(When a customer changes their online access info, we are required to notify them by mail that their info has changed. Sometimes, letters are mailed in error.)

Customer: “Why did I get this letter?! Tell me now!”

(I check: no account activity for years.)

Me: “I’m not sure; no one has touched your account since [date].”

Customer: “Why did I get this letter?”

Me: “It could have been sent in error.”

Customer: “I want an answer!”

(I consult with another department that handles online account access information.)

Me: “I’m sorry, I checked with another department and they don’t have any further info, either.”

Customer: “I want a manager!”

(Five minutes later, while I consult my supervisor:)

Me: “My supervisor says he doesn’t have an answer, either. Do you still want to talk to them?”

Customer: “I waited five minutes for your supervisor to say the same thing? I’m leaving cable!” *click*

Me: *in my head* “Well, you could have believed me five minutes ago and saved yourself the time.”

(I am working a ride at a local amusement park that spins decently fast. The park is busy so the line is long. Someone throws up on the ride, so we need to close the ride and have it cleaned and disinfected. I go to inform the long line.)

Me: “Sorry, guys, the ride is temporarily closed for cleaning because someone got sick; come back in about thirty minutes.”

Customer: “What the f***?! Why is the ride closed?!”

Me: “Someone got sick, sir, so we have to clean the ride.”

Customer: “You should have told us before making us wait in this f****** line!”

(The customer storms off while flipping me off.)

(I work as a waiter and bartender at an Irish pub in Spain that also serves restaurant food. I don’t speak Spanish but have picked up enough to get by when working — food, drinks, numbers, etc. I generally don’t have any language problems while working, but it’s obvious Spanish is not my native language. A Spanish customer has come in with his wife and son to eat lunch.)

Wife: *in Spanish* “I’ll have the chicken burger and a lemonade, please.”

Me: *in Spanish* “That’s fine.”

Son: *in Spanish* “And I’ll have fish and chips and a Coke.”

Me: *in Spanish* “Certainly.”

Husband: *speaks in Spanish too quickly and unintelligibly for me to understand*

Me: *in Spanish* “I’m sorry?”

Husband: *still speaks too quickly*

Me: *in English* “I’m sorry, I can’t quite understand that.”

Husband: *still speaking too quickly*

Me: “Maybe if you show me on the menu?”

Husband: *more unintelligible Spanish, getting annoyed*

(His wife then attempts to tell me what her husband wants, but he silences her.)

Husband: *more unintelligible Spanish*

(I think I finally understand the order and leave to give it to the cooks. When it’s ready, I bring the order back. The husband looks at his meal and then at me.)

Husband: *in perfect English* “I said I wanted the Irish Breakfast!”

This story is part of our Spain-themed roundup! This is the last story in the roundup, but we have plenty of others you might enjoy!

13 Cringeworthy True Stories About Tourists Who Have Absolutely No Clue

If you want to go back to the beginning of this roundup:

Read the first Spain-themed roundup story!

Read the Spain-themed roundup!

(Today, my mom has stopped by my house and is watching while I tidy the kitchen. I work two jobs — one from home in the evenings — and have two preschool-aged children at home with me. My husband works long hours but his only daily household responsibility is to put the kids to bed and tidy up the kitchen after dinner.)

Me: “Sorry about the mess; [Husband] had an appointment yesterday evening and didn’t get anything done.”

Mom: “Well, why didn’t you do it?”

Me: “I was working like always.”

Mom: “You should still do it, instead.”

Me: “When?”

Mom: “I used to manage when you and your brother were little. Your dad would put you to bed and I would do the washing up and get the kitchen clean.”

Me: “Well, that’s fine for you, but I start work as soon as we finish dinner.”

Mom: “He deserves a break; you have time. I always did!”

(She didn’t work!)

Me: “What about me? Don’t I deserve a break? Should he put the kids to bed and sit and relax at 8:00, while I work until 9:30 and then get up and clean the kitchen?”

Mom: “You could do it during the day; you have time.”

Me: “What time do you think l have? I clean every other part of the house and look after my kids. I’m a mom, not a maid! It’s his only job in the house!”

(The kids distracted her at this point, but for someone who claims she believes in equality she certainly doesn’t think it applies to her own daughter.)

(The company I work for changed its refund policy back in May. We have made a point of informing every customer that purchases sale items that they now only have fourteen days to return and sale items can only be exchanged for another item or store credit. A customer comes to my till and gives me three things to return, along with the receipt.)

Me: “As one of these items is on sale, I can only exchange it or give you refund vouchers.” *item is £4*

Customer: “Why? I have my receipt; I want my money back.”

Me: “It’s company policy, as stated on your receipt.”

Customer: “But I didn’t buy them for me. I bought them for a woman I care for, so I need the money back. I don’t need to buy anything today.”

Me: “I can get you a manager? They will tell you the same thing.”

Customer: “Yes, this is ridiculous.”

(My manager tells her exactly what I tell her and she gets huffier.)

Customer: “I don’t understand why you can’t do it for me. You should be able to change the policy for things like this?”

Manager: “There is no point in having a policy if we don’t stick to it.”

Customer: “Fine.”

(My manager leaves and the customer decides to start again.)

Customer: “I don’t understand why you can’t just do this for me.”

Me: “As my manager said, it is store policy and I have no control over that.”

Customer: “Fine, I’ll take the vouchers even though they are no use to me. I was going to do lots of shopping here today, but I will never shop here again; this will lose you customers.”

Me: *in head* “You have just contradicted yourself completely, saying you have no use for the vouchers today but in the same breath saying you were going to purchase items today, whereupon you could have used them.”

(I finished the transaction with her going on and on — I think she thought if she did this I would give in and just do it for her — and she went off without a goodbye, let alone a thank-you! This is just one of many in the past few months. It can be such a joy working in retail… not!)