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45 Food Industry Workers Share Their Stories About Clients With Really Specific Demands
We’ve all got our cute tastebud quirks. Some of us enjoy slapping some crispy bacon on our waffles. Or drinking milk with roast beef. Or eating an entire block of beet chocolate on the park bench because we’re too lazy to make lunch. (All true for me, by the way. Please, don’t judge.) But some food and drink requests push the limit on strangeness and raise the bar on weirdness by a mile.
Ask anyone who’s worked in the food service industry longer than a day and they’ll talk your ear off about all the incredibly bizarre things that customers have ordered from them. That’s exactly what people did on Twitter when Kyle shared his weird request story and asked others to pitch in with their own.
While you’re scrolling down and upvoting the stories that made you say, ‘What?!’, let us know what the weirdest request you’ve ever heard from a customer was. We just hope you don’t lose your appetites, dear Pandas!
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I had a guest ask for Cholula (a brand of hot sauce) for his pancakes. No butter, no syrup. Just Cholula.
Kyle’s tasty thread got a whopping 76.3k likes and over 8.5k retweets (including the normal kind and the fancy ‘quote’ kind) and opened our minds to the possibility that life on Planet Earth is much more interesting than we give it credit for.
Stories like these really make you think whether the customer’s always right. Do you just give them what they want? Do you do a double-take and look at them like they’re a green alien from Mars? Or do you outright refuse to do what you suspect might be bad for their bodies?
At the end of the day, as long as they’re perfectly polite and look like they’re able to make informed decisions, our customers really are always right. At least as far as eating and drinking strange combinations goes.
Besides, a combo that makes someone gag just from the thought of tasting it might be what someone’s body craves and needs. Our bodies, while similar in many ways, are also very different. And that’s beautiful. Watching someone order an espresso with orange flavoring might make your jaw drop and your eyes pop in wonder.
I too have ordered a lemon sorbet milkshake. On purpose. I mean, it was on the menu so. But the server misheard and made a lemon strawberry milkshake (with lemon sorbet AND strawberry icecream). Best. Milkshake. Ever.
If you’re a server, barista, or barman and you find yourself overwhelmed, take a moment to breathe in, relax, throw on a smile and give the customer the best gourmet abomination they’ve ever tasted. Just smile and wave.
What is with people blending their drinks with things that are clearly not meant for blending.
My boyfriend is on a keto diet. At least he likes to think he is, he certainly doesn't have difficulty in wolfing down things I bake. Anyway, he drinks butter coffee. It's literally just coffee and a couple of large pats of butter blended together. Yes, it's as terrible as it sounds.
Too bad there weren't cucumbers. Cucumbers, tomatoes, and house dressing is delicious.
Eww, wouldn’t the iced coffee cuddle once the juice was poured in?
I work at a homeless shelter. Homeless people consume a lot of sugar. I don't know why.
I'm guessing that she would BBQ them at home? Maybe to trick her friends into thinking that she prepared them all herself? But then if this is the case why doesn't she just tell you to avoid an otherwise awkward request?
What does that sugar free caramel do? Is it like sugar free gummi bears?
That's a "bullet coffee". It's sometimes used for dieting. You drink this in the morning; the caffeine will start your metabolism (and your day) the butter (the real kind, not margarine) will give your body just enough energy not to go in starvation mode. Than first meal after that is lunch. I've tried it couple of times, it's not as disgusting as it may sound. Just velvety/creamy coffee. Perfect breakfast for light mornings/hurry. (Just don't overdo on the butter.)
That's definitely not a thing in France. We do have some respect for the wine here. They do that in Spain though, it's called kalimotxo (and it's usually made with the cheapest red wine).
Actually, a Basquaise thing .... (you can tell by the tx in the word, only used in the Basque region) - and, yes, it is made with the worst, nastiest red wine ; that's why it's combined with the worst, nastiest thing to come out of America - apart from the orange monkey of course.....
