No one likes working, but at least The Far Side manages to see the humor in customer service. Almost everyone has or has had a job that primarily involves dealing with customers or clients and, let’s face it, there’s almost nothing to laugh about when dealing with an irate or annoying customer.

one thing Gary Larson does well with his strip, it’s nailing just how frustrating or nightmarish the working world can be. Sometimes it’s a strip that shows how truly aggravating serving the public can be. Other times it’s about the horrifying lack of responsibility on the purveyor's part. No matter how he does it, The Far Side does an amazing job skewering customer service and these ten strips absolutely prove it.

10 Jurassic Coke

Publication Date: July 4, 1991

Every once in a while, The Far Side would lampoon something from real-life, and in this case, Larson opted to get a joke in about Coca-Cola’s change in recipe to create ‘New Coke’, an almost universally reviled beverage. But, true to The Far Side’s style, Larson parodies the world’s frustration using prehistoric imagery. A bemused caveman deals with an angry customer who doesn’t want the ‘new stuff’, but rather, ‘Jurassic Coke’. It’s a comical spin on the New Coke saga with a good peppering of how much those in the food industry had to deal with incensed soda lovers.

9 Mixed-Up Orders

Publication Date: November 18, 1985

Restaurants can be fast-paced, confusing places. Dealing with meal-time rushes and keeping patrons satisfied is a pretty demanding task for everyone. But the truth is, mistakes happen. In this Far Side strip, a bird (yes, a bird) has sat down among humans to enjoy a meal. However, when the waitress brings him his food, he notes that he’s been given regular spaghetti instead of the Earthworms Alfredo he ordered. Meanwhile, a nearby man slurps up the bird’s food, unaware of what he’s consuming. Absolutely gross, but a funny commentary on the kinds of mistakes that can happen in restaurants.

8 Bud's Eraser Shop

Publication Date: August 1, 1988

While many strips focus on the failures or idiosyncrasies of customers, this one takes a swing at incredibly irresponsible shop owners. Larson takes readers to Bud’s Eraser Shop, where a man is selling a giant eraser, telling the customer that it will ‘wipe out any characters’. It’s clearly a metaphor for a gun shop with erasers being just as dangerous as firearms in The Far Side. The real kicker is the sign that claims no sales to minors, but the customer definitely has a boyish appearance, skewering how not everyone in the customer service industry is a responsible figure.

7 Heimlich Maneuver

Publication Date: June 24, 1992

Though they can be places of comfort and nourishment, diners can be dangerous places. In this Far Side strip, a man jumps to save another man named Joe’s life when he begins choking. He performs the Heimlich maneuver and successfully helps him dislodge the obstruction in his throat. As it turns out, Joe wasn’t choking on food, but rather, a small ninja sword. Customer service is filled with unpredictable things (albeit, maybe not as unpredictable as that). The Far Side recognizes that when working with the public, there’s no telling what someone’s day is going to look like.

6 Work Is Hell

Publication Date: October 10, 1991

It’s not uncommon for the public to see places such as restaurants and stores that have suggestion boxes, asking the public for ways that things could be improved. Many wonder if what they write is even considered, and The Far Side gives an incredibly cynical, but hilarious answer. In this strip, the workplace in question is Hell, and the entries in the suggestion box are being read by a group of devils who are just laughing their butts off while the damned souls continue toiling. A cynical outlook towards the customers provide, but undoubtedly a hilarious spin on things.

5 No Brains, No Service

Publication Date: December 31, 1986

To keep things running smoothly, most places of business will have rules that customers are expected to follow. But this is The Far Side, so, of course, the rules wouldn’t be as mundane as ‘No shoes, no shoes, no service.’. Instead, in this strip, a cook is making it clear that Jack’s Diner has rules and that those rules are ‘No brains, no service’, as he turns away a couple of (presumably brainless) patrons. Perhaps it’s unfair, but it’s a funny example of the frustrations of owners who have to deal with customers not following clearly posted rules.

4 Sketchy Characters

Publication Date: February 2nd, 1994

When one is dealing with the public in their job, they never know who they’re going to come across. Sometimes they’ll have to deal with people who put them on edge and The Far Side takes that idea and runs with it to hilarious (and meta) extreme. A shop employee named Leonard is working when he notices a couple of ‘sketchy characters’ walk in. Larson uses fantastic wordplay here as the potential customers in question are rougher sketches of Far Side characters. Absurd, but somewhat a reality for people who feel unsafe when working a customer service job.

3 Trap Door Salesman

Publication Date: April 10, 1990

When it comes to sales, it’s all about closing the deal no matter what. But in this Far Side strip, it doesn’t explore the sales world with something as simple as a mattress store. Instead, it focuses on Big Bob’s Trap Doors, where a salesman is showing off his wares. A child has just fallen through one of the floor models, but the salesman reassures the boy’s parents that he’s fine in the service department as the salesman continues his song and dance. It’s somewhat disturbing to see how pushy salesmen can be, but at least Larson makes it funny.

2 Dog Restaurants

Publication Date: March 2, 1990

As previously stated, restaurants demand a lot from the people running eating establishments. Here, Larson shows just how stressful it can be by using The Far Side’s absurdist lens and having this restaurant run by and for dogs. A chef looks at all the orders that have come in and sees just how picky and specific those customers are, with varying orders with different amounts of wet and dry food. Anyone who’s worked in the food service industry knows how mentally taxing it can be and even when using dogs, The Far Side gets it completely right.

1 Faith Healing Appliances

Publication Date: July 30, 1986

Let’s face it. Beyond understanding simple functions, most consumers don’t know how to work with common appliances. The Far Side runs with this idea (while also lampooning the concept of faith healing). An old-school tent revival is going on, but the only thing being saved is a vacuum cleaner while the holy man attempts to exercise the appliances' demons. Not only is this Far Side strip funny, it shows how many consumers see people who understand the workings of things like microwaves and toasters as practically supernatural.