Sorting Out The Disorder

(I’m a customer in this one.)

Worker: “Hi, welcome to [Restaurant]. What can I get you?”

Me: “I had a call in order for [My Name].”

Worker: “Oh… uh. Can I see your credit card?” *looks at card and verifies the last four digits on receipt* “We actually had a lady come in a few minutes ago, saying she was [My Name] and took that order. Did you have someone else coming for the order?”

Me: “No… not that I know of.”

Worker: “It was an order of [repeats my order to me]?”

Me: *laughing* “Yeah, it was. Oh, man, did you have any other pick up orders?”

Worker: “Yes, two others, but there’s only one order with a woman’s name. I even asked her what her name was, and she said [My Name].”

Me: “That’s weird! Oh, well. She’ll be upset when she gets home with the wrong order. And, of course, it’ll completely be your fault, because she didn’t pay attention.”

Worker: “I’m so sorry about that. We’ll make it up again, but it’ll be ten minutes. In the meantime, if you’d like a drink, it’s on the house.”

Me: “No, that’s fine. It wasn’t your fault at all that she didn’t listen.”

(I sit down and wait for my order to be remade. My name has just been called when a woman comes barreling up to the front.)

Her: “You screwed up my order. I didn’t order any of this crap.”

Worker: “Wait… was this the order for [My Name]?”

Her: “YES! I ordered [something more expensive] and I paid for this? I expect you to remake it!”

Worker: “We didn’t get an order for [something more expensive], only this one right here. Are you sure you’re at the right place?”

Her: “Yes! I always come here! You need to make this order again. I’d demand you refund my money if I didn’t think you’d double charge me.”

Worker: “Actually, you will have to pay for this order, ma’am.”

Her: “The h*** I will! Why would I need to pay for your screw up?”

Me: *stepping up after listening* “Oh, is this the order for [My Name]? Great, thanks!” *reaches over to put my hand on the order the woman has* “I guess this means that this is my order, too. Thanks for bringing it back for me.”

Woman: “Wait, but… what?”

Worker: “We can’t fill your order until you actually place an order in, ma’am. Are you sure you are in the right place?”

(The woman rushed back out, leaving the food behind. The worker offered it to me, but knowing some stranger had her hands in my food was a nauseating idea. We think the woman was trying to get a free meal out of the situation, but even if she’d been at the right place, she would have had to pay the difference in the meal if she’d truthfully ordered what she’d claimed to begin with.)