I don't know if it's something in the air or if I'm just having a minor run of bad luck but this week, old people have been freaking rude and grumpy at Where's The Beef? I've had three rude and grumpy customers in as many days. Also, the whole reason I specify old people is because even though my store is in a college town, our main customers are old people. We get a fair number of college kids and young adults...but it's mostly old people.
The first day was a customer who wanted to get a free keytag item and a senior drink (which are free at my place)...however in order to do both, you need to order 2 items. She only had one item so I gave her the free keytag item but charged her for the coffee (less than a dollar). She asked me why I charged her and I explained the change in policy... I was immediately met with "When did this happen? I've been coming here for years...yadda yadda yadda." I told her the policy changed back in September...and mentally added "I've explained this to you at least twice since then...both times previously you've been really nice about and now you're complaining about coffee?! Be happy I didn't give you the free coffee and make you pay a dollar+change for the keytag item!" She wasn't happy about it but my manager was right next to me ready to jump in an explain if she needed to. Oddly enough she came in today but my co-worker ended up taking her order and she was as nice as pie to her. Ordered one item and then wanted the keytag and senior drink again..when my co-worker explained the policy to her, the old lady was like "Oh alright, I'll also have a small fry."
Second customer kept changing her order after I had put it in and when she finally decided on what I wanted, I slowly read back her order to her (I always read back the order to make sure I have it correct and I tend to rattle it off quickly but usually catch myself and slow down), she confirmed it was right so I told her the total and she paid. After I finished setting up the tray she said "Where's my potato? I wanted a potato why didn't you put it in?" I just sighed and asked her what kind of potato she wanted and rang it up.
Third customer was... gah. I did my usual "Hello how are you? What can I do for you today?" he didn't respond so I said "If you're not ready yet just let me know when you are." and he immediately barked at me "I want XYZ combo with a diet coke." ...well with that combo comes three different types of sauces..so I very politely asked "Would you like the sauce sweet, smoky or spicy?" and he was like "I want the spicy, the regular size and a diet coke so quit asking me questions." I just nodded and rang up the order, told him the total and finished up his order.
10 minutes later he came back and practically threw his sandwich at me saying "Give me just a chicken sandwich. This sandwich is the nastiest sandwich I've ever had. How the hell can you serve something so effing nasty?" I was shocked so I didn't apologize...I just rang up his sandwich, took his money and starting reviewing my orders so I could refund him the price of the sandwich he didn't want. As I'm in the middle of going through the refund with my manager he says "And I want a damn refund for that nasty sandwich." My manager just refunded the entire combo and then a few minutes later sent our MiT (Manager in Training...a co-worker I really like) out to the dining room to talk to guests (Table visits..wheeeeeee!) and asked me what happened.
I told her what happened and how the guy ordered it and she went "Ah. He ordered it spicy." (Our spicy barbeque sauce really truly sucks...We like to joke that only the most brave people order it) MiT comes back and pulled me to the side with our manager and said "Remember that guy that had a problem with the sandwich? Well I just went out to do table visits and I asked him how everything was. He didn't respond and I started to ask again because I thought he didn't hear me and he told me to "go the hell away and leave him the eff alone" So I did." All three of us just kind of looked at each other and my manager said "The next time he comes in, if you're working Thana, let me know and I'll take care of him."
The first day was a customer who wanted to get a free keytag item and a senior drink (which are free at my place)...however in order to do both, you need to order 2 items. She only had one item so I gave her the free keytag item but charged her for the coffee (less than a dollar). She asked me why I charged her and I explained the change in policy... I was immediately met with "When did this happen? I've been coming here for years...yadda yadda yadda." I told her the policy changed back in September...and mentally added "I've explained this to you at least twice since then...both times previously you've been really nice about and now you're complaining about coffee?! Be happy I didn't give you the free coffee and make you pay a dollar+change for the keytag item!" She wasn't happy about it but my manager was right next to me ready to jump in an explain if she needed to. Oddly enough she came in today but my co-worker ended up taking her order and she was as nice as pie to her. Ordered one item and then wanted the keytag and senior drink again..when my co-worker explained the policy to her, the old lady was like "Oh alright, I'll also have a small fry."
Second customer kept changing her order after I had put it in and when she finally decided on what I wanted, I slowly read back her order to her (I always read back the order to make sure I have it correct and I tend to rattle it off quickly but usually catch myself and slow down), she confirmed it was right so I told her the total and she paid. After I finished setting up the tray she said "Where's my potato? I wanted a potato why didn't you put it in?" I just sighed and asked her what kind of potato she wanted and rang it up.
Third customer was... gah. I did my usual "Hello how are you? What can I do for you today?" he didn't respond so I said "If you're not ready yet just let me know when you are." and he immediately barked at me "I want XYZ combo with a diet coke." ...well with that combo comes three different types of sauces..so I very politely asked "Would you like the sauce sweet, smoky or spicy?" and he was like "I want the spicy, the regular size and a diet coke so quit asking me questions." I just nodded and rang up the order, told him the total and finished up his order.
10 minutes later he came back and practically threw his sandwich at me saying "Give me just a chicken sandwich. This sandwich is the nastiest sandwich I've ever had. How the hell can you serve something so effing nasty?" I was shocked so I didn't apologize...I just rang up his sandwich, took his money and starting reviewing my orders so I could refund him the price of the sandwich he didn't want. As I'm in the middle of going through the refund with my manager he says "And I want a damn refund for that nasty sandwich." My manager just refunded the entire combo and then a few minutes later sent our MiT (Manager in Training...a co-worker I really like) out to the dining room to talk to guests (Table visits..wheeeeeee!) and asked me what happened.
I told her what happened and how the guy ordered it and she went "Ah. He ordered it spicy." (Our spicy barbeque sauce really truly sucks...We like to joke that only the most brave people order it) MiT comes back and pulled me to the side with our manager and said "Remember that guy that had a problem with the sandwich? Well I just went out to do table visits and I asked him how everything was. He didn't respond and I started to ask again because I thought he didn't hear me and he told me to "go the hell away and leave him the eff alone" So I did." All three of us just kind of looked at each other and my manager said "The next time he comes in, if you're working Thana, let me know and I'll take care of him."
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