Have you ever encountered a person who is overly rude, demanding, and overreacting? Well, as you may or may not know, on the internet, these people are known as "Karens"—and they don't have the best reputation here, due to the fact that they're always unpleasant to interact with.
Now, imagine if you lived with such a person. Like if they were your parent. You can't really choose who your parents are, so it's not like you can avoid them in this case. And so, it leads to rather interesting stories. Today, let's read some of these testimonials coming from the children of Karens, shall we?
More info: Reddit
#1
My Mum complained to the manager at a restaurant that our waitress was incredibly rude (she wasn't) and dismissive (she wasn't). The manager informed us that she had severe autism and was in fact doing an amazing job and in the politest possible terms told my Mum to f**k off. The rest of us tipped big that day.
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104points
#2
This past January my mom had the meltdown of all meltdowns on my birthday because she didn't like the way I was dressed. For context I'm 34 years old. We were going to a 70's themed club/restaurant and I was wearing bell-bottoms and a vintage dress shirt from my collection. Last year she pulled the same s**t and my birthday dinner was cancelled, my father didn't want to come so as not to ruffle her feathers. Then because my little brother was getting a ride with my dad he couldn't come either. So the whole thing was called off.
This year I dug my heels in. I let her rant until she was out of breath, then took the opportunity of her gasping for air to calmly explain to her that the rest of our family would be going out for a nice dinner tonight. That the trick she pulled last year would not work this time. I told her it was a shame she felt the need to behave this way and that it hurt my feelings, and that if she could get over herself and be nice then she was still welcome to join us for dinner.
It didn't work. She started screaming again. So my dad and I left for the restaurant. We had a great time without her. My brother brought his girlfriend this year and we managed to time our reservation for happy hour so single-cocktails were only $6.
I remember I had the most delicious thin crust pizza. I wolfed the whole thing down on my own. I didn't even have room for my free slice of cheesecake after. Haha This particular venue gives you a free dessert on your birthday, you just need to show them your ID.
This year I dug my heels in. I let her rant until she was out of breath, then took the opportunity of her gasping for air to calmly explain to her that the rest of our family would be going out for a nice dinner tonight. That the trick she pulled last year would not work this time. I told her it was a shame she felt the need to behave this way and that it hurt my feelings, and that if she could get over herself and be nice then she was still welcome to join us for dinner.
It didn't work. She started screaming again. So my dad and I left for the restaurant. We had a great time without her. My brother brought his girlfriend this year and we managed to time our reservation for happy hour so single-cocktails were only $6.
I remember I had the most delicious thin crust pizza. I wolfed the whole thing down on my own. I didn't even have room for my free slice of cheesecake after. Haha This particular venue gives you a free dessert on your birthday, you just need to show them your ID.
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72points
#3
It’s not that she’s done just one, super, terrible thing, it’s that it’s a *pattern* of poor behavior and whining.
I don’t go to restaurants with my mom anymore because she just has no manners. Asking for the temperature in the restaurant to be adjusted, complaining about a water spot on her silverware, snapping her fingers to get the waitstaff’s attention, being generally rude to them, looking for things wrong with her meal so she can complain to the manager and get a discount/ etc.
And it’s not just restaurants. She actually wants to write a book thats essentially about how to complain enough that you get free/ discounted items at hotels, grocery stores, through Amazon, with your phone bill, etc.. She’s proud of this behavior.
I don’t go to restaurants with my mom anymore because she just has no manners. Asking for the temperature in the restaurant to be adjusted, complaining about a water spot on her silverware, snapping her fingers to get the waitstaff’s attention, being generally rude to them, looking for things wrong with her meal so she can complain to the manager and get a discount/ etc.
And it’s not just restaurants. She actually wants to write a book thats essentially about how to complain enough that you get free/ discounted items at hotels, grocery stores, through Amazon, with your phone bill, etc.. She’s proud of this behavior.
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62points
If you spend at least some time online—especially if you’re chronically online—you have probably heard the term Karen at least once or twice (let’s admit, likely way more times). And if you’re one of those who haven’t, let us introduce you.
Well, technically, Karen is a woman's name, which was at its peak popularity in around 1940-1965. Yet, in the context of online culture, this name has a slightly different connotation. In internet slang, it’s a pejorative term usually referring to a middle-class white woman who is perceived as entitled or excessively demanding.
#4
She didn't get her way when trying to return something, so held her arms straight out to the side while walking out so I whole bunch of stuff fell to the floor. It was a clothing store, so nothing broke, but it was still mortifying, and I could never shop there again.
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56points
#5
My mother, years ago now, was acquainted with the local McDonalds owner who lived down the street. They used to complain constantly at how expensive the ketchup and sauce packets were, apparently.
Anyways, one day my mother asked for extra ketchup when picking up dinner for our family of five. They gave her a small bag chock full of ketchup. My mother wrote down the kids name and later called the owner and ratted him out for wasting money on ketchup. She is proud of this a regularly tells people about it, even to this day…we don’t really talk anymore.
