'Um, there's a line': Impatient Karen skips crowded line to order her drink, customer gets even by stealing her drink order

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Ben Weiss • Writer and Editor
Jan 5, 2025 2:00 PM EST

No one likes a line cutter. Whether it's at the post office, the DMV, or at a restaurant, there is an expectation of decency when it comes to following the social order of "first come, first serve." Of course, most social phenomena should be questioned, dissected, and reconsidered, but every so often, there is one that makes sense because it's what is fair and equitable for all. This might sound over the top, but the truth of the matter is that waiting in line is most certainly one of those necessary social norms.

This continues to apply to coffee shops, which tend to be popular and busy in the mornings as cranky customers are on the hunt for their reason to push forward before they head to work. However, no matter how cranky you are or how desperately you need caffeine injected into your system, the social norms of "first come, first serve" are still worth following, unless you want to make enemies like this Karen customer did.

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    Cheezburger Image 10450179072
    via Kaffee Meister

    This image is for illustration only, and the subjects are models; the image does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • What this lady did not anticipate was the savviness of one of the people she cut in line. This other person heard her order and immediately hatched a plan to ensure that she would not be allowed to cut in line and receive her drink before everyone else without any consequences.

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    The Coffee Line Karen Payback So a few weeks ago, I was at my go-to bakery that always has a long line on weekends. Like, I'd already been standing there for 15 mins when this woman (classic
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    Karen vibes) just walks right up to the counter like she owns the place. Totally ignored the rest of us.
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    Espre so 7/9 Cortado 9 Macchiato 8/9 Cappuccino 10/13 Americano 12 Cold coffee 16 Cold soy 16 Tea (potl 16 nocolate 13 Black coffee 10 Soft drink 10 Soy+3
    via Robert Bye

    This image is for illustration only, and the subjects are models; the image does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

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    Someone behind me tried to say something, like, "Um, there's a line," but Karen just goes, "I'm in a hurry," and acts like that makes it okay. The staff didn't want to argue, so they just took her order first.
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    I was so mad but decided to keep my mouth shut for now. Then I noticed what she ordered-a large iced coffee with extra whipped cream. That's when I got an idea.
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    When it was finally my turn, I ordered the exact same thing but asked them to hold it for a sec. As Karen strutted out with her drink, I casually walked back to
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    the counter and was like, "Hey, I think she grabbed my coffee by accident." Said it loud enough for everyone to hear.
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    The staff got all apologetic, and Karen had to come back inside with her smug face looking not- so-smug anymore. She had to wait for them to remake her drink while I left sipping mine and smiling like an idiot. Petty? Sure. But worth it? 1000%.
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  • Members of the community weighed in with their reactions and similar anecdotes. Keep scrolling below for their comments and for more stories like this, feel free to take a look at this one about an elderly Karen's conflict at the hotel where she was staying.

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    kdthex01 • 3h ago That coffee shop would lose me as a customer for allowing that.
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    Janno117 5h ago Revenge, best served... later
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    curvyjessic... OP 5h ago • Honestly, I'm not usually this petty, but something about her attitude just begged for it. No regrets.
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    Major-Check-1... • 2h ago Best thing for the bakery to do was not reward such behavior. The bakery should have taken a long time making Karen's drink and told her to go somewhere else when she got all entitled and mad.
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    mommagoose4 • 3h ago This is terrific! A simple petty, no one hurt in the process.
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    DedBirdGonn... 55m ago • "The staff didn't want to argue, so they just took her order first." Someone in a reddit post. recently asked why Karen's exist, what changed to allow that. Well, this is the reason.
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    . paulglosuk ⚫ 2h ago That was wonderfully petty and so well deserved.
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    glenmarshall • 1h ago This has never happened to me but, should it ever happen, I will loudly and rudely tell the person to get into line like the rest of us. Loud public shaming works.
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    lapsteelguitar · 2h ago • Ice cold revenge. Sweet :)
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    JustanOldBaby... . 1h ago Love the Karmic Justice!
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    . Mr_Careworn • 2h ago Iced coffee with cream. Iced coffee whipped cream? Iced coffee with cream. Iced coffee whipped cream? Iced coffee with cream. Iced coffee whipped cream.
    via curvyjessicadibbi

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karens entitled parents server karen-customer coffee karens in the wild entitled reddit thread Reddit karen entitled people
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