Horrible Customers Rant

I've worked in fast food, and dealt with many angry customers. I worked there for the last two years, before I decided enough was enough. I worked there at 28 yrs old, though I looked like I was 15...and BOY did a LOT of customers try to use that to their advantage. They thought they could intimidate a teenager, but I'm not a teenager. I didn't spit in their food, I didn't get angry when THEY messed up their own order. I didn't even see any retaliation on the part of any other employees, which we all would NEVER do.

However, the final straw for me was the woman that came into the restaurant and decided to start flipping out. I've dealt with angry customers before, so this was no different. She was angry that we gave her a SMALL orange juice, instead of a large. We didn't give her a large, nor charge her for a large, since  the machine was broken (things tended to break a LOT) and we were hand making the orange juice.  The cashiers were told NOT to sell med/lrg by management. I tried to explain calmly, but she just kept flipping out. She brought in my age, and told me I'd never amount to anything.

I calmly took off my hat, took off my name badge and stepped around the counter. She had the most bewildered look on her face. I turned to her and said, "Miss, I am 28 yrs old. I would never treat anyone this disrespectfully in my life. I have two degrees, and CHOSE to do this job because I have NEVER worked in fast food before. I'm using this as a life experience. Because of your attitude today, I have realized just how entitled and nasty customers can be. YOU are NOT always right and you obviously haven't listened to a word I've said. The machine is broken. If you don't like that then feel free to fix it yourself."  I think this raving witch was the final straw for me, and with that I quit.

I will say that when I used to go out before working there, I was a complainer. I got angry if people didn't get my order correct, I didn't yell..but I definitely didn't go back. Now, I have a lot more patience and usually tip 25% (the servers at restaurants here know me and will sit to chat with me now). If I receive horrible customer service, I will speak to a manager. I will write a scathing review, but I will absolutely NOT attack the waitress/waiter to their face. Things happen.

This is a smallish town in the middle of nowhere. The Chili's here has notoriously horrendous service. We used to go every once in a while to mix things up, but now we have absolutely refused to go back. Chili's is the ONLY place I do NOT tip bad servers more then 10%.  I am not a big believer in tipping someone for a job well done, when they didn't do a job well done. I can overlook a lot of things, but for some reason I have too many issues to JUST Chili's.

Yes, I feel that a lot of people in America have an entitled attitude. It's how they were raised, and how they're raising their kids. I think it would be a good idea for EVERYONE to have to work in a fast food restuarant. I had a lot of fun when I worked there, and the customers were AWESOME (mostly). All it takes is for one person to change how they treat menial workers, and that influences a lot of other people. Just because they are working in fast food, doesn't mean they don't have a degree or NEED this job. I personally used to be an ADA for 10 yrs, then I had children. I took this job to figure out IF I wanted to work again. I actually make MORE money selling on ebay, then I do working at that place.

There will always be that ONE jerk at the bank who can't speak English and is screaming at the teller in Spanish.  There is ALWAYS one, there will always BE one.

PS.  I now take pictures or video of people flipped out in public and post them on my facebook page.  It's such a small town that word gets around, and the person usually corrects or apologizes for their actions.  Public shaming WORKS for people like this, especially in small towns.  If you're going to act like a jerk, then don't be surprised when people TREAT you like you're one.