Is It Possible? Did A Customer Actually Learn Something?

When I managed a coffee stand, I had a semi-regular who came in once every ten to twelve days. She came in two days in a row so she could complain about one of my employees.

I had recently become the manager and was making some changes. One, specifically, was to standardize how we charged people for their drinks. THIS woman — who had an absolutely ridiculous drink, by the way — had bullied previous managers into “her price” for her drink, and no, she didn’t tip.

One afternoon, I got a call from the girl who was working, warning me that I was probably going to get a complaint about her. Her. The Nicest Girl You’d Ever Meet. I asked if the complainant was known to us, so she described the drink (that’s how baristas know you).

When the customer showed up the next morning, I knew exactly what it was about. Regardless of what she said about my employee, she was really complaining about being charged full price for her drink. And I wasn’t about to punish someone for doing what I told them to.

Long story short, I told her that, since she’d thought her drink was fine at the time, aside from that, I didn’t care. She gave me this look (you know the one).

Customer: “Well, I guess I won’t be getting my drink, then.”

It was clear she FULLY expected me to grovel for her business.

Me: “Okay, see you later!”

Six months later, she came back. She was INCREDIBLY polite, drinking black Americanos, and tipping. She had gotten perma-banned from somewhere, and I wish so badly that I knew the story!