Brain to Mouth Filter: Failed

[cloudiko]

Last weekend was overrun with idiots. For whatever reason, my brain-to-mouth filter failed completely on me, and I gave the SCs the responses they deserved. Well, a censored version of what they deserved. That is, until my boss told me to stop being such a smartass to the customers. I don't know what it was, but I just couldn't help myself.

Kids Eat Free: Hellhole Saturday

Sucky parent: WHY are the MY kids' meals on the bill?!?! Don't KIDS EAT FREE TONIGHT?!
Me: Yes. The cooks aren't psychic though, so we have to put what you want the kids to eat into the computer. Plus, don't you want little Johnny to have his mac and cheese - minus the ham and no french fries, but mozzerella sticks instead? There's no way anybody could remember that with the Restuarant swamped like this.
Sucky parent: *glares at me*
Me: *smile* That will be $xx.xx please.


And again:

Sucky parent: *thrusts reciept at me* What are these meals doing on there? Don't kids eat free? I have three kids' meals on here!!!
Me: I know. *takes reciept from their shaking hand (perhaps anger at getting shot down?), ignores customer and starts putting in discount*
Sucky parent: *angry silence*



And, yet again:

Sucky parent: What are these meals doing on here! You guys have a sign out front that says "KIDS EAT FREE FROM 4-6pm, and I want my -
Me: I am well aware of what the sign says. However, we still have to imput the meals into the computer. Therefore, they will ALWAYS be on your ticket until I take them off *gestures at front counter* up here. That way, I know exactly what goes in and out of the till, and I don't get in trouble.
Sucky parent: There are fi-
Me: I gathered that. I can count.
Sucky parent: *closes mouth*



Oh, and again:

Less sucky guy: Hi, I have a question.
Me: Is this about the kids eat free promotion?
Less sucky guy: Yes. My kids' food is still on here. Does that promotion still apply?
Me: Yes. As I have said to everyone before you, the meals still have to be on your ticket. I take them off up here.
Less sucky guy: *hands me the reciept* I bet you get that question a lot, don't you.
Me: Yes, and it drives me crazy. Absolutely nuts. If people just paid attention, then maybe I would hate this promotion a little less.
Less sucky guy: For what it's worth, I am sorry you have to listen to the same question a thousand times a day.
Me: Thanks. That helps...until the next idiot comes up to ask.



Screamer:

Sucktastic parent: WHY IS MY PRECIOUS JENNY'S FOOD ON HERE!! HOW DARE YOU!!! I THOUGHT KIDS ATE FREE TODAY!!!!!! (note: insert dramatic arm flailing here - at one point I thought she was going to take somebody's eye out)
Me: Um, ma'am...I take care of that up here. The meal will come off. The servers can't do it.
Sucktastic parent (here on, referred to as Flailing Lady): It would make more sense if THEY did it! Then I wouldn't have to worry about getting cheated!
Me: You aren't getting cheated by having to wait ten seconds for me to imput the appropriate discount into the computer.
Flailing Lady: WHAT did YOU say?!
Me: I said, I put in the discount up here. I know that the promotion runs today. I have dealt with people all day who ask me the same question, so how could I forget about it? After being asked about a hundred times in an hour about a promotion, only a half-wit would forget about it. Especially since it annoys me when people complain about having to wait the five seconds it takes to plug in the right discount.
Flailing lady: Well, it appears only half wits work here, since they forgot my DISCOUNT!!!
Me: Nobody forgot about it. We've all been harassed about it all day. Lord knows I can't forget about it.
Flailing lady: YOU BETTER NOT!
Me: *mumbles*Oh, don't worry. With you around, I won't get to.
Flailing lady: WHAT was that?!
Me: That will be $xx.xx. WITH the discount.







Needless to say...I am dreading tomorrow. Guh.

[huckster]

Maybe it would be easier to forewarn them when they place their order. Let them know that the discount will be applied at the register and the order slip does not reflect the discounted price. I know it's a pain to repeat it over and over, but it may save your sanity and perhaps someones eye.

[Imogene]

but it may save your sanity and perhaps someones eye.

*sniggers*
"Oops, I'm sorry, did I just jam a plastic fork in your eyesocket?"

[katie kaboom]

I know it's a pain to repeat it over and over, but it may save your sanity and perhaps someones eye.

I say just make a recording of what needs to be said. Then play it every time some asswipe argues with you.

[Imogene]

Re: thread title:
Why do I keep seeing a giant rubber stamp that says, "Today's Experiment: Failed!" in my head?
*bonus points to Geek King, because I know he'll get it.*

[DGoddessChardonnay]

Maybe it would be easier to forewarn them when they place their order. Let them know that the discount will be applied at the register and the order slip does not reflect the discounted price. I know it's a pain to repeat it over and over, but it may save your sanity and perhaps someones eye.

