Working in the service industry means catering towards all kinds of personalities, including the cranky ones.

For this server, dealing with one particular regular required extra patience.

But one busy morning, their complaints finally pushed her too far and she gave them a piping hot lesson in patience.

Read on for the full story!

I don’t know how to fill your cup up all the way? Ok

For many years, I was the opening server (or bartender) for the weekend breakfast at a country club in a gated community for “active adults.”

Technically, it was 65 and up, although up to 10% of the population could be 55 to 64… however, that was never an issue.

I would say most were 70 and UP.

This server was pretty used to putting up with difficult people.

I’ve never minded customers who were picky and complicated, as long as they weren’t jerks. I’ve learned how to put up with a lot.

My goal was to give everyone exactly what the wanted as efficiently as possible. And since the majority of the clientele were regulars, it became fairly easy to remember everyone’s particulars.

But one regular stood out from the rest.

I had a regular in his mid-to-late 70s who was a cranky old thing, but harmless. His ribbing was easy to ignore for the most part.

I knew what he wanted, got it out, got my tip, and carried on. Sometimes we even got along.

He was either by himself, with a friend from outside the community, with his 2 sons, or the whole lot of them.

He had a certain M.O. when it came to interacting with the staff.

Despite being a brunette, he always called me (and most other women working) blondie. Our universal name, apparently.

“Hey, blondie, get me a top off!” “Hey, blondie, I need some more ketchup!”

And he was just generally pessimistic, like someone had dumped in his Cheerios.

He sons always gave me apologetic looks, I would shrug or laugh something off, and they’d tip me a bit extra.

One thing the customer was extra particular about was his coffee.

He would tap his coffee cup if he needed a refill. Hey, I don’t mind. Don’t need to get in a whole conversation, I get in, get out, and on to checking the next table.

I would always fill a cup to about a 3/4 inch from the top. Seemed reasonable and no one had ever complained.

These aren’t large cups, but it was enough room to add cream/sugar or to just not spill on yourself.

He started getting a little too comfortable and way more demanding.

After a year or two, that was no longer acceptable.

He randomly started making comments about how I (or others) didn’t know how to fill a cup up.

I would usually smile, joke, and add a bit more.

But eventually the other shoe dropped.

But one morning… it was slammed.

I was bartending with a fairly full bar, taking to go orders on the phone, getting the golfers food or drinks after their first 9, and had two 4 tops in addition to that.

Of course, he wanted my section.

The server set the scene.

It was busy, but I was sailing.

Getting to work at 6:30am didn’t always have me in the best mood, but one musters through. Fake it till you make it.

But all 4 of them were there, and he had an audience to whom he could show off his condescending comments.

His mighty prowess: Cutting down a 25-year-old woman and putting her in her place.

She had enough and she’s ready to put him in his place.

He had already complained about my inability to pour a proper cup of coffee. I was going to greet a table, when all of a sudden he says, “hey blondie!” and taps on his cup.

So, with a grin, I filled it to the very tip top, not even a drop spilling out. His sons eyes grew large, he startled to sputter, trying to ineloquently say that’s not what he wanted.

“No, no, sir. I never know how to fill up a cup, wouldn’t want to have that.”

And that was the last of his petty complaining.

He grumbled, of course, and his sons eyes finally started twinkling.

They finished their food, paid, and left. He never did complain again about my inability to refill his coffee.

My revenge was minor, but the satisfaction was sweet.

Got to get joy in that industry somewhere, right?

What did Reddit think of this malicious compliance?

Customers say the darndest things.

The customer was definitely rude, but maybe he was going through something.

It could have been worse, says this film buff.

This redditor wonders how his companions felt when he was making a scene.

A cup of coffee filled to the brim is what he asked for, right?

Let’s hope he learned a valuable lesson in being careful what you wish for.

If you enjoyed that story, read this one about a mom who was forced to bring her three kids with her to apply for government benefits, but ended up getting the job of her dreams.