‘Cut the nonsense!’: Entitled customer fabricates an allergy claim in order to ensure a customized meal, chef calls her out in front of entire restaurant

Author image for Sienna Varady
Sienna Varady
Jan 26, 2024 6:00 PM EST

Working in customer service is, as we often say, both a blessing and a curse. However, I don't believe I've covered the subject of tourists mixed with the pleasure of providing top-notch customer service.

The story below is an account of a chef who worked at a popular seafood restaurant for tourists. By then, OP claimed, he had been employed in the food business for around eight years. As a result, he has grown accustomed to dealing with demanding clients. Therefore, when the ultimate Karen showed up at the restaurant with the intention of intimidating his servers, OP decided to take matters into his own hands. To put it gently, OP made sure to give a once-in-a-lifetime performance… There wasn't a single dry eye in the crowd. 

That being said, if you're interested in learning what happened between OP and Karen—or, as OP refers to her, vacationing mega Karen (VMK)—then read the story below! And once you're done, check out the story about the mother who steals $500 from her son here!

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  • 01
    "I have good news and bad news for you. The good is that you are not allergic to anchovies. And the bad is that I know this because you ate some yesterday and are still fine..."
    via Canva
  • 02
    You can eat anchovies
    via u/wolfbane76
  • 03
    OK working with the public is always a fun time. I truly believe everyone should have to deal with a Karen with a force smile. It's a great lesson in tolerance. And learning the limits of them.
    via u/wolfbane76
  • 04
    Now I at the time have been a chef for about 8 years. I have built up a good thick skin at this point. So i can deal with the different breed of karen you'd However see in my work environment.( A tourist hot spot near the ocean) Learning to deal with the unicorn of Karen's
    via u/wolfbane76
  • 05
    the entitled vacationing Mega Karen. VMK for short. some of my coworkers. Namely the younger summer job waitstaff haven't developed the methods of tolerance yet. So with that lined up let me get to the story. I was the sous chef of a
    via u/wolfbane76
  • 06
    outdoor terrace style seafood restaurant by the sea that was also a sea side Inn. On this day a party of 5 came in. VMK with 4 others I want to say friends. The entire time I could hear her complain. That the Waitress was slow service with slow. Everything was taking too
    via u/wolfbane76
  • 07
    long. We had a Full House at the time. Anyway After Chowder Bread And a shared appetizer. All of which according to.VMK Took forever to get to the table. It was time to order salads. Now it's at this point I can tell she has been there before. Because she ordered the Caesar salad. But made a point to say hold the anchovies.
    via u/wolfbane76
  • 08
    Because she was allergic. No, at this point I should say that. We serve our Caesar salad with 2 anchovies in an X on top of our dish. Now she had said this in such a harsh way that my little Waitress was about in tears. And VMK Seemed to be enjoying it. Her
    via u/wolfbane76
  • 09
    friends seemed to be used to he type of behavior. So it was here I decided to step in. I walked over I'm my bright white chef coat. With the tall paper chefs hat. And spoke to karen. I'm sorry I couldn't help overhear. Please let me personally handle your order.
    via u/wolfbane76
  • 10
    We take allergies very seriously. I will be out with your order in a few minutes. So I then stepped inside (our salad station was indoors. I asked our salad chef to make a Cesar salad without dressing or garnish (the anchovies). While I stepped inside
    via u/wolfbane76
  • 11
    the storage room and took the label off the box our dressing came in. 3 minutes after I stepped inside I came back out and placed a plate of Romane lettuce with parmesan cheese and croutons. At first VMK had that smug victorious look on her face. That lasted about 30
    via u/wolfbane76
  • 12
    seconds till she realized (loudly) Where the Frig is my dressing. I asked for a Cesar salad!! I equality as loud but calm. (My voice carries like that) but mam you are Allergic. I can't feed you something you are allergic to.
    via u/wolfbane76
  • 13
    She yelled pointing her finger at me. I said I'm allergic to anchovies. I had your salad yesterday and you put anchovies on it. I just want my salad without anchovies. Now go make me one without it.
    via u/wolfbane76
  • 14
    I sad but mam it's right there in front of you. I have made you a anchovie free salad. But from what you have just told me I have good news for you. But let me confirm that you had my salad yesterday.
    via u/wolfbane76
  • 15
    pointed to the second ingredient "anchovie paste" To this day I can close my eyes and see her Go from red to white and back again. Her friends about fell outa their chairs laughing. Got a
    via u/wolfbane76
  • 16
    chuckle from a few other tables too. My little waitress got one h I of a tip from that table. Likely not from Karen, but her friends.
    via u/wolfbane76
  • 17
    WorldWeary1771. 7 hr. ago I am often surprised how few people actually know the ingredients that go into the foods that they claim to love. I had a friend recommend the Caesar
    via u/WorldWeary1771
  • 18
    at one place because it tasted less fishy there. Yeah, because they were using bottled creamy Italian dressing instead.
    via u/WorldWeary1771
  • 19
    Ok_Art_1342 - 6 hr. ago Saw it coming a mile away when she said Caesar salad and anchovies too many of these people claiming to be allergic to something they just dislike.
    via u/Ok_Art_1342
  • 20
    melbyz1980 - 6 hr. ago If you are truly allergic you read every single ingredient. I can't eat some types of ramen even the cheap kinds because they add oyster sauce and I have a shellfish allergy.
    via u/melbyz1980
  • 21
    Mad-Dog20-20 5 hr. ago Well played plated, Chef!
    via u/Mad-Dog20-20
  • 22
    RemarkableMacadamia. 6 hr. ago I like Caesar dressing, I just don't like anchovies. D (In the sense that I don't want to seeeee them. I'm fine eating them if you don't tell me they exist and I don't have to lay eyes on them in the dish.)
    via u/RemarkableMacadamia
  • 23
    SoftCattle 6 hr. ago Back in the olden days (before we invented dirt) I used to deliver pizzas while in high school. Someone ordered a small pizza with triple anchovies as the only topping. So crust, sauce, cheese and triple anchovies. Had to
    via u/SoftCattle
  • 24
    air my car our after I gave them their pizza. Apparently they were a regular and usually came to pick it up, but they ran late that day. All the way there I was thinking it was someone pulling a prank.
    via u/SoftCattle
  • 25
    fractal_frog 2 hr. ago I used to pick up pizza when we had it. My father- in-law loved anchovies on his pizza. I picked up a pizza order that included a small one with anchovies, to make him happy, and I never want to transport anchovy pizza again in my life.
    via u/fractal_frog
  • 26
    JustCallMeNon - 6 hr. ago I know not really the same thing but I can't help but share, my dad always used to tell me a story about a guy he knew who hated vegetables like HATED, but absolutely LOVED vegetable soup, idk how that works,
    via u/JustCallMeNon
  • 27
    maybe it was the vegetables being cooked to practically soft in a broth, but he could have just done it himself but nope had to be from a can of the soup
    via u/JustCallMeNon
  • 28
    Jules111317. 4 hr. ago Kinda reminds me of my mom, she hates raw onion but loves onion rings. I used to be the same but now I don't mind raw onion. There are a few more weird ones on her list but that's the one I always think of
    via u/Jules111317

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customer service Like a Boss tips malicious compliance karen-customer reddit story petty revenge restaurant karens in the wild Reddit restaurant work tales from your server karen restaurant server
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