You’ve got to give it to food and service industry professionals—many of them have the patience of saints! An unavoidable part of your job when you’re cooking and serving strangers food is having to deal with rude and entitled customers from time to time. It’s practically a rite of passage.
However, some people go beyond mere rudeness and go full delulu. In a thread on ‘Kitchen Confidential,’ the cooks and servers of Reddit spilled the tea about the dumbest things that customers have ever said or done. Whatever you think they did, we guarantee you, it’s much worse. Scroll down for some painfully relatable stories.
Bored Panda reached out to the author of the thread, u/BohemianJack, and they were kind enough to share their thoughts about interacting with nightmare customers. You'll find our interview with them below.
#1
August, 1973. A woman comes into our restaurant, is seated at a booth and presented a menu. She waves away the menu and orders tomato beef chow yuk. The waitress explained that she needed to get that next door, as we served Italian American cuisine. She insists we're wrong and she wants her order right now.
The boss heard it, and sent me out the back to next door with a five to get her what she wants. I get the order to go and the boss hands it to her in the bag from the place next door, with the tag still attached and charges her double. She howls about the price and the boss told her the upcharge was because he had to send one of his staff to the Chinese take out next door that she was too stupid to note and too arrogant to acknowledge, then 86'd her.
Image credits: CoppertopTX
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."
#2
Her: Hi, can I take a look at the menu?
Me: I'm sorry, but unfortunately the kitchen is closed right now.
Her: Oh, okay. I'll just go sit in the bar and order then.
Me: The menu isn't available in the bar either, because the kitchen is closed.
Her: What?!? Well can I just look at the Grill menu then?
Me: No, as I mentioned, the KITCHEN is CLOSED, there is no menu service available right now.
Her: Fine. I'll just order for takeout then.
Me: Ma'am, as I've mentioned, THE KITCHEN IS CLOSED. THERE IS NO FOOD AVAILABLE RIGHT NOW. BECAUSE. THE. KITCHEN. IS. CLOSED.
Her: So I can't even order something to go?!??
Me: No. You cannot. The kitchen is closed.
Her: Whatever *storms out*.
Image credits: PNW-among-the-fence
#3
Customer claimed she was allergic to bell pepper and even a tiny bit could k**l her.
Made everything from scratch, cutting on clean boards with cleaned knives etc.
Then she ordered a dish which had some bell pepper, which we could’t quickly remake. She wanted it anyway, “a little bit is fine”.
I wanted to give her a high five. In the face, with a chair.
Image credits: aevitas1
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.
#4
'My rare steak is cold in the middle'
'This salmon tastes like it came out of the ocean
'Crab should taste like crabs, not shellfish'
'Whats the difference between duck and lamb?'
Just a few of the winners.
Image credits: ringstuff13
#5
A woman entered our Mexican restaurant and proclaimed that she was deathly allergic to traces of legumes in the air, but wanted some quesadillas. She was deathly allergic to airborne bean particles, in a Mexican restaurant.
Image credits: bsdetectionservice
#6
I was working at BJ’s for a bit and they have this cherry-chipotle salmon dish. A woman asked me if we could make the cherry sauce without chipotle. I informed her we could not because it’s a premade sauce. Then she asked if we have any sauces that “don’t come from a f*****g bag.” All I could say was, mam you’re at BJ’s. We use uncle Ben’s rice. You think we’re making the sauce? Her granddaughter got a good chuckle out of that .
Image credits: TheStonedApe__
"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."
#7
I sold a girl a chicory coffee once. She asked “how do I drink it”
I was having a bad day and it almost broke me
She laughed and said “ sorry I mean do people take cream? I’ve never had one”
I giggled and said do whatever you want to it you bought it
We both got a good chuckle out of it.
Image credits: Daemon-Waters
#8
"Farmed fish don't have any bones"- guest.... with a straight face.
Image credits: ExactIndication3805
#9
Worked at a restaurant that cooked everything on charcoal grills. Part of the intro spiel was to tell them and brag on that fact. It was literally the entire point and theme of the restaurant.
“Do you have any pasta dishes?” Was entirely too common. I always answered by saying “No, we find that it always seems to fall through the grates on the grills”.
