‘Lady I work 3 jobs, I serve dozens of customers…’: 20+ Baristas share times random strangers demanded they were ‘regulars' and how they dealt with them

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Elna McHilderson • Managing Editor
Jul 11, 2025 6:00 PM EDT

We all our the main characters in our own journey—this also goes for people working service industry jobs. I know for some people coughKARENScough, they think baristas, servers, hotel staff, etc. are all just born to be NPCs in their entitled little world where the sun revolves around them, but that's just not how it is. So when you walk into a coffee shop and just assume the employees know who you are and know you're order, you need to take a good look in the mirror. First of all, you are not the one to decide if you are a regular, that is up to the staff. And second of all, you can only become a regular if you aren't disrespectful. So take notes, Karen!

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  • Here we have found a whole thread of service industry folks coming encounter with completely strangers who assume they are “regulars.” Lady, these people service hundreds of customers a week, get a grip… 

  • Cheezburger Image 10526784000
    via Unsplash+ (and Brooke Cagle)

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • "But I'm a regular!"

    I was working in a cafe. A lady came to the counter to order. This was the conversation - Lady - 'I'll just have the usual' Me - 'I'm sorry what is that?'
    via LeaveInteresting3290
  • Lady - 'you should know by now you've worked here long enough, don't you think it's time you learnt' Me - 'lady I work 3 jobs, I serve dozens of customers a week, do
    via LeaveInteresting3290
  • you honestly think I remember what one person orders' Lady - 'well you should remember mine' I just stood there until she told me what she wanted.
    via LeaveInteresting3290
  • I had a customer just like this when I was a barista. She would just say her name when she pulled up to the drive through. Everyone else kind of gave up with her and just did what she wanted. I
    via HotSeaworthiness8479
  • made her say her whole order every time, even when I had learned the order by heart, she was just so nasty that I'd make her say it everyday out of spite. (Thankfully it did catch on with some of my coworkers)
    via HotSeaworthiness8479
  • emax4 "Your name isn't in the employee handbook. If you want your usual I'm going to have everything made and you pay upfront."
    via emax4
  • Caramel_Chick... I'd do the same thing all over again the next time she comes in and wants "the usual" like she's Norm Peterson from 'Cheers'.
    via Caramel_Chicken_65
  • Charles_Whitm... Every bar or cafe should have a menu item named "The Usual". Saves time.
    via Charles_Whitman
  • Xorr... I am almost 40, and in my entire life I have only had 2 places where I ordered food often enough that they did not have to take my order. But at no point did I walk in and say, 'I'll have the usual.' It always just happened one day, I walked in, and the lady said 'I
    via Xorrayn
  • will have your order ready in a moment dear', confused me asked what order she was talking about, and she just named everything I wanted. This does not happen just because you are a regular customer, there are many of those.
    via Xorrayn
  • MFAMOUS
    via Unsplash+ (and Delightin Dee)
  • Thats-not-how-we Where I work, customers sometimes walk in and fling their cc on the counter and expect us to know what they want. We have to ask at least 5 questions to ring them up correctly. Its disgusting.
    via Thats-not-how-we
  • chriskabob I had this happen while a barista at big bucks coffee. I'd been there for a week, and still trying to learn it all. A lady comes to the register, and snottily asks, "Do you know my drink yet?". I've been here a week, I don't know who the h I you are.
    via chriskabob
  • wannaget ock2 I've had customers like that as well. I greet them, ask for their order and when they say "my usual", I ask again. If they insist on "my usual", I will tell them that I'm not a mind
    via wannaget*ock2
  • reader and when they are ready to order properly to come back, moving on to the next customer. Usually only takes once or twice for that to happen and they realize that I'm not playing games.
    via wannagetcock2
  • Vickithe lut even if I knew what her order was I would pretend I dont and make here say it each time now
    via Vickithe*lut
  • mjschuller When I was a bartender, I knew most of my regulars usual drinks. I would always wait for them to order it or even just say, "the usual." Every once in a while I'd forget someone's drink and make a self depricating joke and more often than not people just say
    via mjschuller
  • what their drink was and we move on. In 3 years I had one time a woman who was, at best, a semi-regular ask for the usual and I had to say I was sorry but I did not remember her drink. You would of thought I smacked her across the face with the partially heartbroken partially angry face she gave me.
    via mjschuller
  • Everyone is the main character in their own story, but you could stare at me from now until St. Swithins Day, if I don't remember your drink, you're not getting anything unless you tell me.
    via mjschuller
  • OddCryptographer2... Stone cold silence and a straight face. After about 10 agonizing seconds, ask if they're ready to order. If not turn around and do something.
    via OddCryptographer2921
  • Anything. When they ask to order, tell them that you'll be right with them. Cue 10 more seconds. "Are you ready to order now"? Same straight faced deadpanned look.
    via OddCryptographer2921

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