Two Prices, One Cup

During my years of working in fast food, I’ve seen that many of my coworkers never follow protocol exactly, which can cause problems with customers, especially ones that come to our restaurant often.

I’m working the dine-in counter as a man in his forties struts into the store, orders his meal, and then asks for a water cup. Our water cups are only ten cents and we are supposed to add them to their order. I add the cup to his order and read him his total, which he is shocked by.

Customer: “That seriously cannot be right. I order this every time I come and it’s never this much!”

I read back everything I have rung up onto my screen. As soon as I get to the water cup, he stops me.

Customer: “What do you mean, you’re charging me for a water cup? Aren’t they all free?”

Me: “No, sir, for a water cup it is ten cents extra. That’s the way it works and what my boss wants me to do. I’m sorry about that.”

He doesn’t take the apology, obviously, and says that no one else here ever charges him for the ten-cent water cup. That’s when it hits me that my coworkers have been really messing up, only for me to pick up their pieces.

Me: “Oh, really? Well, do you think I could gather these workers’ names from you?”

Customer: “Oh, no, I don’t want to get them in trouble or anything.”

I told him to have a nice day and made my boss check him out the rest of the way.