How can I be polite to my customers, yet make them feel bad?

Question

I work in Pizza Hut and some customers are so so rude to us!

They want things in an instant, sit down and order and then demand the food in 5 minutes because they 'have to be somewhere else in half an hour'.

They also go crazy when we run out of things, and generally treat us badly because they feel we are serving them and are beneath them and should get a real job.

The only reason I work there is because I a studying for my degree and need a little extra cash. What they normally don't know is that with my tips and wages combined, I normally average out at around £17 an hour in wages....which is pretty good, and the tips are not taxed.

What can I say when people are rude and moan that will make them feel bad and put them back in their place? Obviously I still need to retain my professionalism and courtesy.

Thanks.

Answer 1

say, "i feel ya.  i should be in the class i sold all my stuff to pay for, but i'm here instead, just like you...."

Answer 2

be OVER polite  to them and emphisise certain words like SIR or MADAM,

Answer 3

Everything those little trout sniffers ask for take like 10 mins and then say "im so sorry but we're all out!'

yea i knoe im lame cuz of the whole trout sniffers thing but i dont care really! LOL

Answer 4

Tell them the first thing that pops into your mind.

Answer 5

I worked as a bartender for years...I feel your pain...the best thing to do is kill 'em with kindness...the nicer you are the worse they feel (and if they don't it pisses them off and they cannot do anything about b/c you were so nice)...plus if you say things like "wow, I am so sorry" with a smile plastered on your face while saying every four letter word under the sun in your head it can be pretty amusing!

Answer 6

SAY YOU ARE VERY SORRY THAT YOU CAN NOT PLEASE THEM AND THEN GO TO THE NEXT CUSTOMER

Answer 7

what the heck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!...

Answer 8

THE LAST BIT honey read it again! Retain your proffessionalism cause they will be more irritated if you are sickly sweet than if you get into confrontation and it might backfire just play it safe and go for the 'thanks for eating at pizze hut have a nice evening' 'Once again sir i apoplogise for the delay as you can see we are trying our best if you could just bear with us you will be served ASAP'(then put his order to the bottom lol)I know what it like in these sorts of places but that the best way to handle it babes,Good Luck with your degree and say 'NO' to drugs x

Answer 9

I'd say you should just suck it up and stay professional.  If you try to make them feel bad, you're just sinking to their level.

If you want to make them feel bad still, you could spin them some sob story about how you're working an extra job so you can get an experimental surgery to correct your cross-eyed parrot's vision or some such, but you'd probably have to really debase yourself, and sound really pathetic to make it work.

Answer 10

Insult their taste, and manners. But subtly.

Answer 11

i would try and put up with it but if it got bad i just wouldnt go back to their table fo refills and if they ask when you walk by just take their cup and leave put them in their place as a customer that relys on your service for their food not you rely on them for money put them in their fat place just make sure you gave them the receipt first or with the food so you dont have to go back they just caught you walking to another table when they asked for a refill

Answer 12

If you purposely tried to make them feel bad and they reported you, you might risk getting fired.

Just have to realize that some people can never be reckoned with.

Answer 13

Stand up to them. That pisses them off... But impresses your boss... Umm... Thats about it... If you want you could just try pimp slappin em'!

Answer 14

spit on their pizza secretly, that won't make them feel bad, but it will make you feel better lol

Answer 15

First off why are you complaining? 17 pounds and hour! I would kill for that kind of wage in america!  Well it sounds like a managment problem because you are stating speed of service problems. The next thing is that your customers feed off of your attitude so be upbeat and happy even if things are falling apart around you.

Answer 16

Perhaps you could say, if you are in a hurry you would like a salad instead of a pizza since it doesn't have to be cooked.

Answer 17

For £17 an hour, I'd take anything.....

I'd even make a pizza in the nude ( and I make pretty good ones from scratch at home ).

I hate rudeness, and see your point, however, the customer is king, especially the ones that tip.

Basil Fawlty should conjure some memories of what you may perhaps wish to say, but my advice would be to grin and bear it whilst just imagining insulting the customers.

Any effort to correct bad attitude will affect your tips.

Answer 18

Remember costomers are always right! Give them some free bread or something while there waiting. insure them that theres food orders in or on its way that way they know. Kill them with kindness!!

Answer 19

I feel you and I don't know what I would say  just think that they are in a rush and will be out of your sight in no time.♥

Answer 20

Well you can chew gum really loudly and act sarcastic.

Answer 21

Just say everything sarcastically.

Answer 22

FIrst off, you are making GREAT wages there--I am American, and your hourly wage is what nurses with degrees make over here, so THAT alone should make it easier for you to smile at the morons!  I say use the least words possible.  Just be efficient, and don't be effusive toward them at all.  Just slightly cool--let them hear their own words without adding much to them.  If they are pushing you, add "I am doing my best, sir" which is polite and professional, yet they will hear that they are being rude at the same time.  Good luck--and remember that if you were in California, you'd be making about eight American dollars an hour at your job, which would be about four British pounds!!   (I am a teacher--do they have any openings at your PIZZA HUT??!!)  Good luck!!

Answer 23

The best tactic I found when in the service industry is to be so over the top with politeness that it is obviously sarcastic.  It's all in the tone of your voice.  It's not like they can explain to your boss that you told them to "Happy A Nice Day!" in a "Go #$%@ Yourself!" tone of voice.

Answer 24

Try putting up a sign that says "We are sorry for the inconvenience, but food is cooked to order, and may take a while to be served. Once again, we apoligize for any inconvenience this may cause. We will refund your purchase if the rare occasion arises that we may run out of food. If you are unable to stay to wait for your food, please order for pick-up later, or order ahead of time.

-Thank you, The Mgmt."

That sounds professional, while not ticking off anyone who "has other things to do". Also, if anyone treats you like trash, formally ask them if they had ever had to do anything like this, and had to listen to someone whining, then walk away and bring them their check even if they havn't gotten their food yet. Oh, and if you see them on the street, trip them.

Answer 25

lol d**n i know what ya mean =(

seriously people can be rude

tell them

"if you have to be somewhere else, you should have thought twice about ordering something that takes 20 minutes to make.  Or you should have come/called earlier.  It is not our fault if you are late, but yours" ;)

its called thinking ahead =)

Answer 26

I worked in foodservice for several years.  It's the hardest thing on earth to be nice to the biggest @$$holes in town.  As my mom always says "kill them with kindness".  I'm more of a reverge person myself.  You could always drop the "I'm sorry sir, you do realise this isn't McDonalds and that we do cook your food fresh?"

Answer 27

£17 which pizza hut is this? Ha ha

I say still be polite to them, Its not that they are going to come everyday. Just forget about them.

Dont put them back in their space, they have low self esteem that they need to slag people off to feel better. Be courteous and Smile.

Answer 28

You don't have to make them feel bad. Just completely ignore them, that's their weakness. They want you to react so that you could look like the bad guy, when they're the ones who started the whole thing! Just take their order and leave them alone.

Answer 29

i kept changing jobs, thinking it was food business, but i think every new job i got was worse. my last retail job was at a bank, where i began losing weight and crying after work some days, it was so bad. Be overly polite to them. It eats them up. Also, they can't go complain, cause you said nothing wrong.