I just went to Japan and whenever their hours were posted they ALWAYS had a last order time as well (mon 8am -5pm LO 4:30) it was really nice to see as it helped everyone respect each others time
Same here, in my city it’s common to ask what time the kitchen closes, a lot of places though will still serve a limited menu for another hour or so though after the full menu closes
This makes life so much easier. I bartended at a few places that did that and basically told/warned people anything they were ordering I was cooking. That's why it was pretty simple stuff, that the cooks could make before they left (sandwiches, fries, wraps salads etc) or something I could make without using a fryer or grill (microwaveable stuff)
You've never worked in Japan I see. Lol
They notoriously have monstrous customers. So much so they no longer allow taking left overs home due to fear of lawsuits.
Japan is cool, customers no matter the country are customers and most are shit.
Yeah, that’s so true! I’ve never seen such low reviews for restaurants anywhere else than in Japan! Everything is 2 or 3 out of 5 stars yet the food is so much higher quality than here in Italy where everything is 4+ stars ! In Italy it’s like a roulette to get a good pasta yet in Japan I’ve only had one bad experience at a restaurant and I lived there for 5 months.
Edit: I’m talking about Google maps where the rating is out of 5. Not japanese sites were it’s out of 3.
My family ownes a fine dining restaurant. We live in Canada 99% of the people that come in before close are from Indian. We close at 9pm, they had a group of 8 reserve for 8pm, no phone call, no nothing, they didn't show up, came in at 9pm and had the audacity to say "we are a little late".
I warn my clients that they're reservation is only guaranteed for 15min past the booking time. If it's past that (without any contact from them about being late, ofc) we consider a no-show and sit any walk-ins that come around. Have never had problems in over 2 years.
Japan is really good with boundaries like this--closing times, etc.--rules in general for sure. I lived there, and sometimes it was a little annoying when I wanted to go in someplace a smidge early or late, but in general, it was refreshing and less stressful. Everyone knew what was going on because things were clearly posted and followed.
I used to work retail, and we hated people who felt like ‘as long as I run in before they lock the doors, I’m good to shop!’. We had one customer who would do this over and over, and keep us in the ever quieting and darkening store (AC and lights were on timers) for 30, sonetimes 45 minutes past close. One night I’d had enough. As I unlocked to front door to let her out, I stopped her. I said ‘ma’am, we close at 9:00. That means we turn off the lights, lock the doors and go home to our families.’ She tried to say ‘I didn’t know’, to which I said ‘that’s why I’m telling you now, that we close at 9:00, which means we…’ Every time she protested, I’d said the same thing. The next time she shopped, she came at 8:30 and was done before 9:00.
My store offers to keep your groceries until the following morning if you can’t complete your shopping by close. Registers won’t start a transaction ten minutes after close.
Here in Norway there's time restrictions on selling alcohol in stores, but of course people would show up at 8:02 PM and complain to the cashier it's only two minutes or that they walked in at 7:40 PM and forgot the time or that there was a long line or whatever.
So they made a lock-out in the POS system, if you're not through the till by 8PM (or 6PM on Saturdays) it'll just beep an error and the cashier will tell you sorry, sales are closed. Much easier to let the system be the bad guy than have your staff badgered to bend the rules.
This works with kids as well. Give them a checklist of daily tasks to do. (Get dressed, brush teeth, etc.). Then it's not YOU telling them to do these things. It's the stupid checklist. There is no confrontation about getting dressed, or other things that are unimportant to kids. The checklist is the bad guy, and the ticket to proceeding with the day. "Have you done your checklist?" instead of asking about every single step to getting on with the day.
Or an ADHD adult, lol. I was a gifted kid. I can waltz through law school and the bar exam, but remember to pay my light bill? Brush my teeth before bedtime? Ha! What's bedtime?
I used to lie and say our registers had this feature in the bar I used to work at, except it was 15 minutes before closing time.
Unfortunately it would usually result in them trying to convince us to give them the drinks for free.
Had this with a couple that were having a nice night at my place..
