(It’s well past midnight; my partner and I have been travelling for over an hour and we have each had an incredibly long day. There is a well-known fast-food place at the end of my road, and as we’re both starving we decide to go get some food. The place is empty. He just wants a couple of orders of fries but I fancy a burger. They only offer two vegetarian burgers: the spicy vegetarian deluxe and the regular vegetarian deluxe. I go to order.)

Cashier: “Hi, how can I help you today?”

Me: “Hi, I’d like a spicy vegetable deluxe burger.”

Cashier: “Which one?” *this isn’t the first time I’ve ordered the spicy version, so I’m well used to them clarifying the type I want*

Me: “The spicy one.”

Cashier: “The buffalo one?”

Me: “No, the spicy vegetable deluxe burger.”

Cashier: “The Texas one?”

Me: “No, the vegetable deluxe.” *points to it on the menu board*

Cashier: “Oh, you want a wrap?”

Me: “No, a vegetarian burger. Right there.” *I point*

Cashier: *looks confused* “Vegetarian?”

Me: “Made of vegetables? No meat?”

Cashier: *more confused looks*

Me: *seeing this is getting me nowhere* “Forget it. I’ll just get three large fries, to take away, please.”

Cashier: “So just the fries?” *enters one portion into the till*

Me: “Three portions, please.” *hold up three fingers*

Cashier: *looks confused*

(At this point another cashier comes over.)

Cashier #2: “She wants three large fries.”

Cashier: “Oh, okay.” *inputs in the till and I finally pay*

(I always try and be patient with people who are new to the job, or people who may speak English as a second language — I don’t see the point in giving people a hard time if they’re still learning — but this woman wasn’t wearing a trainee badge, and was clearly as English as I am.)

(I am female, and 16 years old at the time this story is takes place. I am working in a large chain sandwich shop where you build your own sandwich. I just started working there a month prior and am still in training. A man, who looks like he’s in his 70s, walks in and my supervisor greets him by name so I know he’s a regular.)

Me: “Hello, sir, what can I get for you today?”

Customer: “Oh, I’ll just take a 6″ sub on Italian bread.”

Me: “Coming right up!”

(I turn around to grab his bread, I hear him whistle at me and abruptly turn back.)

Me: “Uh…” *deciding not to comment* “What meat would you like?”

(My supervisor comes out to the front to wash her hands; she nods to me and watches me make the man’s sandwich to check my progress. I’m about to ask what vegetables he wants when…)

Customer: “You must be new here. I’ve never seen you before, and trust me, a girl looking like you I would NOT forget.”

(As I stand there, stunned, my supervisor steps closer to me.)

Supervisor: “Yes, [My Name] is one of our new, UNDERAGE employees. She’s 16; in fact, she attends the HIGH SCHOOL up the road.”

Customer: “That’s lovely.” *turning to me* “With a young beautiful girl like you to serve me what more could a man want?”

Me: *nervously laughing* “Hah… Not sure, sir…”

Customer: *looking me over and smiling* “Yup, they sure don’t make them how they used to!”

(My supervisor then steps harshly directly in front of me and in a strict tone, while never taking her eyes off the man.)

Supervisor: “[My Name], please go into the back immediately. I need you to finish cutting up the vegetables.”

(I silently go in the back, immeasurably grateful to my supervisor. While I’m walking to the back I overhear some of their following conversation.)

Customer: “Oh, no, is she in trouble?”

Supervisor: *in a tense voice, obviously a fake cheery voice* “No, no. I just thought since you’re a regular I could make your sandwich faster. She’s still in training.”

(After a couple minutes I hear the oven beep.Since my supervisor and I are alone I know I have to go back to the front to take them out as it is company policy to serve the customer first and foremost unless there’s only one employee, and that we have to throw out any bread we burn, and if it happens too many times we get penalised. I reluctantly walk back to the front and start taking out the bread.)

Customer: “Well, look who’s back!”

(I just smile and pretend to be very concentrated.)

Supervisor: *ignoring a question about my personal life* “Your total is [total]. Will that be for here or to go?”

Customer: “To go…”

(My supervisor hands him his food and his change. As he walks out my supervisor gives me a knowing look.)

Supervisor: “You can have my free cookie tonight.”

(A mother and her son come into the store during a busy period and push themselves to the front of the line. I ignore them until the line goes down.)

Me: “How can I help?”

Mother: ‘I would like to speak the manager.”

Me: “What about? Maybe I could I help?”

Mother: *firmly* “Can I speak to the manager.”

Me: “Yes, but I need to say why.”

Mother: “Do you have any positions going?”

Me: “I am not sure, but I can pass on the resume as the boss is currently out of the country.”

Mother: “No, you will just add it to the pile, and it will never be seen.”

Me: “No, I will put it on the desk, as I do with all resumes. And if the boss needs another staff member, he will contact you.”

(She finally agrees, and asks for my name. My guess is she wants to call up and make sure I passed it on. Then she goes on to up sell her son to me:)

Mother: “He is 16, in year 12… My daughter worked at a different store about five years ago.” *our stores are all franchised* “We live around the corner and he can work any time. He is really reliable. We have no references because he has not worked anywhere yet. But you can give me a call and I can tell you how good he is.”

(This went on for a while. THE KID DID NOT SPEAK! Luckily the manager said we were not hiring.)

(I am the hiring manager for a fast food restaurant and we are seriously understaffed. Our application process is done online and I am calling applicants for an interview. An applicant answers one of my calls.)

Applicant: *rudely* “Yeah.”

Me: “I’m calling for [Applicant].”

Applicant: *back-pedaling* “Oh, yes, this is her.”

Me: “Thanks, but never mind.”

(Five minutes later, the store phone rings.)

Applicant: “Hi, you just called me and I just wanted to say how sorry I am for answering my phone that way. I just saw the prefix and thought it was my grandmother. I swear I’d never answer the phone that way again.”

Me: *thinking who would speak to their grandmother in such a way* “You should think about how you answer your phone if you’re looking for a job. I happen to be the hiring manager and the way you answered concerns me that you have attitude and no respect for others for the type of business that we are.”

Applicant: “I truly am sorry. I really am interested in a job.”

Me: “If you can be here at 4:00 pm this afternoon, I will speak with you and see if you would be a good fit.”

(Fast forward to 4:00 pm and the applicant doesn’t show up for her interview. At 4:45 the store phone rings.)

Me: “Thank you for calling [Store]. How can I help you?”

Applicant: “Hi, this is [Applicant] and I was supposed to be there at 4 o’clock but I’ve had a lot going on with family and I was really tired so I took a nap. I’m so sorry that I did not make it to my interview. Can I come in a different time? I really, really, really need a job.”

Me: “I’m sorry, but I really needed you to be here at your scheduled appointment. I will not reschedule. Good luck in your job search.”

(Where do these people come from?)

(I have served a highly difficult and sulky customer, who has her young son with her. She has just paid for her food.)

Me: “Thanks; enjoy your day.”

Customer’s Son: “Thanks! Mummy, you never said thank you to the lady!”

Customer: “What?!”

Customer’s Son: “YOU NEVER SAID THANK YOU TO THE LADY!”

(The customer never did say thanks, but had the good grace to look embarrassed!)