A tale of Subway(sandwich shop) Douchebaggery.

[TheTigress]

(long time lurker, first offical post)

As you can see by the title, I am a sandwich slave at Subway.

It's been especially horrible lately due to the "5 dollar footlong" special that's going on. In fact, they should rename the franchise to "SuicidalWay" because almost everyone who works in one wants to do that exact thing at the moment.

(small back story that will lead up to the event of epic suck.)By the way, this incident happened today not a few hours ago.

Today has literally been a top two worst day of my life type of days for me. Really bad personal event involving my best friend having to leave for a while. I was crying all morning and was in tears for over half of my workday because of it. ( I love her like a sister) Overall a really shitty day, but I forced myself to keep going at it and do as much as my emotions could handle. So to put a long story short, I really was not in the mood to deal with bullshit at this time.

At around 1:30 or so it started getting sickeningly busy again. (it was busy all day actually). My co-workers were already working on customers of their own, so I went up to the next people in line. It was an older man and his wife.

I go up to them and ask what they would like. Asshole old guy says something and he words it in a way in which it makes it sound like he wants two seperate sandwiches. I thought he said "I want a footlong turkey and Teriyaki!" since he kind of mumbled and the store was semi-loud.

He also said what kind of bread he wanted however my brain was running on reserves from lack of food and the earlier trauma I had to deal with, so I didn't catch that part. I thought he said honey oat.

So just to make sure, I went ahead and asked him if it was really honey oat that he wanted for his bread. He replies in an assholelish way saying "I wanted IT-AL-IAN!"

At this point, I was slightly annoyed but wasn't going to let that part bother me. I grab two pieces of italian bread out and get ready to start cutting them.

Then suddenly he goes off again speaking in that same assholish tone saying "I ONLY WANTED ONE SANDWICH!"

This is where I start to get pissed off. My stress and frustration starting to spring small leaks.

I instantly said "You told me at the start that you wanted a turkey and a teriyaki sandwich."

His retort: "No! I said I wanted a CHICK-EN-TERIYAKI!"

While it was true that I mis-heard him, the fact that he made that point so rudely was what set me off. He said it in the most "talking down" tone I have heard in quite a while, and I was about at my breaking point.

The next part is where it really takes off.

I put one of the breads back and go for the precious teriyaki that he wanted. However he apparently didn't like how far the lid was tossed from the teriyaki bin. (it wasn't thrown, just tossed aside in a "whatever, this day is absolute bullshit" kind of way)

He get's really angry at this point and says to me "You know I am about ready to WALK OUT OF THE STORE!"

I stop everything I'm doing at this point, and say "You know what? I really don't care right now.", take off my gloves, and proceed to leave the scene and go to the back room to cool off and finish some prep that we were behind in. All the while hearing him muttering some bullshit about me being "spitty" at him or something.

What makes this whole thing the most laughable is that he actually thought I would give a damn if he walked out at that moment.

By the way, he ended up staying and eating *in* our store with his wife, while my co-worker finished his sandwich.

It was actually an onslaught of SCs for all of us today (my co-workers and I). Each one of us had our own episodes with one. This one was just mine.

Stay tuned in the near future for choice selections out of my "Subway Rants" volumes.

[Whyme]

I'll never understand why some people think "I'm sorry, I can't hear/misunderstood you" equals "I is stupid. Speak slow and asshole-y to me."

I do have a low voice, so I get it when people say they can't hear me and could I please repeat. No problem, not their fault.

Sorry about your trauma. It's hard to go on as normal when you have something like that on your mind . Apparently that customer was lucky enough to never have had a bad day and doesn't know what it's like.

[rerant]

One of my biggest pet peeves is when people talk to you like you're a mentally challenged five year-old just because you didn't hear them corectly.
Like it's my fault you fucking mumble and speak at a volume barely higher than a whisper.

What's worse is when they have trouble hearing us we still lose.

I may not work at a drive-through, but I'm really temped to yell, "PLEASE SPEAK DIRECTLY INTO THE CLOWN HEAD!" at people.

[TheTigress]

I'll never understand why some people think "I'm sorry, I can't hear/misunderstood you" equals "I is stupid. Speak slow and asshole-y to me."

Sorry about your trauma. It's hard to go on as normal when you have something like that on your mind . Apparently that customer was lucky enough to never have had a bad day and doesn't know what it's like.

Apparently in SC world everyone has to have perfect hearing even through other people talking and radio music playing in the background.

Some people were also freaking out because we were running out of stuff like some of our bread and our cheeses. (there was literally no bread in the back that could be made because our stock in almost everything was depleted and our inventory doesn't arrive until the next day.) Nevermind that there have been lines out the door for hours on end for a week straight. They are still certain that we have a hidden basement underneath us where our bread grows on magical bread trees.

Thank you for the kind words by the way. It really means a lot. It's very hard right now and will take me a bit to get back straight but at least I have tomorrow off. (first day off in a while) It will give me time to clear up my emotions.

[tropicsgoddess]

You handled yourself as best as you could with that asshole and your situation. I personally would've gone off on him hardcore. BTW, Welcome to ! The SuicidalWay name change idea for Subway had me laughing. Who wouldn't want to do that (suicide) in a place where you deal with a barrage of SC's? I can't tell you how many times I've wanted to just put myself out of my misery because of the daily assclownery of SC's in the call center world.

[MrSunshineState]

I'll never understand why some people think "I'm sorry, I can't hear/misunderstood you" equals "I is stupid. Speak slow and asshole-y to me."
.

