A few years ago, I went to visit my best friend from college. We decided to take a nostalgia trip to our alma mater.

First, we visited the Alumni House. We decided to sign up for the alumni program and purchase a couple of sweatshirts from them. We paid cash. The individual staffing the Alumni House counted our change back to us incorrectly; she gave us too much money. We pointed out the error and she recounted it back to us, again incorrectly. We tried one more time. When she did it a third time, we gave up. Before we left, we were given coupons for free double-scoop ice cream cones at the Dairy.

Our next visit was to the bookstore. At the time, I was collecting wine glasses from places I visited. I found one and purchased it. They had only been open for a few minutes when we arrived. I paid for my purchase and the clerk gave me my change. She had not set up her till completely and so the change came out of the bank bag.

Me: “Since I’m traveling, can I have the glass wrapped, please?”

Clerk: “Of course!”

And she went to the back to wrap it for me, leaving the till open and the bank bag sitting on the open drawer. I was stunned but didn’t choose to walk out with the bag or any of its contents.

Finally, we made our way to the Dairy. Their ice cream is famous, and we were really looking forward to our treat. While the coupon was for a free double-scoop, I only wanted a single scoop.

Cashier: *Puzzled* “But the coupon is for a double-scoop.”

Me: “I only want a single scoop.”

Cashier: “Are you sure? The coupon…”

Me: “Okay, how about you put the second scoop in a bowl and you can eat it?”

Cashier: “That’s not possible because the coupon is for a cone.”

I was barely containing my laughter at this point and so was my friend. I finally convinced the cashier that she could give me one scoop and she could give my second scoop for free to the next person that wanted a single scoop.

They say things come in threes. I guess that may be true. All of these at a well-respected university. I doubt I will go back again.

Our place is both a coffee shop and ice cream parlor. A woman pulls into our drive-thru.

Customer: “Hi, can I get a chocolate shake?”

Me: “I’m sorry, ma’am, we are out of chocolate.”

I readjust my headset real quick, and she has already resumed talking. 

Customer: “…and can I get four chocolate shakes?”

Me: “Ma’am, we are out of chocolate.”

Customer: “Oh, okay. Then can I just get a couple of kids’ cones?”

Me: “What flavor?”

Customer: “What flavors do you have?”

I read out four ice creams and a sherbert.

Customer: “Okay, I’ll take chocolate.”

Hnnnnnng!

I am a customer waiting in line behind a particular cranky man.

Worker: “Here are your blizzards, sir!”

The customer looks down at the ice cream, then looks back at the worker.

Customer: “You guys usually blend these. This isn’t blended. You just threw some s*** on top!”

Worker: “I assure you, sir, that’s how we normally make it, and it is blended.”

Customer: *Looks at her disdainfully.* “It is not blended! You need to blend it!”

Worker: *Dies a little inside* “Yes, sir.”

She takes the ice cream back and blends it more.

Customer: “Finally! Thank you!” *Stalks off*

Me: “What the f***?!”

Our frozen yoghurt store has a water dispenser that has a metal tab that you can push down for water. The tab is kind of delicate, and if people push too hard on it, it could potentially break and we’d have to replace it.

I’m cleaning behind the counter when a mother and her two daughters walk in. The store is pretty crowded, so I don’t pay much attention to them. I ring them up and start serving the next people in line.

As I’m serving the next person, the kids from earlier go to get a drink of water. The water jug is empty because I can’t refill it when I’m serving the other guests. They start jamming and ramming the metal tab down, and it’s making an awful, loud noise.

Me: “Excuse me, girls. Please stop jamming on the tab. You might break it.”

The girls immediately whip around and look at me like a deer in the headlights. A coworker comes in and helps me clean up the store from the previous crowd. When the crowd has died down, the mother of the kids comes over to me while I’m sweeping.

Mother: “Excuse me, is the manager here?”

Me: “No, ma’am, she’s not here right now. Is there something I can help you with?”

Mother: *Condescending, passive-aggressive tone* “My daughters said that you yelled at them and that you were mean to them. That was very uncalled for. You can’t be mean to my daughters like that.”

Me: “Ma’am, I was trying to tell your daughters to not jam in the water tab. They were jamming it so hard that they were going to break it.”

Mother: “I know but that was very uncalled for. I’m not going to get you in trouble, but if it happens again, I will call your manager. Do you understand, sweetie?”

Me: “Yes, ma’am, you have a good day now.”

I told the whole story to my manager the next day, and she was unimpressed with the lady. 

Manager: “Her kids shouldn’t have been jamming on the handle in the first place. If you see her again, tell me and I’ll deal with her.”

It’s nice to have an understanding manager that knows that customers can be crazy sometimes.

I’m working alone at a frozen yogurt shop, and today happens to be the first day of the school year. A massive flood of people comes in after school, and the store is so full there is almost no room for other customers to get their yogurt.

I’m a bit stressed because there are so many people at one time and it is incredibly loud. I am soft-spoken and quiet so I have to raise the volume of my voice so I can communicate with the customers. I’m not being obnoxious or unprofessional, but I have to speak loudly so the customers can hear me.

Me: “All right, ma’am, your total is $13.89. Cash or credit?”

Customer: “Uh, don’t be so rude. You don’t have to yell at me.”

Me: “I’m sorry, ma’am. I’m not trying to be rude, but it’s very loud in here, and I want to make sure that you can hear me okay.”

Customer: “But you don’t have to yell at me. I’m right here. Geez, you’re rude.”

Me: *Giving her change* “All right, ma’am, you have a nice day.”