Messy SC's

[EmilyRose1982]

A group of people came into my shop today, a Russian family of varying ages, mostly middle-aged. They bought drinks and snacks, which was good, but then they proceeded to gather at one table and break out a bag of sunflower seeds.

They sat there eating them like a bunch of messy, lipless goats. After they left, I went over to assess the mess. There were shells all over the damn floor...

What would you guys have done in my situation, upon seeing them chowing on those seeds? I wanted to yell at them, but I've never really had to yell at anyone over the age of 20, hehe.

I know if I see them eating sunflower seeds in my store again, I'll tell them to put the damn things away or get out.

[NightWatch]

Don't let him get away with thinking he or his friends are adults if they can't act like it. "Sir, I'm sorry, I mistaked you for 45. But since you are apparently a toddler, I don't mind reminding you that our trash can is *here* and it's very grown up to throw away all your seed shells."

[JoitheArtist]

Ugh, my sympathies. I remember once, working retail as a dewy-eyed 16 year old, this kid who ran around eating Pixy Stix. Bad enough, right? Little sugar grains get everywhere. But this was a ridiculous kid. Most kids know how to tilt the packets back to eat the sugar; not this kid. He just ate them, paper, sugar, and all; as soon as the sugar had dissolved in his mouth, he spit the paper wads out. All over the store. EW. Never did catch him actually doing it, nor did I ever see his parents.

So you definately have my sympathies there. If they can't eat without making a mess, they shouldn't be there. Stupid messy SCs.

[thehippie777]

Interesting...because it's mostly adults who completely mess up the hotel I work at.

[marasbaras]

What kind of shop is it?

If you're running a bar, I'd just talk with them. If you're running a bookstore ... ban them!

[Andara Bledin]

Ugh. I can't stand people who eat sunflower seeds and don't take care of the shells.

It's even worse when the jerks are on the bus!

^-.-^

[Apathy]

Ugh, my sympathies. I remember once, working retail as a dewy-eyed 16 year old, this kid who ran around eating Pixy Stix. Bad enough, right? Little sugar grains get everywhere. But this was a ridiculous kid. Most kids know how to tilt the packets back to eat the sugar; not this kid. He just ate them, paper, sugar, and all; as soon as the sugar had dissolved in his mouth, he spit the paper wads out. All over the store. EW. Never did catch him actually doing it, nor did I ever see his parents.

Parents? They don't have time to parent their stupid children. They're too busy being idiots elsewhere.

[EmilyRose1982]

What kind of shop is it?

If you're running a bar, I'd just talk with them. If you're running a bookstore ... ban them!

I work at a chain coffee shop (not Starbucks) and we are perfectionists when it comes to keeping the store clean.

The other problem is they don't speak English very well. I suspect if I went over to them and reprimanded them, they'd give me the "deer in the headlights" look.

/sigh

At least they don't come around too often...

[crazylegs]

The other problem is they don't speak English very well. I suspect if I went over to them and reprimanded them, they'd give me the "deer in the headlights" look.

Easy, if they are russian pick some shells off the floor shout NYET! at them a few times and gesticulate with said shells.

[RetailWorkhorse]

Easy, if they are russian pick some shells off the floor shout NYET! at them a few times and gesticulate with said shells.

I thought it was "NIET"?

Either way, it should work.

[marasbaras]

I bet it wouldn't be very hard to find someone to translate "Please don't throw your shells on the floor." into Russian for you. Have it printed on a little slip of paper and hand it to them next time they come in with a bag of seeds.

It's not an unreasonable request.

[computeraide]

Shells

I would try to tell them you don't allow "outside food" inside your coffee shop (I'm assuming they brought the bag in with them and didn't buy it from you).

I can empathize about the shells. I work in a public school, running the computer labs. One of my biggest pet peeves is walking the labs at the end of the day to tidy up and finding sunflower shells all over a table/KEYBOARD /the floor.

Off-Topic: The only thing worse was the old high school I used to work at. We had a large population of students who chewed tobacco and would spit chaw on the floor, especially in the corners or in the corners of stairwells. Talk about disgusting!

[draftermatt]

I wouldn't let them order next time they come in.

Tell them you didn't appreciate having to clean up their unsanitary mess, and since they did that, they are banned.

[EmilyRose1982]

So I found out one of my coworkers actually did talk to the messy SC's, yet they proceeded to make a mess anyway. I asked her if they even understood her, and she said no. They couldn't even order their drinks, I guess--they just pointed at the menu and tried to say "mocha".

Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against ESL people (English as a 2nd language).

I just hate that I couldn't yell at them and have an effect!

Maybe I'll do what someone suggested earlier--point at the seeds and scream "NYET" at them.

[Brightglaive]

Maybe I'll do what someone suggested earlier--point at the seeds and scream "NYET" at them.

Then take the shell to the local garbage can and toss it in and say,"DA!!!"