40+ Signs That Didn’t Need A Follow-Up…But We’re Glad Someone Replied Anyway

It is very common to see a variety of messages left in public places ranging from subways to gas stations, salons, and ATMs. These notes are usually written to warn people of impending dangers or notify customers and users about new policies.

Most of the time, these signs aren’t meant to be funny. They’re just plain old PSAs left by management to keep people informed and safe. But with the help of a follow-up note from an anonymous prankster, these dull signs become jokes that have us laughing all day long.

Perhaps management should thank these folks since their signs are now more eye-catching with their replies. We are certainly glad they took the time to post a follow-up and put a smile on our faces.

Shaggy’s line to the rescue

In the 2000s, there was a popular song about a guy getting caught with another woman by his girlfriend. In his defense, he kept saying the words, “it wasn’t me.” Since then, this infamous way of escaping accusations has become popular. 

Someone forgot to lock the basement door as indicated by the notice, and they’ve been reminded of their misdeed. Instead of accepting the correction and moving forward, someone decided to quote Shaggy’s famous lines to relieve the tension in the workplace.

A surprised door

We must have seen several notices in public places without stopping to think about the sarcastic or hilarious responses that could follow them. In this case, someone noticed a pun opportunity and took advantage of it. These are our favorite people.

The people who wrote the notice merely wished to warn people, but they ended up getting a rhetorical question. If nothing else, this sign surely made a few people smile when they saw it. We hope they left it up.

A cow in the refrigerator

This is an office refrigerator meant for all employees working within the same space. Usually, these refrigerators are small compared to the number of users, but this staff member doesn’t care for anything other than his milk, which apparently was taking up too much room.

For those who work in an office, you realize a gallon of milk takes up a lot of space in the refrigerator. Someone sarcastically told him to bring a cow instead. Lo and behold, the office had the first-ever refrigerator cow.

A valid question

Sometimes, we obey rules and policies without giving any thought to them, especially at work in shared spaces. In this situation, someone read through the notice and asked a question that was probably not asked before. These people are the revolutionary types.

Apparently, the office usually has a power issue whenever two microwaves are being used at the same time. However, the question of why there are two in the first place if they can’t be used at the same time will forever remain valid.

Turtles are back in action

If you’re a fan of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, you’ll understand the joke here instantly. Nonetheless, we’ll give you a quick rundown of what this means. The turtles are little ninjas, and Shredder is one of their arch enemies.

This office is merely trying to notify its staff that some equipment has been moved to a different location. However, a TMNT fan used the opportunity to jog our memory of cartoons past. We do love the young at heart.

Ketchup making an apology

This remains one of the most hilarious responses we’ve seen so far. One person always threw their trash in the breakroom trash can (which you’d think would be the normal thing to do). Someone else was not loving the smell.

Instead of simply grumbling and rolling his eyes, the accused decided to write an apology with ketchup. We are not sure whether this is a sincere apology since it looks more like he is trying to rub it in the accuser’s face.

Mob the mug

We all have some personal items that we love to keep to ourselves. It is not rude to limit the number of public hands on these items, especially our coffee mug. Many of us prefer to bring one from home and like keeping it for our use only.

The owner of the mug has clearly stated that touching it is impermissible. However, other people begged to disagree as they replied with a note saying that they couldn’t help it. It almost makes us think the mug has an enchanting spirit.

How to make stick figures

There are many fake offers on the web that target vulnerable people like students by inviting them to workshops to learn how to make money. In this case, this person wished to teach students to get rich quickly, which sounds like a scam right off the bat.

Someone caught the scam and gave a hilarious response. Instead of sending a message of interest, this person drew stick figures. Get it? We agree that the little drawings might be more realistic than the six figures the flyer promises.

A familiar sight

Automated teller machines are one of the most notorious when it comes to malfunctioning and being out of service. It’s a universal issue you can encounter everywhere you go. These machines are capable of being lifesavers and wreckers at the same time. 

Sometimes, the owners fix them, and people get to use the machines again, but they are often abandoned. In this scenario, someone called our attention to one of the oldest out-of-order ATM notices of all time. We don’t know how long, but we know that handwriting style was popular in middle school.

Take what belongs to you

Sharing a refrigerator in an office comes with several challenges. Usually, the space is limited, and each employee has to contend with what they can get. There’s even a clear notice telling each employee to eat what belongs to them in this office. 

However, someone decided to flaunt the rule and ate another person’s meal. We can’t decide which is worse; the audacity or the confidence to rub it in the actual owner’s face. Let’s hope another world war is not brewing here. 

