You didn't pay for it, you're not getting it!

[customersruinmylife]

It was quite a quiet shift, which was fortunate because I'm in the process of getting over a stomach bug. I wasn't really in any fit state to work, but I braved it out, but I had a bit of a short temper because all I wanted to do was close up and go home. A group of men come into the bar about half an hour before closing, my coworker serves them while I get as much as the closing down done as possible.

SC: Five pints of lager please, and a cider.
CW: Sure, no problem.

She makes the drinks and then presents them.

SC: Oh, I miscounted, I only wanted four pints of lager and a cider.
CW: Oh well, never mind. *she goes to take the spare pint away*
SC: But I'll have it anyway!
CW: OK then, are you sure?
SC: Yeah I'm sure.
CW: OK I'll just add that to your total...
SC: What do you mean "add that to your total"
CW: Well, you said you'd have it...
SC: But I'm not paying for it! It was your mistake!
CW: But you just told me you'd miscounted!
SC: Well...what are you going to do with it? Its just going to go to waste isn't it? You might as well give me it!
CW: No, I'm sorry.
SC: *to me* HEY! SUPERVISOR! COME HERE A MINUTE!

I go over, not impressed.

Me: What can I help you with?
SC: I want this drink! It's only going to go to waste!
Me: No, if you're not paying for it, you're not getting it.
SC: Oh come on! It's only going to waste!
Me: It doesnt matter, I'm not giving it away for free.
SC: Why is this such a problem?
Me: You made the mistake when you were ordering, not my coworker.
SC: It's the principle of the thing, and the customer is always right!

Uh-oh. Do NOT say that to me when I'm ill!

Me: Always right? So you are saying stealing is right?
SC: It's not stealing! I'm just not letting it go to waste!
Me: Well then if you're so concerned pay for it!
SC: What are you going to do with it? Pour it down the sink!?
Me: No, I'm going to do this!

I started drinking the pint.

SC: Wha....I would have had that!
Me: Well its mine now, I feel like I've earned it!

The guy walked away. He wasn't angry, he was more disappointed.

Was a very risky thing to do. If I had been seen, I would have definately been fired. But I was in such a bad mood I couldn't handle an SC. For some reason it did help my stomach a little though.

[MrSunshineState]

Great story! I think you handled it the best way possible. I would rather poor something down the sink than let some POS leech of a customer get something for free.

[UncleImpy]

I personally wouldn't be surprised to hear he 'miscounted' on purpose to try and get that very thing.

[Banrion]

Yep, he's probably gotten away with it in the past, either there, or somewhere else, and thought it would be a good way to get a free drink. I have gotten a free drink from my coffeshop on occassion when they make a mistake, but I never ask for it, and NEVER expect it.

[MadMike]

I personally wouldn't be surprised to hear he 'miscounted' on purpose to try and get that very thing.

That was my thought too.

I have a story along the same lines about a customer who tried to get a little extra for free.

Someone came in to buy some carpet. I unrolled it from the roll, and found out after I cut what he wanted, there would just be one foot left. I went to cut it, and he said, "I'll take that last foot too."

Great, I thought to myself, saves me the trouble of cutting it. I rolled it back up and put a price label on it, and he was surprised to see me including the extra foot in the total cost. He said I should give it to him for free, because "No one's going to buy just one foot of carpet."

First of all, that wasn't my call to make. Second, once in a great while, someone actually would buy just a foot. I told him he was welcome to talk it over with the manager, because it wasn't up to me. I'm not sure if he did or not, and I really didn't care at that point.

[CurlyLocks]

SC: What are you going to do with it? Pour it down the sink!?
Me: No, I'm going to do this!

I started drinking the pint.

Awesome!

[Estil]

I guess the quick change artists have found a new strategery for getting free stuff; pretend to order something, then say you don't want it, then play the "waste card" to try to guilt trip the clerk to let you have it for free.

And BTW, as my sig says, the HONEST customer is always right.

[HALFHUMANHALFZOMBIE]

Lol You didn't actually have to drink it, I was dying to read more to see what happens but I expected a better ending lol!

[BookstoreEscapee]

I'd say you definitely earned it!

And people buy carpet remnants all the time! My parents had a piece of the leftover from the living room carpet bound to make a "throw" rug for the tile inside the front door. When I was in college most of us had door mats made of 2x3"ish pieces of carpet (we were too cheap/poor to have the edges bound, though).

If you're hoping for the extra free, you're better off not jumping in with "oh, I'll take that too"...that just implies that you want to *buy* the extra...be nice and maybe they'll throw in that extra foot of carpet...

[Kiwi]

When I worked at the craft store people would try and get the last of the roll ALL OF THE TIME!!!!

Technically if they were only paying for 1 metre they were only getting one metre, but it was really the sales clerks call. I had a rule, if you were polite, you would get it, if you were rude, I would and did literally cut off 2 cms of ribbon.

We had a remnants bin that would either go to charities or kindys so it wasnt going to waste, but I was going to be damned rather than give SC an inch.

[Becks]

SC: What are you going to do with it? Pour it down the sink!?
Me: No, I'm going to do this!

I started drinking the pint.

SC: Wha....I would have had that!
Me: Well its mine now, I feel like I've earned it!

I think I you!!!!!!!

[CrazedClerk]

Wow man you rock!

I dont' think I'd have had the guts to do that but that is awesome, oh to see the look on his face when you did that.

[customersruinmylife]

Normally I would have just poured it away in front of him, but I was so ill and in such a bad mood that I REALLY wanted to annoy him. Good job he didnt complain because I would definately been fired.

[Gawdzillers]

EPIC WIN.
But maybe drinking on the job isn't the best thing to do.

[Ackee]

Me: Well, its mine now, I feel like I've earned it!

I love this line