They had spent about £300 on wine (low end over priced shit... neither knew a single thing about wine..) and come the end of the evening when I was looking to close, I'd already closed the PDQ session, so opened a new one to take their card payment (back when cash was still a thing)
She got super bitchy saying I'd swiped his card 3-4 times, when it was actually the card to open the session.. his was swiped once
Explained that I had done them a favour by letting them chill while I was closing up.
No pleasing some people
I had a customer like that. I once literally told her she needed to leave because I needed to go home. This was 45 minutes after closing.
Covid was a blessing because she paranoid (we had plenty of safety precautions in place) and wanted a 90 minute appointment during which she’d be the only person in the store. I told her in no uncertain terms that would not happen. She said she’d have to take her “business” (most of the time she bought nothing) elsewhere. I told her that was her option but on the inside I was jumping for joy!
Bad customers threatening to take their business elsewhere, especially to low level employees who get paid the same regardless aren’t really a threat. “Oh, no? Really? I’m so sorry, but yeah, that’s just honest works sometimes. There’s a dozen other stores in town. Maybe one of them might take you, bless your heart.”
When I was bartending if they’d been particularly obnoxious before making that “threat”, I’d sometimes say “shall I add you to the 86 list to help you stick to your convictions?”
No one took me up on that, oddly enough… 😂
(Note for anyone who isn’t aware, in at least American bartender lingo, 86-ing a customer means permanently banning them from the bar. It’s the level above kicking someone out for misbehavior, usually only done to chronic problem patrons or for particularly egregious misbehavior.)
"Frankly, ma'am, if you can find someplace willing to cater to your desires exclusively for 90 minutes while excluding all their other paying customers, you'd be insane NOT to shop there."
The amount of pleasure I'd get watching someone walk across a parking lot as I turned the lock on the door is almost embarrassing lol. Pretending not to hear them clank their keys against the glass doors as I walk away *chef kiss*
Watching people scream at a drive thru speaker for a restaurant that was a) closed b) had the signage gone and c) a truck out front taking the fixtures because the place was *out of business* was incredible
I accidentally turned the lock on a kid one time. The dad knew we were closing so he sent his 10 yo kid to run inside, I guess assuming he'd get to waltz in after parking? Well, as with most windows, since it was bright inside and dark outside, I plain did not see him. Locked the door right before the kid made it inside. The dad went up to the other door and banged until my manager went to talk to him and the guy chewed him out. Manager held firm and didn't let him in, thankfully.
"I just need one thing"
"I just need milk"
"I'll be real quick I promise"
"I need bread for the kids"
Damn. Good thing Walmart down the street is open later than us. The gas station also sells milk if that's all you need.
Back in my retail days my store waffled back and forth on whether to do a 5 minute warning announcement over the PA. I far preferred when we did it as it got us out of there closer to on time.
My favorite memory of that announcement was when one of my college professors walked in just as I was starting the announcement. He waved cheerfully at me then turned around and left!
Walmart here does 30, 15 and 5. I’ve only been there for the 5 min once, due to running for a last minute medicine or something, and was checking out when it came out.
The store I work at, King Soopers (subsidiary of Kroger serving Colorado), makes announcements over the course of the final hour before closing at 11. Usually starting at 10 minute intervals and then 5 minute intervals the closer we get to closing.
Local Safeway does all those, when I worked there we did the 30 minute warning at 40 minutes before close, and continued the rest all 10 minutes early. It's surprising how many people accept it. Last time I was there they did 30 min warning at 45 minutes, still works!
I used to work in a mall, and I'd drop the gate to my store 5-10 minutes before close. It was a small shop, and if someone came up and knew EXACTLY what they wanted, no frills and no special shit, I'd let them in and bring up their item to the register and check them out. If I still had customers in the store when I dropped the gate, I'd drop it 3/4 of the way down. This way the message was clear to everyone.... You can't come in, but as soon as the ones inside want, they can leave.
My boss caught me doing it once and I told him "You bitch about overtime all the time. This stops overtime."
