Can’t Have Your Free Cake And Eat It

(I work at bakery that only sells cakes, in different sizes. We offer an individual serving in all of our flavors and run coupons for a free individual cake in the local magazines. On this particular day we are busy and many people are taking advantage of the free cake by bringing in the coupon.)

Customer: “I see all these people are getting a free cake with a coupon. Can you give me one for free, too?”

Me: “I’m sorry, ma’am, but they brought in the coupon from the magazine ads we run, and I have to have the coupon to give you a free cake.”

Customer: “I buy these cakes all the time. I don’t have a coupon. All these people are getting free ones; why can’t you give one to me?”

Me: “Yes, ma’am, they get a free one with the coupon; we run them in all the magazines. You can also sign up with our email listings to receive them; we’re actually running one later this month. But unfortunately, if you don’t have a coupon, I can’t give you a free cake.”

Customer: *starting to pout and get mad* “But I don’t have one. Why can’t you just give me a free one? I’m buying several of them!”

(Since we offer a discounted price for a dozen of the individual cakes I think she’s talking about that price.)

Me: “How many do you plan to purchase today?”

Customer: “Seven.”

Me: “Unfortunately, ma’am, we don’t have a special price for seven cakes.”

Customer: “I don’t understand why you can’t just give me a free one.”

(I go through the rest of the transaction, getting the flavor of the cakes she wants, and I start to gather and bag them as she continues to badger me about giving her a free cake.)

Customer: *angry* “Good customer service would be giving me a free cake!”

Me: “I’m sorry, ma’am, but I don’t have the authority to just give you a free cake.”

Customer: “Well, maybe there is someone here who can!”

Me: “I can get the manager, if you’d like to talk to her?”

(She finally realizes she isn’t going to bully me into giving her free cake for no reason, and pouts like a two-year-old the rest of the time.)

Me: *smiling* “Have a good day!”

Customer: *snatches bags and walks out*