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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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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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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.

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

When my supermarket opens in the morning, there is always a group of elderly people, waiting. They get very upset when the staff opens with a minute of delay,.... like a gang of Vikings invading an irish monastery

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Anyone-for-tea?
Community Member
2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That is literally the reason I couldn’t watch that series, that episode was brutal.

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

I was doing the same as a worker! Going a little earlier to work to open and prepare everything and then sitting back with the doors closed staring at the customers through the glass😅😅 I wasn't opening if it wasn't exactly 9.00! I knew i would have to deal with a lot of s**t for 8 hours so i didn't want even a minute more!!!

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

That was smart of you. And you got a few minutes peace to mentally prepare for the next eight hours

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

I’m 60 years old, and can tell you, with certainty, that no business ever let people in before opening time. I can’t emphasize it enough. There has NEVER been a time when people did NOT have to wait OUTSIDE a business for them to open the doors—-at the opening time posted on the front door! Hell, you can watch old movies about people working in department stores and see people waiting outside for them to unlock the doors at the posted opening time. It is most assuredly not a new concept. So this guy cannot use his age and “how we used to do it” as an excuse. Yes, some incidentals have been upgraded, and we do have more options now, but I hate when older people try to con younger people into thinking that basic concepts like that were so much different when they were young. I’ve discovered that they are definitely not, and probably never will be.

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

This use to happen to me all the time in an Office supply store... We had two doors and would leave the first set unlocked so employees could walk in but the gates would be down to show we are closed and customers would still do this!

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

He wanted what he wanted when he wanted it - wrong 😠

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Raptor
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We get that at five pm when we close at a well known discount store interested UK. The rattle the locked doors knowing we never shut them when we are open. We shout we're closed and the keep saying why are you closed at five? I'm usually by the doors with a vacuum so point at the opening times sign that's right in front of them. We still use lockdown hours because no one came in after five when we closed at six.

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

THIS HAPPENED TWICE TO ME LAST SATURDAY MORNING- oml I'm not alone

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

Some people like to get there early so they can't be accused of being late, This one takes the cake and should deal with the police.

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

Trespassing, criminal damage, breaking and entry etc

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

Zero impulse control, common sense or the manners not to peer through the stall door in the restrooms.

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

"The store has no purpose other than serving ME when I need it, it MUST be opened NOW so if the door resists I'll legit break through."

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

If it was an old man he was probably delirious thought he saved your life

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

At my work, I have to go outside to where we store the paper bags and I would leave the front door closed, but unlocked. I guess one time when I came back, I didn't lock it all the way and some guy pulled it open and ran into the store. Our manager and a bunch of us had to kick him out.

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

Relatable, someone did this at the bike shop I work at whilst we were understaffed and clearly operating on a "one in, one out" procedure.

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

Don't you people have rules for what constitutes basic grown up behavior?? You pull that crap where I live, and they'll beat the shït out of you before calling (if they call) the police.

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

These older people are so effing entitled some times. Sometimes they're waiting outside of my store before we open and they'll sit there and stare at you the whole time until you open and then I've had one older guy literally ask me as I'm unlocking my door to let myself in so I can set up the til and everything if he can sit inside while i do that so that he is the first and I said no that we can't have customers in the store while we're setting up and he asked me why, that he wanted to be first and that that wasn't fair. He continued to argue with me. I was late clocking in because of it and ended up letting him sit there because I had management who I would get into trouble with if I didn't give the customer their way. However, I'm management now and that s**t doesn't fly with me.

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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
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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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