For those of us who have worked in hospitality, you’ll know difficult it can be to remember the customer is always right.
But imagine a restaurant job where good service doesn’t actually matter – meaning you can throw as many insults at the diners as you like.
That’s exactly what employees at Karen’s Diner get to do. Dubbed the UK’s “rudest restaurant”, the eatery gives punters with an outlandish culinary experience by delivering “good food and a very rude service”.
The deliberately rude staff are known to chuck menus on the floor, hurl insults at customers and force them to play games while they eat – refusing to break character even for a moment.
But what does it take to work at Karen’s Diner? For those interested in applying, you must be much more than just "absolutely awfully rude”.
In a Facebook post advertising several roles earlier this year, the eatery said: said: "Well it’s about bloody time we recruited, you lot have been well an truly polluting my DMs, BEGGING me for a job. Well, here’s your chance. We are recruiting kitchen staff, and Karen servers."
"So, if you think you’ve got what it takes to be absolutely awfully rude, then give it your best shot through the link below, you never know, you could end up joining the Karen fam! Now, obs you can’t JUST be rude (sadly), you’ve also got to be bloody hilarious, witty, above 18, and experienced in working in a fast-paced restaurant.
"This job is every customer service workers DREAM, because who wouldn’t want to be rude to customers? We get a lot of applications, so make sure to try and stand out and impress us, embody that inner Karen and show us the sass!"
Those applying for the job must be 18 or above and must include a 60 second video of themselves roleplaying a Karen’s Diner employee.
Earlier this week, the M.E.N reported on how one customer was asked to leave the Prestwich branch after calling a waitress a ‘fat sl*g’. She had previous calling him a ‘p***y for mumbling’ as part of the customer-vs-staff banter.
The angry waitress immediately tells another member of staff then returns to the table to declare 'you're out, all of you, it's in the rules. He's ruined it'. The family had to pay the £25 drinks bill and leave due to the house rules about ‘no body shaming’.
Despite admitting he's not proud of the comments, he's since hit back at the restaurant chain questioning why staff 'can give [abuse] but can't take it'.
However Karen's Diners firmly hit back at the family and said it is 'sad that a minority of customers need reminding as to how to behave' but they have 'no choice but to cater to the minority' by putting up house rules.
The diner confirmed that if 'give it but not take it' referred to 'body shaming' then the family were correct - the chain would act upon such 'unacceptable behaviour'.
"In order to maintain a shred of sanity" the restaurant has set out some basic rules and customers risk being asked to pay and leave the venue immediately if they break them.
This is in order to keep ‘both staff and customers as safe as possible’.
The rules include no racist, sexist, homophobic or ableist comments, no body shaming and no sexual harassment.
The house rules, as listed on the company’s website are:
No racist, sexist, homophobic or ableist comments or slurs will be tolerated.
No body shaming.
No sexual harassment.
Any damage or vandalism of the venue will lead to instant removal from the venue. (Charges may also apply)
Keep your food and drink on your tables, don't throw them, it’s not fun.
It also states: “Even though this is Karen’s Diner, OHS rules still apply. We are a functioning restaurant so do not interfere with hospitality processes. Just sit down, shut up, eat your food and bring on the banter.”
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