Image credits: Boozy_Cat_
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:
- Defuse the situation
- Keep calm, cool, and collected
- Get feedback
- Explain your side of things
#10
Well, I used to work for an All you can eat Buffet, one night a server tells me there is a guest complaining the soup is cold; I go to the soup container and lift the lid and the steam almost burn my hand and half of my face. I tell the server there is no way that the soup is cold and ask him to show me the table where the guest is at. Once i reach the table I greet everyone and ask if there was a problem with the food, one of them tells me the Soup was extremely cold; at the same time i'm scaning the table for the soup but i can't find it, I ask the guest if he throw it away; and this guy replies !! Is right there !!, pointing at the "ITALIAN DRESSING"...
Image credits: Existing-Ad9532
#11
Whats a quickie?
me turning around trying to hold back laughing, looking at the menu.... ohh you mean the quiche!
Image credits: marlinbrando721
#12
Don’t know if this counts, but we were redoing the floor. Signs an all doors that we are closed, online hours all correctly showing closed. The floor was ripped up, glue down and only half tiled. Lady comes to the front door, it’s locked. She walks to the back door in the alley way, which was open for the tile workers. She walks into the empty dining room, walking 20 feet on wet glue, into an empty dining room with all chairs and tables gone. She walks back out, and calls, and I answer. “Hey are you guys open?”….
Image credits: Fatturtle18
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!”
#13
Had an elderly vegan customer at a restaurant that was uniquely ill-equipped to cater to vegans. After painstaking back-and-forth between customer and kitchen, we somehow make him super happy.
At the end of the meal he asks for a Bailey's. I pause and, as politely as I could, tell him that Bailey's has dairy and is unfortunately not vegan.
He absolutely loses. his. s**t. on me and screams "I'm dRINkiNg iT nOt EAtiNg iT!!!!!" Among other less amusing lines. I bring him his Bailey's, he pays and stiffs me.
#14
Served a man a steak and he went ballistic saying it was covered in shards of glass and how did we not notice when serving it. It was coarse sea salt.
Image credits: freemakerlucy
#15
Soup of the day was chicken noodle. Lots of dark meat in there. Customer was pissed because there was beef in the soup. Tried to explain dark and white meat to no avail.
Image credits: IncrediblyShinyShart
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.”
#16
"...How dare you serve me cold gazpacho?!".
Image credits: Zealousideal-Ad2815
#17
Not as a chef but when I was a butcher. Had a customer buying shrimp.
Customer: How should I cook this?
Me: I suggest a frogmore stew or low country boil.
Customer: Sounds great. How?
Me: Get some water with seasonings, throw in some potatoes, sausage(preferably hot), and corn. Let it boil for a bit until taters start to get soft. Drop the shrimp in and bring back to a boil. Strain out the water and serve.
Customer: Sounds good. How do I do that?
Me: Uh, what?
Customer: How do I boil it?
Me: ... With heat?
Customer: Huh?
I walked away after that and asked my boss to handle the rest.
Image credits: WhoTheFuckIsNamedZan
#18
Guest at a Mexican bar complaining that the Salsa is too “saucy.” This was after she managed to complain about everything that was being brought to her. I informed her that salsa is a literal translation of sauce. She got quiet for a while before acting up again and got the boot for being a c**t.
Image credits: Rangamate
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.
#19
Had a guest order a Mojito but we were out of mint so we told them we couldn’t do it. They insisted we make it sans mint. So we did. After delivering the drink and checking back they tell the server they don’t like it and would like something else. When asked what the issue was they say “idk, I just feel like something’s missing” 😑😑😑.
#20
I own a bakery
-"So what's the difference between the apple pie slice and the flourless chocolate cake?"
-watched a kid pump simple syrup into his hand thinking it was hand sanitizer.
- "Ah I see you are sold out of the chicken salad and the BLT. Can I please just get the chicken salad on a croissant instead?" Ma'am we are sold out of those sandwiches regardless of the bread.
I wish I could remember more. I'm starting to block these from my memory.
Image credits: CristinaM900
#21
“What flavor is the vanilla cupcake?”.
