'You can't keep sending things back': Demanding couple keep changing their order in attempt to make servers look incompetent in front of manager

Author image for Eleonora Bader
Eleonora Bader
Mar 5, 2024 7:00 AM EST

Some customers will try anything to get free stuff, going as far as to make employees working in customer service cry.

I mean, if you're working in customer service, chances are you've sobbed your heart out at one point or another, whether from frustration or at the absolutely shocking behavior some people portray because you happen to have a nametag stapled to your shirt. People are the worst.

This couple was obviously trying out some elaborate scam in order to get comped for their meal. They were staying at a hotel that had a restaurant, and one of the servers took to Reddit after their awkward encounter. Basically what happened was the couple who came to eat became increasingly difficult, repeatedly changing their food order and complaining about service. They even lied to other customers about their experience, which in my opinion, is a sad attempt at a freebie.

Despite the staff's efforts to accommodate them, the couple continued to cause disruptions… Scroll down to read all about what happened, and then check out this employee who received $21,000 in compensation after they were forced to commute 200 miles a day for 2 years.

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  • 01
    "You can't keep sending things back!"
    via Canva
  • 02
    Woman lies repeatedly about the order being wrong. Manager thinks we're in the wrong
    via u/Total_Illustrator721
  • 03
    Today we had a couple come in an order food & get drinks. I first had a ticket come through that they ordered a cocktails, so I get to making it. By the time the drinks were in the shaker, the gentleman comes to the bar and asks to cancel the cocktails. I was almost done making them, but whatever. I voided the items and he orders a bottle for his table instead of the cocktails.
    via u/Total_Illustrator721
  • 04
    I bring the bottle to the table. Show him the bottle, asks if he would like to try it first. They say no so I leave. Perfectly fine. They then order food. I'm not on food but I'm watching as the lady tells the server that she ordered something different. No issue, new food gets brought out, she says again that it is the wrong order, and said it was something different again. I know for a fact this is what she ordered as I heard her. As I
    via u/Total_Illustrator721
  • 05
    was behind the bar opposite her table. I heard the whole interaction and KNOW she kept changing what she wanted. I think 3 or 4 times she sent the meal back. At this point the manager is involved and 2-3 other staff members As the server was bringing her meal back to the kitchen, she then has a conversation with another table. I didn't catch the start of her conversation but I heard "and we
    via u/Total_Illustrator721
  • 06
    ordered cocktails too but they haven't come either". Knowing fully that she cancelled the cocktail order. It also wasn't as if they cancelled because it was taking too long, as it was around 5 minutes from placing the order that the husband came to the bar. I obviously can't interject at this point but she is basically trying to make us look as bad as possible to other guests, and
    via u/Total_Illustrator721
  • 07
    blatantly lying and none of us know what she wants (other than the whole restaurant to hear how "bad" our service is) She finally gets a meal she is happy with, after bringing one of my servers to tears. I hear again that the couple were complaining that they had received wine they didn't order and were attempting to send it back (I'm not sure if they were successful in doing so), but the bottle was
    via u/Total_Illustrator721
  • 08
    around half empty. The husband literally came to the bar and ordered the bottle. I'm not sure if they weren't happy with the peace at this point, and I'm kicking myself for not making him sign for the bottle. At the end of the night, the manager is far from happy & tells us that the couple came to reception with many complaints and likely a distasteful review.
    via u/Total_Illustrator721
  • 09
    My interactions with the couple were very polite & they seemed very happy with their drinks, up until the point they started to complain. I'm not sure what their aim was, perhaps a free meal? I think she reached a point an thought "fok it, let's see how many freebies we can get" and was clearly enjoying the attention she got from telling my other guests about it.
    via u/Total_Illustrator721
  • 10
    I honestly felt bad for her husband, he didn't start the whole ordeal but was forced to go along with it. His food was in front of him as he waited for the lady's meal to keep being re-brought out. There was an offer to take it back to take kitchen so it stays warm, but the lady quickly denied that offer for him, probably so she could bring it up later and say her husbands food was cold by the time hers was brought out
    via u/Total_Illustrator721
  • 11