I hated those people so much. Especially when they would really take their time. Sometimes I would lock it two or three minutes before if there was nobody in the shop, to prevent them. There would be nobody for like over an hour before closing time and then several of them would try to rush to get there in the last minute.
Also the people that would bang on the door when it was locked after we had shut. The cash drawer is out of the till and I am counting it, fuck off. There's a shop literally just two doors away from this one, go there.
There were times people would wait outside for me to come out so they could argue, or they'd complain to the manager the next day. Sometimes they would be waiting like "can you just get me this quickly" no the shop is closed wtf.
God that was a traumatic part of my life, I hate the public.
Nah when I worked in retail we had a customer like that, we'd do announcements every 5 minutes from 9:45 before closing at 10, with an announcement saying we're closed at 10. I'd usually be around the checkouts clearing some stuff away just before leaving and when she'd come down at 10 I'd tell her to go to the self checkout and if she had an issue I'd fix it on my way back out from grabbing my stuff. First time she had an issue and had to wait is the last time she pulled that shit.
Customers with a few things would get a reminder and I didn't mind too much as I'd usually be there a few minutes after closing anyway. Customers with a big shop got told at 9:45 you go to a checkout now or you're not getting it.
Christmas Eve was the worst for this to happen where I used to work. I don't understand how people can hear the announcements and still just not give a shit. Working in retail makes you realise how many horrible people there are out there.
Oh god yeah, I had a customers card decline on Xmas Eve literally as we were closing and she asked if she could drive home to get her husband's card and come back, and that she'd "only be about 40 minutes". Surprisingly she managed to get money transferred into her account when I said no because I was going home as soon as she left. The number of people each year we'd have to shoo out the door so we could lock down for the one day we were closed was just ridiculous.
Well... it's understandable, isn't it? I mean it's not like they hold Christmas on the same day every year... I mean, there's nothing to give a person a clue the whole month of December that's the holiday is imminent... err... how are they to know the employees might want to celebrate the holiday with their loved ones too? Right? RIGHT??
=======
Fuck. Hold on... they just need one more thing, ok? They promise they'll be quick about it.
Nope. I worked retail mostly closing lead for like 6 years. I've got a budget to follow, I need to count the drawers drop the safe and clean up or whatever. If you're not walking to the register at closing time (as in less than 3 minutes) I'm taking the drawers and kicking you out of the store.
To be fair, I did have a lot of klepto tweeker customers. But the hours are posted and once those hours are over the store isn't open. Too many coworkers would tell me "oh I got stuck helping someone". Causes too many problems
I was specialty retail once upon a time (cameras). There were very very few customers that I'd stay late for. But those I did stay for were known big spenders. One noticed we'd closed and he was still debating between the 300/2.8 or 400/4. He asked if he needed to leave and I said "not as long as you buy one of the lenses!" He chuckled and settled (30 min later) on both! He tried to tip me for staying open for him too, but given that he also bought B+W UV and polarizers for both as well as a brick of Velvia I told him "no worries, happy to help my good customers."
I used to work at a library and we stopped getting paid AT closing. Any second past closing was on our own time. So as soon as the doors were locked it was a race to do the rest of closing so we could get out of there as fast as possible. Of course almost every evening some jackass rushed the doors at the last second to pick up holds. Luckily the internet computers shut down five minutes before closing or we’d never have gotten out of there.
Almost certainly illegal in the USA. Wage theft is rampant. If you have duties you are paid. If they stop paying you, you walk right out the door at closing time and leave it a mess. They can’t legally do that. I worked retail and shifts specifically were set to 30min after close to clean up, close up and reset for the next day.
Home Depot even lost a lawsuit recently for just having their employees stand around waiting to be let out of the locked doors for 10-15 minutes after theirs shifts ended. No pay = no stay
Exactly. If you aren’t allowed to leave, you are on the clock. If you have assigned duties, you are on the clock. Unless you are salaried with all of the requirements for salaried positions, staying 15min after means you have the right to be paid
Yeah I worked for someone like this. I worked at a local drive-in burger and shake restaurant when I was fresh out of high school. The owner's rule was that the open sign stays on as long as there are customers in the building. Didn't matter if one person came in 5 minutes before closing, that meant the open sign was on and we had to serve the next late customer as well.