Look at the label next time

One of the best practices for an office worker is to look at the surroundings carefully before placing objects in shared spaces. You might end up putting your valuables under a notice that was written years ago if you aren’t careful. 

In this case, this person unintentionally placed her precious bananas under a note that invited anyone to eat whatever was on the plate below. She then had to make a threat to find the culprit that ate her precious bananas.

He knows his homographs

Homographs are words that are spelled the same but have different meanings. An example is “bark,” which is a tree cover, and “bark,” which is a dog’s sound. Words like these are some of the marvels of the English language. 

Here’s a notice telling people not to remove the seal on the emergency door release. Someone saw the note and gave some sarcasm as a response. The baby seal picture they printed out is adorable, though. 10/10 for this one.

Font struggles

Font types are one of the most important things to consider while making a document. We all have favorite fonts for specific occasions, but we won’t have a choice if we’re dealing with notices to be posted around the workplace. It’s Times New Roman or Arial.

In this notice, these people merely wanted to warn the employees of a faulty toilet. However, we are not sure if an improper font will be of concern to anyone when they go into a stall that is out of order.  

It’s not what it looks like

Jumping to conclusions isn’t always the best, especially when it comes to situations like this. This is a great way to learn to read all sides of the story before making any judgment. Here, someone seemed to have taken another person’s bike.

The bike was tied to a handicap pole which would block a wheelchair-accessible van. This is a mic drop moment if we’ve ever seen one. Justice was indeed served, but not to the person we originally thought! Oh, the irony.

Survival of the fittest

Usually, heading out after work doesn’t bring much concern or fear to the employees. The situation is a little different in Alaska, where polar bears have been seen roaming the community. Consequently, the office had to put a note of warning.

Someone saw the note and added a bit of humor to the sign. This person probably has seen several movies where the slower person gets eaten by the beast. The joke is dark, but we couldn’t help but laugh at it. 

A Bad sign

Usually, a warning sign should be very clear and easily understood since the purpose is to prevent people from falling into danger. If the sign is ambiguous, there should be no blame on whoever misinterprets it or falls into error. 

Here, the sign has a knife, fork, and a coffee mug. This is not an image we would expect anyone to misunderstand, but we do know the value of sarcasm. We love these literal interpretations of these silly little signs.

It’s been a while

This graffiti on the wall saying, “why has this not been dealt with?” gives the feeling that this is an issue that has been going on for years, and no one seems to be able to do anything about it. Another broken toilet, perhaps?

However, as we insinuated before now, there’s always humor lurking somewhere in every note or situation. One only needs to look closer and dig it out. In this scenario, someone put up a sarcastic response that any coworker would have to laugh at.

Practice what you preach

Practicing what you preach is an old saying that encourages all of us to stay away from hypocrisy. In this office, the management wanted to warn people against putting thumbtacks on the wall but didn’t take note of the ones holding the sign.

Thus began a chain of hilarious responses. Eventually, they formed a cascade of doing what they preached against. We don’t know how your office environment is, but we would love to have these people as coworkers to share our cubicle!

A very cogent observation

Health practitioners usually warn the masses against the regular consumption of beverages with high amounts of sugar. We all know why, of course. But this announcement seemed to have missed a huge (and massively profitable) chunk of their products.

A valid question was brought up as to why the prices of sugarless drinks are also going up. Take the Mountain Dew and triple the cost for all we care; just leave our precious Coke Zero out of the price hike.

The irresistible urge to commit an offense

There’s this urge to break certain rules that say not to use a specific object. We call it the “red button effect.” The reason is that we’re probably intrigued to see the logic behind the prohibition. Sometimes, we just want to have fun.

Here, we have a notice prohibiting people from using a microwave. Naturally, one will wonder if it’s a danger warning or it is more than what meets the eye. Eventually, someone showed off their artistic skills with a response that befits the dramatic notice. 

The irresistible urge to press buttons 

Buttons have this appealing look, and that “click” noise makes them almost irresistible to press. Whether it is on a printer, washing machine, door, or computer, we must press the button. We can’t outgrow some aspects of our natures. 

Someone posted a note telling people to make proper consultation before handling the printer. As we noted above, there’s always this irresistible urge to press those buttons anyways. A coworker ended up fulfilling their fantasy, thanks to the absent operator. 

Face your fears

Working with people in an office comes with many challenges. One must be patient, tolerant, and warm-hearted to coexist with people of diverse nature and character. In this instance, someone posted their nostalgic feeling regarding the ice machine using a sticky note. 

Another coworker didn’t find it funny and responded in a way that actually was passive-aggressive. We wonder how he completely missed the pun in the original note. Having an ice machine was cool, Greg. Unlike you. It was a pun.

