I am 37F. The Popeyes I go to has an entirely Mexican staff. It's always very busy in there, they always seem backed up and understaffed like most fast food places. One of the workers is a Mexican lady who doesn't speak English that well.
I had already got my food and was sitting in the corner, facing the front of the store. I watched an older man (About 50ish) come in. The Mexican lady came up to take his order and he asked her a question about one of the menu items. I don't even remember the question, it was something about an ingredient used in one of the sauces. She said she wasn't sure about the answer, in broken English.
He loudly started moaning about how no one here speaks English, and started calling out to the back of the employee area "anyone speak English here?" The lady went to get the manager, but he was busy taking drive thru orders. A few minutes later, while the man huffed and grumbled to himself the entire time, the manager came over and answered his question about the sauce, then rang him up. The entire time he was ringing the guy up he was complaining about how none of their staff speak English. The manager did speak English much better than his other employee.
This is when I loudly said "Wah wah!" imitating a baby crying and put my hands beside my eyes in the crying motion. The man turned around and said "...are you talking to me?" I said yeah I'm talking to you, then said "Wah wah! No one speaks English! No one speaks English!" in a mocking way. The man was flabbergasted and argued with me for quite a while but didn't approach me. I told him "she DOES speak English and when she didnt know the answer to your question she went and got an employee that did know. You just had to wait a few minutes but you're fine, you big baby."
I continued to make baby crying sounds at him until he left with his order. I don't feel bad at all about what I did but I'm curious to know what other people think. I should note he wasn't calling the workers names or yelling at them, just being mildly annoying the way he was constantly muttering and shaking his head like it was such an injustice.
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My favorite response to this is, she speaks two languages. How many do you speak?
One of my favorite jokes:
What do you call someone who speaks three languages? Trilingual.
What do you call someone who speaks two languages? Bilingual.
What do you call someone who speaks one language? American.
Excuse me.
We speak two languages in America.
English.
And bad English.
We speak english, and freedumb. The latter speakers always have red hats.
I call it Engrish, and I am very bad at it.
I’ve always taken the term “Engrish” as derogatory toward Asian people.
Yeah that’s normally the case - people have used that when making fun of Asians.
Oh yes. I love that one.
And a lot of Americans speak 'murcan really really poorly.
Best AH ever and you should do it again if the situation ever arises.
Thank you for standing up for those employees who aren't allowed to stand up for themselves. I'm sure they are still talking about this today.
Literally, sometimes you need people like this woman to put stupid customers in their place because the workers can't.
It's even better coming from a woman.
Some people only shut up when they realize they’re not the loudest voice in the room
Oh definitely. They are telling their coworkers who weren't there all about the badass lady who made fun of the asshole for complaining.
You were an asshole but the good kind.
I just worry for women who stand up to bullies. Everyone is extra crazy these days and hitting women seems to be on the menu.
You were very brave, but be careful would you?
Agreed. He wasn’t confused, he was just being entitled. Calling it out like that was kind of perfect.
Couldn't of said it better myself
You could have said it better.
XD
Just go with couldn’t’ve next time
"have"
I dunno if I would. In America, people who get publically humiliated sometimes reach for their gun.
You are an amazing AH, please keep doing AH things like this because real AH like the big baby deserve to be called on it. Bravo!
There should be a category in this sub “AHFG” asshole for good.
Honestly yeah, sometimes public shaming is the only language people like that understand. Dude needed a reality check.
He may not have been calling the workers names but he was definitely insulting and trying to bully them knowing they might be fired if they called him out. Good on you for letting him know he was a bigoted ass. NTA.
Not defending the actual AH in this situation, but one of my ex girlfriends and one of my best friends on earth both get hangry and just act so, so out of character.
I had to chase my ex through the downtown streets of new cities we were visiting because we were taking too long to get to the restaurant—ignoring the fact that it took/takes her 2-3 hours to get ready to go out.
My best friend is much easier. 1-2 dense beers and everything is good 😂
NTA. You just matched his energy. He deserves all the mockery. His mama should have raised him better.
I think they’re both AH, but OP is a righteous one
Justified AH. We need that as a judgement.