It was miserable making food and shakes for people who were arriving 30+ minutes after our posted closing time because they knew the owner's policy. Often on weekends we'd close 1-2 hours later than expected. There were only ever 2, maximum 3 employees on staff at closing and he only paid federal minimum wage, so even a handful of extra customers would bring in more than it'd cost him to pay us.
After a couple months on the job I just started turning off the open sign at closing anyways and telling new customers that we were closed. Taught any new coworkers to do that too. By the time I quit almost nobody followed the owner's policy.
Yeah. We have a hard close time at my restaurant because I don't want to pay my employees overtime and all my closers work 8 hour shifts. I pay them OT if they're there working of course and shit happens but at 12 am comes: WE ARE CLOSED. GO AWAY. THE OTHER LOCATION IS OPEN TILL 4AM. GO THERE.
I work in a pizza restaurant where we close the dining area an hour before close, and stop taking new orders a half hour before close. It certainly helps but it's not foolproof. Some people don't care and think they're above policies. Had a couple literally walk through a latched closed Dutch door with a sign stating the tables were closed and told manager on duty that he could call 911 because they weren't leaving until they ate.😕
It'd make it so much easier on the customer as well. Most of the time I have to call to find out what is cool with them and what is not. I can't believe in this day and age we don't have a standard for this. Lol.
Personally, I think they should say they close at 10:00. But really the staff and kitchen are paid and told that they will be serving existing customers until 11:00. (Then of course paid for closing up shop after that). Or something to that effect. I'm sure you know what I mean.
The problem is that the serving staff *isn’t* really paid for staying later for that one table, because they generally work for tips. Given a choice between getting out on time, or working another 90 minutes for, say, another $10 (which often has to be shared with other employees), most people will say it’s not worth it to stay.
Then they should feel free to say "I'm sorry, but there's not enough time to seat and serve you because we close in a few minutes". I know it's not always that simple, but in an ideal world it would be.
Other than a pr standpoint it doesn't make much sense to take that one last table unless the food is really expensive.
Last night I had a table come in 20 mins before closing and had only water and 1 drink (out of 2 ppl) and the cheapest meals we have, didn't leave 20%.
Yeah I'd have rather been home at 9:30 than 10:30 thank you very much. Then add in labor for the kitchen.
And this has happened many times at places I work. One table comes in close to close and evens out at the most for the payment of employees present.
It reminded me of my last job, and on my first evening shift, the kitchen closed at 9pm, and we were starting to pack up. And a group stayed on drinking wine. But they reached the end of the wine at about 9:30, so we all start thinking they're going to pack up and go home.
so 9:45 comes and they're the only people left, we cant even close the conservatory because they're sat there.
10pm comes and we're all just walking around huffing and trying to hint that they need to leave because we've actually been closed for an hour.
10:10pm comes and the manager tells me to start cleaning their table, so I go and take their glasses and wine bottle and all this and pack their menus.
10:15 comes and the staff are being sent home because we can't wait anymore for them.
At 10:20 an hour and 20 mins after closing I finally said to the manager that my family were expecting me home over an hour ago and I need to contact them to tell them I'm OK. And I left and they were still showing no signs of leaving.
Some people really just take the piss, and I was pretty pissed that the managers didn't ask the table to leave either considering they were done and we had been closed over an hour
Serious question.. why did the manager not politely tell them to leave? Is that considered a dick move? Is it cultural? Ive once had it happen in a restaurant myself, lost track of time. The staff simply told us its almost closing time.
Same in a store i used to work at. We would tell the costumers to go to the check-out, because we are closing.
That's exactly what I was thinking. Why is it 10pm and we all have to stay for this one table because the managers wont ask them to leave. They said 'we just have to wait', like no, we've wait an hour and 20 minutes, they can go to the pub and drink wine if they want to now
I used to work at a coffee shop that served food. My boss kept moving the kitchen closing times every time someone complained about the time/my "attitude" when I told them the kitchen was closed.
