H2-Overreacting

I work at a very prominent fast food chain in the college that I go to. It’s my last year and I’m an assistant manager. It’s the second-to-last day on the job. I have never gotten a single ridiculous customer until this point.

A foreign exchange student comes up to order with his girlfriend next to him. I do the spiel and ask for his order.

Student: “I want that burger.”

He points at a special slider we’re selling momentarily.

Student: “And water.”

Me: “Do you want to make that a meal? And what size water do you want?”

Soda fountains are behind us. We do a $1 cup charge for a cup of water of any size versus $3 for bottled water. I assume he wants the $1 cup of water like every sane person I’ve ever served.

Student: “BURGER MEAL AND WATER!”

He turns to his girlfriend.

Student: “What is so hard to understand about that? Stupid girl.”

His girlfriend starts tugging on his arm.

Me: “Okay. Small, medium, or large-sized meal?”

Student: “Large!”

Me: “Okay. Your total is [amount].”

He pays and then turns to his girlfriend, saying something along the lines of, “Idiot girl.” He pays but then looks at his receipt. He then comes back.

Student: “WHY IS THIS MORE THAN WHAT I PAID BEFORE?! WHAT IS THIS $1?!”

I’ve never seen him before and I don’t know what he ordered before. I explain the meal and pricing.

Student: “Not what I want! STUPID GIRL! GIVE ME [BURGER]!”

He points at the basic BBQ onion ring burger. His girlfriend is just timidly standing beside him, looking embarrassed.

Me: “So, you just want that burger instead of [Special Slider]? And no fries?”

Student: “Yes. NOT HARD TO UNDERSTAND, STUPID GIRL!”

I changed his meal. I was so mad that I stepped off the floor to cool down. I went to my manager upstairs and explained to her that I was off the floor so I didn’t punch the guy in the face.

She then went down to take over so there was someone on the floor supervising. In the fifteen minutes I was off the floor, he managed to berate the other cashier, the fry cook, the burger assemblyperson, and my manager.

He yelled at the other cashier because of his water not being the water he wanted and threw the cup at my manager. He caused such a scene that other customers waiting stepped in and told him to knock it off.

Turns out he had bought the special slider but only bought the burger and a small fry for his girlfriend last time but couldn’t comprehend why a large-sized meal was more than he paid before, or that he chose another burger and it cost more because it wasn’t the size of a slider.

Oh, well… I’m glad I don’t have that job anymore.