Companies in the service industry are no strangers to rude customers. It happens at Starbucks, McDonald’s, or, in this case, Home Depot. Fortunately, there is a subreddit for the hardware store where they can vent their frustrations.
We’ve collected the top posts about shoppers who’ve been impatient, entitled, and downright difficult. All of them provide an insight into what these employees deal with regularly.
Scroll through each one and see if you or a friend have been this person to deal with at some point. And if you’ve been (or still are) an employee, we’d love to hear your stories in the comments.
#1 People Have To Much Time On Their Hands
Image credits: ribboy555
#2 Please Schedule Me Better
Image credits: Entria
#3 Shingle Man
Asked the customer "What are you doing?" He said I need I pack of shingles and you guys are taking forever. I'm like "Ahhhh sir there is a full pallet in the home... "He replied with "but I need the ceramic ones..." I'm like Wth.
Image credits: Competitive-Bear-196
Bored Panda previously spoke to Marlon Joseph, a restaurant server of nearly two decades and host of the Modern Waiter podcast. He has his ways of dealing with different levels of irksome behavior.
"If a guest gets rude in a personal way, I deal with it directly and tell them 'I’m going to need you to be nice to me for me to continue.'”
#4 Overnight Coworker Just Sent Me This
Image credits: D0nk3yPunch912
#5 They Be Headin To The Depot After Surgery
Image credits: reddit.com
#6 Us Cashiers Who Work The Opening Shift
Image credits: Dragon_Crystal
But if a customer is being a nuisance, Marlon makes them his least priority. “If they are being rude in an annoying way, I make them wait,” he said.
“They will wait for me to take their order. They will wait for their food. They will wait for their check. I may even tell them their credit card has declined if that person is paying. I may even tell them we ran out of an item even though we have it.”
#7 Idk If Anyone Else Has This Happen. Doesn’t Help That My Hd Is Right Across The Street
Image credits: Shlobster11
#8 Today At Home Depot 7141
Image credits: Many_Expression_5569
#9 How Many Times Will I Have To Hear It?
Image credits: turbovirgin3000
According to Marlon, people who treat waitstaff poorly are usually hungry, having a bad day, or both. But as he reminds the dining public, “servers have bad days, too.”
"I do not think rude people are self-aware, especially if it is them being jerks. Most rude people in a restaurant are situationally on tilt,” he said. “So they use a measure of power to ease their aggravation.
“Unfortunately, a server may not want to give their best to a guest like that, and the result is bad service."
#10 Some Idiot Thought The Display Was Plumbed In And Dumped Their Coffee
Image credits: PettyWalrus
#11 Classic
Image credits: HopelessImanity
#12 These Customers Are Wild
Image credits: jimmy5011
Society can be quick to judge a bad customer, and understandably so. However, experts are revealing potential underlying reasons for such behavior. According to psychologist Reena B. Patel, humans are naturally wired to feel rattled when things don’t go as planned.
“You walk into a restaurant for breakfast thinking you’ll get seated in 15 minutes and instead you’re waiting 45; now, your whole routine is shifting, and the stress is building up,” Dr. Patel told the BBC in a 2022 interview.
#13 Since When Did We Get A Drive Through?
Image credits: Independent_Lime_480
#14 Is It Black? Yes It Is
Image credits: Goseebananafish
#15 Real
Image credits: ladiesman21700000000
The BBC article mentioned the scapegoat theory, explaining why people look for someone to blame. It also touched on why service employees are the usual punching bags.
“It’s going to happen on the phone with a customer-service worker, or at the discount store or McDonald’s,” said psychology professor Melanie Morrison. ”People that are working those jobs often do not have a lot of power, and so they become easier targets.”
#16 Our Return Policy Is 180 Days Not 25 Years
Image credits: zorblaxoman
#17 This Return Has Had Me Cracking Up All Day
Image credits: potionshopsss
#18 Lol
Image credits: mfPOON0010
Dr. Patel says being a rude customer doesn’t define a person. But she also suggests managing expectations as one way to prevent scenarios from potentially blowing up.
“Sometimes we don't make the best choices. But you can do things differently so you don't have that same reaction,” she said. “That might be as simple as waking up 10 minutes earlier to create a buffer in your schedule.