How bout JAH, or RAH (righteous asshole).
I like JAH better, Jah know?
Man acts like baby, gets treated like baby.
You weren't an asshole. But you were a bit of a dick. The thing is, what that asshole needed at the time was a dick like you.
I’m glad my asshole has never needed a dick.
Are you sure?
Yet…
They can't resist the gaycation. They have to give in.
Don’t threaten me with a good time!
Is, is that a threat?
I think it's more of an invite
LOL. Insert Team America speech.
Haha...beat me to it!
Well, just look at mister "I don't need dicks in my butt" over here bragging!
Because dicks also fuck assholes.
More people should be reared this way.
Most parents can’t be arsed to though.
Please look up the Team America scene as I don't want to get banned from this subreddit lol
Sometimes an AH is needed. And hopefully this guy will think twice before being a douche. I mean I get being disappointed you can't get a quick answer but dude you're at fucking Popeye's. Start a scene don't be mad when people get mean.
You're a god damn hero in my book. This is the closest thing to tactical frivolity I've seen outside of activist circles.
NTA. These workers out here being all bilingual and sh*t, working hard jobs, providing for their families, AND dealing with racist idiots who seem to think America is synonymous with the English language. No, you were just speaking to him in his native tongue:baby talk.
I've been living in the UK for ten years. I studied English at uni. I consider myself fluent, and I've even taught English as Foreign Language. And I've just started a job that has customer interaction and it is just another beast entirely. It is HARD! People mumble, have accents, lack patience, ask difficult questions... and it's not even retail or hospitality. I can't even imagine working in either of those in another language than my native one.
English is my native and only fluent speaking language, and even I don't know what the hell people are saying a lot of the time
Arguably, that's a stroke of luck, considering what most people feel the need to say.
I've lived in the UK my whole life. I only speak English.
...I also struggle to understand a lot of British people!
British accents vary so much and it can be difficult to 'tune in' to some of the accents you don't hear as much.
Tell me about it... I moved from Canterbury to Glasgow XD
Hi neighbour! I almost mentioned in my comment that I moved from England to Glasgow 7 years ago 😂
I still struggle with some particularly thick Glaswegian accents sometimes. But I'm mostly ok at understanding people here nowadays!
I work with seniors who can't hear well and who mumble. Some days I just hope we're both understanding each other enough to get things done.
As an aside, we also see lots of people from different countries. Many times I've asked people where they're from or what language they're speaking to each other and then ask them about their home country. I am genuinely interested in learning about them and what brought them to Canada. Some escaped civil wars, others came to go to university. Really interesting stories.
Irony is, the native tongue ISN’T English. Ask crybaby if HE speaks Navajo. The audacity to come to this country and not learn to speak its native language. (Isn’t that their gripe?)
Navajo people speak Diné Bizaad. It’s kinda like saying “Do you speak Mexican?” instead of “Do you speak Spanish*?” Also Navajo elders and Tribe individuals speak Spanish too lol
I'm Mexican and I'm not offended if people ask me if I speak Mexican. Usually this isn't coming from a bad place. That's just me though. I would not recommend doing this. It's better to just ask a person where they are from.
This is why: The slang and some words mean different things in different Spanish countries. However if they are clearly being assholes or ask in a mocking tone I will definitely take offense.
Yeah, I know people that say it condescendingly because they are ignorant. Some people might not know the right way to ask the question, so just ask “what languages do you speak” in a general sense.
You're allowed to say shit.
Happy Cake day 🎂
There are so many things employees need to say but can't because they could lose their job. It's up to customers to stick up for them when the need arises.
First time anyone ever called them out. Must have been a terrible shock.
I was in line at a busy grocery store and an older woman behind me started grumbling about how slow the "illegals" were at their jobs and they should just "go back". I dramatically gasped and clutched my non-existent pearls as I turned around and loudly said "OH MY GOODNESS, IMAGINE BEING A RACIST IN 2025. HOW SAD YOUR FAMILY WAS UNABLE TO GIVE YOU A CIVILISED EDUCATION, THAT MUST BE SO EMBARRASSING FOR YOU!!". I turned back and just mumbled "the state of education in this country, tsk tsk"
A few people started to chuckle, she turned red as a tomato and just had her mouth open in shock. She waited a few beats before putting her basket down and walking out.
