Nate
We expect toddlers to throw tantrums. Grown adults? Not so much. But every now and then, someone over the age of 25 decides to go full meltdown mode in a public setting, minor inconvenience, complete emotional spiral.
Redditors shared the most unhinged adult tantrums they’ve ever witnessed, and honestly, the secondhand embarrassment is strong. Screaming over fast food. Crying at customer service counters. Breaking things that definitely weren’t the problem.
These moments are awkward, wild, and weirdly fascinating. You’ll laugh. You’ll cringe. You’ll maybe recognize a former manager or ex.
Here are the biggest adult tantrums people shared on Reddit. And no, none of them were proud of what they saw.
1. The Time Someone Brought Pizza Hut Rage to Domino’s
“I witnessed a woman storm into a Domino’s Pizza, push past the other people waiting to pick up carry out orders and slam a Pizza Hut box down on the counter, shouting that it was the ‘worst f*****g pizza she’d ever tasted!’
The poor kid working looked terrified and said that she’d get the manager.
The manager, who was all of about 20, came out, looked at the box and said ‘Yeah. Pizza Hut sucks. I don’t know what you want me to do about it.’ Chaos ensued.”
2. Man Calls Corporate Because He Didn’t Hear “Good Morning”
“When I worked retail a customer approached my register and I said ‘hey did you find everything ok?’
He threw his items on my counter and ignored me. Rang him up and then he demanded I call the manager. Manger comes over and talks to him and he leaves.
The manager proceeds to tell me that this guy was offended because I didn’t say good morning to him. Few days later I’m pulled into the office by a different manager because the same guy called corporate and reported me for not saying good morning to him.”
3. A Ham Shortage and a Full-Scale Meltdown
“Used to work at a deli. We ran out of a certain kind of ham. A customer… who looked like an evil Ned Flanders… requested said ham. I explained the situation. He turned an alarming shade of purple and, in full shakey voice, screamed at me, ‘YOU HAVE RUINED MY LABOR DAY!!!’ (It was right before Labor Day)
Then he stormed off, slamming his shopping cart into several other customers shopping carts in the process.
Chill dude, that one.”
4. Weeping Over the Wrong Rental Car
“I was at a car rental at the airport. I guess they didn’t have the exact vehicle this woman wanted, so she sat on a bench and wept theatrically while her (presumably) husband and son watched awkwardly. I couldn’t help but think she probably does this for any small setback. Vacationing with her must be rough.”
5. When Your Inner Child Handles Property Damage
“Gotta throw myself into the ring here. Someone hit my house with their car while I was out of town. MIL was there but she’s about as useful as a salad fork. I was outside looking at the damage, realizing there were no witnesses to the crash, and I *literally* jumped up and down with anger, while shaking my fists.
My wife called me out on it immediately. ‘Did you just jump like a f*****g child?’ I said I did, regretted it immediately, and went inside.”
6. She Took “Have a Nice Day” Personally
“Happened to me many years ago.
Lady came in, very rude from the start. I got rattled and made a mistake or two, pissing her off further. As she left I said, ‘Have a nice day!’
She was *incandescent* with rage. Whirled around and bellowed, ‘I WILL NOT HAVE A NICE DAY! I WILL NOT!’ Stormed out the door. Thing is, they’re double doors and we used to keep one locked because the wind would blow it open otherwise.
So she slammed into the locked door, grabbed it and tried to wrench it open. I was legit worried she’d do damage. Flailed her tiny arms around and screamed profanity at the heavens before shoving her way through the other door.
It was pretty amazing.”
7. Ignored the Rules, Threw a Tantrum, and Made It Weird for Everyone
“There was a limited quantity per customer of how many cases of water you could buy from our store after my state got hit by several natural disasters. To mitigate resellers.
After ignoring every sign and customer service associate telling her no, she decided to go herself, load a cart, and go to the register.
Well, this lady just decided to p**s herself right then and there, in her own britches thank god, at the cash register after she couldn’t get her way. Left with soiled pants and the amount of water she was entitled to.
Repeat customer too. I’d never show my face in public.”
8. Let the Cat Handle This One
“I’m passing the microphone to my 9-year-old cat.”
9. Man Melts Down Over Missing 2% Milk at the Grocery Store
“I was at the grocery store and some guy took the last 2% milk and had a full blown tantrum.
Someone else came in and found more behind the crate and he laughed it off but most were unimpressed.”
10. Fired for Leaving Doors Unlocked, So He Broke One
“Guy got fired at an old job for repeatedly leaving the doors unlocked after his evening shift – we worked in tech with lots of pricey equipment.
I found out he was fired when his foot suddenly went through the door of the boss’ office. When they opened the door he was writhing on the floor, beat-red, crying and screaming.”
