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"Karen" has taken on a meaning past a being just a name in the 21st century. While a fairly common name for women across the United States, it has now come to connote entitled, monstrous people who act poorly toward service industry workers or anyone who they have a problem with.
As such, most businesses in the United States have steeled themselves against the "Karen" stereotype. With most service workers saying both customers and tips have gotten worse since the return of dining, it is understandable why one would want to take precautions.
However, as "Karen" is still somebody's name, most of the folks named Karen aren't super happy with this idiom taking over the service industry.
One particular business, Coffee Dose in Costa Mesa and in Los Angeles, sells products with "Anti Karen Serum" and has signs out front that say "No, Karen, you can't talk to the manager."
While a clever marketing ploy, the business soon found itself being bombarded with one-star reviews from people named Karen disparaging the anti-Karen aesthetic.
@therealkarenshub/TikTok
@therealkarenshub/TikTok
@therealkarenshub/TikTok
@therealkarenshub/TikTok
One particularly misguided Karen took it upon herself to compare "Karen" to the n-word.
"You think that using the 'Karen meme' isn't personal? There was a time using the n word was popular too. Was that ever okay?" she wrote, as is briefly seen in the original video.
"You do realize that women of this age who have this name have quite the buying power? And the power to start boycotts. We have and we will. We have a huge Facebook group with a large following."
The simple gall to compare the two outlandishly different terms was also not lost on TikTokers.
@therealkarenshub/TikTok
@therealkarenshub/TikTok
@therealkarenshub/TikTok
@therealkarenshub/TikTok
The woman asking a literal Facebook group full of Karens to boycott the business is what, in turn, lead to the bad review attack by the Karen fleet.
"And then the most ironic thing that could possibly have happened… happened."
The irony refers to the Karens becoming idiomatic by saying things such as "I can talk to the manager if I want to."
@therealkarenshub/TikTok
@therealkarenshub/TikTok
@therealkarenshub/TikTok
@therealkarenshub/TikTok
The café has continued the ironic trend by capturing its Yelp reviews from these Karens on video, leading to hilarious results.
The Karen reviews have not impacted the store's aesthetic, though, as they've just opened a new shop in Irvine, CA, featuring the "No, Karen," sign out front.