People like that just need to be called out, they'll always be racists, they've just become too comfortable saying so.
This is the way!
Mock the poor behavior, not their appearance/age/ethnicity/gender (identity/expression)/etc
I have lived in a foreign country and learned the la gage for a couple of years. Speaking your own native language is not a flex. Good on you for pushing back.
I was conversant in German, learned Bulgarian when I lived there, and am currently atempting to learn Spanish. I bet the lady's English was better than my German or Spanish.
This lady is trying to earn a living working in a fast food restaurant. The last thing she needs is some knuckle dragger giving her grief.
You are my hero!! You should post this on r/traumatizeThemBack
In my opinion, NTA. You matched his energy completely. The staff is hard working and doing the best they can; in general I hate when others belittle or degrade fast food workers but when it’s racially targeted it’s even more frustrating because they’re doing the best they can and it must be scary/difficult living in an area and trying to get by while also having trouble understanding and communicating with majority of other people around you. So no, you are NTA and I totally applaud you!
As a mexican with a heavily accented abuela who refuses to speak spanish to me bc “we have to be perfect at english no spanish” BLESS YOU AND DO IT AGAIN. My only request is if you can get a video, PLEASE DM it to me.
NTA. But please be careful, there are people out there that would hurt someone for that.
That's what makes it courageous. Courage comes with inherent risk.
Screw him and people like him.
NTA at all!
NTA, but you risked getting punched!
Then he would have been arrested! He really would have been whining about the strip search at a jail.
I'd definitely take a punch for that cause. 😂
Me too! Because he’d have an extra charge of elder abuse 🤣🤣🤣
That's why you only mock ones that you can handle in a fight.
Yeah, and a great compensation for being physically assaulted. NTA. Great of you OP for defending the true. She is taking orders, she probably does not have much information about the menu ingredients. It wasn't about English or languages.
What compensation?!?
TBF, so did the other guy.
Yeah but the other guy would have deserved it!
More people need to do this.
I don't even care if that's an AH move, it's fucking perfect and I love you.
Not the AH we deserve, but the AH we needed. 👏
AH but a justified one and like another commenter mentioned they will remember you standing up for them. When the kitchen at my job still made chicken tenders before changing the menu I had a guy bitch me out because his tenders weren’t “big enough” and left in a huff and I still forever the lady who made me laugh by telling him “enjoy your chicken nuggets sir!” it wasn’t some amazing clapback but the fact she stood up for me ment something
I get so sick of hearing “ we speak English in this country”. They don’t like that you can receive your messages in either language! Grow up people! Your small brain is showing! You did well mocking him ! Love it when someone speaks up when others remain quiet! You are a treasure!
I've heard that in Canada, where there are two official languages and god knows how many indigenous ones. These kinds of people don't care about that though.
LMAO!! I LOVE IT!! Good for you for standing up to basically a bully. NTA
NTA. People like that should be shamed.
NTA. People like him need to be publicly shamed.
As a Latina in the US thank you for your service! 💕
He was being a big baby.
More people should be publicly shamed like this.
NTA because that was awesome
Fantastic
NTA. You had an opportunity and you seized it.
I’m gonna say we are probably calorie neutral karma wise - the way I see it making fun of someone for being needlessly cruel to someone else kinda evens us out in the universe. Are you going to be given the key to the city? No probably not but you helped show him how small it makes you feel when someone is mean for no reason
new category - JAH - Justifiable Asshole
What happened to the fully pure blood Aryan Anglo-Saxon Popeyes staff of my youth.
NTA. I love standing up to customer service abuse around me. I'll go into bat for any 15-25 year old getting berated by someone their parents age.
NTA
You did good. People like that should be mocked. Fuck those bigots forever.
Definitely NTA. Like roaches, those AHs crawl out and have no respect for others. Good for you, however, as already noted, be careful as you could get hurt by them.
Love it!
NTA - but you are an AH, in a good way, the kind of AH I try to be in my daily life.
