Karen Refuses to Tip Servers Despite Restaurant Continuously Complying With Her Demands

Author image for Sienna Varady
Sienna Varady
Dec 27, 2023 7:00 PM EST

As a former server, I can attest to the fact that ninety-nine percent of customers are Karens. However, it's our positive outlook that keeps us sane. Though the evidence may seem to contradict our sense of optimism, we, for some reason, hold onto this notion that one day our table will greet us with a smile and leave us with a fat tip. 

The story below is an account of a frustrated waiter who has to deal with a table of Karens who won't pay the well-deserving servers.  It's one thing when the table refuses to leave a tip; it's quite another when the table makes several silly requests during the course of the meal, and then declines to leave a tip all while grumbling about the service. I mean… Talk about gratitude. The fact that people need to be reminded to lead with kindness is mind-boggling. So, if you're curious to find out what happened or if you simply relate to the poor server, be sure to keep on scrolling and check out the story below! And when you're done, check out a satisfying story about a couple that refuses to vacate a parking space until further notice here!

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  • 01
    "These guests never intended on leaving a dime!"
    via Canva
  • 02
    Ever have guests who insisted on moving to a different table?
    via u/ashleyoftheways
  • 03
    Last night, I found myself in a unique situation. I was serving in the "loft" section of our restaurant. It's the second story dining area of our semi-upscale establishment. The stairs leading to the loft face the entrance of the restaurant, also in plain sight of the bar/lounge. As
    via u/ashleyoftheways
  • 04
    one of my two-tops was exiting down the flight of stairs, another two-top in the lounge section had asked their assigned server to relocate them to the now vacant table in the loft. At this point in their meal, had consumed two appetizers, three rounds of drinks
    via u/ashleyoftheways
  • 05
    & were minutes away from receiving their entrees. My coworker, whom is this sweet, career server in her late fifties politely declined the option of relocating them. She didn't want to take up a table in my section, nor
    via u/ashleyoftheways
  • 06
    did she want to continuously go up & down a flight of 17 stairs just to accommodate a single table. And again, their entrees were currently being plated. However, they begged our General Manager to move them. Sure as st, they
    via u/ashleyoftheways
  • 07
    managed to somehow tug at her heartstrings and they were led upstairs to my section on one single agreement. They would tip both their original server and myself at the conclusion of their meal. I accepted the transfer of the table in the POS system.
    via u/ashleyoftheways
  • 08
    Successfully delivered their entrees. Offered another round of beverages. Checked in on them appropriately throughout the meal. Boxed their leftovers and even offered desserts & hot beverages. They seem to be in a hurry to leave and asked for the check to be dropped off. I had found my GM
    via u/ashleyoftheways
  • 09
    and handed her the check to drop off to this couple, as I wasn't exactly sure how to go about ensuring both myself and their original server would be compensated. When my GM presented the check and asked
    via u/ashleyoftheways
  • 10
    how the couple would like to leave the tips, they trashed talked my service and said I made them feel like they weren't wanted. They also stated that I was ignoring not only them, but the 16 top who were also seated in my section. They didn't tip
    via u/ashleyoftheways
  • 11
    on a $280 check but handed their original server a $20 bill. I'm accepting the fact that they never intended on actually tipping and I'll even forgive them for the blatant lies they spewed concerning my service. But how should I
    via u/ashleyoftheways
  • 12
    communicate really should be less to my GM that we accommodating for guests who ask to move quite literally in the middle of their meal?
    via u/ashleyoftheways
  • 13
    LIFE IS PAR garbagewithnames. 18 hr. ago ya got cameras up there? "Look, you can clearly see I was quite attentive to everyone up there. And they are all smiles, would you look at that. They just hoodwinked
    via u/garbagewithnames
  • 14
    you about tipping both, especially considering how they undertipped their first server. Please don't reseat people again, boss."
    via u/garbagewithnames
  • 15
    Dr_StrangeloveGA . 17 hr. ago Sounds like they were just being p sy about being told no initially and probably thought you were the one who had refused them. People
    via u/Dr_StrangeloveGA
  • 16
    think they can just do whatever they want nowadays. It infuriates me that people want to escalate everything until they get their way. I used to back
    via u/Dr_StrangeloveGA
  • 17
    up my employees whenever possible as a manager. Sounds like classless, s t people.
    via u/Dr_StrangeloveGA
  • 18
    Grenuille 13 hr. ago If the manager is going to do that they need to add the tips on to the bill.
    via u/Grenuille
  • 19
    content_great_gramma. 12 hr. ago If the GM pulls this stunt again, remind him of this incident and ask if he plans to serve the customer he entitled.
    via u/content_great_gramma
  • 20
    charlesmacmac · 13 hr. ago Only once had a table move after ordering. Group of 10-12 insisted they sit on the patio, despite a light drizzle. TBF, it was barely raining when they sat down, but heavier rain was in the forecast.
    via u/charlesmacmac
  • 21
    As the kitchen plated their meals, I went to the table to ask "are you SURE you want to eat out here?" Yes, of course, just a drizzle, etc
    via u/charlesmacmac
  • 22
    As I was setting down their plates the heavy rain hit. We rushed all the people and food back inside, then pushed tables together and got everyone seated. Then I could deliver their cold, wet meals.
    via u/charlesmacmac
  • 23
    Another, better memory is the folks who sat down and immediately asked for "a better table". We weren't busy so it wasn't a problem, except... better in what way? "I don't know. Just... better.”
    via u/charlesmacmac

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customer service frustration tips workplace-stories expectations vs reality karen-customer reddit story restaurant server life petty karens in the wild Reddit tales from your server karen
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