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Welcome to Bored Panda, how may I help you? Ah, I see. So, you Pandas work in the food, retail, and services industries and started the week off dealing with some incredibly dense customers. Denser than the core of Planet Earth, you say? Well, don’t worry about it, plenty of us have been there.

In fact, our team has collected a whole bunch of examples of the dumbest things that customers have said and done, to make you feel better. Trust us, you’re not alone in this. Of course, this isn’t to say that all customers are dumb: most are polite and decent. However, a small proportion of them are nightmare material and don’t even know what chicken wings are. And here’s the proof. Grab a soul-healing cup of tea, scroll down, upvote the situations that made you laugh, and share your own retail nightmare scenarios in the comments.

Bored Panda reached out to Save the Student, a British project that advises students on how to make their money go further, about how the pandemic affected the job market and what to do if you feel like you're stuck at a job where you feel demeaned. Jake Butler from Save the Student said: "It does depend on location and other factors, but finding a job during the pandemic, specifically lockdown, has been extremely difficult for students. It's true that some businesses, such as supermarkets and delivery companies, have increased recruitment, but large student employing sectors such as retail and hospitality have really stuttered due to being closed for many months."

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TmKhr
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I too want to lemonade some important papers while I drink some laminate soda

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Jake from Save the Student added that while some retail and hospitality jobs are returning, many students are "shunning them as there are worries about job security and also working conditions." According to Jake, one of the main worries that many have is that the market is weighted towards the employers and not the employees.

"For those that feel demeaned in their current job, I would suggest it's worth studying the rights you have as an employee," Jake told Bored Panda what we can all do if we find ourselves being treated less than humanely at our workplace. "Even during the pandemic, there is no excuse for an employer to break the law at your expense. And if you feel you're being treated especially poorly I would suggest looking to switch jobs, but doing so wisely."

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fallen-gravity Report

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TmKhr
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

A woman in a Finnish Facebook sales group didn't want to tell her clothes' size because she didn't want anyone to know how big she was.

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Otter
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Is "BLT with cheese" going to be the new "See you next Teusday"?

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It’s easy to stay professional when the customers who you deal with are nice, pleasant, and see you as a human being. But the challenges start when you come face to face with someone who demeans you, acts overly entitled, or simply asks incredibly dumb questions. All of which makes you question why the nation’s education system has set the bar so low.

Earlier, I’d spoken about how to deal with difficult customers with Alexander Kjerulf. He’s the founder and Chief Happiness Officer at ‘Woohoo inc.’ and knows a lot about helping keep employees motivated, happy, and using their skills at their best.

Alex put it very simply that if you feel like you’re forgetting that you’re a human being worthy of humane treatment at your job, then you should seriously consider moving on. “Quit, and find a better place to work, where they actually care about their staff. And quit sooner rather than later. The longer you stay, the more they will grind you down until you lose all the energy and optimism you need to move on and find a better job,” he told Bored Panda.

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sarge-m , twitter.com Report

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TmKhr
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

You're right, there's no one here, it means you've broken in and police are on their way to arrest you

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He said that it’s common in restaurants to treat their customers like kings. And some places complement this by treating their employees badly. However, this is far from all right! It shouldn’t be the norm.

“99% of people are nice, but the occasional rude client is unavoidable," Alex noted that you will have to deal with difficult customers sooner or later. It’s not something that you can avoid forever and ever, no matter how good (or lucky) of an employee you are. "You can learn tricks to deal with them, and that's great, but no one should have to put up with mistreatment."

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Mihai Mara
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The rule "an eye for an eye" should have been applied: "here's your HOT latte!" *splash*

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Trillian
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

You kind of bred people to behave that way with that "the customer is always right" thing. Seriously, the only reasonable response would be to throw her out and issue a ban for behaving like that. That she could even entertain the idea that she would get a latte remade is ridiculous.

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Debrina Blackmoon
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yes- doesn't have to cause injury/leave marks. Yet some get away with it when it does regardless and the victim can even get arrested for removing their hands/ just attempting to disarm or simply blocking them and of course, some witnesses lie. EXPERIENCE.

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grotesqueer
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm almost sure she wasn't dumb. She just has no shame and thought she might get a free coffee if she pretended.

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Getthepopcornout
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Let's just throw the laws of thermodynamics out the window whilst we're at it too!

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Tanya Palik
Community Member
2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

More of a positive story...I worked at Tim Hortons when I was younger. I was working drive thru and this man with a deep booming voice said "um, I'd like a sparkly donut." I laughed so hard. I got him a sprinkle donut. He was a 6 ft, 250 pound biker. I told him to enjoy his sparkly donut.

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Dorothy Parker
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That woman had a serious mental disability. Could have been off her medications.

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Blakkur Sverrir
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Too tired to mess with this kind of ppl. Just ban her from your buisness. For life

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JayWantsACat
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And this is where managers who cave to these assholes just encourage that type of behavior.

