Restaurant/cafe employees, what is your worst customer experience?

4 comments

1. At my Saturday job as a teenager, I was sometimes left alone for a short period in the afternoon while the manager went to the bank. One day, a guy came in and started looking around, then asked if I was here alone. He was shifty looking and I was creeped out, so I lied and said the manager was in the office at the back. He left but was hanging around. I asked never to be left on my own again.

2. When I worked in fast food, we had a day where we couldn’t accept cash at the drive through, I think the machine was playing up, but I can’t remember 100% for sure.

   We had a sign on the way into the drive through and one on the mic that you order from saying this.

   We had a dude come through, order his food then proceed to be very mad we couldn’t take his cash, he ranted at us for about 5 minutes in his car at the window before he finally realized that we just wouldn’t be able to take his cash before he decided he wanted to come into the store.

   He came in, we pushed him to the front of the line so he could get his order quicker, all while he was still complaining, he got to the till, completed his order.

   Guess what the dickhead did next? He paid by fucking card.

   I’ve never been closer to punching a stranger in my life.

3. My sister worked in a town centre cafe in the late 90s and she had a customer die (peacefully) while she was working. Elderly lady out with her carer just quietly passed while enjoying her custard slice. Nothing dramatic – just looked like she had fallen asleep – not even slumped over. Apparently they didn’t even close while the ambulance came and carted her away – they just roped off a few tables for twenty minutes.

   My sister wasn’t upset – she said it was actually very peaceful and reassuring that she had gone while having a nice cup of tea and a slice of cake.

4. I was working in Debenhams, in the cafe.

   I was asked to make a tuna mayo sandwich for a customer, which I did. Sliced the cucumber, etc.

   Anyway, the customer came back and complained that the cucumber was sliced too thickly?? I got bollocked by my manager, and was made to go make it again, but to cut it much thinner, as that’s “how you’re meant to do it anyway”.

   How the fuck was I supposed to know a cucumber has a specific thickness requirement when going in sandwiches?? Fucking hated working there.