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'They were looking at us weirdly': Couple orders food from a closed restaurant, wonders if they're wrong

How many people working in customer service, retail, or the service industry have had to deal with this exact same scenario? The closing time was 6 pm—it's now ten after—and there are still customers in the store. You're not allowed to turn customers away—management has forbidden it—still, customers continue to pour in. 

This same thing happens often, and management insists that every last customer be able to order, forcing you to stay late well past scheduled closing… Yet, every time you try to claim the overtime, they give you grief—forcing justification of the extra time despite it resulting from their own policy.

You're trying to get out of there as fast as possible; you've got an assignment due in the morning that still needs some final touches. The last time this happened, you ended up being too tired to finish it and had to accept partial credit. Your coworkers are eager to get home to feed their kids or pets or to uphold plans they'd made for after their shift. 

No one wants to be there after close—at least, no one who is working. The customers are more than happy to take their time, plodding around and taking as long as possible amidst lengthy conversations. But the staff… All they want is to get home and get on with their evening as they'd planned. 

And—still… customers continue to walk through the door.

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Posted by Brad Dickson
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  • Font - CLOSED "Are you still open?"

    The amount of stress and drain this puts on workers is exactly the reason why you should never step foot into an establishment just before closing… Give retail workers the grace of at least 10 minutes; cafes and takeaway shops should get at least 15; and never enter a restaurant for a sit-down meal, even 30 minutes before closing. 

    But, hey, exceptions to social etiquette happen all the time for a lot of reasons. If you are desperate enough to patronize any establishment within these times, you had better be desperate and apologize profusely. 

    However, the unforgivable act of entering after closing is exactly that: Unforgivable. If you knowingly enter somewhere after you know they'd usually be shut, you have no ethical leg to stand on. The only reason why those doors are still unlocked is because there are customers in the store, the only reason why workers are still talking to you is because they have to. Just let the poor people go home.

    So, when this couple shared their story of an encounter with some "rude" workers, wondering if they were in the wrong for entering the shop for some ice cream 10 minutes after close—the answer was only going to go one way.

    Readers declared them to be "a-holes" and in the wrong for the situation, though a disappointing number of clueless people thought that they weren't in the wrong.

    See selections of the thread that inspired this post below, followed by some of the reader's responses.

