ADVERTISEMENT

Serving fajitas hot is not a walk in the park. It’s rather like walking on eggshells, ‘cause an encounter with a customer can go sour anytime. And forget the mantra “The Customer Is Always Right.” Reality is a teeny tiny bit different.

The truth is, some customers are just too much. From ordering something that’s virtually non-existent and coming up with their own takes on the menu to plain yelling and calling corporate, this is the daily bread of food industry workers.

Thus, fed up with entitled customers, people on Twitter got together for this viral thread and shared their stories of working as food servers. Nobody said that accommodating serial a-holes for a living was meant to be easy, but nobody warned them it’s that damn hard, either.

#2

Worst-Customer-Stories

JoltStudios Report

Add photo comments
POST
bp_10 avatar
WilvanderHeijden
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Is it me or has anyone else noticed that common courtesy isn't common anymore?

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu

Bored Panda reached out to a college student named Palmer, better known by his Twitter handle Decent Pigeon, whose tweet on delivering Grubhub to a problematic customer went viral with 374.2K likes as well as 58.7K retweets and comments. In addition to creating content for Twitter, Palmer has also worked for DoorDash and Grubhub for the past three years and he agreed to share what it was like.

“The funniest part of the industry is that when a customer is mad, they have (a couple of times) tried to degrade me based on my job title, the ‘service industry worker,’” Palmer told us. “It’s almost like I only do it on the side while I study in college to get another job.”

Palmer can’t wrap his head around the customers that degrade the industry they rely so heavily on. “I’ve encountered tons of amazing people in the industry, so why chalk it down to just their job title?” he continued. “Cliche, but people just need to learn to respect one another.”

This viral thread has shown Palmer that he is not alone, “and that I am not cursed with all the psychos of the industry.” He also said that none of the stories truly surprised him because “many customers in the service industry are extremely entitled and rude.”

ADVERTISEMENT
#5

Worst-Customer-Stories

DietSoDuhx Report

Add photo comments
POST
dutchvanzandt avatar
Oskar vanZandt
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Just nod your head and give them what you were going to give them... no sense talking to some people.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu

It’s not the first, and let’s be real—probably not the last time we hear about entitled customers. Just take a look at our previous post on people sharing ridiculous demands from customers from hell or this post on customers acting like total jerks and getting shamed for it online. Such incidents are all too common, but there may be an underlying reason for it.

In fact, American consumer culture focuses a lot on making people feel special and people come to expect it. This article suggests that “They feel like they have a right to act however they want towards others until they’re appeased—which winds up isolating the consumer and shaping their view of the world as 'me against them.'”

This type of rude behavior is related to the entitlement mentality which basically screams “Me!” in most daily-life scenarios. Psychiatrists say it is manifested in an over-exaggerated sense of self-importance, lack of understanding of others, and unwillingness to compromise.

ADVERTISEMENT
#7

Worst-Customer-Stories

Juris_Sequoia Report

Add photo comments
POST
bp_10 avatar
WilvanderHeijden
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Never argue with stupid. Just humor them and let them pay champagne prizes if they want Sprite in a champagne glass.

robbinsjl308 avatar
Jro308
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I always told my kids you can't argue with batshit crazy cause they are batshit crazy and will NEVER be able to understand a logical argument or another point of view, it's better to just walk away

Load More Replies...
hazelree avatar
Stille20
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

She was probably embarrassed that she was being laughed at. She clearly doesn't know what a screwdriver is. People are often angry and rude if they feel embarrassed, even if it isn't the server's / cashier's fault.

chimesstreet avatar
Tabitha L
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That is a good point. Getting angry is a defense mechanism for people who can't take criticism.

