Stupid Regulars: Part 1 | Hillbillies

Throughout my career as a server, I've had my fair share of freaks and complete morons. However, nothing is worse than someone who is a thorn in your side, who won't stop coming back. Especially on a daily basis, sometimes more than once daily.  I've had quite of a few of these types of people. I'll make this the first installment, and follow up with different types I've had to deal with in later posts.

Hillbillies: I had a couple who came in for dinner almost every night at my old job. I didn't have much of an issue with the lady, but her husband was the type who liked to maintain consistent cleanliness of his ears/nose/ass, etc. Not only did he pick at all of the aforementioned, but often I would see him pick at it with his keys, and proceed to take whatever substance happened to be there, and flick it across the room....Just...Eugh. How disgusting can you be, especially in a place where people eat.. This particular individual also liked to complain about the prices which, really, were borderline losing money with each order. These guys would order the breakfast special, which we had all day, and want specific things that don't normally come with it (pickle, tomato), and aren't free. In his mind they were, though, and he refused to pay for it. Every damn day. And the worst part of it is, I'm too nice of a person (pronounced 'I know where tips come from') to tell the guy off, so he thinks that I like him. And he makes a point of talking to me any time I'm not doing something right at that moment, which, if you've ever been a server, you'll know is a pain in the ass.

 But anyways, enough bitching about these people for now...I may add onto it later, depending on what I recall from them being in every day. Stay tuned for more Stupid Regulars arriving soon!

And remember...Don't piss off people who handle your food.

"Special" Customer

At my old job, I would come in around 4 and change the sign outside from the previous day's special to the current one.

One Friday I came into an already-busy shift and didn't have time to change the sign right away. Shortly after I started taking tables, a lady asked for the special that was advertised on the sign outside. I explained to her that I hadn't had a chance to change the sign yet and told her what the special was for that night. She then proceeded to tell me that she would have what was on the sign outside. I attempted to explain that it wasn't an available item every day, since it was a *special*, when she cut me off and told me she'd have what was on the sign. Alright lady, now you're pissing me off. Not only are you not listening, but you're intentionally making my job difficult.

I don't understand why people don't get not to piss off people who handle your food. She's lucky I'm not one to spit in anyone's food, because the thought was in the front of my mind.

However, I'm grateful that I worked with decent people, and the cook made the previous nights special. If not, this lady may very well have gotten a piece of mind.

Has anyone else ever had to deal with someone like this? Tell me about it in the comments.

Until the next problem customer, remember:
Don't piss off people who handle your food..

Half-eaten Meal Walk-out

So the other night I'm at work, when a familiar couple walks in. I've seen these two before at one of my previous serving jobs. Suddenly a memory sparks somewhere. These people have caused me trouble before. I recall them sitting staring at their food, not paying the slightest attention to it, for a good 10-15 minutes before starting to eat. Two bites into it, they complain that their food is cold. Okay sure, I can accept that. They were lost in conversation and now their food is cold. So I take it into the kitchen, noticing that their food is still steaming, and reluctantly reheat it for them. Once they got their food back, they took another two bites of it, and the lady comes practically running up to the counter where I'm standing and tells me that half of the food isn't cooked and some of it is burnt. Some logic, lady. Not cooked, but burnt somehow. She goes on to tell me that she refuses to pay for it, and doesn't let me get a word in edge-wise before heading for the door with her husband.

Flash forward to the present.

I know where this is going to be heading very very soon. So I go ahead and take their order, and take it back into the kitchen, and tell the cook to make sure the food is hot, as I've had a history with these people. She agrees and starts making their food. A few minutes later, I'm behind the counter after serving another couple and taking their order, when I notice the lady staring at me. This seems awfully familiar of them as well. So I check and make sure everything is okay, and they don't seem to have any problems. They still continue to stare though.. But whatever, I can deal with someone with staring issues. Not comfortably, but I can deal. So the food for the other table comes up before theirs does, because it was two orders of chicken fingers, as compared to their two spaghetti dinners. As I look over towards the side of the room they're sitting on, I notice the lady's face contort. She's pissed. Obviously someone doesn't get the concept of a deep fryer. So I take their food out, and the spaghetti dinners come out shortly after, and are taken to them right away, as I know the lady isn't happy about not being priority #1. So they start eating and looking over at me, and looking over at me and eating. Suddenly, another customer of mine comes up to pay for their meal. As I'm taking care of them, the lady rushes over to my co-worker and starts talking to her. I know what she's up to. I gave the guy his change, and look over as the couple is walking out the door in the same way they did a year before. They informed my co-worker that the spaghetti wasn't cooked, and the sauce was burnt. Odd, because I had a table order a spaghetti shortly before that the customer couldn't get over how good it was. But, alas, once again they've walked out on me without paying. Now I'm not one to automatically assume that the customer is wrong, so I go over to check the food. Sure enough, the spaghetti is perfectly fine, not to mention two-thirds eaten.

So this time I decide to tell the boss when he comes in. Ironically enough, the cook actually knew the lady, and was able to get her phone number. My boss ended up calling her and informing her that the next time she gets a free meal on her own terms from the restaurant, the police will be informed. Well played, boss-man. Well played indeed.

I'm excited to see her come in again...

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Intro to Problem Customers

Hey guys, and welcome to my new blog, Problem Customers.

Everyone who has ever had a job in customer service knows exactly what this blog is about already. I'm going to make posts detailing the types of customers I have to deal with on a daily basis in the small town restaurant I work with, and explain how I've dealt with (or should have dealt with, for that matter) them. Also, I'd like to hear your stories, if you've had to deal with problematic people in the past at your jobs! Let this be our little getaway from our daily pains-in-the-ass, and have a place to vent our frustration due to having to be polite to some of the world's most ignorant people. Expect regular updates beginning real soon!

customer experience, customer loyalty, customer services, discount gift cards, earn fast money, earn money, earning, gift cards, restaurant coupons