When Customers Think Coupons Are Replacements For Money
An elderly man comes into the drive-thru with a coupon: two combos for $10.99. I punch everything in.
Me: “Your total is $11.54.”
He hands me fifty-five cents. I’m thinking, “Oh, he just handed me the loose change first and is going to hand me a twenty soon or something.”
Nope.
Me: *Politely* “Sir, you still need to pay the $11.”
Well! He isn’t having that!
Customer: *Upset* “But I gave you the coupon! Why should I have to pay?”
Me: *Again, politely* “The coupon is a discount off the full price, and the full price is somewhere closer to $18.”
Customer: *More upset* “But I gave you the coupon!”
Me: *Somehow still politely* “Yes, sir, and thank you, but the coupon is not money and it is not a gift certificate. It’s only good for about $7 off of the total, which is $18. You still have to pay $11.”
This goes on for a few more minutes. Thankfully, I have no other customers.
Customer: “I want to speak to the manager!”
No problem. I called her up from the office, and she tried to explain to him how coupons work before he declared that we were all idiots and he was never coming back here again.
