Fast Food Confidential: Dealing with rude customers

I have worked in customer service for a number of years. It’s an awesome job: you get to meet and work with great people…and the work itself is even fun sometimes.

For the most part, customers are generous and awesome; but sometimes there is a bunch who are just plain rude and inconsiderate.

I’ve worked the night shift before; and — at least for me — it’s always pretty good and normal. When it was my turn to work nights again, I did not give it a second thought.

It was a typical shift, with the typical serve-prep-cook-clean routine. When it was time for my break, I went outside to breathe a bit of fresh air and clear my head.

After about half hour, I got up to go back in — or at least tried to — and get on with the rest of the shift.

There was a delivery driver standing outside the store. Since the Covid-19 epidemic started, the local health authority had decreed the front counter, walk-in, and sitting area had to be closed — only the drive thru was permitted to remain open.

Seeing him just standing there by the front door, I wanted to make sure he knew about the new rules, so I went up him and tried to explain the situation.

I said something along the lines of, “…Hi there sir; unfortunately the front counter and walk-in is not open. You have to go through the drive-thru — but do not worry, they will have your order ready in no time…”, and gave him my best customer service smile.

He looked at me with an expression of sheer disgust on his face and asked why; which I then explained — again — it was due to the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic and everything. The health authority said we could not open to walk-ins and sitting customers, only drive-thru.

Oh, well, damn. This was not good enough for him, so he starts bitching at me saying, “…this fucking stupid! What’s the point of even being open, if you can’t come in and order…?”

I was simply stunned by his language and rudeness. I just apologized — again — and told him that unfortunately, that was how we were required to operate for the time being.

He huffed and puffed, but eventually went to his car while giving me the eyes of hatred, saying, “…what’s the point of even placing and order. This is fucking stupid…!” I went back inside and warned the girl at the drive thru what was coming her way, and told her not to be surprised.

True to form, he came up to the window, took the delivery order and rattled on about how it was so “fucking stupid” to have only the drive thru open.

We — again — simply explained to him the whole thing, adding at the end our sincere wishes he have a great night…then closed the damn window and got back to our serve-prep-cook-clean routine.

After he leaves, the girl working the drive-thru comes up to me and says “…he’s been here before, and he’s always an asshole…” I could not agree more.

We ended up just raging against it, getting it off our chests then leaving it alone. He just wasn’t worth it.

But you see; that is the HARDEST part of customer service. The customer is ALWAYS right — no matter what…and we aren’t even allowed to talk back. Oh, the injustice.

I guess people who have never worked a customer service job, and been on the other side of the rope line, simply don’t understand when they’re rude; and the stress they cause the person simply trying to do their job.

You don’t know how many times I’ve almost cried — or punched someone in the face — because people are complete assholes.

But to be honest — at the same time — you also get some of the greatest customers. I guess it balances out in the end.

Hope you’re all good. Stay safe♥️

This painting at the top is based on my three favorite colors, I wasn’t sure how I would design these colors in a sort of abstract way. So I thought about my old favorite styles of shirts “plaid shirts” and to be honest I think these three colors turned out really nicely :). It was painted with red, blue, and black acrylic painting and is 10 by 8 inches.