Unfiltered Story #150983

(The same man comes into our restaurant multiple times per week and always orders the same thing: a cup of water and a small vanilla milkshake. He is rather old and hasn’t aged very gracefully, so he looks a bit intimidating. However, it is company policy to always be polite to guests and try to anticipate their needs. Part of this is remembering the orders of frequent guests, as I try to do when he comes in this particular day…)
Me (smiling): Hello, sir! Are you here for your cup of water and small shake?
Customer (stares and squints one eye): I want a small vanilla shake.
Me: Certainly! And would you still like your usual cup of water?
Customer (still staring): Small vanilla shake.
Me: Okay, so no water… Yes, sir. That’ll be $2.92. Here’s your table marker and your receipt, and if you want to go ahead and take a seat, we’ll bring your shake right out to your table!
Customer: Where’s my cup of water?
Me (dumbfounded): … yes, sir, right away.
(I grabbed him his water and he shuffled off to his table. He has come in multiple times since then and ordered from me, but I no longer try to verbally anticipate his order…)