Welcome To Retail: The Gluten-Free Edition
I am a baker at a popular cafe. The only gluten-free dessert we offer is a triple chocolate cookie, but there is cross-contamination, and we have to warn customers about this in case they are allergic. A teenage cashier who has just finished her training calls me over to help her with a customer.
Me: “Can I help you?”
Customer: “The triple chocolate cookie. Does it have gluten?”
It says gluten-conscious right on the tag, but it’s written pretty small, so it can be easy to miss.
Me: “No, but there is cross-contamination with things that do have gluten.”
Customer: “Oh, sweetie, I don’t think you understand. I want to know if there is gluten in the cookie.”
Me: “There is no gluten in the cookie itself, but it is around things that do have gluten.”
Customer: “But does the triple chocolate cookie have gluten?”
Me: “Are you allergic to gluten?”
Customer: “Oh, yes. But, not so bad that I have to worry about cross-contamination.”
Me: “Then you should be fine, ma’am. The triple chocolate cookie has absolutely no gluten, whatsoever.”
Customer: “So, there is gluten?”
Me: *Internally screaming* “No.”
The customer finally buys her cookie. When she is gone, I turn to the cashier, who looks like a deer in the headlights.
Me: “Is this your first job?”
Cashier: “Yeah.”
Me: “Welcome.”
Related:
Welcome To Retail, Part 5
Welcome To Retail, Part 4
Welcome To Retail, Part 3
Welcome To Retail, Part 2
Question of the Week
Have you ever served a bad customer who got what they deserved?
