As more restaurants re-open, some customers have proven their entitlement to be limitless. One such customer was a woman who went viral after she was told she couldn’t sit at Karen’s Diner.
This diner, with locations in Australia and the US, specializes in mocking people who complain about poor service – although some critics contend the staff have gone too far in their approach.
1. Try to calm her down.
Diners have taken notice of diners’ increasingly hostile environment by mocking Karens – women known for creating disruption and demanding instant service when something goes wrong, often by constantly complaining to staff or calling police on minor inconveniences. One restaurant, Karen’s Diner has taken this unique approach and generated considerable buzz and controversy over time.
Bec Hardgrave of Karen’s Diner posted a viral TikTok video showing an encounter between one customer and herself that went viral, but one of those involved wanted to clarify things further by creating another video showing that there’s no body shaming at his diner as per its sign.
The restaurant has an extensive set of rules which its staff and customers must abide by, such as no racism, homophobia or sexism; no touching; no vandalism or graffiti; and no threatening behaviour. Furthermore, staff will kick customers out if they violate these policies, leading some diners to feel that this approach goes too far.
Example: in one video, a man claimed that the waitress called him a fat b**ch and made comments about his receding hairline, both which violated rules and led him to demand that his money be refunded back.
Others were more forgiving and understood the place is supposed to be offensive yet fun; however, some individuals felt as if the staff had gone on an unreasonable power trip and crossed a boundary.
But even at restaurants with more relaxed rules, diners must still show servers respect and dignity. Servers are already working under immense strain due to the pandemic; any errors made should be accepted without complaint; but if food quality or service issues arise, speak up; only then can an improved dining experience and greater safety be assured for all.
2. Ask for her name.
As restaurants resume normal operations in the aftermath of pandemic, some customers have shown they still do not understand proper behavior. A diner worker had to manage Karen, an angry customer who became upset when told she wouldn’t be able to sit inside due to fullness. After making a scene and calling the police, Karen was eventually asked to leave by those present – leaving behind a $100 tip in response!
TikTok user @kkillen’s original video went viral, prompting many viewers to express their disdain for her behavior. When the diner owner attempted to reach out and explain what had transpired, however, she reportedly refused and claimed it was her waitress’s right not to provide service to anyone.
Ms Hardgrave posted another video showing footage of the man apparently calling one of her staff members fat b**ches and telling her his receding hairline is going “pear shaped.” When Ms Hardgrave yelled back that there’s to be no body shaming at the diner’s sign, he began pouring water all over it before leaving – an appalling show of entitlement that has left many questioning where exactly is the line between being rude for an unique dining experience and outright bullying.
3. Ask for a manager.
Restaurant work can be stressful enough without dealing with an angry Karen; therefore it’s essential that you remember that the most effective way of handling such situations is to let her know you mean business and will only go back without consulting the manager first.
Karen’s Diner is famous for its rude service, so only certain types of employees can work there. To reflect its signature rudeness, their menu offers dishes like The Basic, I Want To See the Manager” Karen and Deep Fried Karen Burgers along with Spicy Karen cocktails from 90s Karen to Sour Karen cocktails – plus there is even an option called Sour Karen Cocktail to complement their dining experience!
One diner who experienced her first encounter with Wild Karens was delighted when the encounter became a teachable moment. In a video uploaded to TikTok by user “wastingtimaway”, u/wastingtimaway shared her experience of getting served by an angry Karen who demanded seating inside even though the restaurant was full and Covid-19 made indoor seating impossible.
Karen refused to be persuaded, and began shouting at the server while demanding she contact the manager immediately. But the resilient server wasn’t about to waste his or her manager’s time by listening to such an entitled rant; instead she told Karen either give back her table and extra chair or dine somewhere else.
As a result, Karen left the restaurant and diners who witnessed the confrontation gave the waitress who witnessed it a $100 tip as compensation for their experience. But this whole episode highlights that not everyone is suitable for hospitality jobs — particularly during an infectious disease pandemic.
As more restaurants open during this pandemic, we may see more instances of Karens in nature; therefore, it’s essential that we keep in mind how to interact with them should one cross our path.
4. Ask for a refund.
Have you ever worked at a restaurant and encountered customers with full-on Karen attitudes that interfered with your day and told off about minor things without even considering other solutions? While you wish you could simply tell off these individuals without fearing retaliation from management, that simply wouldn’t do as it’s your job and it wouldn’t look professional!
Australia has one restaurant chain that relishes in having the opportunity to mock entitled ranters: Karen’s Diner has become known for deliberately being rude towards its guests as part of providing an unconventional dining experience; many may see this as just being provocative; other feel it’s up to customers themselves whether or not they wish to visit Karen’s Diner and experience its rudeness first-hand.
Others feel the restaurant has gone too far, and that its staff are being bullying to its guests. Recently, one person posted a TikTok video of her dining experience at Karen’s Diner that went viral; following its posting by TikTok users who made reference to it in their comment sections; in response to this footage being posted by TikTok users which showed one customer confronting staff regarding body shaming comments made about a receding hairline that customers claimed as body-shaming by another staff member; since then he reached out and tried to settle the dispute between himself and customers involved by reaching out and speaking directly.
Video footage may be difficult to watch, but the man seen there has since apologized and explained his visits during the pandemic as regular visits. He reportedly reached out to Karen’s Diner’s manager in order to seek refund and ensure his behavior wouldn’t be accepted; while some were dismayed at his reaction; other may find it refreshing seeing someone take responsibility and apologize publicly despite what seems like unfair treatment from service providers.