'In comes this entitled man': Grown man gets confronted by teenage employee for smoking in a non-smoking restaurant

Advertisement
  • 01
    Plant - Loodl FMr.Dr. Mr.D "I have to walk him and his pipe all the way to the doors, and on the way I point to each and every single sign saying 'no smoking. PIZZA
  • 02
    Font - Smoking in a nonsmoking restaurant S I was recently reminded of the following story and thought I would share. Mandatory, English is not my native language, written on phone, first time posting here etc. Once upon a time, many moons ago I worked at a fast food restaurant. The entire inside of the restaurant was a no-smoking area.
  • 03
    Font - In comes this entitled man. He is standing in the queue for the register when I notice he is smoking a pipe. Teenage me takes a deep breath to build up courage to go tell him it is not allowed. His argument is that it is not stated anywhere that it is no-smoking. I have to walk him and his pipe all the way to the doors, and on the way I point to each and every single sign saying "no smoking".
  • 04
    Font - Furthermore, on the way out he asks me what he is supposed to do then, and I have to explain that he can go outside and finish smoking, 'turn it off', and come back in, or just turn it off and come back in.
  • 05
    Font - A couple of minutes go by and I go back to working. I have a look at the queue and the man is back in the line, with a hand behind his back and smoke rising from behind his back.
  • 06
    Font - So I had to go back to him and tell him to take it outside. His argument was that he was not smoking it so he was following the rules. Never did I think I had to explain to someone that you cannot have a smoking pipe in a nonsmoking restaurant, regardless if you are actively smoking on it or not.
  • 07
    Font - Eventually he left. If he left to take his pipe somewhere else to smoke while ordering/eating he was going to be disappointed because at that time a national regulation had been put in place that meant more or less all eating establishments had to be nonsmoking inside.
  • 08
    Font - latents 16 hr. ago I wish you'd used the fire extinguisher after the first conversation. "So sorry sir, but since you knew that this is a nonsmoking restaurant, the only reasonable conclusion was that you were on fire." I doubt he didn't know better and was just trying to see if you would be afraid to challenge him. 118 Reply Share
  • 09
    Font - SeveralMarionberry42 OP 16 hr. ago Haha! I love the idea. . The restaurant did not really have fire extinguishers but a full system, where if pulled/triggered the entire place is basically flooded with foam and an automatic trigger for the fire department to be called out.
  • 10
    Font - So even if I had had the imagination to do this (sadly, I do not), I would not have wanted to be the cause of a major fine from the fire department, refilling/re-setting if the system and the restaurant to be closed for days. It sounds like a great solution though.
  • 11
    Font - sdogvscat 14 hr. ago . It's sad that a teenager had to point out the obvious signs only for the grown man to try such child like attempts to get away with breaking the rules. I have experienced my 3 year old nephew trying to not notice a rule (but did) and then use toddler level reasoning to try to get around the mean rule. It is cute to deal with a toddler trying that but just weird for a grown man to do that.
  • 12
    Font - SeveralMarionberry42 OP - 5 hr. ago . Yeah, the argument of 'but I'm not smoking it' is what still has me laughing in disbelief 15 (ish) years later.
  • 13
    Font - EKC1080 16 hr. ago How can people be this pigheaded/dense. I would've gotten him banned. But I got a big mouth. I had a boss once that didn't care if I told idiot customers off. Had a girl light up a cigarette in the store. Walked out from behind the counter, grabbed it out of her hand and threw it and her out of the store, calling her a few choice names on the way out. I got zero patience for morons
  • 14
    Font - √(-²) SeveralMarionberry42 OP - 16 hr. ago Had this happened today I would also have been a lot more stern. But as a 15/16 year old in her first job even having the courage of taking the confrontation was a big step for me instead of passing the problem on.
  • 15
    Font - JipC1963 10 hr. ago As a smoker, I (59/f) was when the disappointed non-smoking in bars and restaurants policy was imposed, I DID understand the reasons for it as I DO think it's a filthy habit and have tried EVERYTHING to quit over MANY years (both my parents and a LOT of my family on both sides smoked like chimneys so I was pretty much addicted before I ever actually lit up myself for the first time at 15).
  • 16
    Font - Once the ban was in place, I've NEVER attempted to smoke in such an establishment and tend to walk further away from the entrance or to the designated smokers area. This entitled hole KNEW what he was doing but thought he could get away with it because "pipe smoking is MUCH more refined" and is usually flavored tobacco! It's also my pet peeve when someone attempts to vape in these places (or on a plane, train or bus).
  • 17
    Font - Our homes have been non-smoking for YEARS (we always smoke outside) but our Daughter's EX (BabyDaddy) who used to live with us would hide in a closet and vape. I would always detect the smell and get super angry! If I, as the HOMEOWNER, won't allow myself to smoke inside my own house how the hell do you think I'll tolerate YOU vaping inside! Pissed me off royally! If he comes to visit his child, he can stay at a hotel as he's no longer welcome in our home!
  • 18
    Font - BRAY SeveralMarionberry42 OP • 5 hr. ago Ohh, I'm sure he knew what he was doing. He was just hoping not to get caught. Also, what an entitled BabyDaddy! You always follow the rules of the home you are in. Doesn't matter if it's smoking/no smoking, shoes on/off etc. If it's not your home you don't decide the rules.

Tags

Scroll Down For The Next Article