Scumbag Steve Meme Template
Scumbag Steve is a classic image macro featuring a photo of a young man in a sideways baseball cap, used to caption the behavior of a selfish, inconsiderate, or freeloading acquaintance. It became one of the defining memes of the early Reddit era around 2011.
Caption this template- Category
- Classic Meme Templates
- Size
- 500 x 500 px
- Format
- Image
- Price
- Free, no sign up
Where the Scumbag Steve meme comes from
Scumbag Steve originated from a photo of Blake Boston taken by his mother around 2006, which was posted to Reddit s r/AdviceAnimals in early 2011. The image went viral and became one of the defining characters of the advice animal meme era, with Blake Boston later publicly embracing the format.
How to caption the Scumbag Steve meme
Caption the top of the image with a setup describing a mooching, inconsiderate, or selfish social behavior, and use the bottom line to deliver the punchline that makes it worse. The voice should sound casually unapologetic, as Steve never thinks he is doing anything wrong. Open it in the meme generator, or read the top and bottom text guide for more.
Scumbag Steve caption ideas
Need a starting point? Try one of these on the Scumbag Steve template, then make it your own in the meme generator.
- Says he'll Venmo you back / Hasn't opened the app since 2019
- Asks to 'borrow' your charger / You find it three apartments later
- Joins the group project / Shows up for the photo of the finished slides
- Suggests splitting the bill evenly / Ordered the lobster and three cocktails
- Says 'we should hang out soon' / Has cancelled the last six times
Best uses for the Scumbag Steve template
Use the Scumbag Steve template when the joke fits a classic format and the image can explain the feeling before the reader finishes the caption. It is strongest for evergreen formats, familiar setups, and fast recognizable jokes.
This blank is 500 x 500 px and is a still image, so place the most important words where they stay readable after a feed crop. The near-square frame is flexible for feeds, group chats, Reddit, and Discord.
The sample captions leave room for a setup and a punchline without turning into a paragraph. Before exporting, read the caption once without looking at the image; if it still needs a long explanation, switch to a simpler setup or a more obvious related template.
Caption patterns to try
| Pattern | Why it works |
|---|---|
| Says he'll Venmo you back / Hasn't opened the app since 2019 | This works because it gives the reader a specific situation instead of a vague label. |
| Asks to 'borrow' your charger / You find it three apartments later | This pattern keeps the setup concrete, which helps the template carry the reaction. |
| Joins the group project / Shows up for the photo of the finished slides | This is a useful direction when you want the punchline to feel personal or self-aware. |
Common mistakes with this blank
- Writing a caption that explains the whole joke instead of letting the Scumbag Steve image do part of the work.
- Placing text over the most expressive part of the image, especially faces, gestures, signs, or the main action.
- Using three different ideas in one meme. This template works better when it points at one clear situation.
- Exporting before checking the meme at phone size. If the smallest words blur together, shorten the caption first.