Load More Replies...
eglbukauskait avatar
Eglė Bukauskaitė
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

There is alcohol free Pinacoladas. Not surprised she thought same goes for Screwdriver, esp. if you don''t know what goes into the cocktail.

sashakuleshov avatar
Sasha Kuleshov
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Customer: -"Yes, I'll have a mojito, but drop the ice, the lime, the rum and the mint" Me: -So just regular seltzer water? Customer: -No, I said a MOJITO! Me: -Ok...*I go back to the kitchen and punch myself in the face*

dutchvanzandt avatar
Oskar vanZandt
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I hope he put some ice cubes in that OJ... $2.95 for the juice and $5.00 for the ice (which represents the woman's frozen brain cells)

mtemple33 avatar
J-Yogi-Temp-Mom
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

she just overpaid to have a fancy glass... i'm sure you would've given her OJ in that glass for the regular price if she was, whats that word- KIND!!

zetp_ avatar
ZET P.
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I made an account just to correct this post because I KNOW what she meant! she meant a latte with no "caffeine" - if English isn't your first-language you sometimes forget names and words and your pronunciation is sometimes really thick or weird.... especially for polyglots. - polyglots have also often difficulties in thinking like people from different cultures. "no caffeine" sounds a lot like "no coffee in" so she probably once overheard that one and understood "a latte with no coffee in " means a latte with "no caffeine" .... and coffee is to her equal to an espresso (remember, if you don't know the language you sometimes hear similar words or sentences that mean something completely different) I also work as a barista and I know a lot of "dense" people so I kinda understand how their brains work now. If you take your time to talk to them and understand them sometimes you'll be amazed how simple their ways of thinking can be and you will see that it's just a misunderstanding.

v_sjoberg avatar
Veronica Sjöberg
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I mean there is non-alcoholic "vodka"... maybe she wanted a similar flavor to a screwdriver but without the alcohol?

naimaivansdttir avatar
Naima Ivansdóttir
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

you know what, something similar happened to me some years ago. i spotted "melon and dry cured ham" on the swimming pool kiosk chalkboard and i don't eat meat but i really wanted the melon so i went up to the cashier and asked if i could possibly have a melon and cured ham but without the ham. she looks puzzled and said "so... you want melon". i stared at her with dead eyes for a minute then laughed at myself so bad :D INDEED

phantasteek avatar
ChickyChicky
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Ha! I don't drink and I've ordered a virgin screwdriver before. Then the bartender and I have a good laugh, cause I know it's a joke.

meyerweinstock avatar
Meyer Weinstock
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

virgin screwdriver....is that a certain person in a certain kind of act...?

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

I would charge the7.95 for a glass or orange juice and keep the difference as a tip for going through it with her!

waynerdevine avatar
Captain Awesome
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I once charged a customer $8 for a raspberry lemonade when she asked for a fire engine. She really got the shits when she learned the vodka is in the fire truck.

raygassert avatar
Ray Gassert
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Contrary to these f*****g a******s that work in the bar industry, she may not have really known it was a 2 ingredient drink. Instead of laughing at her, why not serve her an OJ at the OJ price and maybe she'll think you hooked her up and fatten the tip. You're a f*****g moron.

smash17 avatar
smash17
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I agree. Except I would add (1) why not explain what's in a screwdriver so she knows for next time (2) laughing at customers isn't good customer service.

Load More Replies...
View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
#9

Worst-Customer-Stories

notsuohsports Report

Add photo comments
POST
james_fox1984 avatar
Foxxy (The Original)
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I have heard similar variations of this so many times, it is really concerning how many people do not grasp the concept.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu

When it comes to the food service industry, bad customer behavior is usually associated with attitude problems and plain rudeness. But this research showed it’s much more sinister than that: “behaviors of entitled customers negatively impacted waitstaff employees.”

Moreover, “the participants in the study have reported 'physiological arousal, negative affect, burnout, and feelings of dehumanization as a result of dealing with these patrons.'” In these cases, sticking to the age-old mantra “the customer is always right” may make matters even worse.

#10

Worst-Customer-Stories

Glaciaca Report

Add photo comments
POST
kevinwayne avatar
Kevin Wayne
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Quote by Albert Einstein: "two things are infinite - the universe and human stupidity and i'm not sure about the universe"

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#11

Worst-Customer-Stories

Gluonsrule Report

Add photo comments
POST
pseudo_puppy avatar
Pseudo Puppy
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

laughing at stupid customers, while out back, is the ONLY thing that keeps customer-service staff sane. Retail, hospitality, corporate..... we all laugh at stupid customers while out the back. Only way to survive.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#12

Worst-Customer-Stories

teastainedtears Report

Add photo comments
POST
terybriggs avatar
Mama Panda
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

These are the a******s that make those of us with real food allergies look bad

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#13

Worst-Customer-Stories

suonoita Report

Add photo comments
POST
terybriggs avatar
Mama Panda
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Must have been the same dipshit that didn't want cheese on his cheeseburger!