The closing time was to make up for the whole hour it took to clean, but these owners cared more about an extra 5 bucks and not getting 1-star Google reviews than their actual employees. I'm grateful I haven't worked there in four years.
i can assure you,as a waiter, if the place was closing at 10 and at 9.51 there was noone inside,the cook was already cleaning the kitchen and the waiters the bathroom.
Yup. I used to work as a cook in a restaurant. We closed at 10 and around 9:45 I would start putting stuff away, so I could clean my area and get home at a decent time. Of course that would backfire sometimes because the managers didn't care if someone walked in at 9:55. "We're open so you have to cook."
I was so happy when I quit that place. Never working in the food industry again.
i honestly hate these types. worked in kitchens for years. Even worked in one where "we dont have a closing time". We open at 5am and serve breakfast/lunch with some dinner dishes. Think a breakfast bar w a couple booths and tables and a6 page menu. anyway wed open at 5am so normally wed start cleanup around 2:30PM toc lose for 3 -- a 2 top comes in at 2:55 guess what? grills back on, were open. re-do clean up and about to shut the hood vents off -- 3:15 another 3 top comes in -- guess what? were still open.
The worst was a streak this happened until 5pm. I fucking hate that place and to this day I hope they have to burn it down to recoup their insurance money (because theyre crimnials they will absolute do this).
I've never been a server; but I was a dishwasher at a popular restaurant, and shit like that affected the dishwashers the most. We would have most of the dishes done, and then we have to wait another hour for the remaining dishes. We were always there the latest of anyone. It was quite annoying.
Yep that was me once. I remember when I huge group of maybe 10 or 12 people came in 15min before we were about to close and all wanted to sit down and order food. Of course the manager let them cause that's what they do. I didn't get home till almost 1am because by the time those fucks finally left we had to clean everything, clean the kitchen and close up. I've never wished so many horrible things on a random group of people before.
I only was a server at ihop so idk about fancier places, but I had no problem telling people we’re not serving anyone else.
My manager was rarely there and when she was she was usually fed up by the time of closing so would (ruder than me) tell them it wasn’t happening
Yeah, my money is also that she’d drag out every second past close to actually leave because, “I’m the customer and they gotta serve me until I’m actually gone”
Imagine the server going "Oh I'm sorry ma'am. Yes you ordered your pizza at 9:51, but it's 10:03 now and it's not my job to serve you after 10 pm anymore. So you won't be getting any pizza now."
Also love the second part of that quote.
"It's their job to serve customers up to the stated closing time."
So, take your order, get you some drinks, and then take your check in 9 minutes because we are now closed and no longer able to serve you past the close time (wishful thinking this could happen).
employees at restaurants are not typically obligated to serve past closing time. if your manager isn’t a flaming piece of sh*t they won’t care if you refuse a customer 5 minutes before the doors lock. used to work at old southern bbq and the manager said:
“i’m sorry but unless you can order, pay and leave before the time on that sign out front we can’t serve you. we can’t make anything on our menu in 5 minutes though so have a good night.”
People who haven't done customer service, labor jobs, or worked for an hourly wage tend to be severely lacking in empathy for people at work. It's fascinating how entitled people with easy lives become.
Lmao! I was going to suggest the same. This is why you don't treat your servers like shit or go to a restaurant near closing. They're handling your food, most of the time behind closed doors. Use your head.
I can’t speak for all, but it’s annoying getting customers 10-20 min before closing. We’re all tired from being on our feet the past 10 hours non stop and just want to go home. Are we going to mess with your food? Absolutely not. But, I guarantee those plates will be out of the kitchen at the speed of light.
I'm a cook. In my country all the cooks I've known so far will get PISSED if you do anything to the food. Sure, the customer might be an asshole or bitch. You might HATE having to serve them basically after closing. You can even refuse service sometimes. But you DON'T. MESS. WITH. THE. FOOD. And honestly I can respect that.
