Not So Closed Minded, Part 39
CONTENT WARNING: Violence (Customer threatens/attempts to stab an employee)
I worked at a sandwich place located inside a mall, but not attached to any other stores. This is important, as there is another branch of the same chain located INSIDE of a store that is open later due to the store itself being open later.
I am counting down the drawer, thirty minutes past close, when I hear a tapping. I look at the door to find a lady smiling and waving at me.
I mouth through the door that we are closed and go back to counting.
She bangs on the door more insistently, angry now. I go to the door, shout, “We are closed!”, and point to the hours.
She acts like she doesn’t hear, so I give her the benefit of the doubt and do what you should NEVER DO ESPECIALLY WHEN ALONE: I unlock the door to speak with her.
Customer: “Hi. I am so sorry, but I just called here and spoke to someone. You said you would be open until ten, so why are you closed?”
Me: “Oh. You must have called elsewhere. We are never open past 8:30. I am just here counting the drawer.”
Customer: *Now irate* “No. I called here, and the man on the phone said you were open until ten!”
Me: “I am going to stop you right there. We haven’t had a man working this restaurant at all today — just women — but also, we have never been open past 8:30 because the mall closes at eight.”
Customer: “So… who did I call, then?!“
I know I should have disengaged, but I am a helpful person, and this is my first management job, so I want to do the right thing.
Me: “I am sorry. You would know better than I would who you called. Perhaps call them back to find out their location so you can get your food?”
Customer: “No! They said they were open until ten, so you have to make my food for me!”
Me: “No…? I cannot. Our systems are shut down, our food is put away, and everything is off. If it were, like, right at close, I could have helped you, but we’ve been closed for over forty-five minutes now.”
Customer: “You will make me my sandwiches because you should be open until ten like your other—”
I closed and locked the door at this and turned around.
The customer lost her s***, shaking and pounding the door. The customers leaving the chain store were concerned and tried to help the banshee, but she kept screaming.
I went to the back, locked myself in the office, and called security, getting worried that she might actually break the door down. On the cameras, I saw her leave finally, and I breathed a sigh of relief, letting security know. They still said they would send someone over to make sure it was safe for me to leave.
Security let themselves into the store mall side and let me know what had happened and that I could leave.
Apparently, the lady had a complete meltdown in the parking lot. She was hiding near the dumpster closest to the store, and she went to knife some poor cashier from one of the restaurants that were open later (a steak place), causing the cashier to lock all the customers inside for their safety and call security.
But that wasn’t the end of the story.
Apparently, before she got caught with the knife at the dumpster, the woman had slashed the tires of all the cars parked near the doorway, thinking one of them had to be mine.
The police arrested her and cleared the area for everyone to leave.
So never, ever open a door for someone past opening hours. You never know what could happen!
Related:
Not So Closed Minded, Part 38
Not So Closed Minded, Part 37
Not So Closed Minded, Part 36
Not So Closed Minded, Part 35
Not So Closed Minded, Part 34