If you work in the service industry, then you know all too well the destructive power of entitled Karens. They demand to be addressed, diminish service workers and engage in racist microaggressions.
Dealing with annoying individuals can be a real challenge. Thankfully, they don’t always get away with their misbehavior.
1. Subway Karen
Over the past months, there has been an exponential rise in videos posted to social media by those labeling white people as “Karens” or “Karens Going Wild.” In these videos, Karens are seen engaging in acts of racism, screaming in public, and generally acting out.
In one video that went viral, a woman was captured on camera being rude towards a Subway employee. The clip was uploaded to TikTok by Charlie (@charlie_kincade), and has amassed over 2 million views.
The video begins with a customer who was clearly frustrated and had decided to record her entire conversation with an employee. She demands that they finish her sandwich before she can leave, seemingly demanding completion before being allowed to leave.
When the worker refused to listen to her, she became indignant and stormed away from the counter. Eventually, she returned and demanded they contact her supervisor.
However, the workers continue to ignore her and continue making sandwiches for other customers until she finally leaves. Several TikTokers expressed approval of how the employees handled her situation, noting that this set a model for how all workers should deal with rude customers and not let them take advantage of them in any way.
Karens have been known to throw temper tantrums at popular food service locations when they’re frustrated about not being able to get a seat or having difficulty getting their order correct. While this type of behavior is nothing new, the COVID-19 pandemic seems to have worsened it. Thankfully, businesses and employees are finding that saying “I’m sorry” or offering an immediate apology helps diffuse this issue more effectively.
2. Subway Karen II
The “customer is always right” mentality has driven some Americans to the brink. These inane outbursts have become the basis for social media views and even video recordings. While it remains unclear if these incidents are connected to the pandemic, they have certainly become increasingly commonplace.
In one such incident, a Subway worker was captured on video ignoring an entitled customer who claimed she should be fired for using her mobile phone during her shift. Although she claimed only taking two minutes away from the counter to check it, an impatient customer labeled her rude and called out her use of mobile devices as part of her duties.
Thatgyrl404’s video on TikTok, which has now been viewed 2 million times, garnered widespread praise for how employees treated an unruly customer. During her absence, the employee continued making sandwiches for other customers despite her protestations, ultimately prompting her to leave the store in disgust.
This video clearly depicts the woman being extremely frustrated with a Subway worker. She demands she finish making her sandwich and says the employee is showing disrespect by taking so long. Additionally, she requests the worker contact her manager.
When the worker fails to respond, the customer walks towards the door and threatens to report her. She then turns around and returns to the worker, asking them “Call your manager, please.”
Karens have been caught on video before. In the past, some have been accused of intimidating Black people in public spaces and falsely accusing them of crimes. While these individuals may not all be guilty of racism, they all possess certain shortcomings that must be addressed.
3. Subway Karen III
Many customers at Subway and other popular food service restaurants have displayed rude behavior towards employees. Often these incidents are captured on video and shared to social media for all to witness and judge.
In one viral TikTok clip, a woman shouts at a Subway employee to “finish” her sandwich before walking away from the store. However, the worker ignores her and continues making other sandwiches for customers in the restaurant. Thatgyrl404 – who happened to be filming this entire experience on her phone — documented everything and shared it on her TikTok page.
The video has now been viewed more than two million times and commenters have praised the employee for her swift response to an angry customer. Many commenters pointed out that this is an example of how employees should handle customers who are being unreasonable.
Ultimately, the customer is able to have her sandwich delivered directly to her door and still feels unsatisfied with how the employee treated her.
Another TikTok user, @charlie_kincade, recorded a Subway employee serving a customer and throwing her sandwich on the floor after complaining. When asked for her supervisor’s number, the employee ignored her request.
After some more silence, the customer again requests that an employee call her manager; however, she also threatens to report her. As she walks back toward the front door demanding another call,
When the employee calls her manager, she is informed that the woman has left the store. But still, customers are shouting at her and threatening to file a report. After leaving, the employee calls back her manager again and is instructed by “please call me.”
4. Subway Karen IV
In today’s technologically-driven world, many are recording and sharing their behavior for all to see. From coughing on restaurant staff to throwing temper tantrums at drive-thrus windows, there is an increasing trend of rude consumers whose actions are captured on video and seen by employers.
Twitter user @charlie_kincade recently shared a TikTok video featuring an angry woman demanding that a Subway employee finish making her sandwich. When the worker ignored her, she became enraged and called them an arrogant piece of s**t. The customer then proceeded to leave the store muttering things like “toast, no cheese,” and “finished my sandwich” before exiting in apparent fits of rage.
The video, which went viral with 2 million views, came at just the right time to address an increasing trend of angry customers who have made dining out in America a nightmare for businesses and employees alike.
Many may assume this trend is caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, however it has also been reported to date back to the Industrial Revolution when businesses relied on the idea that customers always get what they want. With social media’s rise and use of public freakouts as fuel for viral videos, this idea has only intensified.
Beyond the old-fashioned cellphone camera, businesses have several other methods to combat rude customers. While some businesses have taken these measures already, others appear to be falling behind. Until they take decisive action to safeguard their employees and customers from further vandalism and media attention, we can only hope their businesses survive this latest round of outright vandalism.
5. Subway Karen V
As the COVID-19 pandemic has taken hold, there have been reports of rude customers refusing to eat at restaurants or drive-thrus, or even coughing/spitting on employees. Thankfully, these types of incidents are often recorded and posted online for everyone’s viewing, in an effort to address such behaviour before it occurs again.
On a TikTok video that went viral, a woman can be seen demanding that a Subway employee finish making her sandwich. She is then ignored until she eventually gives up and leaves the store. The customer’s video was uploaded to TikToker @chalie_kincade on October 7 and has since been viewed over two million times.
At an Ohio Subway restaurant, the employee’s behavior was appalling. The customer shouted “Finish my sandwich!” and then requested they call their supervisor right away; however, the worker ignored her request and ignored her repeated demands for attention. Finally, as the customer began walking towards the front door of the store she turned around and demanded that they be called back to their station.
The employee states she’s not finished yet. The customer then shouts out “Call your supervisor!” The employee ignores the woman and continues to ignore her until she walks out of the store. Her behavior was highly offensive and showed she did not appreciate her employer’s response to her negative actions. It remains unclear if this was an intentional act by them or simply ignorant about how people act when feeling frustrated in public places.
