'Goldilocks attitude': Cardiff barista serves the local Karen a lukewarm coffee the day after she demands a refund for her usual "extra hot latte" being "too hot;" to everyone's delight, Karen never returns

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Jesse Kessenheimer • Writer and Editor
Nov 12, 2025 7:00 AM EST

A regular at a Cardiff coffee shop repeatedly complained that her "extra hot" latte was either too hot or too cold, until staff sought a little lukewarm petty revenge. To the delight of the other cafe employees and regulars, her Goldilocks attitude was never seen again in the shop.

Apparently, when you reach a certain tax bracket, you're entitled to start harassing service industry employees. At least in San Diego, where I'm from, that's what the local Karens believe, because Karen customer behavior is almost a guarantee when you work in rich, fancy areas. 

While many customers who stroll through the front doors of their local small coffee shop are friendly and wonderful to the employees, wholeheartedly complimenting the housemade syrups and trying the latest dairy-free milks, some wealthy Karens just want to watch minimum-wage employees squirm under their scrutiny. Unluckily for this Goldilocks Cardiff Karen, these San Diego baristas weren't going to tolerate her entitled behavior much longer, proving that her pettiness could be matched with more pettiness… And a tepid, room-temperature, lukewarm oat milk latte. 

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  • Female barista serving a pastry to a customer
    via ferrantraite

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • Customer complained her coffee was "too hot," so I made sure her next one wasn't
    via Numerous-Promise4378
  • I work at a coffee shop in Cardiff. We have regulars, most are lovely. Then there's this one woman.
    via Numerous-Promise4378
  • She orders the same thing every day: large oat milk latte, extra hot. Comes in around 9am, always on her phone, never says please or thank you.
    via Numerous-Promise4378
  • Last Tuesday she complained her coffee was "too hot" and demanded a refund. I explained she literally orders it extra hot. She said I was being argumentative and making excuses. Insisted on speaking to my manager.
    via Numerous-Promise4378
  • Blonde customer paying with a credit card at a cafe
    via Jacob Lund

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • Manager gave her a refund to avoid a scene. Woman left smirking. Next morning, same time, same order. "Large oat milk latte, extra hot."
    via Numerous-Promise4378
  • I made it exactly to standard temperature. Not extra hot. Just regular hot, which cools down faster.
    via Numerous-Promise4378
  • She didn't check it in the shop. Walked out talking on her phone like always.
    via Numerous-Promise4378
  • She came back twenty minutes later absolutely fuming. Coffee was "lukewarm" and "undrinkable." Demanded another refund.
    via Numerous-Promise4378
  • I very politely explained that after yesterday's complaint about it being too hot, I made it to standard temperature today to ensure it wouldn't burn her. Can't win either way, apparently.
    via Numerous-Promise4378
  • She demanded I remake it extra hot like she ordered. I said I'd be happy to, but couldn't offer a refund since the first one was made to
    via Numerous-Promise4378
  • standard temperature, which is what we serve unless otherwise specified, and she did receive the oat milk latte she paid for.
    via Numerous-Promise4378
  • Manager backed me up this time. No refund. She hasn't been back in four days. The morning shift has been significantly more pleasant.
    via Numerous-Promise4378
  • Stephanie8769. A very Goldilocks attitude
    via Stephanie8769
  • Barista making a coffee at a cafe
    via Ozan Keklik

    Image is representative only and does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • lumoslomas ⚫ I'm baffled that the response to "it's too hot" was anything other than "wait for it to cool down" But look at you, providing exceptional customer service, remembering your regulars
    via lumoslomas
  • pizzasauce85 I had a customer demand I hear her coffee in the microwave for at least 5 minutes. I did that, she complained to management and called corporate because her coffee took five minutes to arrive at the table...
    via pizzasauce85
  • Numerous-Pro... OP The best part was using her own complaint against her. "You said it was too hot, so I made it cooler" is technically providing good customer service based on previous feedback.
    via Numerous-Promise4378
  • My coworker said I'm diabolical. I prefer "attentive to customer concerns."
    via Numerous-Promise4378
  • BaldPleaser I'd have you as my Barista any day. Love my coffee's really hot but I do understand why there's a limit on temp settings de. You don't need obnoxious clients like her. It doesn't cost anything to say "Thankyou" regardless.
    via BaldPleaser
  • 010Tortoise Reminds me when my sharpening Customers ask me not to make it to sharp. Lol, I would tell them I can't do a halfway sharp!!
    via 010Tortoise
  • SSSasky ⚫ I used to work the after-work shift at a cafe in Montreal, Canada. We had a regular who would buy a latte every day after work. One day, she came in and demanded a refund because her last one tasted like 'wet cardboard'.
    via SSSasky
  • In talking to her about the situation, we found out that every day, she would cradle this latte all the way home on the Metro (subway) without taking a sip. When she got home, she would microwave it to warm it up -- in the paper take out cup -- to drink at home.
    via SSSasky
  • When we told her there was no way we could promise her that her hour-old latte microwaved in a paper cup would not taste like wet paper in future, she stopped coming completely. Years of coming in every day, off like a light switch. BUH BYE!
    via SSSasky

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karens coffee shop barista cardiff san diego southern california petty revenge coffee karens in the wild goldilocks karen
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