CuriositiesMAR 17, 2023

"I've Never Seen A Human Turn Red So Quickly": Server Wants To Charge Customers For Coffee They Didn't Have, So They Maliciously Comply

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I love going out for pancakes and avocado toast on a Sunday morning just as much as the next person, but I would not wish working those weekend shifts in a busy brunch establishment on my worst enemy. Hoards of hangry and hungover customers demanding coffee and eggs as fast as possible sounds like a nightmare.

But no matter how intense the job becomes, servers are not allowed to make mistakes like overcharging their guests. Below, you’ll find a story that was recently shared on Reddit by one woman who made sure of that.

Working the weekend brunch rush at a restaurant can be incredibly intense

Image credits:Jessie McCall (not the actual photo)

But after one server refused to correct this customer’s bill, she decided she might as well get exactly what she paid for

Image credits: Luiza-Maria Scurtu (not the actual photo)

Image credits: KittyLilith17

The woman later answered some questions about the situation from curious readers

There’s always going to be a certain level of human error in restaurants, as getting an order from a customer to the server to the line cooks and back without making any mistakes can feel like playing an advanced game of Telephone. Especially during a weekend brunch rush, restaurants can be pretty chaotic. According to ATUMIO, a company dedicated to “creating better dine out experiences for everyone,” mistakes that are particularly common within the hospitality business can be made anywhere along the way: taking orders, cooking food, serving food, and settling bills.

Unfortunately for restaurant owners, human error in dining establishments costs, on average, $30 per order and a whopping $9,000 per month. So while it’s always possible to correct errors after the fact, it’s important for staff members to do everything they can to prevent them from happening in the first place. In situations like this one, where the issue came about when the customers were ready to pay their bill, the ATUMIO team notes that it’s always best to “manually check the total bill amount and the POS payment amount after every transaction.” Errors at this stage can cost a restaurant upwards of $1,400 per month, not to mention can lead to some negative reviews being published online by frustrated diners.

Image credits: Merve Tülek (not the actual photo)

But once a mistake has been pointed out, they must be willing to fix it

So when an error has been brought to the attention of staff members by a customer, they must be willing to fix it. If a diner is already annoyed when they realize their bill had been incorrectly broken down, imagine how they’ll react when a server, who is working for tips, refuses to fix the mistake. According to The Kitchn, brunch shifts are without a doubt the worst times to work, due to the fact that they attract “table hogs”; they don’t usually bring in great tips; the staff and customers are typically hungover; there are so many beverages to keep track of; and the all-star wait staff is probably not working.

Despite how annoying the customers and the endless flow of mimosas and coffee are though, it is in a server’s best interest to provide excellent service, if they can manage to. Satisfied customers are the backbone of any restaurant, and as the customers’ main point of contact, waiters have to bear the responsibility of keeping them happy. When diners receive their avocado toasts and eggs benedict in a timely manner from a smiling server, they’re more likely to tip well, leave excellent reviews and return next Sunday to repeat the enjoyable experience. And when 60% of diners turn to sites like Yelp and TripAdvisor to check out reviews before choosing where to dine, the importance of satisfied customers for dining establishments cannot be understated.

Image credits: Kate Townsend (not the actual photo)

After all, satisfied diners are the backbone of any successful restaurant

On the other hand, when customers aren’t pleased with their meals or service, they’re not likely to complain. They will probably just never be seen again. Apparently, 96% of unhappy diners go on their way without alerting the business of their issues, but they are likely to tell 9-15 people about their negative experience after leaving. And if customer service was one of the things that caused them to have an unpleasant experience, 71% of guests won’t ever return to an establishment, Bloom Intelligence reports. “Even if a location is popular and business is booming, customer satisfaction should be taken seriously,” Allen Graves at Bloom Intelligence writes. “Regardless of the food, drinks, and atmosphere, customer experience is the most important component to improve your restaurant customer satisfaction.”

It’s unfortunate that this server refused to make a simple fix to these patrons’ bill that could have spared him some embarrassment and perhaps gotten him more tips from being able to turn the table faster. But it’s likely that he did learn his lesson, and at least the sisters got to enjoy a cup of coffee together before going on their way! We would love to hear your thoughts on this situation in the comments below, pandas. Have you ever worked in a busy brunch establishment? Or have you ever had a hard time getting a server to correct your bill? Feel free to share, and then if you’re interested in checking out another Bored Panda article featuring brilliant malicious compliance, check out this story next.