1747 - What?!

Not Always Right had a rash of really crazy customer contact incidents that were worth retelling.

I think this first one was at McDonalds...

Coffee As Hot As Your Temper, Part 2
Coffee Shop | Aberdeen, Scotland, UK | Coffee Shop
Customer: “An extra hot latte, please.”

(I make her drink, place it on the counter, and go to enter it into the till. I notice her touching the side of the mug and frowning.)

Me: “Is something the matter?”

Customer: “This is cold. I wanted it to be extra hot.”

Me: “Ma’am, that is an extra hot latte. The contents are very hot. The mug is insulated so you don’t scald your hands.”

Customer: *still touching the sides of the mug* “I don’t care. I want it extra hot. Make it again!”

Me: “Ma’am, if it’s cold, go ahead and stick your finger in it, or taste it. I assure you, it’s very hot.”

(She sticks her finger in angrily. She yelps loudly and pulls it back out.)

Me: “Is that hot enough? As I said, the mug is insulated.”

Customer: “That’s irresponsible! How can you tell the drink is hot?!”


I think I see a worldly problem here....

Peace On Earth, Or At Least During The Day Shift
Retail | Illinois, USA |
(The store is open Easter Sunday. We only have three people on duty: two salesmen and myself.)

Customer: “Wow, I’m really surprised you’re open on Easter!”

Me: “Well, it doesn’t matter to us. I’m Muslim and my salesmen here are Jewish. We offered to work today so the other employees could celebrate the holiday.”

Customer: “And you all get along?”

Me: “Um…yes.”

Customer: “I didn’t think that was allowed!”


Hey! I found somebody worse off than m... nevermind.

Hard Times Hit Hard
Grocery Store | Calgary, AB, Canada |
(I’m stocking soup when a man approaches me.)

Customer: “Where’s your bacon bits?”

Me:*looking up* “Down at the end of this aisle, on the right, at the bottom.”

Customer: “Hold on…aren’t you [my name]?”

Me: “Yes. Can I help you?”

Customer: “I’m [name]! We went to high school together. Wow, you sure must have had it rough, huh?”

Me: “Sorry?”

Customer: “Well, you know, all this time and you’re just stocking shelves…”

Me: “I’m the owner of this and two other stores. I went to business school for years and invested in the stock market.”

Customer: “Oh! Well, nice to see you again, then…”

(I found out later that he was a janitor.)


I knew exactly what he was talking about.

Real Numbers, Imaginary Common Sense
Coffee Shop | Los Angeles, CA, USA | At The Checkout, Coffee Shop
(Our store recently installed numerical locks on our restroom doors due to vandalism. They are a minor annoyance, but usually not a huge issue.)

Customer: “Can I get the code to your restroom?”

Me: “Yes, sir, it’s 81818.”

Customer: “I’m sorry, what was the number?”

Me: “It’s 81818.”

Customer: “I’ll never remember that. I need to hear it in real numbers. Can you tell me the code using real numbers please?”

Me: *confused* “It’s eight-one-eight eighteen.”

Customer: “No, that’s still not a real number. I need it in real numbers.”

Me: “Why don’t I just write it down for you?”

Customer: “No, it’s eighty-one thousand, eight-hundred and eighteen. Was that so hard?!”