Load More Replies...NEVER. EVER. Nobody I know would drink this, and I guess they would have a heart attack by seeing somebody doing such a thing (I would). I'm French and wine is just like a religion in my country. No water, no ice, no soda... Except rosé pamplemousse because rosé isn't really wine for many of us. And sangria.
Sometimes I mix white wine with sparkling mineral water (yes, even flavoured one, pomegranate being excellent), if the wine is too sour for my taste. Commonly done in Slovakia. I worked in a winery for two summers back in the day and it was considering refreshing on hot days. Like beer and sprite.
That’s called a wine spritzer, it’s a thing, but never heard of cola and red wine, but apparently it’s a thing in Spain?
Load More Replies...Here in México we have vanilla ice-cream with Cabernet Sauvignon :D
Its a thing, don't know specifically in France, but it is a drink. Like white wine and sprite or soda... :)
I know in Eastern Europe that's a thing, red wine plus soda. I've had Hungarian and Belarussian roommates that drank that, and said it was common in their country.
Red wine and coke, is called calimocho, and is a very common drink in festivals and town fairs here in spain.
In Chile some uneducated people drink that same crap. It's called jote. No self-respecting person would drink that. Ever.
This was a thing when I was working near Valladolid (NW) and it was called calimocho - the Castillan version of kalimotxo. My Spanish colleagues made it with Diet Coke. I did not encounter it when I lived in the south of Spain. However, what is really popular, I think everywhere in Spain, is Lemon Fanta in red wine (tinto verano) or Lemon Fanta in beer or with liquor. Quite refreshing.
I once went for a drink with a former colleague and I ordered a really good red wine. She proceeded to order a coke to mix with said red wine. Never went for drinks with her again. (Happened in South Africa)
In the Balkans it's called 'bambus' (bamboo),it's popular among girls.
Maybe an Italian thing as I remember my grandparents making it. It's much nicer than it sounds!
ITALIAN? I don’t think that’s Italian. If there’s any group of people in the world that would die from seeing this it would be the Italians. Not trying to be rude or anything just saying
Load More Replies...That's a thing in Luxembourg. I thought someone was joking when they said it but they absolutely weren't.
Sonja Morgan Real Housewives of NYC drank that, I believe. Appalling.
My mom used to make us leftover meatloaf sandwiches. White bread (those were the days), Meatloaf and mayo. Cold, yes and I liked it.
In order to preserve my faith in humanity, I’m hoping that at least some of these were dares and not actual personal preferences
Some people are very sensitive to the acid in tomatoes, but should use a bit of sugar.
What kind of animal goes to a fast food joint and pretends they're in a Michelin-starred restaurant??
Not that unusual, especially for people who are cutting down on carbs.
My mom does this. Well, not quite. She dips like one tea leaf for one second, in hot water. Just so "it doesn't taste like just hot water". Ick.
We used to do this at cocktail parties as students. It was still nasty.
Our local petrol station keeps their coffee grounds and gives them out free to those who want them. Waste not want not
Could have been an ANZAC veteran. Rum and milk was a drink given at to the ANZAC soldiers at breakfast to prepare them for battle.
Mayonnaise is pretty normal to have on salads, so I don’t see how that is bad.
Well, water with frueit syruo doesn't sound like a horrible idea. Fruity water is nice BUT 12 PUMPS is a bit much I think. 1-2 I would understand but 12!?
I get that in the drive thru all the time. But my dog doesn't need a bun or veggies. She just likes the burger. Definitely confused the person at first, so they told me to just say it's for a dog. Next time, I did...and they gave it to me on a pancake platter instead of in a wrapper and even threw in an extra patty for her!
Hot whiskey. Learned that it was a thing among young Irish people when I visited Cork some years ago. It’s whiskey, spoiled with hot water, sugar, cloves and a slice of lemon. Initially I thought it was a waste of whiskey, but the taste is actually not that bad, at least not with the Irish brands (since they are not smokey, like most Scotch ones)
That is a toddy- it's great if you are sick or are cold
Load More Replies...I don't know why this is so fascinating but it is. We all probably have quirks but have no idea. Salami sandwich with American cheese and sliced tomatoes and... Miracle Up is totally normal, right?
