Unfiltered Story #235013

I am a cook in a restaurant that has a display kitchen visible from the dining room, as well as a large kitchen that cannot be seen or reached by customers. We have a number of regular customers that we all know well, but we all agree that this gentleman is the most unpleasant of all of them. He comes once a week or so and always orders the same food, usually to go. He is always rude and condescending, never tips, and always brags about his money. For some reason, he has taken a liking to me, even though he insults and criticizes most of the other employees. While the following conversation was pretty typical, it was my final straw.

Regular: Man, it is dead in here today! Yall must be about to shut down, huh?

Me: No, Lunch is over and dinner doesn’t start for a few hours, so not many people come in at this time.

Regular: Well, I’m just going to have my usual.

(My coworker had already started making it when the regular came in, as the food item comes from his station. I am at my own station working on prep.)

Regular (pointing at the restaurant manager): She asked me what I wanted! Why’s she asking me questions?

Me: She probably wanted to know what you ordered so she can charge you for it.

Regular: You don’t put me through that!

Me: I am not a server. I can’t charge you.

Regular: Well, that’s OK, nobody has to charge me! I don’t have to pay!

Me: Ok. Then I’ll eat your food myself.

Regular: When are you going to quit this job?

Me: I enjoy working here a lot, so no time soon.

Regular: Hey, I left my money across the street in my apartment, I don’t have any money to pay.

Me: We are open until 11:00 tonight. You can go get your money and come back any time for your food.

Regular: I mean, it is dead in here! Yall don’t get any business anymore!

Me: Right. Like I said, lunch is over and dinner hasn’t started, so…

Regular: Why hasn’t anybody given me my bill yet? Have you even started making the food?

Me: Yes, we started making it as soon as you came in. It’s not ready yet.

Regular (pulls out a wad of cash and flashes it in front of me, then puts it away and takes out a credit card): Hey, man (addressing the bartender), what’s taking you so long with my bill?

(He walks the few steps over to the bar to get his bill. I set down my knife onto the cutting board where I have been working.)

Me: I can’t do this anymore. Hey, (Coworker)? Are you going to be OK if I work in the back until (Regular) leaves?

Coworker: Sure. I’ll come get you when he’s gone.

Me: Thanks.

(I go to the larger kitchen in the back and work on some other projects there. Later, my coworkers told me that Regular was asking them if I was coming back, even sarcastically asking if there was another kitchen somewhere else. He was told yes, in fact, there was a much larger kitchen that I had gone to. Since this final incident, my lovely coworkers warn me when he comes in so I can go to the other kitchen and avoid his negativity.)