A lot of people in that generation are convinced that they're above all consequences, especially the men. You gave him social consequences, NTA.
Bravo, OP! Do this all day long. These jerks are always STUNNED when someone actually dresses them down, as they are accustomed to just bullying their way through life & letting other people’s fear of conflict do their dirty work. Especially the baby part. Grow the F up you goddamn cry baby.
Bravo for putting that big baby in his place! If you ever run into anyone like that again, ask them how many foreign languages they speak, and if they speak them perfectly or with an American accent.
Also remind them that the Founding Fathers, in their wisdom, decided not to declare any language the official one in the United States of America. And even if English were to become our nation's official language, that would only apply to government communication. It isn't illegal in our great nation to ever talk in a language other than English, or to speak English with anything but an American accen
You are a beautiful person. NTA
NTA. You gotta wins stupid prizes for doing stupid games.
NTA Chaotic Good.
Never TA for defending customer service reps.
NTA. Fuck that bigot cnut right off.
NTA. I hope that man child is up in his feelings about it for days. 😂
Lmao NTA call people out on their shit
…and then everyone stood up and clapped
I’m all for mocking racists. Personally speaking, I would’ve definitely called him out about being a freaking racist and told him to stop watching Fox News.
NTA These people don't think anyone is going to confront them. Especially people that need a job. Asshole? You're not, he is
NTA - He was a jerk but that could have ended pretty bad for you. I wouldn't suggest doing it again.
NTA just call it like you see it
Nta he deserved it. Learning a second language, especially as an adult is SO FREAKING HARD. I want to learn Spanish so bad but it's people like him that make me pause. I know my Spanish would be broken and awful at first and I'm so so scared if offending or bothering someone with my poor grasp of the language. Thank you for helping put him in his place. It's so annoying that everyone in the US just expects all service workers to speak English.
Why is it annoying that people expect service workers, whose job involves interacting with the general public, to speak the country's main language? That expectation is certainly not unique to the United States.
We applaud language learners, as a native Spanish speaker, who would get offended by broken language? Only bigoted people like him. And that has nothing to do with learning the language but racism.
100% NTA
NTA. He deserved that (and more).
This made me laugh so hard. Never stop being you ❤️
NTA and we need more people like you in this world.
Good for you!!! NTA
🙏🏽💪🏾Good for you for standing up to him and for everyone working there 💜💙💜
Thank you for your service 🫡
Nta we need more of this
It was probably even more galling for him being mocked by a girl. Not even remotely the AH.
This is amazing, i love you ❤️ and 😂
NTA
Maybe, but it's the good kind of asshole. People don't get enough pushback on their tactless and rude behavior.
I like you 🤟🏼
Bravo!
10/10, no notes.
i love this! You're awesome!!!! we all need to do this all the time, show these kind of people exactly what they are, big babies!
NTA, I love you in fact
NTA and an absolute QUEEN!
Justified asshole territory imo. Was it mature? No. Did you just match his energy because he was being a prick and an ass? Yes.
You know what I call someone who speaks broken English?
BRAVE. Brave as fuck. It takes courage to move to another country and try to learn their language.
This is the way to embarrass these people.
That guy is completely entitled and in the wrong. It doesn't seem like he'd be receptive to any clear, logical confrontation either. Perhaps the most productice thing was to call him a baby, because it's truly infantile to expect everyone to speak your language and see the world your way. It's babyish to whine and lash out when you don't get what you want.
NTA. A Hero. When people do stuff like that, they should be called out for it.
I would have joined in. Bravo 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
Assholes need to be treated as such… especially in public. It’s our patriotic duty. 🇺🇸
Hilarious
you were right to do it, please keep doing it lol
I love this!
Not the asshole, just an inspiration to decency. Please keep shaming people into introspection or just inner thoughts again. You rule 🧡
Sometimes, you have to be a righteous AH to take out a massive AH. Good job:)
Sometimes assholes need a dick in the way. You did good, nta
Hero! Nta
More of this right now in the world
Maybe shaming him will help the AH realize how ridiculous he was being. On the other hand, there are many people whose sanity is hanging by a thread, and I wouldn’t want to see you or anyone else assaulted or worse!
