I go grab a sandwich at a well-known sub shop with a friend. I arrive before she does and I decide to go ahead and order. It isn’t during the lunch hour, so I am the only one in the store except for the employee behind the counter and the employee on break in the dining area. The employee behind the counter, an older lady, is very polite but it seems like she’s had a long day.

Employee: “What can I get you?”

Me: “I’d like a six-inch turkey and provolone on herb and cheese bread, please, with lettuce, tomatoes, and cucumber.”

Employee: “You said six-inch.”

Me: “Yes.”

Employee: “Okay, sorry.”

She grabs the bread and slices it open.

Employee: “Turkey, right?”

Me: “Yes, ma’am.”

Employee: “Right, sorry.”

She puts the turkey on.

Employee: “And provolone? I’m sorry I’m asking so many questions, I just want to make sure I’ve got it right.”

Me: “Yeah, no worries! You’ve got everything perfect.”

She visibly relaxes and continues making the sandwich.

Employee: “Lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, right?”

Me: “Yeah, see? You got this!”

Employee: “You know, I gotta say thank you. You’re probably the nicest person I’ve had in here today.”

Me: “Wow, really? Well, you’re doing a great job! I used to work fast food, so I understand.”

She smiled and finished up my order, and by that time, my friend had arrived, so we left the counter to find a table. I didn’t get to talk to the lady again before I left, but I’m glad I could help make her day a little easier. Be patient with people who are serving you! Your kindness might be the only kindness they see all day!

I work in a movie theatre. Although we do have some “fancier” foods than normal, like pizza and chicken tenders, that’s the extent of extra things beyond standard movie theatre fare.

Guest: “Can I have a strawberry banana smoothie, please?”

Me: “We don’t have that.”

Guest: “Yes, you do. I can smell the bananas.”

Me: “We don’t make smoothies or even have the stuff to make a smoothie here.”

Guest: *Raising her voice* “You always serve smoothies. I had one last week! You just don’t want to serve me because you’re f****** lazy!”

Me: “Ma’am, we have never sold smoothies.”

She screeches and storms out.

Next Guest In Line: “Did she confuse you for the tropical smoothie place across the street?”

Me: “I hope to never find out.”

I’m a manager at a fast food location. I have been chit-chatting with some of my employees when I hear shouting behind me. When I turn around, I see an older gentleman cursing out my sixteen-year-old cashier.

Me: “[Cashier], why don’t you go to the back for a second? I think [Coworker] needs your help.”

Taking the hint, she shoots me a grateful look and scurries away. I then turn to the customer.

Me: “What seems to be the problem, sir?”

Customer: *Rudely* “They f****** messed up my food! I want a refund!”

Me: “Okay, do you have the food they messed up?”

Customer: “Yes.”

He hands me the items, which are promptly thrown into the waste bin. I then process his refund and give it to him. These items are on a two-for-$4 sale, meaning he only paid $4 for them. Originally, the messed-up items would have totaled around $7. When our system gives refunds, it automatically refunds things at full price. Also, this customer’s order was around $10 due to him ordering other things.

Me: *Hands him the refund* “Here you are, sir. I apologize for the mess up.”

Customer: *Still rude* “I want a refund on my whole order!”

Me: “Okay. I see that you ordered drinks. Were they messed up?”

Customer: “No.”

Me: “Did you drink them?”

Customer: “Yes.”

Me: “You ordered sides. Were those messed up?”

Customer: “No.”

Me: “Did you eat those?”

Customer: “Yes.”

Me: “Well, since your other food was fine, I am not refunding the rest of your order.”

The customer starts to get angry again and says a few choice words.

Me: “Sir, this is a business. I am not paying you to eat here. You pay us to eat here. If you continue to swear at me and my staff, I will call the police.”

The customer finally gave up and slunk back to his seat. I heard from the staff that he came back about three weeks later and behaved himself, and he hasn’t been seen since.

Related:
Doesn’t Understand The Custom Part Of Customer, Part 21
Doesn’t Understand The Custom Part Of Customer, Part 20
Doesn’t Understand The Custom Part Of Customer, Part 19
Doesn’t Understand The Custom Part Of Customer, Part 18
Doesn’t Understand The Custom Part Of Customer, Part 17

Me: “Thank you for calling [Pizza Shop]! This is [My Name]; how may I help you?”

Customer: *Speaking slowly in a drunken raspy grumble* “…burritos?”

Me: “I’m sorry, sir, we don’t actually have burritos here.”

Customer: “Awww… subs?”

Me: “No, sir, I’m sorry. We have pizza, wings, cheese sticks… things like that.”

Customer: “Ohhhh…”

There’s a long pause.

Me: “Would you like some pizza today, sir?”

Customer: “Yeeaaahhh… what’s the smallest you have?”

Me: “That would be the small. It’s a ten-inch pizza.”

Customer: *Grumbles slowly* “Oohhhhh… I want sausage… pepperoni… and finely chopped onions.”

Me: “Our onions are actually sliced into thin strips. Is that okay?”

Customer: *Grumbles disapprovingly*

Me: *Stifling laughter* “So, no onions, then?”

Customer: *In low, raspy grumble* “Noooooo… Throw some hot peppers on there.”

Me: “Jalapeños or banana peppers?”

Customer: *Drunkenly* “Ba-na-na.”

Me: *Stifling more laughter* “Anything else on there for you, sir?”

Customer: “Finely chopped tomatoes.”

Me: “Our tomatoes are diced, so they’re in kind of little cubes.”

Customer: *Low raspy grumble* “Cuuuubes…”

Me: *Trying not to crack up laughing* “Will that be all for you today, then, sir?”

Customer: “Yeah.”

Me: “Okay, that’ll be [total], and we’ll have that out to you in about forty-five minutes.”

Customer: “What’s the price?”

Me: *Repeats the total*

Customer: *Low raspy grumble* “Ooohhhhh…”

The delivery driver has been standing next to me the whole time.

Delivery Driver: “I can’t wait to meet this guy.”

I work in a call center where we take payments over the phone. I have verified all account information with this caller.

Me: “How can I assist you today?”

Customer: “I’d like to make a payment.”

Me: “Okay, are we using a card on file or a new card?”

Customer: “New card.”

Me: “Okay, go ahead with your card number whenever you are ready.”

The caller starts pushing buttons.

Me: “Ma’am, are you there?”

Customer: “Did you get the number?”

Me: “No, it sounds like buttons were being pressed.”

Customer: “Yeah, I didn’t want anyone to hear my number.”

Me: “You have to say it out loud for me to get it.”

Customer: “I don’t think it works like that.”