He didn’t break any rules

We all know that one of the most common places that people put flyers is construction sites. It’s easier to see these kinds of things there, and usually, no one will sue you for putting something up on an uncompleted building. 

This builder wasn’t thinking too deeply when he put up a sign prohibiting posting flyers on the construction site. It’s just protocol. However, someone gave us one of the most hilarious responses in history by putting up pictures of flightless birds.

A one in a thousand request

Ice cream is one of the most loved food items in the whole world. Everything about it is appealing, and it’s a rare scene to see someone offer theirs. Here, Brenda broke the rule by requesting that someone eat what was in the freezer.

The thought on everyone’s mind is, who would decline such a polite request? Um, no one. Let’s get some ice cream! Luckily for us, one of Brenda’s colleagues is a pun master and made this friendly note cute and memorable.

Not every flyer is worth your time

Scientists and health practitioners occasionally use flyers to pass important health messages to the masses. In this case, we have a notice talking about the benefits of drinking at least eight glasses of water per day. But someone took exception to it.

We have ourselves a troll here, fellas. A dedicated, mastermind of a troll. In his case, he is encouraging people to drink 25 glasses of molten lava. We hope that no one takes the flyer and its content as something serious.

The machine is not totally useless

A coffee machine is meant to produce hot drinks and bring happiness to people’s faces through the glorious effect of caffeine. In this scenario, we have a damaged machine that can’t produce hot coffee, but someone alerted us to one of its good qualities.

We learn that nothing is totally useless from the second note. The machine can still produce cold coffee, and it also has a great personality. We’re not sure if a machine can have a personality, but we have a feeling that the writer wanted us to smile, and so we are.

Nice one, Dave!

Office life is full of surprises and requires perseverance to have a peaceful coexistence with your workers. You’re only meant to take what belongs to you in an office refrigerator. You’re also meant to stay away from items that have been labeled by the owners. 

We see these labeled as belonging to “Dave.” We get the idea that someone had been stealing Dave’s teas, and he was over it. We are also absolutely sure that the person who took the fourth bottle doesn’t usually go by the name Dave.

A mean quote

Motivational quotes come in handy, especially when you’re down or going through moments of self-doubt. To this end, workplaces often put up motivational quotes at strategic locations to keep the workers going and keep them looking up and seeing the bright side.

The quote that was hung up in this office was discouraging the use of shortcuts and unscrupulous means to attain quick success. As much as people might agree with the meaning behind it, the wording was enough to spark some debate.

Homographs or a mistake?

We have had our share of homographs. These words allow English speakers to play with words and showcase their linguistic skills. Here, we are having a hard time understanding this note. First of all, a word is missing. Use what to label food?

We know it means the workers should put a date on their meals. However, someone snarky took the other meaning and revolted against going on a date with their lunch. They also made us know how unsatisfactory their lunch is.

A cold way of saying “No”

Someone had their purple marker taken and had to write a missing notice on the office whiteboard. Even though many of us wonder what role a purple marker plays in the office, we have a feeling that the owner wants it back badly. 

The marker was clearly stolen, and the thief even made the owner know by writing a bold “No” beneath the first note. What baffles us is the audacity and the sarcastic reply to an innocent request. We have a feeling this was a funny exchange for those involved.

Bring back our tacos

Undoubtedly, tacos are a lifesaver everywhere they are sold. The taste is heavenly, and the feeling that you get after consuming one – crunchy or soft shell, no difference – is indescribable. This restaurant closed up shop because of a lack of workers. 

The word choice caused someone to show their sarcastic side while registering their displeasure for the absence of tacos. If you have short staff, why don’t you hire tall staff? We hope that the restaurant got the joke and was also able to open again.

How do we handle this situation?

Before now, we all know that a handle is a significant part of a door. In fact, a handle differentiates a door from other similar objects, like walls. However, the first note here is about to distort what we thought we knew.

Someone that agreed with us put up a second notice pointing to the handle while querying the first claim. Perhaps, they were trying to play a mean joke by putting a knob on a wall, but we imagine it’s just a supply closet they want people to stay away from.

A “lost but found” auction

Losing an item you cherish is among the most dreaded feelings as humans. In this case, someone lost their iPod touch, and due to their desperation to get it back, they offered a cash reward for whoever helped in looking for it. 

Little did the person realize that someone is about to cash in on their offer. Another person posted a lost iPod note with an increase in the cash reward. The second person’s aim remains vague, but we hope the lost iPod was found. 