11. This Blizzard Enthusiast Was Not Happy About Spoon Sizes
“I was in a Dairy Queen and a man busted through the doors holding a spoon (he had just ordered through the drive through) and he goes ‘HEY! Do you guys have any REAL SPOONS???’
They have two different sizes of spoons at DQ depending on the size of your blizzard. The guy at the counter goes “sorry sir we ran out of the tall ones” and he goes ‘WELL YOU SHOULD TELL PEOPLE THAT BEFORE THEY ORDER!!!’.”
12. The Man Who Chose Violence Over In-Flight Coffee
“I witnessed a man board an airplane drunk and quickly fall asleep. At the point when they announced we’d be landing soon, tray tables up, he woke up and asked a flight attendant for coffee. She said ‘sorry no too late we’re about to land’ and he lost is marbles swearing at her about needing coffee and calling her names the entire rest of the flight.
When we landed and pulled up to the gate the captain asked everyone to stay seated and local PD boarded and escorted him away. He acted v confused about why in the world he was in trouble.”
13. Tanning Salon Tantrum Over a Stolen Credit Card
“When I was training to work at a tanning salon we would ask for the persons name then look them up in our system.
One woman came in who had a note in her account that she regularly uses stolen credit cards. When asked to leave she freaked out yelling that she would never steal and we should just run her card.
Sure enough her card declined and we had to threaten to call the police to get her to leave.”
14. Eggs, Entitlement, and a Lobby Showdown
“At an upscale retirement community, I saw an older women throw a tantrum because we allow a few laborers to eat breakfast for free. These guys do great work, they’re dependable, reliable, respectful and appreciated by everyone except one old lady screaming in the lobby about how they shouldn’t be getting a free meal.”
15. He Missed His Flight… Then Threw a 20-Minute Airport Meltdown
“Miami airport in December: a large man in his 50s screaming then falling to the ground shrieking like a toddler after missing his flight because they lock the doors 15 minutes before departure or whatever.
He threw himself to the ground and began sobbing loudly and then angry screamed again and then shrieked again.
This went on for like 20 minutes before the airline staff whispered that if he does not quiet down he’s going to leave in handcuffs.”
16. This Guy Took “No Phone Speakers at the Gym” Very Personally
“Old dude at my work (i work in a gym) couldn’t take the fact that i told him that using is phone with volume on full blast was inconsiderate/rude for others and that he needed earphones.
He was SO offended he filed a complaint to my manager, to HR, and even putted a 4 paragraph google review on the gym page asking for my demission.”
17. When the Podcast Bros Start Screaming About Women Over 25
“The incel dudes on their podcasts throwing tantrums about women age 25+ veins popping out and everything just hollering.”
18. She Got Caught With Counterfeit Cash and Threw Eggs About It
“Back in the early 2000’s I worked in a grocery store, and this woman tried to pass an obvious counterfeit bill.
I don’t remember the amount, but she was sent to customer service because the cashier was a teen and didn’t know how to confront someone over fake cash.
The woman proceeded to lose her mind, throwing a carton of eggs and breaking open a carton of orange juice. It got bad enough the police were called.
TOPS Friendly Markets, I never missed you.”
19. Balcony Water Fight With a 30-Year Age Gap
“Told my neighbour to stop throwing dirty water from her balcony. She flared up and began throwing it at me. We have a 30 years age gap.”
20. Nothing Says “Adult Tantrum” Like Yanking Out Hearing Aids Mid-Argument
“Saw a woman rip the hearing aids out of her husband’s ear, while her cop son watched, while trying to intimidate me into taking them back.(company policy states I can’t accept returns, the Dr has to do it).”
21. Manager Melts Down and Starts Yelling Like Mickey Mouse
“My previous manager got so upset his voice turned into Mickey Mouse. He micromanaged himself into a corner and could not get out. It was everyone’s fault that he was irritated.
He could not see the fact that promoting the best employees to dictators, as opposed to actual leads, was causing mass insubordination.”
22. When the Tantrum Comes With Executive Power
“Saw a president enact tariffs against the advice of every single expert simply because he doesn’t like being told what to do. .”
23. When the Local Preacher Lost It in the Drive-Thru
“I once had the local preacher scream and cuss at me until he was red in the face, then spit on me. He was in my McDonald’s drive through and his card wasn’t working.
At a different McDonald’s I worked at, my friend got a Golden Compass happy meal toy thrown at his head because the parent said Golden Compass was the devil.
Southern AL was a real crazy place, lmfao”
24. When “Used” Turns Into “Destroyed” at the Return Counter
“People will try to return things that are clearly abused or heavily used.
Stuff like worn out shoes, stained clothes, or broken electronics that look like they’ve survived a war.
Then they act shocked and furious when the store refuses to take it back.”
25. He Didn’t Get a Burrito, but He Did Break a Door
“During the height of COVID, a man at Chipotle was told to wear a mask.
He left, but not before hitting the wall and breaking the glass doors.”