'YOU SHOULD BE SERVING ME': Bookstore worker on a coffee break accosted by raging Karen who thinks she works there

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Brad Dickson • Managing Editor
Nov 9, 2023 12:00 PM EST

Karens have the uncanny ability to identify, single out, and berate people who work customer service jobs, accosting them with wanton fury regardless of whether or not they even happen to be working at that time—or are even employed by that place at all.

 

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  • When I worked retail, this would happen to me on my days off, I'd occasionally be in the store as a customer, wearing nothing that would possibly identify me as an employee of the store, and customers whom I had never seen before would single me out and ask me for help despite the fact that I was merely shopping myself. Maybe it's because I was apparently comfortable milling around the store, but it's almost as if they shared the instinct of a predator that allows them to single out the weakest member of a herd.

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    "YOU SHOULD BE SERVING ME!" SUPERDOG W/SAUSAGES, POTATOES, & DRESSINGS 89,-
    via Irina

  • This Karen singled out this bookstore worker while she was relaxing on her coffee break at a nearby cafe, the Karen assumed that just because the worker was dressed as someone who worked a job she must be there to serve her, and should do so immediately.

  • 02
    Posted by u/Liuo_0901 Ma'am, I don't work here XL For good clarification, I work in a well- known bookstore in my country, my uniform is a white blouse with a cactus green fabric apron with the name of the bookstore embroidered on it, I usually wear a bun.
    via u/Liuo_0901
  • 03
    Normally on my lunch break I usually go to the cafe next to the bookstore, I'm already a regular customer and both the owner and most of the employees know me by my name, keeping that in mind the situation was this: I went to my lunch break as I normally do, as it's really close I don't see the point in taking off my apron.
    via u/Liuo_0901
  • 04
    I joined the queue for my much-desired snack and tea, when I finished my order I sat down next to the counter and started talking to one of the people in charge, we were talking about some books that had arrived and were from the new collection he was waiting for, when suddenly Karen (I'll call her that) appears next to me and starts shouting like:
    via u/Liuo_0901
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    "WHY ARE YOU CHATTING WHEN YOU SHOULD BE SERVING ME" I honestly don't understand these people, she continued shouting and drawing the attention of the entire establishment. I looked at the worker next to me, and we didn't understand. But then Karen pulled me over (she was sitting on a bench), and started shouting about how useless I was, and that she was going to report me to
    via u/Liuo_0901
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    my boss, it must have taken about 10 minutes for me to react. Me: "Ma'am, there must be something wrong, I don't work here-" "WHAT BS, I SAW YOU CHATTING, HOW CAN YOU STAY HERE CHATTING WHILE I'M WAITING FOR MORE THAN 30 MINUTES FOR MY ORDER" I realized then that this woman was crazy,
    via u/Liuo_0901
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    and then some of the employees started trying to convince Karen that I EXPLICITLY didn't work there, and ironically the only argument she had was "she has a bun, and wears an apron" I believe I saw several people laughing at the situation, after a few long minutes, she got upset and said she wanted to talk to the boss, but Arthur (a young man in his 50s)
    via u/Liuo_0901
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    appeared and started talking to Karen, who still insisted that I was an employee there, and then Arthur sent her out and handed the money into her hand, and pushed her outside the cafe, while she was shouting that she was going to call the police, poor Karen, the cafe has internal cameras and there were several customers in the store, including my
    via u/Liuo_0901
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    manager, who when we started to return to the bookstore she laughed at the situation, and the coffee discussion became a topic of conversation throughout the week. :)
    via u/Liuo_0901
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    capn_kwick 2 hr. ago It's almost like they have some kind of ability, like a lion, to sense which member of a group is somehow the "weakest" and zero in on that person to exclusion of anyone else telling her differently. Fortunately, occasionally, we get the posts where the narrator is able to turn the tables on the Karen. 413 Reply Share
    via u/Liuo_0901
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    dave 900575 57 min. ago This is why I usually wear a scone or a muffin instead of a bun./s Vote tOSdude 25 min. ago Reply Share ● Vote I love the idea of somebody just balancing a muffin on their head to show they are a customer. Reply Share
    via u/Liuo_0901
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    3lm1Ster 1 hr. ago She has a bun and wears an apron..she must.work here! YOU ARE STUPID AND HAVE THE MISTAKEN BELIEF THE WORLD REVOLVES AROUND YOU. YOU MUST BE A POLITICIAN ↑ 11 Reply Share
    via u/Liuo_0901

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customer support customer service karens job server waiter karen-customer work customers waiting customer talesfromyourserver food service service karens in the wild workplace entitled tales from your server karen entitled people service industry idontworkherelady
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