how not to make friends.
"The Sandwich Shop, this is Artist, how may I help you?" I chirped, pen in hand. An order was placed for pick-up, and I did everything by the book, and informed my caller that it would take about half an hour to forty-five minutes to create the seemingly millions of sandwiches she was intent on consuming. She never thanked me and hung up the phone, and I thought nothing of it.
Of course, nothing went as planned.
We experienced an enormous rush suddenly, the line reaching almost out the door. I placed the pick up slip on the line, hoping that someone would see it and take care of it as I hurried to feed the masses. Unfortunately, I didn't make its presence known well enough, and it sat neglected as hungry customer after hungry customer sped by. Twenty-five to thirty minutes passed and I stared at the slip, realising I had to make it. I began to do so, thinking the customer would understand, as there had been a mob packing the restaurant. As I prepared a panini, I saw a woman glaring down at me from the register, the look of death on her face. I finished her food and she began to screech.
"YOU TOLD ME TWENTY MINUTES!"
I jumped about three feet in the air, as did Rosario, Harmony and Nina. Nina consulted my slip and frowned.
"I don't think so, ma'am. This says thirty minutes to forty-five."
"THAT'S NOT WHAT I WAS TOLD. I'VE JUST SEEN PEOPLE COMING THROUGH AND COMING THROUGH, AND IF CALLING AHEAD IS NOT ENOUGH TO GET YOUR FOOD FIRST, THEN YOU SHOULD HAVE SAID THAT ON THE PHONE!"
I got over my shock and took a deep breath.
"I'm sorry this happened, ma'am." I wasn't sorry in the slightest.
"I WANT A FREE SANDWICH!"
That was it. I looked her square in the eye and shook my head. "I'm sorry, ma'am. I don't have the authorisation to give you free food without a manager's approval, and we don't have any managers here right now."
"Nina could--" Harmony whispered. I ignored her.
"THEN YOU ALL WILL PAY FOR IT!"
"Ma'am, it appears we made you a whole turkey sub by accident. We will give you that instead of the half you ordered," Nina said, coming to my rescue. She had a look of no-nonsense on her face, and I would have quaked if I was that customer.
"THIS IS DISGRACEFUL!"
"You've made that clear. Have a nice day, ma'am."
The customer left and I went in the back to sob. I had never been spoken to like that in my life. Rosario and Nina came back to give me hugs and that was my initiation to the world of food.
Of course, nothing went as planned.
We experienced an enormous rush suddenly, the line reaching almost out the door. I placed the pick up slip on the line, hoping that someone would see it and take care of it as I hurried to feed the masses. Unfortunately, I didn't make its presence known well enough, and it sat neglected as hungry customer after hungry customer sped by. Twenty-five to thirty minutes passed and I stared at the slip, realising I had to make it. I began to do so, thinking the customer would understand, as there had been a mob packing the restaurant. As I prepared a panini, I saw a woman glaring down at me from the register, the look of death on her face. I finished her food and she began to screech.
"YOU TOLD ME TWENTY MINUTES!"
I jumped about three feet in the air, as did Rosario, Harmony and Nina. Nina consulted my slip and frowned.
"I don't think so, ma'am. This says thirty minutes to forty-five."
"THAT'S NOT WHAT I WAS TOLD. I'VE JUST SEEN PEOPLE COMING THROUGH AND COMING THROUGH, AND IF CALLING AHEAD IS NOT ENOUGH TO GET YOUR FOOD FIRST, THEN YOU SHOULD HAVE SAID THAT ON THE PHONE!"
I got over my shock and took a deep breath.
"I'm sorry this happened, ma'am." I wasn't sorry in the slightest.
"I WANT A FREE SANDWICH!"
That was it. I looked her square in the eye and shook my head. "I'm sorry, ma'am. I don't have the authorisation to give you free food without a manager's approval, and we don't have any managers here right now."
"Nina could--" Harmony whispered. I ignored her.
"THEN YOU ALL WILL PAY FOR IT!"
"Ma'am, it appears we made you a whole turkey sub by accident. We will give you that instead of the half you ordered," Nina said, coming to my rescue. She had a look of no-nonsense on her face, and I would have quaked if I was that customer.
"THIS IS DISGRACEFUL!"
"You've made that clear. Have a nice day, ma'am."
The customer left and I went in the back to sob. I had never been spoken to like that in my life. Rosario and Nina came back to give me hugs and that was my initiation to the world of food.
And now, a year later, I'm used to being bitched at by customers. Oh, how young and naive I was. Tee hee.
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