Allergic To Common Sense, Part 20
I work in a fast-casual restaurant that mostly serves soups, salads, and sandwiches. Only cold sandwiches by themselves come with pickles unless they are otherwise requested.
I see a ticket order for a hot sandwich, with a note that says, “No pickles, allergy.” Okay, easy enough. I can follow the allergy protocol. But then, I realize it’s the BBQ sandwich, and our BBQ sauce is vinegar-based, so I need to know if her pickle allergy is to the cucumber or the vinegar. I call the customer up to the counter. I’m not a manager, but my general manager is listening to this conversation while working in our drive-thru.
Me: “Excuse me, ma’am. I see there’s a pickle allergy on your order?”
Customer: “Yes, your cashier said it doesn’t come with pickles, but all sandwiches have to have pickles and I’m just allergic.”
Me: “Okay, ma’am. Just so you know, only our cold sandwiches come with pickles, and this is a hot sandwich. But I’ll do my best to have nothing with pickles touch your food. I do need to ask, though, is the allergy to cucumbers or vinegar?”
Customer: “Just to the whole pickle. It doesn’t matter what part. Just don’t get anything pickle near my food and it’ll be fine.”
Me: “Ma’am, if the problem is with vinegar, then I can no longer in good conscience make you this sandwich as it is, and neither can any of the staff, as our BBQ sauce is completely vinegar-based. So is the allergy to cucumbers or vinegar?”
Customer: “Just make my sandwich with everything on it the way it’s supposed to be and don’t give me a pickle! How hard is that?! I’m not allergic to them at all; I just hate pickle juice making my toasted sandwiches all soggy!”
Me: *Twitches* “I’ll have that ready for you in a minute.”
I turned around to make her food and internally screamed.
Related:
Allergic To Common Sense, Part 19
Allergic To Common Sense, Part 18
Allergic To Common Sense, Part 17
Allergic To Common Sense, Part 16
Allergic To Common Sense, Part 15