Something Fishy With Her Complaint

(I’m working as the front-end manager of a Japanese restaurant. We often have to explain the difference between nigiri sushi and sashimi. It is a busy Friday and a customer orders a sushi lunch for delivery. We have lunch specials and there’s an upcharge for any specific fish requested. She declines having specific fish. We close for a short period of time during the weekdays and the customer calls us during that close. We call back and leave a message saying we got their message and that they should call us back asap or come in before we close that night. They don’t call or show up till after eight pm the next day, which is Saturday. I am just about to cash out the customer picking up their order when this lady shows up and demands service.)

Customer #1: “Go ahead. I’m in no rush.”

Customer #2: “Yes, I ordered this yesterday but it wasn’t what I wanted. I asked for the sushi lunch with specific fish and it was supposed to come with rice. I did not receive any rice nor the fish I asked for.”

Me: “I’m so sorry. I could give you a rice on your next order.”

Customer #2: “No. I want a sushi lunch with rice like I ordered. I even brought my lunch with me.” *shows me her half eaten sushi lunch; this sushi is fish over rice*

Me: “Oh, well, I’m slightly confused. That is our sushi lunch. Our sushi lunch does not come with rice. Our sashimi lunch does, however.”

Customer #2: “That is not sushi. That is sashimi. Sashimi is with rice under it. I eat sushi all the time here and that is not sushi.”

(She shows us her tray of mostly eaten sushi. The sushi lunch is five pieces of fish over rice. There are only two pieces left. Customer #1 is trying not to laugh at this point.)

Customer #2: “I’d like a refund. I brought my food back in and clearly you have to refund me.”

Me: “I’m sorry, but refunds are only for the first 24 hours and must not have been eaten. You have eaten more than half of the five pieces and soup and salad. We cannot offer a refund but I can discount your next order by 15%.”

Customer #2: “This is unacceptable. I order here all the time and every time I come in I get exactly what I want. If I order it for delivery you all screw it up!”

Me: “I am very sorry, ma’am. As I said that is the owner’s policy and my hands are tied. If you’d like to give me your name and number, I can put it in our system that you’ll receive 20% off your next lunch order for dine-in or as part of a delivery.”

(She throws her hands up and storms off saying she’s contacting the Better Business Bureau for a refund, leaving the uneaten sushi on a tray on top of the menus.)

Customer #1: “Clearly she’s never had sushi sushi.”

Me: *laughing* “That’s not the first or last time that’ll happen.”

(Yes, the lady did contact the BBB but lost her claim against the restaurant as we explained exactly what happened.)