Thank You! 🥇
Yes, you are the AH. You are also a Hero. The rare AHH.
I vote that this becomes an official new determination for posts on this sub. You’re a genius
I liked that. Do it again. NTA
Lol sounds fake
Nta! Thank you for your service.
JAH
Most justified of all justified asshole moves. If I'd been there I would have clapped
He was exhibiting childish and racist behavior. He deserved it.
NTA. But you are guilty of being hilarious and ballsy. Respect.
“I should note he wasn't calling the workers names or yelling at them, just being mildly annoying the way he was constantly muttering and shaking his head like it was such an injustice.”
Please don’t let this be about my step dad
Please don’t let this be about my step dad
Please don’t let this be about my step dad
NTA. He set the boundaries for the interaction. That was absolutely a ‘him’ problem, not an ‘everyone else’ problem.
You used your Asshole powers for good.
Under the circumstances, I'm giving you a pass... NTA.
Please propagate. We need more people like you in the world
YTA but in a good way. Keep doing what your doing!
You are the AH. And I’ll say I think I’d be an AH in this situation too. Bully’s act this way because they get away with it. And we all know it’s getting much worse (and we know why).
Some say, don’t stoop to their level. I get it in a way. But where that may work in a controlled environment like school. It doesn’t work in the real world. Bigots like this are so very emboldened and feel zero shame (mostly bc they don’t think what they do is wrong).
Sometimes the only way to deal with fu@$ery is with fu@$ery of our own. And usually they run off like scared rabbits when confronted. Strong work.
Lady, you took a big risk in engaging that fellow.
A person wasn't doing her job properly, another person was audibly annoyed by that, and you decided to mock him for that. It's one of the rare, clear examples of "yep, you're totally the asshole" in this Reddit.
There is no need to extend kindness or even decency to racists.
Let's be real, you know what most people are going to say, and that's why you posted this. You knew your actions made you an asshole. You also knew that most people on here would still praise it, and you wanted to feel justified. But all you really did was make an ass of yourself. If you want to stand up for the employees, ACTUALLY stand up for them and kindly remind the man to be patient and caring. That'll go a lot farther, but that's not what you cared about, is it? Yes, YTA, and no, not in a good way.
Justified Asshole :)
That was an immature af response, but it honestly sounded like he needed it, so idk. NTA. Sometimes, people just need to be treated like children when they are acting like one. I guess you were just dishing it back
I love it and wish I could of seen it. Petty revenge 😈😈🤣
Bravo!!!
Well done.
Abusing catering staff is a complete POS move. I bet her English was better than that AH's Spanish. He deserved everything you gave him :)
NTAH Shame needs a comeback and you’re just doing your part.
You're my hero, don't ever change. Hell yes, call out the adult babies whining about crap that doesn't matter. You did good.
You're my hero. NTA. I'm a firm believer that we need to publicly shame people with shitty beliefs. Make them ashamed.
this needs to be done all over. bravo.
NTA.
This is perfection, and will be stealing this tactic
NTA amazing response 😂
Nope. Fuck people like this asshole. I have always regretted being too shocked at a subway to call out a similar asshole who was a dick to workers. Great job OP.
YTA but you're a great AH. I wish there were more AHs like you.
These people should be mocked ridiculed and left feeling ashamed or thry start to get big ideas like reichs, presidency and islands full of young girls. (They become republicans)
NTA Lady, you're a hero
NTA I mean could you have been more assertive? Sure. should you have? Debatable. I’m honesty just glad you spoke up - zero empathy for people who treat employees the way he was. Thanks for imposing a cost
Yes you are the AH.
Side question: what does his age have to do with it? Would it be different if he was 20 years old? 90 years old?
Totally NTA. You’re my hero today!!! People need to do this more!
NTA. Yes I get annoyed and impatient at times at the length of time fast food places take but they work their butts off and do the best they can to handle multiple things at once. I don’t complain it’s my choice to go there
Of course you are NTA. You called one out for being a misanthropic racist subhuman. Entitled trash like that masquerading as human need to be identified as such to their faces. You're my hero! Bravo!