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Nicholas Kraemer
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I would have told her to wait while we remade it and got her a refund... To stall for time as the police arrive to arrest her for assualt

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Vasana Phong
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Just wow, only on #11 and I’m already plotting that we ship all these people to Mars

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Seabeast
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

She sounds either mentally ill or high on something. How could anyone get to adulthood and not realize that hot liquids cool off?

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Znaya
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And she was a special individual who knew she was right I'm sure, even her reasoning and logic makes sense - not 😠

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Vera Mzega
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If the store advert says "Get 247 hot Latte* Id also think "whoa technology rocks" how'd I think its the store that's open for 247 not all time hot latte

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Kanuli
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If you ever have hot water left over, freeze it! You never know when you might have a need for hot water!

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Jack Urquhart
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Don't hate people, especially this woman. She has to live with an intelligence like that. i couldn't hate her, she is stuck with being an idiot all her life.

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Mya Lugar
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Hand her a col latte, explain that she should accept it, as it is the opposite temperature of the one she didn't like.

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Norman Weatherly
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eVSlE28hOgI&ab_channel=friggincanvy

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Erica Cochrane
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

ugh. i work in a coffee shop. not had this exact thing happen, but similar. woman asked for an extra extra hot Chai. which i did. then called it out. repeatedly. for 10 minutes. the shop was kind of quiet, so it's not like she couldnt hear me. after 15 mins she comes up, finally takes her drink. comes back a moment later 'I asked for this Extra extra hot! it's not!' i normally try to bite my tongue, but i just said 'well it was extra hot when i made it 15 minutes ago, but it HAS been sitting there for a while. would you like me to make it again?'

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Nola Dorothy
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Sounds like the lady who sued a famous Mc shop for grease spilled on the floor. Yep, she'd dropped her hamburger and then slipped in it!

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Kyan
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

if your latte was hot at night put it in the fridge,go to drink it in the morning its gonna be cold

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Kat Hague
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I really wish I knew what her story is. Does she have a serious mental problem where she isn't right in her brain or does she have a serious personality problem and is just a bitch? I think I would have to vote serious mental problem first. People can and do you have early onset Alzheimer's or maybe she was old enough to already have Alzheimer's but the people around her are afraid to admit anything's wrong with her.

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Louloubelle
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Can this be real? Are there truly people this stupid out and about? You'd think they'd step in front of a bus.

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June Galloway
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

let people out of jail early, no bond, closed most places where the menially ill stayed and helped to be put on the streets AND on top of that, some cities allow people to get drugs and shoot up on streets and we wonder what's happening? really? if you complain or say anything about the "problem" you are called names and/or canceled. The lady with the coffee problem is only a symptom, our do good government is the problem.

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Ancsuri
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Do you have to give a tip in the US? How does it work? Cause by us, you can give a tip if you want to, but you can choose to pay just the price of the food.

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Working in the service industry doesn’t mean that you have to be a doormat, however. If you find yourself constantly being walked over, belittled, and demeaned, you have to reach out to your manager for help. They should be willing to step in and help you deal with anyone who isn’t acting like a human being should.

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Catlady6000
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I remember replying something about how if nobody came in to shop, they wouldn't open, and the customer continued to sympathize and wonder why they opened on a holiday

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“You have to remember that in many cases a customer who behaves badly is not necessarily a bad person—it can be a good person having a bad day and that’s why they’re acting out. But the sad truth is that some customers act this way because they’ve learned that it works and will get them discounts or preferential treatment,” Alex said that some customers might be nightmare material by accident while others are very Slytherinish and sneaky.

#16

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Michele Ferretto
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is not the first time I hear a pregnant lady be called fat by other woman. For the love of God, what's in their mind!?!?

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ArawnNox Report

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Eslamala
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Real actual cheddar or that laminated orange plastic you get in the U.S??

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creatingchaoswithin Report

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Pamela H.
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2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yes there is no "grass fed" chicken meat at the store, but Chickens do eat grass. Obviously you don't own a chicken.

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#19

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Michele Ferretto
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Since you were there you could make him notice the size of the chip, so it could very hardly be injected with any vaccine (I bet he believes that too).

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#30

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ehanda21 Report

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Mihai Mara
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Make sure you never run out of blinker fluid. It's very important in traffic!!

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KatHat
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The full original phrase is: "The customer is always right in matters of taste". ie, if they want to paint their house screaming purple or buy a gold sequin pantsuit, you say YES that's wonderful. It was never supposed to mean what it's come to mean.

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Mihai Mara
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Now I am curious how you explained it and what the customer finally understood.

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WilvanderHeijden
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's the entitlement of "I orderded a cheeseburger without cheese and that's what I'm getting and paying for. You do not chance my order without my divine consent, you underpaid wage slave."

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RaroaRaroa
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The guy's an idiot, of course, but who ever cuts anything in quarters at Subway? Sure, if someone asked, but they don't normally do that do they?

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