A delivery driver recorded an interaction he had with a customer who accused him of stealing $9 after he mistook the money for his tip.
Calvin Plow (@calvinplow) posted the video to TikTok, where it has amassed 24,000 views. Calvin wrote in the text overlay of the video: “This is how I was treated after a customer Accidentally gave me a $9 tip and i went back to return it.”
In the clip, the driver explained to the customer why he thought the $9 was his tip. He noted the customer handed him the cash and walked back inside his home. The customer says he was just setting his food inside and planned on coming back outside to retrieve the money. The customer cursed at and berated the delivery driver throughout the interaction.
@calvinplow Angry Karen customer is sad! #karen #karensgoingwild #customer #karens #karensoftiktok #crazy #delivery ♬ original sound – CalvinPlow
“Why’d you take off with my fucking change?” he greeted the driver at the start of the video.
“Sorry, sir. I didn’t mean to do that,” the driver said.
The customer accused the driver of lying, saying, “Yeah, you did.”
“No, you took your food, and you went back into your house. I thought our transaction was over at that point,” the driver explained.
The customer maintained the driver knowing took off with the customer’s money, responding, “bullshit.”
“I’m sorry, sir. That’s what happened,” the driver replied.
“No that ain’t what fucking happened, you sneaky little bitch. Give me my money, and get the fuck off my property,” the customer demanded.
The driver let the man know that was his last time receiving an order from the restaurant due to his behavior.
“I will drag you the fuck off of here,” the customer responded. “Understood?”
“All right,” the driver said as he walked back to his car.
“Don’t come back,” the customer said.
“Oh we won’t be. … You won’t be getting orders anymore,” the delivery driver reiterated before the customer called the delivery driver a “fucking piece of shit.”
The driver maintained it was an accident, but the customer refused to believe it. “No it wasn’t an accident, you sneaky little bitch,” he said.
“It was, too, sir. You literally took your food and went back into your home,” the driver said.
“What am I gonna do sit it down on the floor for the fucking dog to get?” the customer questioned.
“No, I thought you were done. You went back in your house,” the driver said.
“Yeah right, get the fuck outta here,” the customer said.
“All right, see ya later sir have a good day,” the driver calmly responded as he got back into his vehicle.
The Daily Dot has reached out to Calvin via TikTok comment.
There are many documented cases of violence perpetrated against delivery drivers across the U.S. For instance, attacks against delivery workers have become so common in New York that some are banding together to travel in groups to protect one another, according to CBS News. An April 2021 Yahoo article reported that one of the most dangerous jobs in the United States was being a delivery driver.
TikTokers who saw Calvin’s post expressed their disappointment that he was subjected to such cruel behavior at the hands of the customer. “The fact that people talk to others like that is insane!” one TikTok user wrote. Another penned, “I’m sorry he treated you that way. You were respectful the entire time. Let the company know he was abusive so they can cancel his acct.”
Calvin responded to the latter individual, revealing the customer was placed on the ban list and that he will no longer be eligible for deliveries from the restaurant.
Others were just impressed at how the driver kept such a professional and calm demeanor throughout the interaction. “Good job keeping your composure. I don’t think I could have stayed that calm,” one said.
