I’m a long time lurker, but alas, this is my first LJ related entry, and of course my first post here. I was so LIVID with my experience that I felt like I had to rant to someone.
I should say that I never in my life have had a horrible customer service experience; I have a part time job making coffee, and so I always try to treat people really well, because I know that a nice customer can make your day.
ANYWAYS…on to the suck.
I have only been to Muffin Break (they sell pastries and lunch stuff there) once before (at a different location). I paid less than $5.00 for a small bowl of yummy soup, with a small baguette on the side. My boyfriend and I are on a tight budget, and we had saved up to go see The Dark Night and have some dinner at the mall. Of course, I figure I’ll get some nicely priced soup, and am pleased to see a muffin break at this mall.
The girl that served me looked really frightened to take my order, obviously she was new. That’s fine, I wasn’t in a hurry but…
Me: Can I have a small soup with a piece of bread on the side?
Girl: Uhhh…uumm our soup comes on top of bread.
Me: I don’t want the bread bowl, just the soup in a dish and a piece of bread on the side.
Girl: Uhhh….you want sour cream and chives with that?
Me: I guess? They didn’t ask me that last time, is it good that way?
*girl trails off in the middle of my sentence…ok, whatever*
*Girl comes back with soup and the bread bowl on the side*
Me: Oh, I really don’t want the breadbowl! Just some bread on the side is OK!
*At this point the manager comes over, explains my order to the girl and she leaves again…no problem so far*
Girl: That will be $7.95
Me: Oh, I didn’t pay that much last time…is that with the breadbowl?
*girl trails off again without answering*
At this point, I turn to the manager and say
Me: If I’m going to get charged the same no matter what, why wouldn’t I just take the breadbowl?
And the suck begins. He comes up to the counter and starts SCREAMING at me. No exaggeration on that one, he is speaking a mile an hour at the top of his lungs
Manager: IF THE PRICE IS TOO DIFFICULT FOR YOU WHY DON’T YOU JUST LEAVE AND GET THIS SOMEWHERE ELSE
Me: Excuse me?
Manager: I SEE HOW YOU TREAT MY STAFF, JUST LEAVE IF THIS IS TOO DIFFICULT FOR YOU
I keep repeating the words “listen to me please” while he is hurling abuse my way.
Finally I bring my pointer finger up and match his tone
Me: YOU LISTEN TO ME RIGHT NOW
Manager: OK OK OK OK (he kept saying OK, just shut the fuck up dude)
Me: If you would LISTEN to me for a second we could have this cleared up. This is more than I paid last time, I think she rang it up wrong
Manager: PRICES ARE NOT THE SAME EVERYWHERE, IS THAT TOO DIFFICULT FOR YOU? IF SO GET OUT
Me: I DON’T FUCKING SUBSCRIBE TO MUFFIN BREAK TIMES, IF YOU CAN EXPLAIN THAT TO ME INSTEAD OF YELLING AT ME THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN NO PROBLEM
AT this point the girl comes sheepishly back with my soup.
Me: Did I treat you badly?
*girl pauses, looks at her manager and bites her lip*
Girl: uh that will be $7.95
I can’t even believe what just happen and I put a $10 on the counter, the manager walks away a little to the back and I hear him mumble *somethingsomething stupid people*
Me (shouts): Hey, asshole, if you’re going to call someone stupid, make sure they can’t hear you first.
I walk away and I get a sympathetic look from another employee
What the hell happened? The worst part is that because this is Australia, nothing will get done. I can submit feedback to their website, which gets passed on to the manager…HIM. I was so upset the rest of the weekend. I had such a horrible week and then I get treated like crap for no reason. It ruined my night out with my boyfriend (who I had to hold back after I told him what happened) and worst of all, I still paid for the damn soup…I’m STILL kicking myself over that one.
Any advice? :(