(I’m working at a popular sandwich shop in a college town. I’m closing with two other employees the night of my college’s big winter formal dance. We close at 10:00 pm and we’re all hoping to get out early in order to make the dance. Unfortunately, it’s been a busy night, so come 9:50 pm, we’re only just starting closing procedures. I’m putting chairs on the tables in the dining room when a customer comes through the door looking frantic.)

Customer: “Are you all still open? Can we still order?”

Manager: “Sure, we’ve still got the food out and we’re open for another ten.”

Customer: “Great, thank you so much!”

(He ran out of the restaurant… which is when I noticed the bus. He came back in with about 30 people in tow: a junior varsity and a varsity volleyball team and all of their chaperones. They not only ordered 30-plus sandwiches and beverages, they also went to the dining room and pulled down the chairs I put up, since they planned on eating in. The manager said nothing since we all knew our boss would throw a fit if we did anything to lose the customers. It took 30 minutes for everyone to get their food. I began cleaning up around the crowd, hoping this would signal that we were closed and they needed to hurry up and leave. It didn’t. We didn’t get them out until 11:00 pm, which was when we could finally start closing the front of house. Nobody thanked us as they left, and our tip jar, which we’d divided earlier before the group walked in, was still completely empty. The only good thing to come out of the night was our manager pouring us all a few pints of beer to try to make closing more tolerable — and my friends all waiting for me before heading to the dance.)

(I am having trouble finding an item in the hardware store. I don’t see an employee around, so I go up front to ask the cashiers of they can help me find one of their coworkers. Both cashiers are female.)

Me: *what I’m thinking* “I know that cashiers aren’t usually allowed to leave the front, but can you find someone to help me in hardware?”

Me: *what I actually say* “I know you’re just cashiers, but can you find someone to help me in hardware?”

(I am so sorry! I’m sure that you are very capable! Thank you for helping me anyway!)

(A woman comes to the front, followed by another woman and a young boy. They have one item and three carts between them, and the first woman, who has the purchase, is busy with her phone while I ring her up.)

Me: “All right, your change is $78.81.”

(I count out $78 and hand it to her, but she doesn’t notice. Since I need to open a roll of quarters to get the rest of her change and it seems like they’re in a hurry, I put the money on the counter and reach for the coins.)

Customer: “Excuse me.”

Me: “Yes?”

Customer: “Did you just put my money down there instead of handing it to me?”

Me: “Sorry about that. It’s just that you were on your phone, and I needed both hands to get the rest of your change, so—”

Customer: “I don’t like it when people put my money on the counter.”

Me: “I’m sorry about that—”

Customer: “I didn’t put your money down, did I?”

Me: “No, you didn’t. I’m sor—”

Customer: “It’s just rude. It disrespects me.”

Me: “I’m so sorry. You were busy, and I thought you were in a hurry. Here’s the rest of your change.”

Customer: *to the other woman* “It’s just inconsiderate, isn’t it?”

(The other woman agreed and they left, muttering about how inconsiderate and rude I was, all while leaving the three large carts out in everyone’s way and ignoring my cheerful “Have a nice day!”)

(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*

Me: “Thank you for calling [Pizza House]. Would you like to hear about our current specials?”

Customer: “No.”

Me: “All righty, then, will this be a pick-up or delivery order?”

Customer: “Do you have any deals going on right now?”