It’s Hard To Believe These 42 People Are Truly This Dumb

We were curious about what had inspired the author to start the thread in the first place. "I’d been reminiscing with friends about customer horror stories from our time in retail and restaurants. The stories were so wild, I wanted to hear more from others," u/BohemianJack shared with Bored Panda.

"I think the post resonated because so many people have worked in customer-facing roles. Most customers are fine, but the outrageous ones really stick with you. Sometimes you witness things so absurd, you can’t forget them. It’s a shared experience that a lot of people relate to."

Bored Panda also wanted to get the author's perspective on working in the food and service industry. Specifically, we asked about the advice they'd give someone who's completely new to this career path.

"You’re going to deal with difficult people, some who are just rude and others who throw you completely unexpected curveballs. When that happens, take a breath and remember that most bad interactions only last a few minutes," u/BohemianJack said.

"If it escalates into something more serious, that’s what managers are there for. And if your manager can’t handle it and throws you under the bus or tells you to handle it, that’s a red flag about the place you work and I’d consider moving to another job," they warned, adding that you shouldn't be expected to handle any verbally or physically violent customers.

"In general, stay calm, let it pass, and if nothing else, you’ll walk away with a story to tell," u/BohemianJack said.

"Everyone who works with customers has been through it. Keep your sense of humor, and don’t let one bad interaction ruin your shift."

Food & Wine magazine stresses the fact that “the customer is always right” is an outdated mantra. It does not excuse rude or violent behavior.

In fact, setting “firm but polite boundaries” with customers who are disrespectful can, in fact, strengthen your brand as a restaurant. The reality is that not every guest is going to be a good fit for your establishment.

“True hospitality means mutual respect, not enduring mistreatment for the sake of service,” the magazine explains.

According to Food & Wine, you should do 4 things when dealing with the rude customers you encounter:

1. Defuse the situation
2. Keep calm, cool, and collected
3. Get feedback
4. Explain your side of things

For one, even if you’re being perfectly reasonable, you shouldn’t go looking for a fight. Pushing back against entitled guests is one thing. However, if your restaurant regularly gets complaints, there might be bigger issues at work here. Moreover, some folks might not be rude or entitled, just awkward. Or there’s been some sort of miscommunication.

You mustn’t lose your temper or start talking in sarcastic, passive-aggressive ways. “Victory does not belong to the person who raises their voice the loudest or gets the nastiest,” Food & Wine magazine explains.

“This is equally true for the guest. It is never appropriate for a patron to raise their voice, curse, or invade personal space. There is absolutely nothing wrong with saying, ‘I will not allow you to swear or raise your voice at me.’ If they are unwilling to comply with a request for human decency, sayonara, dude!”

You shouldn’t shy away from criticism if it’s valid. Embrace the customer feedback, take responsibility for your mistakes, and show that you’re willing to listen to your guests. Naturally, this doesn’t mean tolerating hateful or threatening behavior.

Meanwhile, make sure that the customer sees your side of things. There are a lot of things they might not be aware of. “Remember that you are a fully competent professional engaging in a respectful conversation. Get it out of your head that you are a groveling, humble servant. If you are forced to set the record straight, a cold, calculating delivery is much more effective.”

On the flip side, ‘Toast’ suggests making a sincere apology to your customer, even if you haven’t made a mistake. “The simple truth is that the customer doesn’t care whether you did something out of malice or not. They want to feel justified in being upset and know that their feedback is understood and valued.”

This can go a long way in maintaining your establishment’s reputation. Rudeness and anger, on the other hand, can only make things worse.

That being said, if your customer is behaving inappropriately, reach out for help. Get a hold of your manager so they can help you solve the issue. A good manager will be happy to support you.