The bread must be smashed completely flat. Like pounded flat. I have no idea why, but children love it for some reason.
Load More Replies...I eat peas with honey, I've done it all my life. It may taste kind of funny, but it keeps them on the knife.
Yes!!! My dad used to say that rhyme to me when I was little, we were all at the dinner table the other day saying it to my son!
Load More Replies...I have adult restrictive food intake disorder, basically I’m such a picky eater that it’s a diagnosis. Most nights I eat just plain boiled pasta with salt and cheese on top. I have ordered it many times at restaurants. I’m always curious checking these lists to see if I’ve made it on, but so far not.
Is it just me or do most of these posts reflect keto or ketchup addictions?
They seem like a lot of people who don't understand what things really are
Before my local Subway burned down, I mixed all four drinks they sold from their dispenser (at the time it was Coke, Diet Coke, Orange Fanta and Sprite). It was actually better than I expected, but not nice enough to try a second time. And one my roommate and I made at home consisted of cheap Cherryade and Budweiser. It was nasty as hell, so we aptly named it "Rank".
This post makes me so happy to live in a country with great food and real coffee, not that sugary crap served at Starbucks et al.
Well, Some of these I'd try before judging, some seem like masochism, and have given me a greater understanding of the origins of obesity, but mostly - alot of other people's traits are weird to us. It's called diversity and should be celebrated! So to all those weirdos out there who like a mayo sandwich or lemon sorbet with milk - good for you for ordering them in public, in spite of the odd looks you seem to have received from your server. You do you, and I will too. (to those eating vats of fat - please stop, the world needs you and you are slowly killing yourselves.)
Hot whiskey. Learned that it was a thing among young Irish people when I visited Cork some years ago. It’s whiskey, spoiled with hot water, sugar, cloves and a slice of lemon. Initially I thought it was a waste of whiskey, but the taste is actually not that bad, at least not with the Irish brands (since they are not smokey, like most Scotch ones)
That is a toddy- it's great if you are sick or are cold
Load More Replies...I don't know why this is so fascinating but it is. We all probably have quirks but have no idea. Salami sandwich with American cheese and sliced tomatoes and... Miracle Up is totally normal, right?
The bread must be smashed completely flat. Like pounded flat. I have no idea why, but children love it for some reason.
Load More Replies...I eat peas with honey, I've done it all my life. It may taste kind of funny, but it keeps them on the knife.
Yes!!! My dad used to say that rhyme to me when I was little, we were all at the dinner table the other day saying it to my son!
Load More Replies...I have adult restrictive food intake disorder, basically I’m such a picky eater that it’s a diagnosis. Most nights I eat just plain boiled pasta with salt and cheese on top. I have ordered it many times at restaurants. I’m always curious checking these lists to see if I’ve made it on, but so far not.
Is it just me or do most of these posts reflect keto or ketchup addictions?
They seem like a lot of people who don't understand what things really are
Before my local Subway burned down, I mixed all four drinks they sold from their dispenser (at the time it was Coke, Diet Coke, Orange Fanta and Sprite). It was actually better than I expected, but not nice enough to try a second time. And one my roommate and I made at home consisted of cheap Cherryade and Budweiser. It was nasty as hell, so we aptly named it "Rank".
This post makes me so happy to live in a country with great food and real coffee, not that sugary crap served at Starbucks et al.
Well, Some of these I'd try before judging, some seem like masochism, and have given me a greater understanding of the origins of obesity, but mostly - alot of other people's traits are weird to us. It's called diversity and should be celebrated! So to all those weirdos out there who like a mayo sandwich or lemon sorbet with milk - good for you for ordering them in public, in spite of the odd looks you seem to have received from your server. You do you, and I will too. (to those eating vats of fat - please stop, the world needs you and you are slowly killing yourselves.)