30 Unexpected Moments of Hilarity and Dismay Witnessed at an IKEA

‘Somebody brought a pet pig into the store’
30 Unexpected Moments of Hilarity and Dismay Witnessed at an IKEA

The chances of getting in and out of an IKEA without incurring some kind of psychic damage are slim to none. In fact, psychologists have weighed in on the theory that the Swedish retailer is where relationships go to die. And while these Redditors aren’t psychologists, they can definitely confirm that the tasty little meatballs weren’t enough to stave off a meltdown for more than a few of patrons. Whether it was a guy who laid on the floor screaming about a duvet cover or a woman who berated her cheating husband in a model bedroom, these are the wildest fits people have witnessed in an IKEA…

kinc2044 5y Not a family but relevant I think. I work in the bistro area and I once had a customer scream and threaten a coworker when he was told he couldn't get a cup for water. We only have one cup in the bistro, it cost one dollar and is counted as inventory so we can't give them out for free. When my coworker told the guy this he flipped out said IKEA is pure shit and we are operating illegally by not providing him water (we aren't there's a water fountain to the right). Не begins to call
Mini_groot 5y I've been working at IKEA for the past 2 years. It made me lose hope for humanity. I have so many things. I've had someone try to return an entire used kitchen that was for his mom's house and the mother passed away. Guy was fucking screaming at my manager. Had a couple get into an argument about the size of the furniture and whether it fit into their car, by the end it escalated to who has the louder voice. It's endless lol, just don't remember any off the top of my head ... 2.2k
ikeathrowaway168151 . 5y I worked at IKEA for 5 years selling sofas. One of my coworkers, let's call him Jim, worked evenings and weekends in returns while his day job was teaching math at a local high school. One day a woman comes to the counter trying to return some pillows. Generally speaking, they didn't take returns on pillows for sanitary reasons. She also didn't have a receipt and the pillows were clearly used and absolutely disgusting. Jim tells the customer that he's sorry, but our return policy states we only accept products within 30 days of purchase, with the receipt,
YohannaLPDJ . 5y I work in customer service in a UK store. We get so many meltdowns...it's really hard to choose. I've had so many things thrown at me I've lost count. My best one might be the gentleman who demanded to speak to Ingvar Kamprad about his waiting time at the collection point. When I stupidly offered the department manager he said he'd settle for someone Swedish. Unfortunately we couldn't help him. Не took his things and left screaming that he'd write to sweden. I've not heard anything back yet. :/ ... 335
IMeanIDontEvenKnow 5y This was my Ikea family meltdown. My then boyfriend and I were getting our own place just after college. Until then, we had both been using twin beds thanks to student living spaces and sharing a single twin was proving uncomfortable for two adult humans subjected to California summer temperatures. To fix this issue, off to Ikea we went. Things start off ok. We start with lunch, admire the living room couches, move into kitchen wares. All so far enjoyable fantasy. And then we reach our destination, bedrooms. A sea of beds in a variety of price points
ParziCR . 5y Went to an IKEA as a kid with a friend and his family. Не had a little brother, who upon eating one of those heavenly meatballs said it tasted bitter. Mother proceeded to eat one, and said it tasted fine. Kid disagreed, and threw the meatballs one at a time all across the cafeteria before Father was able to stop him. Fun times ... 2.3k
MindenMachine 5y Two words. Black Friday. It was 9:55, we open at 10. We were almost done, all that we had left to do was put out some children's kitchen set. What we didn't realize was that it was 50% off. I only had two pallets left to put out when the store opens and the horde came. They were crazy. Sprinting, pushing and shoving. They fought to get to these kitchens and when they noticed my pallets, they tore them open and took it. Eventually one woman started screaming and attacked the guy who took the last one off
BananApocalypse 5y I was in the Vancouver IKEA, and they have a children's play area that was packed. There must have been 100 kids in there, some being watched from outside and some completely unattended. Without warning, the power went out. There were emergency lights but the play area was still quite dark. The kids all started shrieking and crying and running around in the darkness. The power probably only out for 2 minutes, but the chaos was spectacular. When the lights came back on, it looked like a battleground. Some kids were bruised and bloodied, some had the 1000-yard