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
#15

Worst-Customer-Stories

djinnantonnix Report

Add photo comments
POST
uvacavfanatic avatar
Bill Taylor
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Should have called it a "special order" and charged him triple for the one pound container...

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#17

Worst-Customer-Stories

queer_hellenic Report

Add photo comments
POST
chimesstreet avatar
Tabitha L
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I really really don't understand the cheeseburger, no cheese thing. What do they think a hamburger is? Do they think hamburgers are made of ham?

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#19

Worst-Customer-Stories

villagethot Report

Add photo comments
POST
troux avatar
Troux
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

With all the cameras at fast food places, I would think you could catch who this was by their license plate, and yes it's absolutely worth it to press charges against harassment of any sort.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#20

Worst-Customer-Stories

MoodyBoolicious Report

#21

Worst-Customer-Stories

Caramalameet Report

Add photo comments
POST
james_fox1984 avatar
Foxxy (The Original)
Community Member
3 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I can kinda understand this coz cold hot chocolate tastes different to chocolate milk.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#22

Worst-Customer-Stories

StormAnnV Report

Add photo comments
POST
terybriggs avatar
Mama Panda
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Actually, I have never had them charge my credit card either when checking in. They give me the option at check out to pay with the card, with another card, or with cash. When I am checking in, there shouldn't be a charge at all since I just got to the hotel and haven't even walked into the room yet let alone stay in it.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#24

Worst-Customer-Stories

MusicalShyGuy Report

#25

Worst-Customer-Stories

NopedTheFuckOut Report

Add photo comments
POST
andris avatar
Andris Valdmanis
Community Member
3 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

There is cheese with lactose and there is cheese nearly without lactose - depends on the manufacturing process. You cannot know, you have to read the product analysis if you are lucky enough, that there is one. I know it, because I am lactose intolerant and had to learn it. And then there are people that are lactose-intolerant, and there are people with an milk allergy, also two seperated issues. So it is not allways a dumb question, even if it feels like it for someone who has no idea, because he has not to deal with it.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#26

Worst-Customer-Stories

AbbieDavy Report

Add photo comments
POST
james_fox1984 avatar
Foxxy (The Original)
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Without any other context I am presuming the customer didn’t really speak english, had an intellectual disability, had a stroke or a neurological disorder etc.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#27

Worst-Customer-Stories

97_ibraheem Report

Add photo comments
POST
stefaniepatterson avatar
BluEyedSeoulite
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I love to torture my Italian friends with our fake Italian foods! So yummy but so wrong

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#29

Worst-Customer-Stories

jmadfour Report

Add photo comments
POST
terybriggs avatar
Mama Panda
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Because her kid would have had a full blown temper tantrum right there in the restaurant so she tried to make the best of it by ordering what the kid wanted and expected Jay to understand. sheesh!

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#30

Worst-Customer-Stories

yikesmary Report

Add photo comments
POST
whisky-lady avatar
Ksenia M
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It seems like Subways work differently here because you can definitely get all the vegetables without paying extra. Is that different in the US, you only get like tomatoes and onions but you pay more for pickles?

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#31

Worst-Customer-Stories

KiIIersound Report

Add photo comments
POST
amandasherland_1 avatar
Amanda Sherland
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

God, I have a friend who does this and it drives me bonkers to listen to him talk on the phone, ordering something or getting customer service. He always talks over the person and misses all their questions and then gets mad at them.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#32

Worst-Customer-Stories

NellyBelle3379 Report

Add photo comments
POST
bp_10 avatar
WilvanderHeijden
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Should have rung it up as a cheese pretzel wo cheese. That's one dollar extra...

View more commentsArrow down menu
#33

Worst-Customer-Stories

yeoldwalrus Report

Add photo comments
POST
mariecraycrayjackson avatar
Queen Jackson.
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That's stealing tell her to get the f**k out. I feel like I'd be fired the first time this happened to me, cause I don't like entertaining b******t.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda