Solved Murders - True Crime Stories - Restaurant Horror Stories Creepy Customers, Obsessive Stalkers, and Terrifying Encounters #45

Episode Date: October 13, 2025

#horrorstories #reddithorrorstories #ScaryStories #creepypasta #horrortales #restauranthorror #creepycustomers #stalkingstories #realhorrorstories #terrifyingencounters  These accounts reveal the dark side of working or dining in restaurants. From obsessive individuals who refuse to leave to encounters with threatening strangers, each story captures the fear, tension, and unpredictability of real-life horror in public spaces. The narratives highlight both the psychological and physical risks that victims endured.  horrorstories, reddithorrorstories, scarystories, horrorstory, creepypasta, horrortales, restauranthorror, creepycustomers, stalkingstories, realhorrorstories, terrifyingencounters, unsettlingstories, frighteningexperiences, nightmarefuel, darktales, fearstories, survivalstories, shockingencounters, realcreepystories, obsessiveencounters

Horror. Weird restaurant encounters. Three stories I'll never forget. All right, let me take you on a long ride through some of the strangest, creepiest, and honestly most unforgettable encounters I've ever had while working in restaurants. If you've ever worked in the food industry, you already know it's not just about serving pasta, carrying trays, or smiling at people you don't like. It's a front row seat to human weirdness. You see everything, from sweet families celebrating birthdays to people who act like they've never interacted with another human being before. I've had my fair share of odd experiences, but three specific stories really stand out. These stories aren't just your typical rude customer tales, no, these are on another level. They're the kind of moments that stick with you long

after your shift is over, the kind you retell years later, half laughing, but also half wondering, what on earth was wrong with those people? So, buckle up, because I'm about to spill the details of three creepy, weird, and unsettling encounters. Story 1. The Men with the Blank Stairs. Let's rewind to when I was 16. My parents and I had just moved to Fort Lauderdale, Florida. If you've ever been to Florida, you know the vibe is unique. There are beaches, retirees, tourists everywhere, and then this undercurrent of Florida man energy that makes even the normal days feel a little unpredictable. Not long after moving, I landed my first job at an Italian restaurant.

Nothing fancy, just a casual spot where families came to eat spaghetti and drink cheap wine. I was hired as a busboy, which meant I spent my time wiping down tables, resetting silverware and hustling plates back to the dishwasher. It wasn't glamorous, but at 16, I was just happy to have a paycheck. On my very first night, I got a taste of what was waiting for me in this line of work. I was running around cleaning tables when I noticed a pair of guys sitting near the back. They looked like regular middle-class dudes in their late 30s, jeans, button-down shirts, nothing flashy. But there was something off about them.

They weren't eating, weren't talking, just. sitting perfectly still with these blank expressions, like mannequins someone forgot to put away. At one point, one of them motioned for me to come over. Being the new kid, I didn't want to ignore a customer. I figured maybe they wanted water, or maybe their waitress had forgotten something. So I leaned in politely. That's when the guy looked me dead in the eye and asked, You ever had your initials carved into your forehead?

Yeah, that's what he said. No smile, no laugh, no indication that it was a joke, just stone-faced seriousness. I froze. My brain scrambled for a response. Part of me wanted to fire back with some sarcastic comeback like, not that I remember, but I guess I'd have trouble forgetting, right? But I was caught so off guard that all I managed was an awkward chuckle. I kept staring at his face, trying to detect even the tiniest hint that he was messing with me. But nope, nothing. His friend just stared blankly at the table, not even acknowledging me. I shook my head, muttered something, and walked away, feeling creeped out and confused. I went straight into the kitchen and told the waitress who was

serving their table. She shrugged and said, yeah, those guys are just weird. Real comforting, right? I tried avoiding their table for the rest of the night, but of course, fate had other plans. An hour waiter, the same guy motioned me over again. Against my better judgment, I went. I leaned closer, hoping maybe he was ready to order this time. Instead, he asked, You ever had two men pin you down, grab your throat? That was it.

I was officially done. I noped out of there so fast, I probably left a trail of dust behind me like a cartoon character. I told the manager, who, shockingly, just shrugged it off like a. it was no big deal. Meanwhile, I still had hours left on my shift, and the men stayed seated at that table, unmoving, like statues. They barely touched their food. By the time my shift ended at two in the morning, I was so unsettled that I actually asked the bartender to walk me to my car.

Picture me, a 16-year-old busboy on my first night of work, scared out of my mind because two weirdos had spent the whole evening acting like they were auditioning for a horror movie. When I tell this story now, people usually laugh because of how bizarre it sounds, but let me tell you, in that moment, it wasn't funny at all. It was my official welcome to Florida moment, and it left me wondering what kind of strange characters I'd signed up to encounter in this state. Story 2. The Old Man Who Wouldn't Go Away. Fast forward a few years. I was working as a host at another restaurant. This place wasn't very popular, which meant long story. stretches of time with almost no customers. On one of those slow midday shifts, a short, stocky, older man walked in. I'd put him around 65 or older, definitely well past retirement age. He asked to

sit by a window, so I led him to a section covered by my friend Mariah. Now, let me paint a picture of Mariah. She was a college student, young, sweet, and had that kind of natural beauty that people always commented on. She could make a gloomy room light up just by smiling. And unfortunately, that also meant she attracted a lot of unwanted attention. The man started off harmless enough, making small talk about his job at a towing company. But quickly his comments shifted. At first, he said things like, you've got such a pretty smile, or you're a great waitress. Simple, if a little weird, considering the age difference. But then he turned to him. He turned to up a notch. Out of nowhere, he said things like, with a body like that, you must have a boyfriend,

or, I wish my ex-wife looked like you. Mariah laughed nervously, trying to brush it off, but I could see her growing more uncomfortable by the second. At one point, she told me later, he even tried to grab her as she walked by. That's when she'd had enough. She asked our male co-worker, Chad, to take over her table. She made up some excuse about her shift ending, But really, she went into the kitchen and hid until the guy left. When Chad took over, the man's whole demeanor changed. He went from fake cheerful to stone-faced and angry. He barely spoke, finished his food in silence, and left.

Here's where it gets creepier. He left a $5 tip in single bills. And on every single one, he wrote Mariah's name in pen, front and back. Our manager told Mariah she never had to serve that man again. But of course, he came back. A few days later, he walked in and specifically asked for her. When I told him her shift hadn't started yet, he literally sat down in her section and announced he would wait over an hour just for her.

That was enough for the manager to intervene. He told the guy he couldn't camp out waiting for one specific waitress. The man got up and left without a word. But it didn't stop there. The very next day, the restaurant phone rang, and I picked it up. It was him. He asked for Mariah by name. I pretended not to recognize his voice and said, can I ask who's calling? He replied, no, put her on. I handed the phone to the manager. The manager said something like, Hi, sir, this is the manager. She's not here right now. Can I take a message? Then his face twisted

into this disgusted look like he was going to be sick. He hung up the phone without another word. I asked him what the man said, but he refused to tell me. Whatever it was, it was disgusting enough that he wouldn't even tell me. Eventually, the only way to get rid of him was to tell him Mariah didn't work there anymore. Once he heard that, he stopped calling and stopped showing up. To this day, I don't know what his deal was, but I hope Mariah never crosses paths with him again. Story 3. The Stocker at TGI Fridays. This last story isn't directly about me, but about a coworker of mine. At the time, I was waiting tables at TGI Fridays. One of the servers I worked with, Beth, was one of those people who just radiated friendliness. She was smart, funny, and

attractive, so naturally she got a lot of attention from customers. There was one guy in particular who took things way too far. At first, it seemed normal. He'd come in around lunchtime and always asked to sit in Beth's section. That wasn't unusual. Lots of customers had favorite servers. But soon he started coming in multiple times a day. Beth confided in me that he was trying to flirt with her, leaving his phone number, making small talk that was just a little too personal. I jokingly told her to brush it off and enjoy the tips, which, in hindsight, was terrible advice.

Because the guy didn't stop. In fact, he escalated. Soon, some of us noticed a blue Honda Civic parked near the 7-Eleven across from the restaurant. Inside, the same guy. He'd sit there for hours waiting for Beth to get off her shift. Beth was scared, and honestly, so were the rest of us. We started walking her to her car after every shift. If she didn't drive, one of us would give her a ride home.

It was like a mini bodyguard system. One night, I was walking to my car. when the guy approached me. He introduced himself casually and started asking questions. The first was about job openings, normal enough. But the second, he wanted to know if Beth had a boyfriend. Then he launched into how gorgeous she was and how much he wanted to get to know her. Red flags everywhere. I laughed it off, told him she probably had plenty of suitors already, and left. But when I told Beth, she was shaken. Things reached a peak one night when Beth forgot to ask someone to walk her to her car. I followed her at a distance just in case. Sure enough,

the blue Civic pulled out behind her car as soon as she left. My stomach dropped. I texted her immediately, telling her to take the long way home so I could get there first. She did, and when she finally pulled up safely, the Civic drove past her house. She broke down and teased.