    Lov Alex_Masterson13 - 10 hr. ago If I had been the manager, they would have been kicked out long before they got what they claimed was the right food. I cannot tolerate human trash like that. 178 Reply Share magiccitybhm. 8 hr. ago Yep. After the second time she sent back food, a manager should have taken over the table. If they claimed it was wrong again, OUT THEY GO.
    via u/Alex_Masterson13, u/magiccitybhm
  • 12
    Elegant-Pressure-290- 9 hr. ago I was the front desk manager at a hotel. They're likely doing this in order to A. Get VIP treatment for the rest of their stay and B. Get a large chunk taken off of their stay (if it isn't entirely comped) by the front desk, who won't know or have any way of knowing exactly what happened, when they check out. In short, they're garbage humans. 49 Reply Share
    via u/Elegant-Pressure-290
  • 13
    Kalikokola 10 hr. ago Short term memory loss and also Karen complex. De ly combo 33 Reply Share Prestigious_Chard597 · 10 hr. ago You should tell us where so we can write glowing reviews of the staff and mention the cropy table causing problems. Reply Share 33
    via u/Kalikokola, u/Prestigious_Chard597
  • 14
    Im__done_with_sergio · 10 hr. ago Did your manager comp them? 4 Reply Share Total_Illustrator721 OP 10 hr. ago It's a hotel so they're overnight guests. All billing gets dealt with at the end of the stay but I suspect they'll be given a free meal or even a free stay for the future. But I know for the remainer of their stay all notes attatched to their table will say something along the lines of "VIP treatment"
    via u/Im_done_with_sergio, u/Total_Illustrator721
  • 15
    Atinggoddess1. 7 hr. ago They definitely did this to get free stuff. I know this because people have admitted this to me lol I guess I'm "easy to talk to" and have a friendly face because people have told me all types of nonsense. And I was a host for years to so I know the b hit they be trying to play. But yeah some people are and they will do ANYTHING to get something free. Especially with how everything is so expensive 41 Reply Share
    via u/Atinggoddess1
  • 16
    ColdstreamCapple - 32 min. ago If this woman does give you a bad review check her history.....Some of these people don't even hide the fact EVERY business gets a 1 star with them and I guarantee she's got a nice little scam going for every business she encounters I have an aunt on my fathers side who used to pull antics like this then brag about it
    via u/ColdstreamCapple
  • 17
    The worst was when she went into a jewellery store and claimed the woman behind the counter had told her a ring was $500 less than advertised price and she somehow managed to convince the manager to give her the ring for that price (This was 20 years ago now so I'm sure the statue of limitations have passed) In other words my aunt committed literal fraud which is the same game this woman is up too I'd DNR them and not let them return Vote Reply Share
    via u/ColdstreamCapple
  • 18
    MelkorTheDarkLord18 1 day ago Some people do this. They want to feel superior is the main thing. If you are nice and accomodating they will create problems to feel like you can't do anything right. It's like sa sm. They make others suffer and then they feel better. Some people who act nice (mother teresa) are huge sa ts and are a t 'r on society. 27 Reply Share Total Illustrator721 OP 1 day ago What is the best way to deal with said people? if I could I would have kicked them out, but we can't r
    via u/MelkorTheDarkLord18, u/Total_Illustrator721
  • 19
    Queen MotherOfSneezes 1 day ago I've been out of the industry for a bit, and I know some places have gone digital, but this is why I used to write everything down in my notepad as a table map. A) it easy to show other people helping you run food for a large table where stuff is going, and B) it gives you proof for those trying to scam free s t because you "made a mistake" I had this onej k who came in with his sports team (table of 12) while taking his order, he kept changing what kind of burger
    via u/QueenMotherOfSneezes
  • 20
    we're ordering, he twice yelled over them, making more changes to his order. Before I left, I confirmed his order (which he decided to change again, then change back) amd I made him confirm that what i had written down was correct. Then when I came back to the section a few minutes later to take another table's order, he changed his mind again, so I again confirmed what I had written down, then ran into the kitchen and told them about the change. So his order comes out, and he immediately and lo
    via u/QueenMotherOfSneezes
  • 21
    standard gift certificate, but stopped short when she heard me say "no, that was your order the third last time you changed it, see?" as I whipped open my pad. I then walked him through every order change, while his friends laughed at him. The best part was when he called head office to complain, the manager had already warned them about him, so he didn't get free food out of them either. 30 Reply Share
    via u/QueenMotherOfSneezes

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customer service hotel server restaurant drinks manager bad review entitled customers employees compensation couples ordering food food payment reddit workplace stories
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