Working as a server is stressful, but it can become even worse when a nightmare customer gets involved!
That’s why this tale is so fun – the poster details the time they had a run-in with a drunken woman who got increasingly angry after he tried to charge her for the coffee she’d ordered.
Another Day Working in Hospitality
It’s just another day at the casual fine-dining chain restaurant, and the original poster (OP), a seasoned waiter, gears up for his dinner shift.
Little does he know that he is about to encounter a customer who will test his patience like never before.
She Seemed Nice Enough
As OP walks into the restaurant, he is assigned a table with a customer who has been sitting there for hours.
The customer, a middle-aged woman who had lunch with her friends earlier, has stayed on to enjoy a few more glasses of wine.
An Easy Customer
The day server informs OP that the customer has already paid for her previous orders, so he just has to wait for her to leave.
She Looked Like She Was Going to Leave
Time ticks by, and it’s now 5 pm – the start of the dinner rush. The customer’s wine glass is empty, and she orders another glass along with the bill.
OP promptly fulfills her request, and she pays.
However, as the clock approaches 6 pm and the restaurant gets busier, the customer asks for a cup of coffee and the bill yet again.
No Tip for You!
OP brings her the coffee and the bill, but this time, the customer’s demeanor changes drastically.
She demands that OP gives her exact change because she has no intention of leaving a tip.
How Dare You Charge Me for the Coffee I Ordered!
She then launches into a full-blown rage, berating the OP for charging her for the cup of coffee.
She claims that he should have known that she needed coffee after spending six hours at the restaurant and that he should have comped it without her having to ask!
She’d Been Drinking Wine All Day!
She even goes so far as to say that she needs the coffee to drive home, as if it’s the OP’s responsibility to ensure she gets home safely!
He’s Just Doing His Job
OP tries to defuse the situation by calmly explaining that he is just doing his job and following restaurant policies.
But the customer’s fury reaches a boiling point, and she starts screaming at the top of her lungs, attracting the attention of the entire restaurant!
I Want to Talk to Your Manager!
She even demands to speak to the manager, threatening to leave negative reviews on websites and social media and claiming to have connections in the hospitality industry.
She Was Beyond Reasoning
Reluctantly, OP calls the manager, who arrives on the scene, only to be met with the same outburst from the irate customer.
The manager tries to reason with her, but she is beyond reasoning!
She continues her tirade, vowing to put the restaurant out of business with her negative reviews and her supposed influence!
Grin and Bear It
OP is fed up, and he can see that the manager is too.
Home Time!
As the drama unfolds, OP takes the initiative to call a cab for the customer.
He tells her that he’s concerned for her safety, considering that she has been drinking for hours and is in no condition to drive.
She Did Not Take It Well
Initially, she is furious, “How dare you tell me that I can’t drive!” But OP maintains a composed and professional demeanor, acting concerned for her.
“We understand you’re upset, and you’ve had a lot to drink. We cannot in good conscience allow you to drive for concern of your safety.”
She Was Finally Gone
Her face was red and splotchy with anger and wine, but she couldn’t deny he was right. Thankfully she begrudgingly went to the waiting cab without another word.
Did She Know What Was Going On?
She left the restaurant, and they never saw her again. Maybe she realized at that moment that she shouldn’t be driving, or perhaps she was just so angry and drunk that she didn’t realize she was in a cab!
Empty Threats
Regardless, OP never saw the copious amounts of bad reviews that the customer loudly promised, and despite her threats, the restaurant never went out of business for charging $2 for a cup of coffee!
Just Another Day in the Service Industry
Reflecting on the incident, OP realizes that dealing with entitled customers is, unfortunately, a part of the job in the service industry.
He takes pride in providing excellent service to the vast majority of his customers, who are polite and appreciative.
However, he also acknowledges that there will always be a few customers who feel entitled to special treatment and believe that the rules do not apply to them.
Reddit users sympathized with this guy’s story, as many of them had dealt with similar customers. One user said, “I was a taxi driver, working all nights.”
“I can’t tell you the number of times I was going to be out off the road, put out of business, had my house burned down, and other such delights, simply because I was charging the passenger the correct fare.”
What do you think of this server’s tale? This customer seems delightful. Have you ever encountered someone similar?
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The post She Became Furious When He Asked Her To Pay For Her Coffee first appeared on Career Step Up.
Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock / Krakenimages.com. The people shown in the images are for illustrative purposes only, not the actual people featured in the story.
Source: Reddit