'And no tip, of course': Customer refuses to read entire menu description and demands item restaurant does not offer, incompetent manager leaves novice server in charge

Author image for Elna McHilderson
Elna McHilderson • Managing Editor
Nov 26, 2023 1:00 PM EST

When it comes to sticky situation, you're going to want an expert in charge, right? Unfortunately, sometimes, like in the instance of this Redditor's story, the "expert" in charge is actually the worst. This Redditor was new to working the service industry. (They have since worked it for many years, but this was from the start.) The were working at a big chain steak house when they got a male Karen. This guy ordered something off the menu that did not exist. When OP pointed that out to him, he simply did no care and demanded what he ordered. Since it literally did no exist in that establishment, the tantrum started. Luckily, the male Karen didn't end up getting what he wanted, but his penance was definitely not enough. Plus, he didn't even leave a tip. A classic way for a new server to find out that people can be the worst. 

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    Cheezburger Image 9841788928
    via rawpixel
  • 02
    Posted by u/DonutConfessional666 4 hours ago The Steak Guy Long So I was a server from 2007- 2019 (with a few breaks) and I have loads of customer stories, but this guy has always stood out to me.
    via u/DonutConfessional666
  • 03
    Picture around 2008. I'm barely a year in to serving and I think it's going well. I get this table, a husband and wife, and do the normal intro, specials, and grab the drinks. it -- chain steakhouse When I come back with the drinks, they order. I don't even remember what the wife had, but the husband
    via u/DonutConfessional666
  • 04
    said "I'll have the porterhouse t-bone," as well as his temperature preference and side items. Fast forward to me delivering the food. I set their dishes down and ask if there's anything else that they need in this moment.
    via u/DonutConfessional666
  • 05
    The man looks super confused and says to me: "I ordered the filet. This has a bone." I say, "oh my gosh I'm sorry. I thought you said the porterhouse t-bone. Did you want the 7oz filet or the 9oz?"
    via u/DonutConfessional666
  • 06
    He says "yeah, I ordered the porterhouse t-bone, the 20oz filet." At this point I'm dead confused because 1) I brought him what he asked for, and 2) we didn't offer at 20oz filet. So I (regretfully lol) told him we didn't have a 20oz filet,
    via u/DonutConfessional666
  • 07
    and that what I brought him was indeed the porterhouse t-bone steak. He says to me again, "THIS HAS A BONE. I WANT A 20 OZ FILET." I thought, maybe if I bring the menu over, he can show me exactly what he meant. I grabbed the menu and asked him to show me exactly what he wanted. He
    via u/DonutConfessional666
  • 08
    was already irritated, but obliged me and pointed to the porterhouse on the menu. "SEE??" He smugly said while reading the menu. "Porterhouse t-bone, a 20oz filet."
    via u/DonutConfessional666
  • 09
    He was reading the first LINE of the description and didn't even bother with the rest of the words I pointed this out to him and said "oh, you have to read the full description. It says 200z, filet AND New York strip on the bone. That's what makes up the tbone."
    via u/DonutConfessional666
  • 10
    At this point, I'm feeling confident that I explained the situation and he understood. No. He said "I don't care, the menu said 20oz filet and that's what I want." After explaining one more time, he still refused to budge and I grabbed a manager. (Of course, this
    via u/DonutConfessional666
  • 11
    was the dumbest manager you could ever imagine that had zero restaurant experience prior, but that's really neither here nor there.) I watched the manager and customer go back and forth before the manager threw up his hands (figuratively) and walked away.
    via u/DonutConfessional666
  • 12
    I went back to the table and asked if the manager was able to resolve the issue. "No," the man said, "I want a 20oz filet. I don't want the tbone and I don't want two 9oz filets. But I guess you don't have what you advertise."
    via u/DonutConfessional666
  • 13
    I apologize and ask if there's any other item we can make instead or if there's anything at all I can get for him so he can have a better experience. He replies: "yeah, I want the 20oz filet but since you don't have it, just grab me the ketchup."
    via u/DonutConfessional666
  • 14
    At this point I thought I was going to scream lol but I grabbed some ketchup, dropped it off, and watch him proceed to eat a beautiful porterhouse tbone with warm ketchup and a sour expression. And no tip, of course.
    via u/DonutConfessional666
  • 15
    I waited tables for years and YEARS after that encounter (and had some other ), but no one ever touched the stupidity of the guy who wouldn't bother to read the second line of the description and then acted like it was our fault for not offering 200z filet that literally no restaurant offers.
    via u/DonutConfessional666
  • 16
    Q-burt 33 min. ago Waste of a good steak. I would have given that steak a proper thank you party in my stomach and no ketchup in sight.
    via u/Q-burt
  • 17
    LordDumba TheThird. 3 hr. ago U cannot reason with dumb.
    via u/LordDumbA**theThird
  • 18
    WisconsinGB 2 hr. ago This is why i would have a hard time being a server, I would have snapped after the third explanation. Whoever started the coustomer is always right slogan was as dumb as they come, very rarely is the coustomer even right.
    via u/WisconsinGB
  • 19
    PliniFanatic - 1 hr. ago Waiting tables truly opens your eyes to how stupid and unreasonable some people can be. Yesterday I had a lady call the place I work at complaining that we overcharged her on the gratuity and she would never leave 50%. She gave
    via u/PliniFanatic
  • 20
    me 60 on 135, which is very nice of her. We pulled the receipt and it was clear as day that she ment to do this. Math added up. She then said "oh I was drinking and didn't mean to leave that much". The manager is cool thankfully and shamed the women for being so dumb.
    via u/PliniFanatic
  • 21
    VTnative 2 hr. ago ● Let's see, a moron, puts ketchup on steak, refuses to admit that he's wrong, and refuses to read. Yeah, that tracks.
    via u/VTnative

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