(I am a cashier at a fast food restaurant and we’re quite full today. Three teenagers (two girls and one guy) are in the line. As I hand over their orders and they give me the money, she gets closer to me.)

Girl #1: *whispering* “Please don’t freak out and play along.”

(Suddenly she starts screaming making everyone else look at us.)

Girl #1: “OH MY GOD! ARE YOU STUPID? I CLEARLY DIDN’T ORDER THIS! AND NOW YOU SAY I CAN’T HAVE MY MONEY BACK! HOW DARE YOU?!”

Me: *frightened* “Sorr-”

Girl #1: “DON’T YOU DARE SAY YOU’RE SORRY! I WANT WHAT I ORDERED AND I’M NOT PAYING FOR THIS! I WANT TO SEE A MANAGER!”

(This goes for another minute with me trying to apologize until she turns around and notices everyone else is looking at her. Her friend notices that and starts to speak.)

Girl #2: “Now, ladies and gentleman, this is how to make an a**hole out of yourself. This is how stupid you look when you get mad for no reason with people that are just doing their jobs.”

Boy: “And we would like to ask you to never behave like that. Not only will you not solve your problems but you’ll just make things worse for you and for the employees.”

Girl #1: “I’d like to thank this wonderful lady here for putting up with the crazy girl that I am. And the rest of the staff too. Let’s give them a round of applause.”

(Surprisingly, most customers start clapping. Even more surprising, the girl gives me R$50.)

Girl #1: “You deserve it because I know what you go through every day! And with this said, we’ll be leaving. Thanks for your time and remember, don’t be a bad customer.”

Me: *to coworker* “Umm… what just happened?”

Coworker: “I’m just as confused as you.”

Me: “Best. Day. Ever.”

(My parents, sisters, grandparents, and several cousins are all gathered together for a visit and out on the town. We are a noisy bunch and with the exception of grandma, who has been quiet all evening, we have been picking at each other, pushing each other out of the way and just having fun. We are approaching a restaurant. The men are all rushing the door and pushing us females out of the way, trying to get in first. Of course, we are fighting back.)

Mom: *yelling* “Hey! I guess you think it’s age before beauty!”

(Just when my dad goes to reply, my grandma shoves her cane into the thick of the crowd and shuffles her way into the door before everyone else.)

Grandma: “Either way, I get to go first!”

(I’m pregnant and have to cut a lot of salt out of my diet. One day before I start my shift, I come in to the fast food restaurant where I work to have dinner.)

Me: “…and please make sure no salt on those fries, please.”

Coworker #1: “Sure thing. I’ve got a medium, no salt french fry!”

Coworker #2: “Sure, it’s three minutes…”

(Three minutes later, my food is up but the fries obviously are covered in salt.)

Me: “Sorry, I think there was a mistake. I need no salt on these.”

Coworker #2: “Oh! I thought you wanted extra salt! Let me put down another basket; it will be three minutes.”

Me: “Okay, I’ll just eat the rest of my food while I wait.”

(Three minutes later, my fries get brought out to me but they still have salt on them. Not wanting to start a fight with Coworker #2, who I don’t know, I take them to Coworker #1.)

Me: “I’m sorry. I think she keeps forgetting I need no salt on these.”

Coworker #1: “Don’t worry. I’ll take care of it.”

(Coworker #1 carries the fries over to Coworker #2 and shows them to her.)

Coworker #1: “Do these have salt on them?”

Coworker #2: “Well, duh! Fries come with salt, don’t they?”

Coworker #1: “Yes, they normally do, but I need a medium size fry with NO salt on them.”

Coworker #2: “I’m not going to put down another basket of fries! You’re wasting them all!”

Coworker #1: “They wouldn’t be wasted if you would just make them right.”

(I watch from the counter as Coworker #2 makes a fresh basket of fries, but once they are up, she pours four times the amount of salt on them and tries to give them to me.)

Me: “Look, I work here, and I know you are aware I asked for no salt. So, why did you purposely put three extra salts on them?”

Coworker #1: “Oh, you’re fat. It doesn’t matter what you eat!”

Me: “Yeah, it does matter what I eat because this ‘fat’ is a baby. That’s why I can’t have salt.”

(I clock in, but let it slide since my coworker doesn’t say anything more to me. Not surprisingly, she was later reprimanded for making the fries so salty that the customers refused to eat them.)

(I work part time at a fast food place while going to college full time and I recently had my first child. Due to a high turnover rate, when I come back from my maternity leave there are several new faces.)

Me: *to a new cashier* “Hello! Nice to meet you. How long have you been working here?”

Coworker: “Oh, about a month. I know tons of stuff already, so I can give you pointers if you like.”

Me: “Well, that’s awfully nice of you, but I don’t think it will be necessary, thanks.”

Coworker: “Do you think I look stupid or something?!”

Me: “Oh, no! Not at all! It’s just I’ve been working here for two years and—”

Coworker: “You have not! I’ve never seen you here before. You’re just trying to act superior to me.”

(Hearing the raised voices, my manager pops up, thinking it’s a customer.)

Manager: “Uh, what’s going on? Are you girls okay?”

Coworker: “She lied to me! She said she’s been working here for two years but I’ve been here for a whole month and never saw her until today! She’s being mean and rude to me and I want her fired right now!”

Manager: “Seriously? You want me to fire my best employee on her first day back after her maternity leave because you’ve never seen her before?”

Coworker: “Well, she was also mean to me! You have to do something about it!”

Manager: “I find that hard to believe. This girl right here is the sweetest person I have ever met. She regularly takes care of our most difficult customers and is a joy to work with. I have never heard her make a rude comment to anyone ever. But if you are insistent on filing a report we can go back to my office right now and get started.”

(The new girl was very quiet for the rest of the day. The next day, she complained to a different manager that we were playing favorites and verbally abusing her. Not surprisingly, no one believed her and she quit.)

(I am working at a fast food restaurant. I am a gay male and am wearing my engagement ring to my boyfriend.)

Me: *ringing up customer’s order* “Will that be all today, sir?”

Customer: “Yes, also I’d like to congratulate you on your engagement.” *looks at my ring* “Who is the lucky girl?”

Me: “Uh, well, it’s not exactly a girl.”

Customer: “Pardon?”

Me: “My boyfriend gave me this engagement ring.”

Customer: “Your boyfriend?”

Me: “Yes.”

Customer: “I want your manager right now.”

(At this point, I’m a bit worried, since my manager is a known homophobe around the restaurant. I get him to the customer.)

Manager: “What seems to be the problem?”

Customer: “I want you to fire this f***** right now!”

Manager: “Why?”

Customer: “He’s a sinful f**! This restaurant hates them doesn’t it? So I want him fired right now!”

Manager: “No.”

Customer: “What!?”

Manager: “I’m not going to fire him just because of that. I may not like what he is either, but he’s a valued employee. So, kindly get out of my restaurant right now!”

Customer: “You can’t do this! I’m the customer and I’m right! Fire him right now!”

Manager: “No. Now leave before I call the police!”

(The customer leaves the store, furious. I thanked my manager for his support. Unfortunately the customer reported him and he was fired a month later. I quit in protest immediately afterwards, as did most of the staff!)