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I work in a deli/bakery. It's all one spot, but I'm actually a deli clerk. However, at night I take orders after all the bakery people have gone home. A few weeks ago, a man and woman come up to the counter and tell me they want to order a cake. Great! Which one do you want? They want a Star Wars cake for their son's birthday in two weeks. As per standard practice, I check to make sure we have the kit (i.e. little figures that go on the cake). Alas, we do not. I inform SC. He says, "Well, he really likes this one character - isn't there any way to put him on the cake?" Since I've already told him we don't have the kit, I suggest he bring in a picture of the character and we could do an edible image. "Don't you have one already?" Uhh, no... We don't actually keep images of every single movie character ever on the 20-year-old computer in the bakery. Needless to say, it's too much work for him to find an image of the character and then have to bring it back. So he asks me if we can do the cake without the figures and he'll just buy a couple of action figures to put on it himself. Yes sir, that'll be fine. I took his order and submitted it, thanks and have a nice night.
Two weeks pass. I am again working at night when I receive a phone call. It's SC, wanting to know if his cake will be ready in the morning at 9:00. I check and tell him that yes, it will be ready. He asks me if a manager will be there when he comes to pick it up, because it turns out we don't have the kit he wanted and he doesn't think it's fair that he has to buy action figures to put on the cake because "the lady who took my order screwed up". Um, what? I tell him, very politely, that I was the one who took his order, and that I told him we did not have the kit at that time. "Well, you should have ordered one." I tell him, again very politely, that the cake decorator is responsible for ordering kits and that he wanted the cake without the kit. "Well, I still want to speak to your manager because it isn't fair that I have to buy these figures. We just got our kid back from Child Protection and this is our first birthday party with him." I guess that was supposed to make me feel sorry for him? Anyway, I gave him the manager's name and told him she would be there in the morning. He could speak to her then.
I came in the next day, and asked if SC had come to get his cake. The cake decorator bursts into hysterical gales of laughter as she tells me the story. First of all, the cake wasn't due to be ready until 9 - he showed up at 7:30. The only person there was the baker, who told him three different times that no one would even be in to help him until at least 8. Finally my dept. manager showed up, and he told her the whole sordid tale. She apologized and told him that he had been informed when he ordered the cake that we didn't have that kit. He wanted the cake anyway. He was not entitled to a discount because he bought action figures for it. He gave her the whole story of how they just got the kid back from Child Protection and it's his first party. He spent over $300 on the party. My manager said, "That's why I don't give my kids birthday parties." He still isn't getting a refund. So he found a store manager, who knew nothing of the whole situation and agreed to discount SC whatever he spent on action figures for the cake. SC left, and came back 20 minutes later with a receipt. He had, of course, bought the most expensive action figures he could find - so not only did he get the cake for free, my department ended up owing him a refund!
Two weeks pass. I am again working at night when I receive a phone call. It's SC, wanting to know if his cake will be ready in the morning at 9:00. I check and tell him that yes, it will be ready. He asks me if a manager will be there when he comes to pick it up, because it turns out we don't have the kit he wanted and he doesn't think it's fair that he has to buy action figures to put on the cake because "the lady who took my order screwed up". Um, what? I tell him, very politely, that I was the one who took his order, and that I told him we did not have the kit at that time. "Well, you should have ordered one." I tell him, again very politely, that the cake decorator is responsible for ordering kits and that he wanted the cake without the kit. "Well, I still want to speak to your manager because it isn't fair that I have to buy these figures. We just got our kid back from Child Protection and this is our first birthday party with him." I guess that was supposed to make me feel sorry for him? Anyway, I gave him the manager's name and told him she would be there in the morning. He could speak to her then.
I came in the next day, and asked if SC had come to get his cake. The cake decorator bursts into hysterical gales of laughter as she tells me the story. First of all, the cake wasn't due to be ready until 9 - he showed up at 7:30. The only person there was the baker, who told him three different times that no one would even be in to help him until at least 8. Finally my dept. manager showed up, and he told her the whole sordid tale. She apologized and told him that he had been informed when he ordered the cake that we didn't have that kit. He wanted the cake anyway. He was not entitled to a discount because he bought action figures for it. He gave her the whole story of how they just got the kid back from Child Protection and it's his first party. He spent over $300 on the party. My manager said, "That's why I don't give my kids birthday parties." He still isn't getting a refund. So he found a store manager, who knew nothing of the whole situation and agreed to discount SC whatever he spent on action figures for the cake. SC left, and came back 20 minutes later with a receipt. He had, of course, bought the most expensive action figures he could find - so not only did he get the cake for free, my department ended up owing him a refund!
Good call. I'd like to hear the background story too, but we probably never will. I just hope he doesn't patronize the OP's shop again or spread the word to his fellow leeches.
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