Always double-check your spelling

If this person had not made a spelling error, we would have missed out on this wonderful sarcastic reply. Here, we have an innocent post warning people from hanging notes that were not approved by the management on the board. 

Everything was going well till they misspelled the word “manager.” As a form of sarcastic retaliation, someone put up a note saying “I’m a manger” with an appropriate picture. Workplace sarcasm truly lives up to the hype every time. 

Learn to close the door

A refrigerator is meant to help preserve things, as we all know. Hence, leaving the refrigerator door open will serve as a counterproductive measure since the temperature naturally rises when you let the cold air out. This is not news, people.

This isn’t a sassy response to a passive-aggressive notice on a board so much as a playful and well-drawn accompaniment to a note we feel should be unnecessary. Maybe this pun helped remind the forgetful employees to keep the fridge closed.

Life itself is ephemeral

This printer was innocent until someone posted a note on it saying that it was only there temporarily. Indeed, the printer can never be in there for eternity as it is bound to suffer the wear and tear that occurs with time passing.

We can also look at the meaning of this note another way, just as the second writer did. In the grand scheme of things, we are all here temporarily. Life itself is fleeting, not only the printer. That’s deep, man.

An ice-cold response

Drama is not an unusual thing to see in a public workspace. You will meet different people with different temperaments and characters. Some of them might seem strange or weird to you but remember that everyone is unique in their way. 

Here, we have a worker that brings a bag of ice from home every day for their personal use. They also made their intention not to share known through a well-written note. However, a coworker let them know how strange they think it is. 

Sarcasm begets sarcasm

Sarcasm, as we’ve noted numerous times, is a great way of communicating. Or at least, it is entertaining to spectators. It has been employed in almost every setting, from homes to workplaces, as a way to ease all forms of tension.

In this workplace, a note that was meant for counting accident-free days was converted into something else. Now, they wish to count the number of days without sarcasm at the office. Someone noticed the wrong spelling of sarcasm to form a nice sarcastic reply.

The font matters sometimes

Typically, no one thinks much about the font type of a typed piece except when we’re dealing with official documents. Then, many parameters like the font type, size, and even line spacing matter for various reasons. And again, we all have fonts we hate.

This is a notice to keep the doors closed. Even though it’s an office, it isn’t an official document. However, certain fonts don’t make the cut, no matter the setting. As a result, someone rebuked using a script befitting a big company.

An eye for an eye

Saying that the wall isn’t a chalkboard is one of the most valid warnings we’ve seen. Walls make for a good board, but that is not their purpose. Apart from the fact that it disfigures it, it also makes a mess of the whole place.

The kitchen sink is certainly not a trash can, but for someone who seems to care a lot about hygiene and cleanliness, writing on the wall seems like a counterintuitive thing to do. It makes the person who took the time to type and print a notice look smarter.

Must the father suffer the sins of the son?

Typically, one person’s crime shouldn’t cause punishment for everyone in the vicinity. This school thought otherwise when they locked the restroom because of a pupil that threw paper towels in the wrong place. Consequently, the students weren’t cool with the development.

As a payback to the school authority for locking the restrooms because of the crime of one person, they posted a sarcastic note that actually makes more sense than the first. Let’s hope no one ended up getting suspended or anything.

A wrong date

This is another play with homographs. The word “date” here can mean putting the corresponding calendar dates on the cans. But, of course, there was a prime opportunity to make a pun, and it had to be taken advantage of.

Apparently, it is very hard to get a date with a can. The sarcasm from this guy is on another level. They could have left it with the first line. But it is the second line that makes this memorable.

Never trust a vending machine

Few feelings beat being hungry and going to a vending machine that collects money without giving anything in return. The frustration is second to none. Someone hopes to save other people some frustrations by posting a warning about the machine.

A passerby saw this and felt it on a soul level. A machine that takes money and keeps the snacks? “Sounds like my ex!” We all know that the comparison fits, but we also think that it’s a bit mean. 

Change is inevitable

Another vending machine, another note that opens itself up to being made fun of. We know it’s nice someone wrote a message letting everyone know to use exact change. But they were still reminded that, like death, change must surely come to pass. 

We agree with the response and even think it is funny, even if they were just being snarky. Anyways, we had a good sarcastic tussle right there and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. But now we’re thinking a bit too deeply about life.

A missing person case?

This office owner posted a note on their door telling people that they should check the reception in case they weren’t inside. From the look of things, someone came there not too long after the note was posted. But they had time to print several responses.

Hey, they followed the protocol. We have a very crucial concern here which is, why did the person use so much paper instead of writing them all on one page? Also, where is the green note writer? Did they ever come back?