    Via Kelly Sikkema
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  • Font - AITA for ordering after the staff told me they are still serving? A hole My girlfriend and I were baffled by this situation, so we wanted to ask Reddit. We were out for a walk, and on our way back home, we passed by a famous confectionery that was still open. People were getting ice creams and cakes, and some were even sitting outside. Normally, the place closes at 21:30, and it was around 21:40, so we weren't sure if they would still sell us anything. We wanted to ask the staff if it's o
    Via u/Penthrite96
  • Font - want to sit. In a polite manner, we asked, 'Good evening, are you still open? Can we order, especially for take away? 'The staff responded, 'Just tell me what do you want? 'We ordered a small cake and an ice cream. As we were about to pay, we double- checked with them if this was okay, as they were looking at us weirdly. The cashier didn't respond and showed the POS to pay. We took our order and sat down. While we were about to eat, I heard one
    Via u/Penthrite96
  • Font - of the staff members, who was leaving their shift (not wearing their uniform), looking at us and muttering about why people keep coming and why they're still sitting to other coworkers. As politely as I could, I told him, 'We did ask; why didn't you say you are closing? We wouldn't have ordered in that case.' He then called us entitled aes and left. That comment was quite funny since my girlfriend had worked as a server before.
    Via u/Penthrite96
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  • Font - So, any thoughts on this?EDIT 1: I for some reason forgot to write this down, after we asked for take out, they did not respond, they gave us a plate for the cake and a cup for ice cream.EDIT 2: They didn't give us a take out order they served the cake on a plate and the ice cream in a mug/cup.
    Via u/Penthrite96
  • Font - OP has offered the following explanation for why they think they might be the ale: the staff literally called my girlfriend and I an asole for our actions?
    Via u/Penthrite96
  • Font - aliencupcake YTA. You asked if you could order take away after their closing hours and then failed to take away your food and instead sat down, preventing them from being able to clean that area and possibly delaying when they get to leave. Reply Share OTO 8.4k Penthrite96 OP. I for some reason forgot to write this down, after we asked for take out, they did not respond, they gave us a plate for the cake and a cup for ice cream. I updated this, they did not respond to our take out questio
    Via u/Penthrite96
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  • Font - Famous-Restaurant875 YTA Never eat at a place after closing. That's the rule. Your server girlfriend should have known better... 3.6k atmasabr Reply Share ... That's why the op asked. No is a word. The staff didn't say it. 42.6k Reply Share Famous-Restaurant875 Right but there is a power imbalance there. There's a difference between saying no to a customer, to a friend, or to a cop. They all have different levels of power and you can't act like you don't have a responsibility to not put s
    Via u/Penthrite96
  • Font - Stormschance How were the items served? As take away or stay? Just thinking it might has been a simple misunderstanding. Or they've been told they're not allowed to decline service and are just resentful. Either way really, NTA. 1.3k Reply Share
    Via u/Penthrite96
  • Font - az3az Nta you asked before you ordered your food and asked for takeout they didn't give you the option. 306 Reply Share
    Via u/Penthrite96
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  • Font - theassholethrowawa YTA: I was with you sat down. You asked for take out they took your order and dined in anyway 282 FF----FF----FF Reply Share So you didn't notice that they were given a plate and a cup? Or are they lying in the edit? 199 Reply Share
    Via u/Penthrite96
  • Font - thedudear Honestly, f the Y T A comments. Op is NTA. People need to learn self advocacy. You're closed? Say so. FO subtle hints, beating around the bush, or begrudgingly complying, treating a person like trash because they politely asked you a very, very simple question making everyone's day miserable, leading to situations like this. Down vote me to hell, if op was as polite as they said they were, I think this is horseshit. Edit: Staffs manager is TA 287 Reply Share ●●●
    Via u/Penthrite96
  • Font - Ogolble They could of been told by managers that they aren't allowed to refuse customers, even after closing. Even after asking, they may not have been allowed to say, sorry we're closed. If that's the case, that's a management problem, not a you problem. Nta. 259 StJimmy75 But management is okay with employees calling customers entitled assholes? 123 Reply Share Reply Share Busy Beat_2632 76 Tbh, the employee might have been pissed enough to not care if they got in trouble. I know I've g
    Via u/Penthrite96
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  • Font - the_owl_syndicate YTA It was past closing hours. Instead of respecting that, you put the servers on the spot (in what world do you think they will say no?) And then you are upset because they aren't jumping for joy that yet another customer decides not to respect the closing times. The people hanging out and creating the appearance that they are still open also suck. 188 atmasabr Reply Share "(in what world do you think they will say no?)" The real world. 504 Reply Share ...
    Via u/Penthrite96
  • Font - 777joeb YTA, especially if one of you was a server before. Many places will tell their employees they have to stay and serve until everyone is gone. You knew the closing time, I won't even go to a place if they close in 30 minutes OTO 45 Reply Share Penthrite96 OP My girlfriend told me in times like this in her workplace, they either had a sign that says we are no longer taking orders or only orders for take out. Reply Share 65
    Via u/Penthrite96
  • Font - LibrarianofSouls328 I hate people who say "oh but I was a server" and then do the exact shit every server hates. YTA. I wouldn't even have ordered if they were closing in 10 minutes, let alone 10 minutes AGO! 31 Reply Share
    Via u/Penthrite96
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  • Font - AshNics6214 YTA. You saw the closing time, but still went in? That alone is entitled. 30 Reply Share momofklcg YTA. It was post closing time. You weren't in line at closing time. You needed to walk on by. 28 Reply Share
    Via u/Penthrite96
  • Font - thenbmeade YTA. DONT GO TO OR ORDER FROM SOMEWHERE THAT IS ALREADY PAST THEIR CLOSE TIME. THEY ARE HUMAN BEINGS TOO. FO ANYONE WHO DOES THIS SHIT. 427 27 ↓ Reply Share
    Via u/Penthrite96
  • Font - Stone_City619 · 22 hr. ago You are for sure TA. You knew they were closed, ordered anyways and didn't leave. Big A 25 Reply Share
    Via u/Penthrite96
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  • Font - ChaiSlytherin 1 day ago Asshole Enthusiast [5] I'm going against the top lot, but NTA. I work hospitality and we have to keep doors open/unlocked when customers are in even if we've finished serving. Most places I've worked have had a cutoff when we stop taking orders and turn people away. They also gave you eat-in crockery rather than takeaway thus forcing you to stay 24 Reply Share
    Via u/Penthrite96
  • Font - superwholockian62 YTA. You ordered take away after closing time then sat down. You're definitely an asshole. 25 Reply Share Texarkolina YTA....they were closed or trying to close and you kept them from going home. They are most likely not allowed to turn you away. 26 Reply Share
    Via u/Penthrite96
  • Font - cuckfancer11 YTA. Not because you ordered for take out, and not only because you knew they usually closed before you went in and you want in anyway. It's because you didn't communicate or attempt to resolve a miscommunication and are solely blaming the serving staff for your actions. Your responses are "They handed us a mug and a plate." Ok, did you ask for them to change it to take out? Not from what I'm reading. You just assumed you were invited to sit down when the serving staff that h
    Via u/Penthrite96
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  • Font - -exquisito- YTA. I've worked places where we weren't allowed to turn away customers even after closing. If someone came in before we managed to lock the doors, we were required to serve them. This is also an extremely common practice. In addition, you two are definitely the assholes here for going into a place you already admitted you knew closes before you got there. 25 Reply Share
    Via u/Penthrite96
  • Font - daymuub Yta dude they were closed come on 26 ♡ Reply Share
    Via u/Penthrite96

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customer service amitheahole aita retail retail worker karen-customer customers late customer service industry

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