I got that all the time when I was a movie theatre slave. I usually worked box office cashier or usher, but sometimes I was behind concession (I was really good with money). However, behind concession we had a popcorn popper (of course) that has two huge exhaust fans to vent the steam. Drink machines that had the CO2 compressors running from time to time. An ice machine making more and more ice. And televisions to the sides of the concession stand (on the walls) playing previews. Needless to say there was a lot of noise going on behind me and it made hearing the customers hard at times. It never failed that a customer would order a large drink, I'd ask them to repeat the kind they wanted and they would do the *DRAMATIC MEGA SIGH, EYE ROLL, AND REPEAT IN A SLOW CONDESCENDING TONE*

fuckwits

[fish3k1]

order a large drink, I'd ask them to repeat the kind they wanted and they would do the *DRAMATIC MEGA SIGH, EYE ROLL, AND REPEAT IN A SLOW CONDESCENDING TONE*

fuckwits

Heh, whenever I got this in BK I'd make damn sure they got what they wanted... then as I'm assembling the order for them and doing a readback (something I reserve for special occasions ) I's speak back to them EXACTLY how they spoke to me...

"So, that's ONE BAACOON DOOUBLEEE CHEEEESE BUUUURGEEEER, ONE LAAARGE FRIIEES....."

[RedRoseSpiral]

I had that problem when I worked at the chinese place. We were in a small, long room with huge stoves with even bigger, powerful vents that took up a good 1/3 of the lenght. They were very loud. I'm pretty sure they're part of the reason my hearing is going at 20. Every once and awhile I'd get the asshole who would get pissy because I didn't hear them yell back at me while I was filling up steamed rice boxes because the steamers were past the ovens and vents. Sadly, it was usually the usuals who did this. Hell, it was one of the usuals who almost got me to the point of punching him out while this (grand)daughter was right there.

[chainedbarista]

ugh, i hate that about people; the base assumption that we're all morons simply because we serve them 'vittles n' the like.'

he's the type who'd be bitching if you weren't employed; he's a miserable sack of *beep,* so don't let it ruin your day too much. you handled it well, i think; every once in a while, i think sucky jerks need a reminder about reality, and that their 'patronage' isn't the highlight of our day.

their getting whatever it is they want and getting the hell out of our way is

[Sliceanddice]

now apparently im a bitch (this is a sroty for another time) but having worked at subway, and Jack in the Box i smile, say what i want in a slow broken down manner -ie- #5 large. Extra onion. Heavy Mustard. No Ketchup. Dr. Pepper no ice. wiat a sec for the time it takes to push buttons. Also a #4 Large. No lettice. No onion. No Ketchup. Sprite No ice. even small things like drinks. In subway i say like Hi im order three footlongs wheat honey oat and itialian wait for them to get the bread. Tell her what they are, usually devided by bread type and anything weird is said now.

[myswtghst]

I try to pay attention both to how they usually take the order at places like Subway, so I can give my order the right way (this includes asking the sandwich-person if they want to start all sandwichs at once, or one at a time, by telling them how many total I need) as well as keeping in mind the noise level of a place when I'm ordering. If it's noisy, I do my very best to be clear, and have no problems repeating myself.

I've noticed that over the phones, as well, people seem to take "I'm sorry, you're coming in very quiet, could you please speak up?" and "I'm sorry, you're cutting out a bit, could you please repeat that?" as personal insults worse that calling their mother a dirty pirate hooker. Honestly - I do my best to phrase it so as to note that: A) it isn't specifically your fault that you're quiet, and B) I am not stupid, nor deaf, I just need to you to repeat that, but it seems like people just take it as an insult or a sign that I'm stupid, and it drives me up a wall.

Good on you for just walking away - in your emotional state, it probably prevented a bigger blow up, and was really for the best.

[Stryker One]

now apparently im a bitch (this is a sroty for another time) but having worked at subway, and Jack in the Box i smile, say what i want in a slow broken down manner -ie- #5 large. Extra onion. Heavy Mustard. No Ketchup. Dr. Pepper no ice. wiat a sec for the time it takes to push buttons. Also a #4 Large. No lettice. No onion. No Ketchup. Sprite No ice. even small things like drinks. In subway i say like Hi im order three footlongs wheat honey oat and itialian wait for them to get the bread. Tell her what they are, usually devided by bread type and anything weird is said now.

Paper and pencil, before you get there. No need to talk.

[SilverOrb]

I am actually hearing impaired, so I got a fair amount of customers throwing a fit when they had to repeat themselves. Thankfully, most people were nice about it, once I explained myself.
Talk with your lips TOWARD the cashier people!
Thank God I can read lips now.

[Peppergirl]

I've noticed that over the phones, as well, people seem to take "I'm sorry, you're coming in very quiet, could you please speak up?" and "I'm sorry, you're cutting out a bit, could you please repeat that?" as personal insults worse that calling their mother a dirty pirate hooker.

Oh, that drives me insane!!!

Quite a bit of my phone contact is from people who are stranded in airports, or calling from their rental cars to find out if their flight is delayed, etc. There is an INSANE amont of background noise on at least 50 percent of the calls I handle.

Most people are pretty cool about it when I cant hear them, but I get the occasional douchebag who takes personal offense because they have chosen to stand DIRECTLY under the flight-announcement speaker at the airport whilst making their call and, therefore, I couldn't hear what they said.

[Anakah]

I was at subway yesterday and I really do feel for the workers. As a consumer the deal is awesome but because of it I bet people are buying a bunch of sandwiches at a time and that can be really stressful. And besides the fact that some people are just complete pricks.