I’m handing a customer their tray of food: the burger, fries, and a soda.

Customer: “This drink is filled too much! I’m gonna spill it if I carry it to my table!”

Me: “Oh, well you could—”

Customer: “This happens to me all the time! You people never do anything right! Just because you all come from hot countries where you can carry all your s*** on your heads as you cross the river to your straw huts or whatever, don’t assume we can do that s***!”

Yes, this White customer was shouting this stuff to the worker and I, who are mostly Black and Asian.

I pick up his drink and take a loud gulp.

Me: “Problem solved.”

This customer went into such a rage that he threw his food at me (not the drink, I was still holding it), said a lot of racist language, and stormed out. The manager banned him, after she was able to stop laughing.

Customer: “I want that Two for Tuesday deal.”

Me: “It’s Friday.”

Customer: “It’s Tuesday somewhere.”

Me: “That’s not true.”

Customer: “Yeah, like America or something.”

Me: “Even if that was true, which it isn’t, because time zones don’t work like that, this isn’t America; this is Chiswick. Best I can give you is 10% off.”

Customer: “What if I bought them now but you put them in the system on Tuesday?”

Me: “That won’t work. Also, I’m hoping to forget this conversation ever happened as soon as you walk out, so keeping it alive in my memory until Tuesday isn’t going to work for me.”

Customer: “You’re really rude.”

Me: “You’re asking me to fake the day of the week and get into trouble so you can get a pizza for free. Don’t pretend I started the disrespect here.”

Customer: *Storming out.* “F*** you! I’m going to Domino’s!”

Me: *Shouting back to him.* “It’s Friday there as well!”

Guest: “Do you have any availability for [date a couple of days away]?”

Me: “No, unfortunately, we don’t have any rooms available for this day.”

Guest: “I need a room that day.”

Me: “I’m sorry, but we’re fully booked. I don’t have anything available.”

Guest: “You don’t have any rooms?”

Me: “Yes, as I said, we’re fully booked.”

Guest: “Why?!”

Me: “It’s summer. People are travelling.”

Guest: “I get that, but I don’t understand how you’re fully booked when I need a room in a couple of days.”

Me: “Guests book ahead of time to ensure their room is reserved. It’s always suggested to book in advance for summer due to higher volume.”

Guest: “Well, I didn’t plan to travel. It’s a last-minute trip.”

Me: “I’m sorry there is nothing I can do. I currently don’t have any cancellations.”

Guest just grunts and leaves the hotel.

Do people not know what “fully booked” means? Like I’m not speaking pig Latin. Your poor planning is not the hotel’s fault. Do you expect me to knock down some walls and build a new room for you? I get it’s frustrating, but still not any hotel’s fault. Maybe call the hotel before wasting your time going to the hotel?

I work in a theme park near a splash ride. The ride causes a large water splash into a ‘splash zone’ part of a viewing platform, where spectators can expect to get wet.

A family is walking past this part of the park when it starts to rain. They huddle under some shelter near where I am selling food, looking angry.

Guest: “Is this the splash zone?”

Me: “No, this is just where I sell hot dogs.”

Guest: “Then why are we getting wet?!”

Me: “Because it’s raining.”

Guest: “Well, can’t you radio someone and tell them to shut it off?!”

One night as I’m closing the gate to the store, a customer runs up.

Customer: “Please! I need to do this return! It’s the last day I can do it! I know it’s bad planning, but I just need to do this one return, and I promise I won’t buy anything or take up any more time!”

I’m the last one in, and I can do a return, and even though I’m in the middle of a clopen I figure what the hey, so I let her in and do the return.

The next day, some guy comes into the store in the early morning:

Guy: “Are you the manager from last night?”

Me: “I was, yes.”

Guy: “And you did a return after closing for my wife?”

Me: “I… guess?”

Guy: “Cool.”

He walks out and comes back in with two crates of Red Bull, of every different size and flavor, some I’ve never seen before.

Guy: “I’m a Red Bull rep. You really did us a solid last night, so… here.”

I thanked him! Our entire team was very wired for the rest of our long shift!