Encounter with the Grinch

I'm a manager at a fast food chain so I'm pretty used to dealing with disgruntled customers fairly often. However, Christmas time usually brings out the cheer in everyone, so my job is actually surprisingly easy during the holidays.

Or so I thought until today.

A man called the store and asked to speak with a manager. I quickly got to the phone and asked what I could do for him. He proceeded to tell me that he lives about 5 miles from the store and that we messed up his burger. He "specifically ordered it as a plain double-meat cheeseburger with only mustard and chili," but he bit into it and got "a mouthful of onions... which makes [him] gag."

I apologized profusely, but he cut me off and told me that this was the second time this happened. The first time "pissed [him] off," but he didn't call and notify us of the problem. Again, I apologized and tried to ask him what he prefer that I do (send him a card for a complimentary meal, have him come back up and I'd remake it, etc.), but he cut me off again to cuss me out, and said that I better send him the coupon because "[he's] so irate that if [he] comes back up, something's gonna happen to someone."

Are you kidding me?

This is not the first time I've received threats over something as ridiculous as onions (the last time, it was all over some mustard). I don't know what gives people the audacity to actually believe that they can treat us (food service workers, retail workers, etc.) like we are the scum of the earth. It was an honest mistake. I don't know where the chain of command broke down, but I was sure to talk to all of my employees about the problem. But really- I wish the only problem I had going on in my life was over some onions. Must be nice.

I was on the verge of tears when I got off the phone with this man (or rather, after he hung up on me), but my mood quickly changed when one of my employees came in with a generous $13 tip from a customer. At least someone was in the Christmas spirit.

I'd take Drunken Christmas Caroler Girl (refer to my "Christmas on Halloween" story) over Mean Onion Man any day.