Anyways, one day my mother asked for extra ketchup when picking up dinner for our family of five. They gave her a small bag chock full of ketchup. My mother wrote down the kids name and later called the owner and ratted him out for wasting money on ketchup. She is proud of this a regularly tells people about it, even to this day…we don’t really talk anymore.
50points
#6
Sent a steak back 3 times..was perfectly cooked all 3 times. I don’t got out to dinner with her anymore.
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49points
Basically, these women typically use the fact that they're white and their class privilege to demand things go their way, and their demands got out of hand enough times that people took notice and created a full-blown term for it.
So, you know those women who say things like, “I demand to speak to your manager,” are racist, condescending, overreactive, or even wear a specific bob.
#7
I was 18 and dealing with cancer in my right leg. I had to have Serial Casting because my knee joint was "frozen" from being on crutches for several months. The first cast was put on the day before Thanksgiving and was a full leg cast (hip to toes). The technician stretched my leg too much, and after a few hours, I was in complete agony. My dad tried to cut it off with a hand saw, but couldn't because it was fiberglass. The tech agreed to meet us at his office on Thanksgiving day to cut it off. As we were waiting in the parking lot for him, my loving mother turned to me and said "I hope you realize that you've ruined Thanksgiving" she then warned me not to tell my dad that she said that. She was my primary caregiver, so I never told my dad for fear she would take it out on me. Needless to say, we're not close, and I "forgot" to call her on Mother's Day.
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48points
#8
When I was about 11 or 12 I got a ‘science award’ and a ‘number 2 student of the grade award’ (ie i had the second best grades) at the end of the school year and my mother was outraged that I got 2 and my twin sister didn’t get an award. She went to the school and raised hell so they created a new category and gave her a ‘music award’.
It was embarrassing for all of us at the ceremony including my sister and everyone knew what had happened (since she got her invitation to the award ceremony a few days after the rest of us).
It was so insignificant in the grand scheme of things (awards for 11 yos), I only remember it because my Karen-mom’s actions made me feel like it was my fault that my sister didn’t get anything, that my own achievements weren’t important, plus the amount of stress watching her get angry and go scream at the school people and embarrass us made this a core (and awful) memory/trauma.
It was embarrassing for all of us at the ceremony including my sister and everyone knew what had happened (since she got her invitation to the award ceremony a few days after the rest of us).
It was so insignificant in the grand scheme of things (awards for 11 yos), I only remember it because my Karen-mom’s actions made me feel like it was my fault that my sister didn’t get anything, that my own achievements weren’t important, plus the amount of stress watching her get angry and go scream at the school people and embarrass us made this a core (and awful) memory/trauma.
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48points
#9
My mom isn’t the Karen. My dad is. He would routinely insist we get seated at restaurants because he felt he’d waited long enough and they were “ignoring” us. He’d throw enough of a fit that they’d do it every time. Then he’d email corporate and complain again.
He probably does this because he has severe anxiety he chooses not to work on, and because crowds and standing in line are big triggers for him, but he genuinely thinks he is being mistreated every time. It’s upsetting. I live across the country from him now.
He probably does this because he has severe anxiety he chooses not to work on, and because crowds and standing in line are big triggers for him, but he genuinely thinks he is being mistreated every time. It’s upsetting. I live across the country from him now.
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46points
You might wonder exactly why this name chosen for this meme. Well, the thing is, within this stereotype, these women, as mentioned, are frequently middle-aged, meaning that they were born on or a little after the year's name was very popular. That means that, often enough, they’re called Karen, and so it stuck.
The unfortunate year for the name was 2020 when this term started taking off. The catalyst was the Central Park birdwatching incident when a woman called the police due to a disagreement over the requirement for her dog to be leashed in an area of the park. It was discussed a lot in the media, starting discussions about entitled women—and soon after, netizens found a name for it.
#10
My mom once requested a refund because her burger had one pickle instead of two. I was just watching in embarrassment when my mom and this lady in the counter just started going back and forth.
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43points
#11
My grandfather, my mother and myself went to a chain restaurant for a cheap takeout dinner, I was maybe 6 years old. She asked for an extra container of gravy. They rang it up and charged something like $0.40 for the ~200ml of gravy. She lost it. She didn't start by asking if the price had gone up (it hadn't), she just launched straight into berating a teenager over literal pennies while she was buying ~$50 worth of fast food chicken.
My grandfather and I were standing by the ketchup and straws, he leaned over and said "you see what she is doing? Never do that." He later explained that firstly, it's an incredibly trashy, rude thing to do. Secondly, it's a surefire way to eat spit and boogers.
It's FAR from her worst offense, but it's the first one that really stuck with ne.
My grandfather and I were standing by the ketchup and straws, he leaned over and said "you see what she is doing? Never do that." He later explained that firstly, it's an incredibly trashy, rude thing to do. Secondly, it's a surefire way to eat spit and boogers.
It's FAR from her worst offense, but it's the first one that really stuck with ne.
