(I work at a pretzel store in a mall. We have tiny pretzel stick things that we sell in a cup. Our sauces are extra. We offer a discount to mall employees. One gentleman, wearing a uniform from a mall store, orders a cup of pretzels without sauce. He pays, gets his discount, and as I am filling his cup, he asks for three sauces.)
Me: “Okay, but that’s an extra for each sauce. Is that okay?”
Customer: “What?! I have never paid for sauce here!”
Me: “Okay, well, let me ask my manager if I can give it to you.”
(My manager is standing five feet away and watching this whole exchange.)
Customer: “Ugh, never mind. Just give me two and I’ll pay for them.”
(He gets his food and sauces, pays, and starts to leave. Then, he turns back and asks:)
Customer: “What’s your name?”
Me: “[My Name].”
Customer: “I’m calling your corporate and reporting this.”
(My manager pulled me aside and said, “I kind of hope he does report you. ‘Yeah, hi, I went to one of your locations and your employee wouldn’t give me free food.'”)
(A customer pulls up to the first window without ordering at the menu.)
Me: “Hi. Welcome to [Fast Food Place]! May I take your order?”
Customer: “Do you guys carry salad dressing?”
Me: “Yes, sir, we do have packets of ranch dressing—“
Customer: “No, do you have salad dressing?”
Me: *pause* “As I was saying, we have ranch, honey mustard, BBQ—“
Customer: “NO. Do. You. Have. Salad dressing?”
Me: “I have no idea what you’re talking about, and you’re clearly not willing to elaborate. No, we do not carry a product with the generic label of salad dressing. Do you maybe mean Thousand Island, which is pretty much a mix of ketchup and mayonnaise?”
Customer: “No, I mean salad dressing. How have you never heard of salad dressing? Whatever, thanks for nothing.” *drives away*
(A customer orders a large cheeseburger combo over the intercom, then proceeds to the first window to pay, where I am.)
Me: “Hello! Your total will be $1.99.”
Customer: “No, it’s 69 cents.”
Me: “I’m sorry, what? Your order total comes to $1.99.”
Customer: “The price on the menu board said a large combo for 69 cents. I’m only paying 69 cents for my meal.”
(I call the manager over very confused, and he goes outside to physically check the board before coming back.)
Manager: “Sir, the menu says to upgrade any combo to a large costs an additional 69 cents. That isn’t the total cost of the meal.”
(The customer huffs and hands over their payment card.)
(I work at a grocery store, and at least three times a day when I’m on the floor in my uniform attire and apron, clearly stocking or using store equipment, someone approaches me and asks, “Do you work here?” On one of my days off, I’m visiting out of town and shopping at a different grocery chain when a customer approaches me while I’m shopping.)
Customer: “Excuse me. How much is this?”
Me: “Um… I don’t know, but I’m sure they can do a price check for you at the register.”
Customer: “Well, can’t you find out for me?”
Me: “I… I’m sure someone at the register can tell you.”
Customer: *angrily* “Oh, what. Are you too busy or something?”
Me: “I’m just shopping.”
Customer: “Wow, so, I can’t even ask you a question?!”
Me: *still awkwardly following my politeness programming* “I don’t even live in this city.”
Customer: “Wait… So… you don’t work here?”
Me: “No.”
Customer: “Oh… you just seemed like you work here.”
Me: *looks down at my full-length lacy dress and high heels*
(I’m with a friend and we’re buying tickets to see Deadpool at the movies. I just turned 18 yesterday, and my friend is 18, so we’re old enough to watch the movie. When it’s my turn, the guy in the ticket booth asks to see my ID. I give him my Norwegian passport and that’s when the trouble begins.)
Employee: “I need to see a state-issued ID.”
Me: “That is a state-issued ID.”
Employee: “No, this isn’t from the US. I need state-issued ID.”
Me: “That’s what it is, though. It was issued from the state.”
(This goes back and forth until a manager comes out.)
Manager: “What’s the problem here?”
Employee: “She’s given me a foreign passport, but I need a state-issued ID.”
Manager: “A passport is a state-issued ID. Give her the ticket.”
(The employee still refused to sell me a ticket, so the manager did it while apologizing.)
