Did I mention that option?

[Titi]

Where I work we sell coffee in carafes. We only sell small and large cups, yet everyday from almost every conversation goes like this.

SC: I'd like a coffee
Me: Would you like a small or a large?
SC: A Medium
Me: We do not sell mediums. Would you like a small or a large?
SC: I TOLD you I wanted a MEDIUM!
Me: We ONLY sell SMALL or LARGE! (and to internet world, I am not yelling just emphasizing each word trying to get the person to understand.)

[BamaBabe]

Deltahead. That is all.

[EricKei]

Me: We do not sell mediums. Would you like a small or a large?
SC: I TOLD you I wanted a MEDIUM!

"And I told you we only sell small or large!"

Yeesh. If only they would learn to listen.

[BrenDAnn]

Would it be bad customer service to say okay and deliberately make that person a small drink? I mean really...They deserve it, right?

[Raventhistle]

Maybe they need a sign:

Would you like a Biiiiig cup...
(_____)}

or a little cup.
(_)}


Oh wait...customers don't read signs ^_^

[It's me]

Maybe just ask if they want 8 or 12 oz (or whatever size you sell). Small, large, and medium don't mean much unless you see the actual cups..

[Food Lady]

I had that exact conversation in our cafe once. >_<

[emax4]

Why not take a small cup, fill it up, then pour it in the big cup and charge him?

[TonyDonuts]

Does Customer Reality Bending then come into play?

You: "We have Small or Large." Sometimes accompanied by exaggerated hand gestures.

Them: "Well, I want a medium."

You: "I'm very sorry, we only have small or large."

Them: "I don't understand. Why don't you have medium?"

You: "I have no idea."

Them: "Well, I just think it's silly that you don't have that option."

You: "That may be true, but we still just have small or large."

Them: "Well, don't you think it's silly that you don't have medium?"

It is critical that you not answer this question. The customer is trying to get you to admit that it is silly that you not have medium sizes.

They want to admit that so that you'll confess that you really do have medium sizes (or AAAA batteries, or XXXS t-shirts, or E85 fuel, or whatever the hell the customer's looking for) and you're just saying you only have small or large just to be a big meaniehead. And they'll keep that up until the heat-death of the universe.

Amusing sometimes, but a little upsetting coming from "grown-ups."

[dougall]

Ask if they want a big medium or a small medium

[XCashier]

Them: "Well, don't you think it's silly that you don't have medium?"

"Does it matter? We have what we have, small and large. By the time we convince corporate to offer medium, order the cups and have them shipped to us, several weeks will have gone by. Do you really want to go without your coffee for that long? I didn't think so. So, since 'medium' is not an option, do you want small or large?"

XXXS t-shirts

Offer them an infant-sized T-shirt.

Ask if they want a big medium or a small medium

Or tell them there's a petite fortuneteller on the run from the law... a small medium at large!

[dalesys]

Or tell them there's a petite fortuneteller on the run from the law... a small medium at large!

...on an elephant: Jumbo!

[MidoriDelSol]

Tell them medium is just a figment of their imagination, or that medium is just a state of mind.

I would charge them for a large and just fill it half full.

[Kogarashi]

XXXS t-shirts

Offer them an infant-sized T-shirt.

And here I was going to suggest sending them to the infants and toddlers section for their shirts, but XCashier beat me to the punch.

[Titi]

Maybe just ask if they want 8 or 12 oz (or whatever size you sell). Small, large, and medium don't mean much unless you see the actual cups..

I have done that and even shown the cups. They still want a medium. They then accuse me of hiding it from them.