kiki112 . 5y I'm a cashier! There was a bratty teenager and her mom about to pay for their over $1000 transaction and the mom suddenly said You know what? This girl here doesn't deserve any of this. Put it all back. I've never seen a teenager completely lose it until that shift. I feel bad for my со worker who had to do my go backs. ... 17.9k
skynolongerblue 5y Not an employee, but my extended family and I went to the Mayfest Celebration at our local IKEA. Endless meatballs and a Princess Cake for all! We did not pack extra clothes for my infant daughter, who proceeded to have the biggest poop explosion ever right in the middle of it all. Up the back and in the hair level of poop. Poor husband ran through the store in a hysterical panic, thinking of his poor naked baby. We ended up grabbing a few bibs and a blanket, with some strange looks from the staff. We survived, and
Darksoulmastar . 5y I once went through the couch section and over heard a couple arguing about what colour couch they should choose. Being the idiotic dolt that I am I pointed at a pink couch saying Hey that pink couch looks great The couple proceeds to look at me and said F%$k off! and walked pass the section while arguing. Never have I ever stood in daze for so long. ... 5.2k
TelemarketingEnigma 5y Obligatory not an employee, but IKEA broke up a couple my parents knew. I believe it was around the time IKEA first came to the US, my parents went to one with their friend and her boyfriend. The boyfriend did not realize what he was in for, and my parents basically watched all the life drain out of him as his girlfriend dragged him through furniture. There may as well have been giant flashing signs saying COMMITMENT everywhere, this dude was not ready for it. They were bickering hard by the end and broke up shortly afterwards. ...
maskillzizillz 5y A guy came in and wanted something that we only had in the air so it would require a forklift to get the product down, which we don't do with people in the store for fairly obvious safety reasons. I told him we could get it down right after the store closed for him but that was not an acceptable answer. Не proceeded to lose his shit on me demanding I bring out a forklift and take it down now. As this is happening, his wife and two small children walk up. I say, well sir, just imagine
IchliebeBucherJa . 5y My mum had one. We'd gone to IKEA hunting for kitchens and decided to get breakfast first. We queued for ages for a breakfast, before someone informed us that we were in the wrong line and had to switch. Just after we moved they closed the breakfast line and refused to serve us. My mum just sort of lost it - she complained to the manager about the attitude of the staff and the lack of line signage and then started crying. She must have looked crazy.
 . 5y My bf and I overheard while browsing in Ikea a couple having some sort of miscommunication in their relationship. I guess they were deciding on things to buy. The girl says we should get that rug in which the guy replies to her super fucking loud there is NO we, you don't live with me! I didn't catch the rest of it as we had to walk away so they wouldn't hear us laughing so hard. ... 11.6k
suckmyyass 5y I'm a cashier. I've never seen a family meltdown but one time I was helping at the self serve station and I watched a gentleman let his 5 year old son run around loose in the self serve area. Another customer was trying to scan a big curtain rod so he had to take it out of his cart to tilt it and get to the barcode. Well the kid just happened to have run over to that area and got hit in the face with the curtain rod when it was pulled out. The dad got so
orangejuiceorange . 5y One time a lady came up to me freaking out that Ikea had discontinued her favorite cookie. I had to call the manager and she just yelled at him that her therapy dog had just died and she NEEDED that cookie. Another time a Russian family was asking for queen sized sheets, but with the accent it sounded like Gaveene. I just stood there dumbfounded as they repeated gaveene over and over. ... 170
Dizzymizzwheezy 5y My sister not self-aware. At all. She yells and screams at her boyfriend while he ignores her and does his own thing in the store, all of this because she demands that he stay right by her to look at every little thing she points out. 5 minutes later when she's done having a one-sided fight with him she's basically dryhumping him in public to compensate for the behavior. Не also ignores this, and that's when it starts over again. I cant go to ikea with them anymore. It's too embarrasing. She will scream my name through the
