A Soup Recoup

(We used to serve 12 and 16 ounce soups. We switched over to just 16 ounce soups. Due to a mix up with inventory we had two different bowls, both exactly 16 ounces. One happened to be wide and short and the other narrow and tall.)

Customer: “May I have a 12 ounce soup, please.”

Me: “We now only have 16 ounce soups, is that okay?”

Customer: “Sure.”

(I go ahead and grab a bowl that Is closest to me, fill it up, and bring it over to the tray for the lady.)

Customer: “Can I have the other bowl? It holds more soup.”

Me: “Both our bowls are exactly 16 ounces; the other bowl is just shaped differently.”

Customer: “No, I always have leftover from the other bowl because it’s bigger. This one is smaller and I get less soup.”

(I go over and fill the other bowl with tap water to the top and pour it into the bowl I used for her soup in front of her; the water is filled exactly to the top, no more or less than the other bowl.)

Me: “They’re both 16 ounces. We have two cups right now because of an inventory issue.”

Customer: “But I would rather have the other bowl. It holds more because I always have left over and it’s bigger.”

(I went over and poured her soup into the other bowl, put a lid on it, and put it back on her tray for her. She paid and walked off happily.)