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43points
#12
My mother used to scream so much at my little league coach that we got banned from the fields. She hated that he would bench me and let other kids enjoy playing. I was good but god I hated playing sports. Funny thing is my favorite moments in little league were hanging out in the dugout joking and singing spice girls while the game was going on.
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38points
Granted, this sole incident wasn’t the only one that popped up in the news at the time—quite a few of them did, and that’s why cybercitizens were so eager to make it an online phenomenon. And it wasn’t only them —The Guardian called 2020 “the year of Karen.” Basically, a high-level publication approved the term.
That doesn’t mean it went through unscathed, however. Some people pointed out that this meme was rather sexist and ageist. After all, there was no masculine equivalent for it. So, netizens wouldn’t be netizens if they didn’t take this as a challenge—they started to look for a name that could be applied to men who act the same way as Karens.
#13
My sister is a karen and she called the police on a homeless man who had a bike that looked “too nice to have been his”. It was his, and she’s the worst!
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37points
#14
Years ago, I was at the mall with my mom and my sister. There was this pretzel place across from the food court that sold lemonade. We went to the pretzel place and bought three lemonades, then we went across the hall to the food court to get pizza. We sat down and began eating. The lemonade was not very good. Whatever, not a big deal, my sister and I were thirsty, so we drank it anyway. My mother did not drink hers and complained the entire time.
After we finished our pizza, my mother dragged us back over to the pretzel shop and demanded a full refund for all three lemonades. The cashier was very polite and refunded her lemonade since she didn't drink any of it, but (rightfully) did not refund the lemonades that my sister and I drank.
This was not good enough for my mother and she proceeded to pitch a hissy fit. I am so relieved that this all took place before cell phones, because otherwise we'd have videos of "Lemonade Karen" circulating all over the d**n internet. The cashier offered coupons, but did not refund the lemonades that my sister and I drank. By this point, my sister and I were thoroughly embarrassed and begging our mother to just drop it and leave. Finally, she did.
She spent the entire car ride home yelling at us because we drank our lemonades and this apparently made her look like an idiot.
After we finished our pizza, my mother dragged us back over to the pretzel shop and demanded a full refund for all three lemonades. The cashier was very polite and refunded her lemonade since she didn't drink any of it, but (rightfully) did not refund the lemonades that my sister and I drank.
This was not good enough for my mother and she proceeded to pitch a hissy fit. I am so relieved that this all took place before cell phones, because otherwise we'd have videos of "Lemonade Karen" circulating all over the d**n internet. The cashier offered coupons, but did not refund the lemonades that my sister and I drank. By this point, my sister and I were thoroughly embarrassed and begging our mother to just drop it and leave. Finally, she did.
She spent the entire car ride home yelling at us because we drank our lemonades and this apparently made her look like an idiot.
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36points
#15
My mom had been hassling me to take off memorial weekend to go to a family reunion, despite me telling her repeatedly it was one of our busiest weekends of the year and I had no desire to go to the reunion.
So she called my boss and chewed him out and told him I wouldn’t be coming to work that weekend. When I showed up to work he told me what she’d done and fired me.
So she called my boss and chewed him out and told him I wouldn’t be coming to work that weekend. When I showed up to work he told me what she’d done and fired me.
36points
Unfortunately, one specific name didn’t stick, only several choices. They include such names like Bob, Ken, or Chad (our favorite). Other people just refer to these men as “male Karens” instead. So, to each their own, we guess. Either way, the fact that these people are a menace to society stands, no matter how much fun we make of them.
Have you ever encountered a Karen of any gender? Share your story with us in the comments!
#16
My MiL treats waiters like s**t. Especially if they’re Black or Coloured (I’m in South Africa). One time a waitress brought a cappuccino without the cookie on the side, and MiL goes: „There goes your tip!“
I was so embarrassed and we try to avoid going out with them.
I was so embarrassed and we try to avoid going out with them.
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33points
#17
Not my mom but my mother in law- threw a restaurant menu across the restaurant and then pouted like a child because they were sold out of something.
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33points
#18
My grandparents came to visit after we moved out of state. My grandpa forgot his various prescriptions. My grandma went to the local pharmacy and threw a fit when they wouldn’t just provide pills from a hand written list. She threw such a fit the police had to come and trespass her. The last time it was brought up my grandma still blamed the pharmacist for the interaction.
This is just one of many such interactions.
This is just one of many such interactions.
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32points
#19
It has been 24 years and I can still picture this man's purple, swollen face as he yelled at a tiny Filipino woman that his silver-dollar pancakes were too f*****g small.
This was on a cruise; it was an all-you-can-eat situation. He could simply have ordered more of the tiny pancakes *for free.*
Other highlights from this gem of a human included him b******g about the fact that there were too many children on a *Disney* cruise.
This was on a cruise; it was an all-you-can-eat situation. He could simply have ordered more of the tiny pancakes *for free.*
Other highlights from this gem of a human included him b******g about the fact that there were too many children on a *Disney* cruise.
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32points
#20
Tried to get food from a drive that she didn't need. It was meant for victims who suffered losses from a tornado, which didn't affect my Mom at all.
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30points