TA704 . 5y I used to work at IKEA and have so many stories from there. I think a memorable one wasn't a family fighting, but it was 2 women fighting over my service. I was helping one customer and it was a super busy weekend, so I'm sure all the employees were pretty busy. As I was helping her, another woman came up and interrupted us. They started arguing and one of them called the other woman a cow. ... 10.2k
luckyvb 5y I was once shopping at Ikea and noticed a couple with the guy just having the complete look of apathy and distraction while being berated by his wife. The volume was fairly low until they got to the bedroom department and she specifically said 'I'm thinking of buying new sheets but I might as well not cause I don't wanna buy sheets just so you can fuck that HR bitch in them. I hope you realize I'm just staying with your cheating ass until the kids are grown up.' I was so distraught I went for Köttbullar to
Amahula . 5y I once say a young couple argue. The girl needed a new matress, but the guy didn't want to carry it or get a cart for her. They left without the matress. I love my job. ... 1.8k
Columbusy 0 5y Seen a dude in the car park of the Newcastle IKEA Cram a fuck load of furniture into his Ford Focus, wife stood next to him fucking SCREAMING at how much of an idiot he is for buying so much, how they aren't going to fit in the car now, and how he is putting all this furniture together alone because it's his fucking stupid shit we don't need Husband replies, no you won't fit in the car now and drives off ... 13.4k
SharoanyPony . 5y Not an employee but I saw and heard a husband yell at his wife... After she said something like Oh what nice plates..., he screamed: WE CAME HERE FOR A COUCH WE GOT IT LETS GO Not the best shopping buddy! ... 36
shizzlingmanizzling 5y I used to work in IKEA in my student days, the Glasgow, Scotland store. When it was newly opened an elderly Irish guy and his wife stopped me and asked where IKEA was, I explained that they were in IKEA and they couldn't understand. They had arrived at the ferry port in Ireland that morning and decided that they'd go on a day trip to somewhere they hadn't been before. When they arrived at the port in Scotland there was a dedicated 'IKEA' bus. They thought IKEA was an actual place in Scotland and didn't realise it was
jonfromtucson99 - . 5y Dude didn't have a receipt to return a used duvet and for told no. Не threw a fit. Security came and he wouldn't move. Cops came and he finally did. Bud came right back in and laid on the floor screaming, refusing to leave without his money. Bigger cop comes in, not taking any of this guy's shit and handcuffs him. His screaming intensifies to a loud shriek and he's finally escorted out. This whole ordeal lasts about half hour I've got tons of these. Ikea customers are fucked ... 511
sleepypunk. 5y An older gentleman in our baths department ranting about how cheap the furniture is, banging on things, etc. Tried to slam a drawer but it soft closed on him. Oops, your tantrum was foiled by quality furniture. ... 1.7k
SuzQP . 5y Overheard two young women trying to agree on a dining table. One of them said, This table screams, 'I just got out of prison and I need a table. 23.4k
rosasmo 5y Not an employee but a fighting family member. Was a kid with my sis visiting my aunt who lived near Chicago. Aunt took us to IKEA to pick out a new bookshelf for our shared bedroom as per mom's instructions. Sis and I choose very different shelves to buy and heated verbal argument ensues. Proceeds with me pushing sis into a row of giant shelves, knocking two or three to the ground and causing a huge ruckus. Fast forward, we are in the checkout line with both book cases, me with a bleeding scratched face and sis in
Waoonet . 5y At the one i work, somebody brought a pet pig into the store, and it shat serveral places. But we get a lot of shit in the fake apartments toilets.. That brings on employee meltdowns ... 69
Adamant_Scimitar . 5y I work in Ikea food. I had one guy claim that he was a big guy and wanted me to put extra food on his plate after I made the plate. I explained that I can't as we have to stick to a portion size and that he could add a side plate for 1.99. Не then yelled that we are all cheapskates, stormed off to his family, brought all the plates of food that we made for them and told us that he is going to bring his family somewhere good. ... 18.1k

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