“If things don’t go the way you want, you’re not so stressed about it. You don’t want to be rigid in your expectations.”
#19 Yes, This Is A Return
Image credits: bigboiporkchop20
#20 Who Does This?
Image credits: Tgoo98
#21 Another Fine Day At The Home Depot
Image credits: PhutureHS
Dr. Patel also suggested focusing on the situation at hand and how to move forward from it.
“Instead of the word ‘you,’ use the word ‘we.’ Ask the customer service agent, ‘How can we solve this problem?’ It diffuses that hostile energy, and then you trying to get what you want becomes more of a collaborative process.”
#22 When They Expect You To Be An Expert
Image credits: reddit.com
#23 So It Looks Like 12 Is The Magic Number
Image credits: Gonnabefiftysoon
#24 "I Bought A Range Hood, What Duct Size Does It Need?" And Many, Many Others
Image credits: Miserable_Vehicle_10
#25 Customers Be Like:
Image credits: HomerBucket1
#26 Customer Return
Image credits: Shortsrealm
#27 There's A Reason We Don't Cut Under 12 Inches
Image credits: FLCertified
#28 Customer Survey
Image credits: Square_Key_6051
#29 This Is My Safespace!
Image credits: reddit.com
#30 Can I Ask You A Question ”quick” Question And It Usually Ends Up Being A Complicated Question
Image credits: HomerBucket1
#31 Just Know If You Start Our Interaction By Bringing Up The Price Of Lumber, I Have Already Checked Out Of The Conversation
Image credits: doubleXmedium
#32 Lovely Way To Start My Shift
Image credits: bemerri013
#33 Comedy
Image credits: reddit.com
#34 Never Heard That One Before
Image credits: HSBrendan
#35 4 Stages Of Returning Stolen Items
Image credits: Academic-War-3532
#36 Aisle Closed‼️‼️
Image credits: Caribooyah
#37 Awkward
Image credits: nickscion46
#38 Decided To Check The Reviews On My Store On Google Maps... Wasn't Disappointed Lol
Image credits: BrentarTiger
#39 Never Gets Old
Image credits: RoundedRed84
#40 Think It’s Fine…
Image credits: Ok_Comment_5147
#41 Sharing A Brain Cell
Image credits: Final_Girl13
#42 "I Should Be Able To Pay Cash And Card!!!!"
Image credits: imsleepy05
#43 Pumkin
Image credits: Live_Revolution_9688
#44 I Love Our Customers
Image credits: daquake
#45 Every Time
Image credits: SupportOpposite2895
#46 "You Don't Know This? Why Are You In This Department Then?" Sir, I'm Passing Through Cause I Gotta Pee
Image credits: PotatoWasteLand
#47 Gotta Love A Mulch Sale
Image credits: Bluedragon_48
#48 Nun Returns 800$ In Flowers Everyday. We Have A Nun Who Buys Flowers For The Church Events Depending On What Color They Need. It’s A Endless Cycle. Happens Everyday!!
Image credits: Hotpotato_95
#49 Dog Obedience Class Inside The Store At 6pm. Wtf?
Image credits: nami_wiki
#50 This Regular Has Always Been A Piece Of S**t
Image credits: BacklogGamingJunkie
#51 An Ofa And I Had To Hand Load This Into The Truck. It’s 21° And Feels Like 8°. Meanwhile, The Customer Was Sitting In The Truck And Didn’t Help A Bit. Love It Here
Image credits: twineambassador
#52 Don't Cry Over Spilled Paint?
Image credits: Sayge01
#53 "Oh My Back Hurts I Cant You"
Image credits: SoopahDoopahPoopah
#54 "Can You Help Me Load This? I Just Got Back Surgery."
Image credits: Metertates
#55 "Are You The Expert That I'm Looking For?"
Image credits: nickscion46
#56 Why?
Image credits: ChamathY300
#57 Me When I Knowingly Send The Customer To The Wrong Aisle
Image credits: Rdanie20
#58 Literally Had To Watch 3 Guys Steal The Whole Bottom Shelf Of The Makita Bay
Image credits: vwtze22
#59 “Why Are You Pulling Out Your Phone?”
Image credits: pewprofessional111
#60 It’s Too Early
Image credits: lololaur_
English (US) ·