Image credits: daniweis
What you have to keep in mind is that there’s a pretty vast difference between nightmare customers and customers who are having a bad day. The former are spoiled, entitled, rude, disrespectful, and don’t see you as a human being. The latter, on the other hand, are perfectly normal folks who lash out when they’re beyond exhausted or have had a run of bad luck.
The thing is, you can fairly easily deal with customers who have had a bad day. You hear them out, you empathize with them, you make them feel seen. And it’s very likely that they’ll appreciate it. Heck, they might even apologize for snapping at you.
#22
"Do the fish & Chips come with fries?".
Image credits: Samsterinoo
#23
I was FOH manager at an Italian owned restaurant and the guy ordered a chicken parm with meat sauce and no cheese. Idk. The owner was in the kitchen and he said wtf but just made made a fried chicken cutlet with meat sauce on side. I personally brought it out to customer cause he was already being difficult with the waiter.
Apparently not what he wanted and he asked me if the chef was “new to cooking”. Another back and forth try. Finally the Owner came out and put on his polite face and talked to him cause he was like the f**k does this idiot want.
When I walked back out to the table the guy goes “who was that Mexican dude that talked to me? He could barely speak English.”
The owner was from Florence Italy btw and spoke English very well albeit with an Italian accent. Also the food was always good. Lmao. People are wild.
#24
When I worked at waffle house, people would be furious that we didn't have pancakes. My response was always "there is a restaurant called the international house of pancakes across the street, this is waffle house".
Image credits: GrandmaForPresident
Nightmare customers, though… well, they need to work on their emotional intelligence, self-awareness, gratitude, and humility. And that’s a long-term project. The best you can do is handle their problematic behavior. But it’s unlikely that you’ll make them rethink their whole life philosophy.
You can’t force someone to change. They need to want to change. What you can do, however, is set healthy boundaries and enforce them. When rude folks see that their actions have consequences, they might be more willing to change some of their behavior. Even if they adjust their actions out of pure selfishness.
#25
After introducing myself at the table and asking if anyone had any questions about the menu, a customer asked, "These baby back ribs... Are they fish ribs?".
Image credits: Low-Strawberry9603
#26
A review for my friend's restaurant that stated "I ordered the salmon but didn't like it as I hate fish and feel it wasn't properly explained to me that salmon is fish" Ma'am, this is a restaurant in the Bay Area every thing on the menu has an animal shape next it or a V for Vegan.
#27
In the US. A wimpy looking American white guy & his Thai wife came in at dinner time. Ordered cocktails, appetizers, salad, sandwiches with fries. They ordered extras of a lot of things, including 2 sides of avocado. When the bill came, Wimpy was “shocked” he’d been charged for all the extras, & demanded to speak to the manager (me).
Cue apx 30 minutes of him trying different arguments to get out of paying the bill. He said they’d been living in Thailand, where this would never happen, and didn’t we want our customers to be happy? He didn’t raise his voice but tried to wear me down. His wife was embarrassed & kept her eyes down the whole time.
I reasoned right back. Said we produced a quality product & felt our prices were a good value, etc etc. Other tables around us listened in, & one actually wrote to corporate praising my professionalism. Wimpy eventually paid, wincing as he did so. But, um, yeah. We are a business that sells food, sir.
Image credits: katmcflame
If you’ve ever worked in the food and service industry, why not share your nightmare customer stories in the comments at the bottom of this post? Who are the worst, rudest guests you’ve ever had to deal with? On the flip side, do you think you’ve ever been an entitled customer?
Grab a snack and share your stories below!
#28
Worked at a popular burrito chain. Had a customer call extremely mad that there was “a leaf. From outside” in their burrito bowl. They had never seen a bay leaf.
Image credits: wormz2go
#29
Customer: What’s a care-rot?
Me: Excuse me?
Customer: This right here..what’s this care-rot stuff?
Me: It’s pronounced carrot sir. It’s just carrots.
Image credits: davidcavid77
#30
I used to work at Boston market and would get “is a quarter or a half chicken more?” ALL the time.
#31
When I'm flipping omelets on the buffet line, I ask which toppings the customer would like, and 1 out of 20 people will say "eggs" dead serious response, no smile. I always respond, "yup, kinda hard to make an omelet without those, any toppings for you?".
