Senior Mariah Dean recalls a time when she  was taking someone’s order, and the women tried to bargain the price with her.

“She would be like, ‘I’d give you $12 for a $30 meal’ and I’m like, ‘That’s not how much it costs’. That was probably the worst moment for me, as I had to get my manager to help the situation. But then she even kept trying to bargain with him,” Dean said.

“Our food is actually very fresh. We take the time to make it and don’t just throw it in the microwave like many other places tend to. we actually try to make it good for people.” 

The fast food and restaurant industry has been having major trouble with overbearing customers and disrespect . There are many stories, some being even worse than the one just above. Could these encounters be the real reason this food industry is having so much trouble finding and keeping their employees? 

Senior Andre Burns, another working student, has also had some unique run-ins with customers while working at a local fast-food restaurant 

“This couple came in and ordered briskets. We made the sandwiches, then I handed her the bag. And she says, ‘Oh, can I get a couple cups of natto sauce?’  Of course I’m like yeah, so I got a cup of natto sauce and I gave it to her but then she says, ‘Can I get some more like 10 cups of it.’” Burns recalled. “And so I’m pouring and pouring, and when I got to the 10th cup, I went through a bottle and a half of the sauce just alone. And I’m like, we’re probably gonna have to charge you.” 

Burns said the customer didn’t that answer and her boyfriend came up and began arguing and talking trash. 

“I just called my manager and the manager honestly went off on him and they got mad,” Burns said. “They were like screw you and swore they were never coming back.” 

That isn’t the only rude customer Burns has encountered.

“This lady immediately came up to me with an attitude as if she was having a bad day,” he remembers of another incident. “I’m like, OK, I’m gonna just try to brush it off and keep it moving, but she was just rude for no reason.

“So after a few minutes I got her order down, and I was about to start making her order, I put some gloves on. And she’s like, aren’t you going to wash your hands? And I’m like, Well, my hands were clean. I’m just putting on the gloves. They’re gonna be cleaned, it’s okay. And she’s like, You need to wash your hands. And so at that point, I just took my gloves off and walked in the back.” 

Employees also have witnessed bad behavior from their co-workers. Senior Andronakis Clay gave some examples he’s seen from fellow co-workers  at a local fast-food restaurant. 

“You get people that mess up orders on purpose and smash down sandwiches,” he said. “I’ve seen people also eating the food out of customer bags. You just never know what someones gonna do because these jobs aren’t important for these people, they’re just here to make a quick buck.”