I work at a smoothie store where we happen to have a small children’s menu of simple, popular combinations with all ingredients listed out.
Customer: “Hi there! I want a kid’s smoothie for him.”
She points to her six- or seven-year-old child.
Me: “Sure! We have these four options. Which would he like?”
Customer: *Looking at the board* “Oh, well, is there anything he can’t have in those?”
Me: “I’m sorry? What do you mean?”
Customer: “You know! Anything he can’t have. Bad stuff.”
Me: *A little confused but still pleasant* “Like what, ma’am? What isn’t he able to have?”
Customer: *Getting annoyed with me* “You know! Stuff bad for children? Things children shouldn’t have?”
Me: “Um…”
I’m trying to think of what she could mean and diffuse the situation.
Me: “I don’t think so, ma’am. The ingredients are exactly as listed on the board. There’s no added sugar, either.”
Customer: *Very done with me now and flippant* “No! You know. I want to make sure you’re not pumping it with protein or pre-workout or… or something else!”
Me: “Uh… No, ma’am. They’re children’s smoothies; it’s really just fruit as listed on the board. We have strawberry banana, strawberry kiwi—”
Customer: “I see the board! I just wanted to make sure there wasn’t anything he couldn’t have in it. Oh, whatever! Give us the strawberry kiwi.”