Working in customer service can not only be infuriating but also belittling. The audacity of some people and how they think they can talk to you is beyond me. These employees share their horrible encounters. Content has been edited for clarity.
It’s Just Fish And Chips, It’s Not That Serious
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“One of the dumbest ones I came across, though, was dealt with by a co-worker of mine. Near the very end of the day, a lady came up to our fish and chips window and ordered a four-piece chicken strip combo. She said that she wanted it split four ways for her four children. My co-worker said sure but informed her that since the combo just came with a small fries, that meant each of those four portions would include just one chicken strip and a few fries. He repeated it a couple of times, but she impatiently told him that was okay.
You can probably see where this is going. When she came to pick up her order, she was irate. From the sounds of things, she wanted each of those portions to have at least two strips and a small fries–even though she was only willing to pay the price of a single combo. She screamed at my co-worker, told him he was incompetent, all kinds of things. (The fish and chips place is in a remote location from the main kitchen, so there was no manager there, just supervisors.)
She wasn’t willing to pay more, though, and my co-worker wasn’t about to make her more chicken strips and fries for free, so finally he told her the outlet was closed and that if she had any more issues she should take it up with the manager. She left and he closed the shutter, but then she came around to the side door of the building and screamed at him some more. Even when they closed the door, she waited for them and followed them across the park when they walked back to the main kitchen…where they were able to meet up with the manager and she was asked to leave the park.
We don’t allow meal-splitting anymore–if customers want something split, we’ll give them plates and knives and they can do their own portions.”
Birthday Problem
“While working in a casino here in Las Vegas, a herd of girls came to my window, and one proceeded to tell me about her great birthday party itinerary that her dad had paid for.
For her 18th birthday. With no adult in the party. Just a bunch of teenage girls, out in Vegas.
Where none of them could do anything because none of them were 21. I couldn’t even check them into their reservation. They started yelling and screaming at me, so I calmly called security – and security told them they could either; go play in the arcade’ or leave & try to find a hotel off the Strip that would take them in w/out being 21.
The anger turned to tears, but the security guard was unmoved.”
Seizure Scare
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“I was opening a bottle of wine for this table and I started getting chest pains. I got scared because the last time that happened I had a seizure. I almost dropped the bottle because of how quickly the pain started. So I put the bottle down on the table real quick just in case.
One lady said, ‘Honey are you okay?’ because it was clear something was wrong.
The guy who ordered the wine said, ‘We aren’t paying $50 a person for you to die here.’
After a couple of seconds which felt like forever the pain gradually went away and I apologized and explained what happened to me the last time that happened as I opened the bottle.
Then the guy said, ‘At least you didn’t drop the bottle–it costs more than your life.’
Tears silently came down my face as I poured their wine. I never went back to that table. The bottle cost $300.
The lady who asked if I was okay approached me later and apologized to the guy. She gave me $100 in cash tip. But still, I remember feeling completely worthless at that moment.”
