'Teach that girl some manners!’: Grocery store karen offers father daughter duo unwelcome ‘advice’ while they wait in line for checkout, resulting in grocery store face off

Author image for Sienna Varady
Sienna Varady
Mar 19, 2024 7:00 AM EDT

Some folks enjoy stirring up strife and mayhem. We all know who these folks are, even though it may sound harsh. However, what do you do if you encounter those people? Do you give in so as to avoid a confrontation, or do you approach the Karen head-on with courage and confidence?

The story that follows relates to the account of a clever father who decides to confront the grocery store Karen directly. The Original Poster (OP) had visited a grocery store with his baby daughter. To pass the time while the small girl was in the store, they engaged in a harmless game of cart racing. However, Karen, an impatient grocery store client, heard and decided to chastise the father-daughter duo for their reckless conduct. But instead of keeping his cool in order to appease the conceited Karen, OP decided to take matters into his own hands and teach the challenging Karen a lesson!

That being said, if you're curious to find out how OP exacted revenge, be sure to check out the story below! Once you're finished, don't forget to read the story of the company that sent a random guy a client's personal information, only for the guy to cancel all of their scheduled appointments as payback for the inconvenience!

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  • 01
    "I don't remember asking you for parenting advice..."
    via canva
  • 02
    Karen got her due at the grocery store.
    via u/tarzanismypony
  • 03
    My (40m) almost 4 year old daughter loves grocery shopping with me, especially if we get one of those race car grocery carts. If it's a "slow" time at the store I take her to the deli (where there is a wide open space in the corner) and spin a circle with the cart... she LOVES it! It usually gathers smiles in the rare case someone is nearby... just a dad having fun with his daughter right?
    via u/tarzanismypony
  • 04
    Just yesterday after doing a single spin; we went on our way when an older lady (I'd say early 70s) came towards us shaking her head and glaring at us. I gave her a perplexed look in response to her scowl and she muttered something about having "absolutely no respect for public spaces".
    via u/tarzanismypony
  • 05
    I responded: Sorry mam, I was just having fun with my child. Sorry to have offended you.... have a nice day. I thought that was that and was happy to move on but she continued. Her: shame on you for teaching your child such poor manners, I taught my children how to behave in public.
    via u/tarzanismypony
  • 06
    Me: clearly that's a lesson you didn't bother to learn yourself. I wonder how well they turned out. Her: muttered something about them being perfect. My (almost) 4 year old is EXTREMELY perceptive (and sensitive) and asked if she had done something wrong. I then explained as loud as I could:
    via u/tarzanismypony
  • 07
    Me: "absolutely not honey, that's just a very grumpy old bully!" She AGRILLY responded: "I am not grumpy! I just want to be left alone" Me (with my stern face): No? Well you certainly are a bully then, and if you want to be left alone I strongly suggest you start minding your own f ing business. You taught your children to behave in
    via u/tarzanismypony
  • 08
    stores? I'm teaching mine to stand up to bullies like you, thank you for this perfect teaching moment. She finally caught the hint to shut her trap and moved along, still muttering and shaking her head. Petty revenge commences: Twice more we encountered her in the other isles and I made sure to overdo the race-car theme, but would abruptly stop
    via u/tarzanismypony
  • 09
    when we got near her... saying loudly to my daughter "careful now honey, we don't want to anger the FUN POLICE!"... and my daughter played along PERFECTLY! As fate would have it, we were approaching the check out at nearly the same time. We got there first but I magnanimously allowed her in-front of us
    via u/tarzanismypony
  • 10
    to be first inline at the solitary manned checkout, knowing she would complain... and she did not disappoint. She immediately started to explain to the till person that she was harassed by me and my daughter this whole time and how we were disrupting the whole store. The till lady cautiously looked over at me and I just gave a totally confused
    via u/tarzanismypony
  • 11
    shrug. I'm still in my formal work clothes (suit and tie) and my daughter is wearing her adorable poofy fairy skirt, picture perfect innocence. Having obviously seen me let the lady in-front of us in line, the till person gave me an apologetic smile and just nodded and smiled, humouring Karen. She must have tried complaining further at customer services because we were
    via u/tarzanismypony
  • 12
