The Price For Working There Has Gone Up, Too
I was a cashier at a fast food restaurant on weekends when I was in my teens. It wasn’t much money, but I wanted to work, and they were the only place that would hire me.
Between a Saturday and a Sunday, several of our prices went up — ten cents here, fifty cents there. Nobody told me about it, but I found out quite quickly. My very first customer of the day was a man in his forties.
Me: “Hi, how—”
Customer: “[Burger meal], large chocolate shake.”
Me: “Okay. A [burger meal] and a large chocolate shake comes to [new total].”
Customer: “What? No, it’s [old total].”
Me: “Um… a [Burger meal] and a large chocolate shake, right?”
Customer: “Yeah. How is it more today than it was last week?”
Me: “I… uh… I just put it in, and—”
Customer: *Louder* “Are you trying to rip me off? Do you think I’m f****** stupid?”
Manager: “[My Name]! What is going on?” *Gently* “How can I help you, sir?”
Customer: “This girl is trying to steal from you and me! She said my meal is [new total], but it should be [old total].”
Manager: “I see. I apologize, sir; corporate did raise some of our prices last night. Let me fix that for you. I will give you yesterday’s price, but going forward it will be the new price. Would you like a free apple pie for your inconvenience?”
Customer: “Yes. And train this one to learn to read, too.”
Me: “I was—”
Manager: “Of course, sir. Your meal will be out in a minute. [My Name], come with me.”
I followed him to fill the fries and shake. I was pretty upset by the whole ordeal.
Manager: “We raised some prices. If anyone causes a scene, just call for me and I’ll tell them it was corporate, and I’ll honor the old price for today only.”
Me: “Okay… Why wasn’t I told there were new prices?”
Manager: “We don’t have time to hold your hand. Go take this to the customer and apologize for the confusion.”
I went back to my register and put everything on the tray.
Me: “Here is your order, sir. Have a nice day.”
Customer: *Yelling* “You f***ed up my order! You stupid b****! I—”
A regular elderly gentleman who only ever ordered a senior coffee came up and cracked his cane on the register counter. Everyone around us stopped.
Regular: “If my child ever talked to a young lady like that, I’d have whooped him good and sent him to bed without supper.”
Customer: *Flustered* “I was—”
Regular: “I saw. The whole store saw. On your way, son.”
The man took his tray and sat down. My manager rushed over and grabbed me by the arm.
Manager: “What was that?!”
Regular: “I have daughters, and I’ll be d***ed to Hell before I let anyone treat them like he treated her. Only makes sense to watch the other daughters, too.”
He gave my manager a hard look, and I was released.
Manager: “Oh.” *Pause* “You only get a coffee, right?”
Regular: “I do. It’s gone up, I understand.”
Manager: “[My Name], get the man his coffee. On the house.”
I do not miss those customers, that job, or the managers, but I do miss that old man.