Just do your job!

[Happy Otter Lover]

I went to a popular sandwich chain the other day to pick up some dinner before work. When I arrived, there was only one person ahead of me who was already being served. The girl working there noticed me come in and disappeared into the back for a split second, I assumed to ask her coworker to come out and help me, though no one came out. She finished serving her customer and disappeared into the back again.
And she just disappeared. I was waiting there for a good 2 minutes (which doesn't sound like a lot, but it is when you're just standing there). Then I hear the two girls in the back arguing about something. From what I could gather, the first girl's shift was over, and the second girl wasn't due to start for another 15 minutes, and whoever was supposed to be there in the interim hadn't shown up. Girl #1 didn't want to serve me because she was supposed to be off her shift, and girl #2 didn't want to serve me because she wasn't supposed to have started yet. Girl #2 is bitching about how girl #0 (the missing one) should get fired and she can't believe she hasn't already been canned.
Finally, girl #2 comes out of the back to help me. She doesn't pay attention to what I order and starts making the wrong thing before I correct her. The whole time she's still bitching about girl #0 not showing up. Some more customers come in behind me, and, lo and behold!, girl #3 emerges from the back! So the whole time I'd been waiting to be served and had to listen to girls #1 and 2 argue, there had been a third employee back there.

Now I hope I'm not hugely overreacting here, but I really feel like the whole situation is unacceptable. I understand how frustrating it is to deal with irresponsible coworkers, but you shouldn't be arguing about it in front of the customers. And, in my opinion, you shouldn't show up that early for your shift and not be prepared to begin work straight away. I always show up at least fifteen minutes early for work, and it may be because I just want to chill out and take my time to get ready for my shift, but I am always prepared that my manager might say that she needs me on the floor asap. Plus, my first job was at this popular sandwich chain, and I know I would never have behaved that way when I worked there.

[marasbaras]

Not unacceptable in the slightest. In the end, you are the customer. The store is supposed to serve you in exchange for your money. Not keep you waiting because of petty bickering.

[One-Fang]

Venting about it here is not overreacting. Although you're right, launching into a tirade about their poor customer service would have been overreacting. But venting here? You go right on m'dear, you're perfectly right just as you are.

[Ree]

Although you're right, launching into a tirade about their poor customer service would have been overreacting.

A "tirade" might be a bit much, but I see nothing wrong with the OP making a complaint at the source regarding the poor treatment that was received.

That was unacceptable and completely unprofessional behaviour by those employees. Quite frankly, I would probably have walked out and gone elsewhere to eat, but I would most certainly have spoken to a manager about it.

[MoxisPilot]

I've had the SAME THING happen...also in a popular sandwhich chain.

[Kiwi]

vote with your feet

even better, tell the manager that your voting with your feet and wont be back, you dont have to be sucky about it, but be honest about you experiance

while I studied at uni I would stop at a cafe almost every single morning to get a coffee on the way to class, one time I happened to have a muffin I had brought from another shop in my hand (for lunch) and the manager said "youd better not eat that in here"

my coffee was for take away, and I was a regular at this stage going for at 4 months and he even would ask if I wanted my usual coffee

I told him where to shove it (politely) congradulating him on losing out on $60 a month in coffees from a regular because thats what he had just done. He apologised but I never went back, if he is going to be that mean spirited to some one whos buying from him every day he must not need my business

[otakuneko]

If I were in girl #1's shoes, I would've served you. After that I would've left. It's a "finish up that last person" thing I picked up at the callcenter. I don't like it, but it seems only fair for the customer.

If my manager had any problem with the unscheduled slight OT, that's his problem. It's not like they can refuse to pay. And the manager should know very well about girl #0's attendance problems and probably would be glad I covered anyway. Then again there are a lot of.. Morons in Management.

[Record Store Tough Guy]

Actually, kiwi, it's better to mention you have an issue, then ask what they can offer to keep you as a customer. If you tell them you have no intention of returning, they won't have much reason to make the situation right, or correct it for future customers.

[Record Store Tough Guy]

Also, I didn't mean to imply the "offer" should be monetary. An apology is more what I had in mind.