Unfiltered Story #179123
I am a barista at a well-known coffee chain. On a slow day, a woman walks into the store and proceeds to stare intently at the pastry case for about thirty seconds whilst wiping quite intently at her nose with a tissue.
Me: *feeling a little awkward but smiling politely anyway* Hello! See anything you like today?
The lady continued to stare at the case for another few seconds, ignoring my inquiry, before finally walking over to my register. She begins to speak, but her voice is so quiet that I can only make out the words “caramel.”
Me: So you would like a caramel macchiato, then?
Woman: *continues speaking in a very hushed voice*
Thinking that she was speech-impaired, I took a piece of paper, smiled, and offered it to her, making a gesture to request that she write her order. Upon my doing this, she looks at me like I just spit in her coffee and walks over to my manager. I hesitant before serving the next guest that just walked up, and in-between I can hear her talking to him, her voice suddenly loud enough to hear now. She is complaining, but still not clear on what she wants. After my guest leaves, this lady returns, and my manager believes that she indeed wants a caramel macchiato. While trying to complete the transaction, she stands away from us, at the other side of the wall from the register, and once again neither of us can make out her words.
Manager: *politely* Can you come closer, please?
Woman: *speaking is unreadable again, this time because she’s too far away*
Manager: *still polite, almost too sweet* Ma’am, can you come closer?
After a few more attempts, all the while the woman standing there with an unreadable, almost smug look on her face, my manager has had enough.
Manager: *with a tone still sweet as sugar* If you can’t come closer to pay then I’m going to have to ask you to leave.
Woman: *now loud enough that the whole store can hear* F***ER! *storms off, knocking over some newspapers from the rack on her way out*
Maybe we should start making pastry cases for drinks as well?
Question of the Week
Tell us your story about a customer who couldn't understand the most simple concept.
