Working Out Their Entitlement
I work the front desk of a 24-hour gym. A woman comes in and hands me a plastic container of food.
Customer: “Put this in your fridge for me.”
It wasn’t a question; she was telling me. I didn’t like her tone, but it looked like she was going to be more trouble than it was worth by saying no, so I said I would put it in the fridge in the break room while she worked out.
About two hours later, after her workout, she just walked her sweaty a** into our break room and said:
Customer: “I’m going to use your microwave and eat this.”
Again, not a question. It was an “I’m doing this” tone of arrogance.
Me: “No, you’re not. You’re not allowed back here.”
Customer: “Fine, then you heat this up for me, and I’ll eat it outside.”
Me: “No, I was nice enough to keep it in the fridge for you, but that’s it.”
Customer: “Why not?”
She genuinely didn’t seem to understand why.
Me: “You can’t just walk up to places and use them like it’s your house, or order us to do things.”
Customer: “Why not? I pay for all this with my membership.”
Me: “Your law firm pays for this through their corporate membership, and if you did pay through your own pocket, this room is for employees, not members. You have 95% of the building to use; leave this area alone.”
Customer: “I’m going to complain to corporate about how you forced me to eat my food outside cold, like a homeless.”
She did complain, resulting in a manager asking me in a confused tone why our branch of the gym was getting a negative review about forced al-fresco consumption of a cold gluten-free shakshuka.