You could repeat it over the loudspeaker every five minutes, but that doesn't mean everyone will remember.

It's like posting signage: you can plaster the entire square footage of the business with them, but that doesnt mean all the customers will read them.

Sad but true.

[JustADude]

Re: thread title:
Why do I keep seeing a giant rubber stamp that says, "Today's Experiment: Failed!" in my head?
*bonus points to Geek King, because I know he'll get it.*

Not if I beat him to it:


EXCEL SAGA for the win!

[Polenicus]

And, yet again:

Sucky parent: What are these meals doing on here! You guys have a sign out front that says "KIDS EAT FREE FROM 4-6pm, and I want my -
Me: I am well aware of what the sign says. However, we still have to imput the meals into the computer. Therefore, they will ALWAYS be on your ticket until I take them off *gestures at front counter* up here. That way, I know exactly what goes in and out of the till, and I don't get in trouble.
Sucky parent: There are fi-
Me: I gathered that. I can count.
Sucky parent: *closes mouth*

For this one, you earn

I think we've all had days when our smarmy reply buffer overflows and we core dump all over those that are always right. I hope your next shift goes a little better though.

[Banrion]

But honestly, how hard would it be for the system you are using to have a promotional button that allows you to input the kids meal, just like you would any other time, but instead is programmed for $0.00 instead of the regular price. I know it is annoying to you, but when I go to a restaurant, I expect my bill to be right the first time, and all this suckiness is the direct result of someone being too lazy to put an extra button on the POS system. Or at the very least, give the servers the power to take the kids meals off the ticket before presenting it to the customer. So when the server opens the ticket for the kitchen, they ring it in, but before they close and print it they take it off. At least that way, these customers would see it being taken off.

[Geek King]

Not if I beat him to it:


EXCEL SAGA for the win!

Hey, no fair! I only look the boards over once a day.

And yes, I did get it. Apa!

[Boozy]

Banrion's right about fixing the POS. Management should have taken care of that long ago. Your current method of handling the promotion is stressing everyone out!

We have problems like that every once in a while....our head office controls our POS and our promotions, and if they fail to set it up right, it can be unnecessarily complicated for both the employees and the customers. But our complaints to corporate fall on deaf ears. I'm guessing that's the case for you, too.

[Emrld]

of course I can just see the small print on the sign outside and then your reply
The small print stating that discount applies only as long as you don't ask for it

****enter dream sequence*****
Customer comes up to registar hands you ticket . . .you look at ticket . . .note adorable smiling kid who is now asleep from starch overload . . .take off disscount . . .Customer hands over payment and steps aside to help spouse with load of kid and diaper bag (remember this is a dream sequence so the hubby is the really involved kind)
Next person steps up huffily . . . .thrusts ticket at you . . . ."I don't know why you all can't get it right . . .there are three kids meals on here and I am not paying for them"
you: "Sorry Ma'am but you will have to pay for them"
Ms Huffy:" The sign outside says kids eat free . . .these are my kids and their meals are to be free"
you:" Ma'am your total is $XX.XX and you do not get the discount because the sign states that you can't ask for it . . .also your server informed you when you placed your order and again when they gave you your ticket that the kids meals would be removed at the registar."
Nice Customer:" I would be happy to show you where on the sign that is stated"
***End dream sequence***

[Mongo Skruddgemire]

Maybe it would be easier to forewarn them when they place their order. Let them know that the discount will be applied at the register and the order slip does not reflect the discounted price. I know it's a pain to repeat it over and over, but it may save your sanity and perhaps someones eye.

No, no it wouldn't. If one is a regular reader of this site, one very quickly loses faith in humanity since you can tell these people, write big signs, hire skywriting companies, have it repeated by a singing telegram company and tattoo the goddamn message to both arms and legs in inch thick letters...

...and they would still ask "Why the fuck is my kid's free meal on this ticket?"

I hope the cockroaches get it right because humanity is @#$%ing it up royally.

M

[Imogene]

Not if I beat him to it

And yes, I did get it. Apa!

Okay, fine, Excel Excel points for both of you, then, if you're going to fight about it. I only pre-meditated Geek King getting the points because I know he's into anime. I should've known better than that, but what can I do?

[Rapscallion]

Consider me suspicious. I get the idea that the company is trying to work on the basis that several customers every day won't look at their bills and not notice that they didn't get the promotional offer applied. In no way is it the fault of the serving staff etc, but I reckon there's a good chance it's arranged deliberately.

Rapscallion