‘The excessive help angle’: Servers swap techniques on how they secretly annoy customers they don't like

Author image for Elna McHilderson
Elna McHilderson • Managing Editor
Apr 7, 2025 6:00 PM EDT

If you have ever worked in the service industry then you know the plight that comes with it. Sure, the yips can be good and sometimes you get it all under the table and it feels like you're swimming in cash. But the reality of it all is that your work day is filled with constantly being belittled by entitled customers and having to play the parent of an unruly child when a Karen throws a tantrum. It's exhausting. I haven't worked in the service industry in over 10 years and I STILL have nightmares about it. And I worked at one of the good places! I LOVED all my co-workers! The patrons though, holy heck, did they think dinning at a restaurant meant they now have ultimate control over a human being. I learned a lot, but I also may have lost several years of my life. Tbd… 

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  • When working as a waiter, bartender, host, food runner, whatever, you start to pick up little tips and tricks to keep you sane around certain entitled customers. For example, doing something that is very annoying to that customer, but it's just sneaky enough that they can't really blame you for it or get you in trouble. It's the littler wins you have to appreciate in these kinds of workplaces. Here we have found a Reddit thread that shares servers sneaky ways to get back at Karen customers. Check it out! 

  • Cheezburger Image 10489869568
    via Unsplash+ (and Louis Hansel)

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • "How do you annoy tables you don’t like?"

    Today I served a table with someone who I know personally from high school (we are in uni now) and I do not like him at all. His girlfriend cyber bu ied my best friend online and made fake nudes of her,
    via xcherrywavesx
  • spreading them around to everyone she knows, including her grandparents. This guy defended his gf so naturally I don't like him. I decided to wait a good 15 minutes before punching the order in. It's petty, but I know other people do it.
    via xcherrywavesx
  • Plus I make enough in tips. that sometimes I can sacrifice it to be petty lol. What do you guys do in these situations? I would love some suggestions if
    via xcherrywavesx
  • you have any. They need to be simple enough that I don't seem like a total b though (hahahah)
    via xcherrywavesx
  • TruuPhoenix Probably just go with minor inconveniences. Ask a ton of questions — for example if they order a burger, ask for temp, if they want all the toppings, if they want shredded lettuce or whole leaves, if they want diced onion or whole onion, if they want ketchup with their fries, etc.
    via TruuPhoenix
  • That's what I think would annoy most people, just constantly bother them in a way that also makes it look like you're doing your job. No reasonable person is gonna complain that you're making sure they're okay, but they will be annoyed by you constantly coming over and interrupting them lol
    via TruuPhoenix
  • spaetzelspiff "For the chicken burger, the chef recommends blue" But yes, coming to the table unnecessarily is key. Especially if you can ask if they need anything, then come and check on them before it's ready.
    via spaetzelspiff
  • "Can I get you anything else?" "I'm waiting on a water?" "Yes, they're making it now. Sorry, the kitchen's a little backed up"
    via spaetzelspiff
  • loserusermuser omg the excessive help angle. brilliant
    via loserusermuser
  • stc207 Keep filling their glass of water right to the rim so it gets everywhere when they pick it up and do it super often. Also fill it entirely with ice so it hits their face all the time
    via stc207
  • Cheezburger Image 10489920256
    via Unsplash+ (and Negley Stockman)

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • lavendarhoneytea The constant water refill is my trick to get a cashed out table who has already spent 2+ hours in my section to leave. You took a sip of water again? Let me refill that for you! Especially if they've already paid and signed their slip, and it's a busy night, "have we decided to have another round?" "Did we change our minds about having dessert?" GET OUT OF MY SECTION.
    via lavendarhoneytea
  • beetlegirl- whenever you make a soda/sweet tea/lemonade, spill a little on the sides but dont wipe it off so their hands get slightly sticky
    via beetlegirl-
  • sad-dog-hours when i ask a table if theyre ready to put some food in and they rudely tell me theyre not ready, or flag/snap at me to come take their order and don't know what they want, i walk away and make sure to do other things in clear view of them. menial sh too like restocking or helping another server bus. then walk over a handful of minutes later and go, in my sweetest angel voice, "are we all set to order then?"
    via sad-dog-hours
  • Fally00n I used to tell the bar and kitchen staff what table and what they ordered and they made the drinks weaker/ size portions smaller. Small wins.
    via Fally00n
  • Hungrygirl89 Crop dusting (walking past while ) is the most passive aggressive thing I think you can do without getting in trouble. Double points if you make friends with the server that has IBS and won't rat you out. I used to have an amazing alliance with the server with IBS. I'd cover his tables when he had to be in the bathroom for 30 minutes. All I'd have to do is say table "x" in passing and in 5 minutes that table would magically start gagging.
    via Hungrygirl89
  • Especially potent if it was the end of the night or if they'd been there for 4 hours during a 2 hour wait for a 4 top. I'd only use that nuclear bomb for the tables that truly deserved that heavy sulfur smell.
    via Hungrygirl89
  • Unwashed Grape When I drop off their credit card I intentionally mispronounce their name. One time the last name was "Fucchus"
    via Unwashed_Grape
  • TheeQuestionWitch "person X and I were just talking about you, and now you're here!" That's the move.
    via TheeQuestionWitch
  • Vickimae44 I used to bend people's straws lol. Everyone knows having a tiny crack in a straw drives u nuts. I'd have my special pocket of all cracked straws, so if they wanted a new one I had them covered, bonus on cracking it right in the middle so they couldn't flip it.
    via Vickimae44
  • ReasonableFig4396 I put their order on a 20 minute hold if they off. I call it timeout lol me
    via ReasonableFig4396
  • super-wookie Pretend you can't hear / understand them, read back their order slightly wrong and get confused when they correct you, passive aggressive compliments, OMG you look amazing did you lose weight? Or the opposite, oh wow, must have been a big night, y'all look tired. Do you need aspirin, you must be super hung over. That shirt is amazing what a goodwill find! So how is your mom, did she ever find a job? Looks like that rash cleared up, good for you.
    via super-wookie
  • double_dangit Ask how they're doing every 5 min right after they've taken a bite of something and have a full mouth
    via double_dangit

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karens service industry story dinning server waiter funny server reddit karen tipping fine dinning server life what goes around comes around entitled people karma pay back karens in the wild justice served entitled karen karma dining experiences r-entitled waitress Reddit restaurant work karen story karma karen restaurant server entitled people service industry funny dinning
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