Image credits: Pauls_Not_Paul
#32
"Could I order an Eggless Omelett?".
Image credits: Nervous_Ad_6963
#33
Someone ordered a cold brew coffee and didn’t think it would be served cold. I guess she thought it was only brewed cold but we heated it up after or something.
Image credits: SparkaloniusNeedsYou
#34
This isn't food related.
Had an email come through that said someone had a aphylactic allergic reaction due to the wine she was drinking because.........
Dun Dun Dun.....
She was allergic to peaches.
A product made entirely from grapes (and some additives that they put into wine).
We had to explain that the peach notes in the wine aren't from actual peaches, but from the grapes. Similar to how a note of tobacco and leather isn't because of either of those items being in the wine.
#35
Customer: My seared tuna is cold!
Me: yes, you ordered it rare.
Him: I wanted it hot.
Me: I can’t do hot & rare.
Him: you obviously don’t know how to cook fish.
Me: you obviously don’t understand physics. 🤷♂️.
Image credits: Babyproofer
#36
I was working in a deli at a grocery store, closing shift. We close at 8 (we close the meat slicing station at 7), it's 9:15 and all the hot cases are empty, lights to all cases are all off and I've taken the sliding glass doors off the hot cases and am cleaning them up front. Very obviously we are closed.
A man comes up to the deli and asks me to slice roast beef for him. "Sorry, we're closed, but we have some pre-sliced." I point to the pre-sliced deli meats. No, he wants me to slice some for him. I reiterate that we're closed. "So because I worked late I can't get what I want?!?."
I inform him that that is indeed what closed means, tell him that station closes at 7 pm and that I've already disassembled, cleaned, and reassembled the slicers, otherwise I'd make an exception for him. "I don't care."
I'm done being polite. I'm not going to be overly rude but I'm done with this j*****s so I refrain from asking if this is his first day as an adult and just tell him "That's very unfortunate for you." This obviously doesn't sit well with him so he says "What if I go tell your boss???" "Ok." Is my only reply. He is enraged by this. "Ok?! OK?!!?" I inform him the manager will only tell him what I've already told him.
He stomps off and goes to whine to the PIC. They are talking about 20 feet away. PIC of course just tells him politely that he's not going to get his way. Guy is fuming but accepts that the pre-sliced is the only option he has at 9:15 pm. PIC tells him to have a good night. Guy yells "DON'T BE A SMARTA*S!!!" then stomps away.
#37
"What's cheddar" was the question I was asked as a server that drove me out of the industry.
Image credits: reno140
#38
Working a burger bar/buffet (action station cafe) where we had beef and turkey burgers, explained that. "Which one is the beef" fair. It's this one. "Which one is the turkey" the f*****g other one.
These were doctors, at a hospital!
Image credits: customcar2028
#39
Served a Tofu Bahn Mi at my last place with a vegan peanut sauce. One of the customers sent a server back to ask if there was any dairy in the peanut sauce because they were vegan. Proceeded to order the sandwich subbed with pulled pork….
Image credits: OpTic_Cyanide
#40
I've lost track of dumb s**t people have said but one that always sticks out and is kinda common is "can I get my steak well done but still juicy/not burnt?". Like dude, do you understand what it means to have a well done steak?
At my cooking job (pizza with dough made in house) we get a decent amount of people who want gluten free crust. It's just a bad idea to expect anything to be gluten free at a place where we make dough and bread, like there's flour and semolina in the air, brah. Use your brain and think about s**t.
#41
God so many.
I actually get asked this all the time where I work, but on our menu one appetizer option say “Toast or Biscuit, served with jam and ricotta” and people ALWAYS ASK TOTALLY DUMBFOUNDED “so…..do we choose between toast or biscuit?”
YES. TOAST ORRRRRR OR OR BISCUIT. Toast. OR. Biscuit.
I can’t 😭😭😭😭😭.
#42
Someone once, sent back a salad because she was “deathly allergic” to cucumbers, “could not have food contact with” cucumbers (was the story)
…then, asked for multiple sides of pickles to eat with her burger.
