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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.
I tell the waiter or waitress that my fried egg should be completely cooked to the point of being rubber. They always laugh because they think that it's hiliarious. To my chagrin, it is usually still a bit undercooked.
That's a matter of taste...a burger burnt to resemble a hockeypuck is carcinogenic.
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Haha, sounds like my mum. The only way she could eat things like sausages and steak is if they were burnt. But since she turned 50 she did a whole 180 and is no longer that fussy. She still prefers her steak well done just not burnt.
I'm sorry if she did a 360 she'd be back where she started. I'm sorry I can't not say it now I've seen it. Xoxox
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I know y'all have heard this before but it works for me. When ordering a steak I tell the waiter "I want it so rare a good vet could still save it." It does work.
I don't serve that kind of crap. Overcooked food (to that point) does not belong in my kitchen. They can go elsewhere and have that crap.
When I roast a chicken and my husband compliments me because the chicken is "perfect", I know that I've left it in the oven too long and it's dry and stringy - just as he likes it. Yech.
That lady was afraid of E. coli. I order my hamburgers well done, but I admit they don't taste all that good. Eggs cooked hard, too--2/3 of all eggs in America have salmonella. And I try to avoid Romaine lettuce. I figure it doesn't affect my life all that much to avoid those few things. I do like my steaks medium rare to medium! :-)
Open style kitchens are to your benefit, too. See someone doing something questionable once you might let it go, depending. See it twice I'd consider finding somewhere else to eat.
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..is that... possible? I like very well done burgers (I have my reasons) but ... hock puck burnt is not ... edible is it?
Given how a certain relative of mine cooks, I have reason to know you can eat it. Wanting to, or wanting to live afterwards however.....
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I like my meat burnt but not like that. When my husband makes steak he makes his normal, then he cuts mine up in little pieces and seers it in a pan a few minutes for me.
I knew someone who did NOT understand why people ate undercooked steak, never tried it. She got a bite from someone's (group dinner discussion) and said it was the best ever and now doesn't know why she ever had it well-done. My dad always asked for his rare, mine was med. rare, now I also like mine rare. Always the "fresh off the farm" and "still alove" jokes.
Load More Replies... Me, too! I dislike bacon at a lot of places as it is just barely cooked and really rubbery. Nasty. When you can cook the fatty part so it isn't rubbery, yay.
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I never minded if they were just straight-up honest about it. I know how to ruin food.
I eat burgers like this too. But I eat steaks rare because most contamination is on the surface.
Steaks can be done rare for this, ground cannot. Surprised restaurants offer pink in the middle burgers-but they are so good.
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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).
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
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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.
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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!
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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.)
