50 Receipts That Prove Even A Tiny Slip Of Paper Can Be Funny And Interesting

Bored Panda was interested in getting comedy writer Ariane's opinion as to why it's far easier for most people to write more than to write concisely. After all, editing your work and cutting out anything unnecessary can be incredibly hard!

"It's easy to write more because most people have trouble formulating their ideas into a concise sentence. I'd say the punchier, the better—so think about how you can get across an idea using fewer words," she said.

"Are there any words which essentially mean the same thing and are therefore superfluous? Are there any which don't add to the meaning but which just make the sentence wordier? Take a red pen to them all! (This is why Twitter is great—it demands brevity.)" It's true: having clear limitations to how much you can write can be a blessing. It forces you to self-edit, by necessity.

We also asked writer Ariane about the advice that she'd give aspiring writers who are stuck in exhausting service and retail jobs. She said that this is tough to answer.

"I know that when I collapsed in the evenings after a long day on my feet working retail, I didn't want to have to do anything else. I just wanted to zone out and watch telly," she shared her personal experience with Bored Panda.

"I guess the impetus to create is that it's a potential way out of retail if you're successful. Alternatively, make sure you write on your days off."

The comedy writer said that "it was horrendous" to work in retail before. She revealed how workers can keep customers happy, and spilled the beans about how common it was to deal with rude people while on the clock.

"The secret to making a customer happy is generally to be friendly, efficient and good at your job. I was friendly but fell down on the last two requirements," she said.

"Rude customers were very common," Ariane told Bored Panda. "A lot of people assume retail workers are stupid and were incredibly dismissive towards me. Amusingly, I was likely better educated than them and a higher achiever—I'd just fallen on hard times."

Any server, retail worker, or other member of staff who has the energy and optimism to make jokes and boost their customers’ mood is to be commended. Working in the service industry is incredibly tough. You’re exhausted. You have to deal with rude and tired clients on a nearly daily basis.

And that’s not to mention that the pay often isn’t very fair, considering you have to spend hours and hours on your feet. So to have that drive to push past all of the negatives and craft unique receipts is really marvelous. It might not seem like much, but it can really make your customers’ day. Jokes and silly cartoons? Yes, please, more of those!

It’s honestly great to see servers and shop owners reward their customers for treating them well. Though we’d like to think that most people are nice and kind, the sad reality is that a small number of rude interactions can outweigh the good.

At the core of it all, it’s essential to remember that the person serving your food and bagging your groceries is a living, breathing human being. They’ve got goals, dreams, ambitions, and fears—just like you. But it’s easy to forget that when cash transactions are involved.

You can get customers to return to your cafe, restaurant, or shop by providing them with a positive experience. How your staff behaves, and how good the food, products, or services are, will either drive them away or impress them so much, they’ll visit you again.

It’s going that extra mile when you don’t necessarily have to that really makes the difference. (And it works in all aspects of life.)

“The essence of being a good server is making sure everyone leaves the meal having had a nice time. The essence of being a great server is making sure everyone leaves the meal having had a memorable time. I’m always on the lookout for anything extra I can do to make the night special for our guests. If I overhear a birthday mentioned, we bring out a piece of cake. If someone comes in wearing a Dolphins jersey, we’ll turn on that game if they’re playing. We take pride in our work,” a server working at a fancy restaurant shared with Bored Panda some time ago.

Meanwhile, when it comes to dealing with rude customers, most servers will pretend that everything’s all right. But beneath that stoic facade, they might feel upset or be full of anger.

Nobody enjoys being looked down on. Nobody wants to be treated like they’re beneath someone else. Nobody deserves it.

One way to solve this issue is for the server to get their manager. It’s important to try not to take a customer’s critiques personally.

They most likely have an issue with the establishment as a whole, not you as a person. Getting a higher-up to handle delicate situations can help prevent them from escalating.

But it’s not just the staff who can defuse tense situations with rude and entitled people. Other customers can step in as well. For instance, if you see a server being badgered and harassed, consider stepping in and saying something. Or if you’d like to take a more subtle approach, get a hold of the manager and inform them of what’s going on.

Some staff members might be too scared to ask for help. Odds are that the staff will remember your kindness and support if you step in. Heck, you might even get a surprise discount on your food. Or a witty quip and a lovely ‘thank you’ on your receipt.

What’s the most creative, funniest, or peculiar receipt that you’ve ever gotten, dear Pandas? Have you ever received a bill that genuinely made you laugh? What's the secret to a witty joke on a receipt, and the way to make a server's day? Don’t be shy, share your thoughts in the comment section.