her she could either check out now, or we would have to close. She got extremely angry, and had all of her children put all their items into the minifigure making area,
    via u/Puzzleheaded-Brush58
  • 10
    Font - and they stormed out. We ended up staying another 20 minutes to clean up after them and finishing procedures.
    via u/Puzzleheaded-Brush58
  • 11
    Font - The next day, my manager showed me the review she made. Here's what it said "Went in paraphrased: with my kids, unaware they closed early. They had a minifigure table, so I let my kids build some.
    via u/Puzzleheaded-Brush58
  • 12
    Font - They didn't let us finish or pay. Instead, they kicked us out and made us take apart our figures. The kids were super sad, because we drove out of town to make them. I am EXTREMELY unhappy with the rude employees."
    via u/Puzzleheaded-Brush58
  • 13
    Font - My coworker and I explained what happened, my manager watched the footage, and we did not get in trouble.
    via u/Puzzleheaded-Brush58
  • 14
    Font - Stonned Maker. 2 days ago They might she just wants free entertainment for her kids. Karen never had any intention of paying she just didn't want to entertain her own children
    via u/StonnedMaker
  • 15
    Font - Anisalive 2 days ago · Poor kids, growing up with mother likely making promises and repeatedly breaking them and then screaming fault at others. Kids know the truth
    via u/Anisalive
  • 16
    Font - CoCo_loamb 2 days ago She also probably used the employees as a scapegoat. "Well kids these employees kicked us out and won't let us buy anything. I was going to buy one for each of you but they wouldn't let me."
    via u/Coco_loamb
  • 17
    Font - silverbrumbyfan. 2 days ago Imagine the review if she got locked inside the mall, if someone told me the reason for closing is the whole d n building closed not just the store I'd be out of there so fast
    via u/silverbrumbyfan
  • 18
    Photograph - D TIS
    via pxfuel

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toy-store-employee karen-mom karen-customer children-toys buy-sell-trade-toy-store toy store
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