    now leaving at the same time, despite our full grocery cart a child insisting on helping with the bagging. Once outside I made sure to dr g race that cart past her as loud and as obnoxiously as I could and my daughter squealed in delight! I didn't even bother looking back at that crusty old bi h. She ruined my shopping outing, I hope I ruined her entire day.
    via u/tarzanismypony
  • 13
    I do feel bad for people that are this desperately miserable but I also have zero patience for them taking it out on other people just trying to enjoy a sliver of joy in their day. I think if enough of us consistently confront people like this, they might just learn to keep their mouths shut and their poor attitudes to themselves.
    via u/tarzanismypony
  • 14
    Mandatory edit: formatting, gratitude, and trolls (no content edits). Thanks for all the fatherhood props, made my day! And thanks for all the new grocery store shenanigans tips! can't wait to bring joy to hundreds of people while p sing off one.
    via u/tarzanismypony
  • 15
    My mind is blown about the people defending this lady, labeling me the bully, and shaming my parenthood. .. they're just trolls right? Please say they're trolls. Shamed to say it worked though; I responded to them... I failed.
    via u/tarzanismypony
  • 16
    MidiReader 20 hr. ago Lol, she wanted to be left alone but deliberately went out of her way to talk to you? ROTFL I mean really?
    via u/MidiReader
  • 17
    tod2rock 20 hr. ago • My favorite social media personality says, "Have a good day, but if you can't, don't you dare go messing up anybody else's." That old biddy needed to hear that
    via u/tod2rock
  • 18
    1HourADay 20 hr. ago You sound like a stand-up dad, OP. Way to shut down misery while prioritizing and teaching your daughter. This may be a core memory for her <3
    via u/1HourADay
  • 19
    VixenTraffic · 20 hr. ago Good job dad. I'm proud of you, and glad you are teaching your daughter to stand up for herself. But as a little old lady, I'm so sad for her. I bet her kids don't even let her see her grandchildren because she is such a bully.
    via u/VixenTraffic
  • 20
    Lady_Grey_Smith 18 hr. ago Hard to imagine someone with grown kids and grandkids not able to be happy for a parent making good memories with their small child. Joy is such a gift, no wonder that lady couldn't be happy for OP.
    via u/Lady_Grey_Smith
  • 21
    Ducky_Duck123 · 19 hr. ago With two kids, I used to do my grocery shopping early in the morning to avoid the larger crowds. Generally I was the youngest, surrounded by all the elderly folks doing their shopping. Also used to use the race car carts to keep my two children in one place. Dn things are hefty though.
    via u/Ducky_Duck123
  • 22
    Remember once parking the giant monster of a cart in front of the chicken display so I could pick out the meat I was buying for the week. I was there for no less than a minute when some elder guy just started losing his mind on me for blocking the chicken and being a w re
    via u/Ducky_Duck123
  • 23
    because I was in the way. I was just like "Look you old cow, you could have ASKED nicely for me to move the cart to get to the chicken THAT YOU CAN GET TO FROM THE OTHER SIDE but clearly your brain cells fell out
    via u/Ducky_Duck123
  • 24
    of your head the older you got." It's been like 12 years, but I'm still annoyed when I think back on it.
    via u/Ducky_Duck123
  • 25
    kellieking80 19 hr. ago Honestly, as someone who finds myself grumpy at the store... I would have a better day seeing someone having such fun with their child. I'd be smiling through the rest of the store. And I try to not give my "grump" to anyone else... I don't want anyone else to be miserable.
    via u/kellieking80
  • 26
    ronansgram. 15 hr. ago I worked as a cashier and I don't know why some people even leave their house if they are in such foul moods. We greet each customer with a smile and a friendly hello and some just snap your head off and throw their stuff on the
    via u/ronansgram
  • 27
    belt. Like what the h I did I do to you?! Some ignore you like you don't exist and practically throw the money at you. Luckily no one did it so bad the money landed on the floor because I would NOT have picked it up. If you hate people so much use a shopping service, I'm sure they would find fault there as well.
    via u/ronansgram
  • 28
    Queasy_Magician_1038 · 18 hr. ago As a mom who used to take young kids to the grocery store a lot, I would say random shaming by elderly women occurred 30-50% of the time, They didn't like that I brought the baby's car seat in, or that I allowed my kids to walk around with the free cookie the bakery
    via u/Queasy_Magician_1038
  • 29
    gave them, or that their jacket was too warm for inside or their jacket was not warm enough for outside... who knows what else. If the kid cried, I was clearly not attentive enough but if the kid didn't cry I would get compliments on my
    via u/Queasy_Magician_1038
  • 30
    well behaved child... I'm really glad OP stood up to this nonsense. Old ladies everywhere need to mind their own d n business!
    via u/Queasy_Magician_1038

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