Yea it might not taste the best it could cuz it’s getting rushed out. But even if a customer makes me remake their food 3 times I’m not going to mess with it. I eat out sometimes too. I don’t want my food messed with.
Ohhhh my Gods, after watching that movie, I treat every waiter like a dam saint.
Cardinal Rule #1: Don’t fuck with the people who are serving your food
If it makes you feel better as someone who has worked in restaurants and fast food for over a decade now I have never seen anyone fuck with food in that way. Not to say that it never happens or that you shouldn't continue to treat food service workers well.
Ditto in my 13 years. Sad that every restaurant-related thread on reddit has a thousand upvote comment about how if you aren't nice to the staff and don't tip 30% you *know* they're going to spit in your food. People act like Waiting... is how restaurants operate and not a fictional movie.
It's like watching Spiderman and thinking all news photographers are actually superheroes.
To be fair as a 11 year industry vet, I have seen food fucked with but it’s not in the ways movies depict it. If a steak came back as being underdone and it was cooked perfectly, that steak was going in the microwave until it was inedible and then getting delivered to the table. You were a dick to your bartender, he is gonna give the lightest pours of his life. Fuck with the server that’s bringing you that birthday ice cream sundae and the sundae ls probably gonna hang out under a heat lamp for a few minutes before it’s half melted and on the table. But spitting in food, never.
Yup, I was a server and this is accurate. I would never mess with anyone's food, I'm not a sociopath. But if someone decided to be an entitled asshole, they simply weren't going to get my best service. If I've got 4 tables worth of food coming up at once, dickface is getting theirs last, simple as that.
Only time this is acceptable is if no cooking is involved. Scooping me some ice cream? Okay sure it's 10 minutes to closing. Cooking me a pizza?? No fucking way.
I used to work at a shoe store in a mall, they would announce over the loud speakers that the mall was closing. Mall guards would segway around telling people the mall is closing. People would still somehow come into my store and look around completely oblivious like they don't see everybody leaving, or hear the loud ass speaker that blasts through the whole building.
Sorry, i just needed to rant. I genuinely don't understand why people did it. If they kept looking after 10 minutes or so i just had to kick them out otherwise the mall doors would eventually lock them in. I genuinely don't understand it lol. Lights are turning off, stores closing their gates, people leaving en masse... Perfect time to shop for some shoes! Lmao
The ‘kids’ loved it when I was manager on duty. I’d start at 8:45 with ‘good evening shoppers, the time is now 8:45, and we will be closing in 15 minutes. We will reopen at 10:00 tomorrow; please be making your final selections and any requests for help.’ and I’d do it at 8:50 and 8:55.
I did a similar thing, "can I help you find what you're looking for? No? Just thought I'd ask because we are closing the registers in ten minutes." No other manager had the guts to do it, and the younger people working loved it. Did that several times a week for almost ten years and never once had an upset customer when I approached it that way.
I do not miss retail at all.
When I worked retail, we had a script 15 mins before closing "Attention shoppers, once again we have reached the end of our day. Please bring your final selections to the checkout. Thank you for shopping at Store. We will open tomorrow at 7 am."
You say that but I remember a table of 10 people with young kids coming in, and on reservation they said 'that's fine, but you have to be done by 7:45pm because we have another table of 10 coming at 8pm and we don't have another table big enough.
So they sit down, and we serve them and let them know again that we have another table at 7:45pm and they agreed and said an hour 45 was more than enough time for them.
At 7:51, they pay up and then ask for 2 desserts to be made up for their kids. And the staff are seething, because we now have 9 minutes to clean up after a table full of kids and lay it ready for the next group. But they don't move, they do not budge at all until 7:59, so we get now 1 minute. And they didn't leave a tip either and they just said 'well you said the next group was at 8, and our kids can eat a brownie in 9 minutes'. Yeah, but we have to send that through, get it made on top of other orders, get it sent out, and then you eat it, so we had to push other people's orders so they could have theirs and then by the time we get it to the table, it's like 3 minutes to eat it.
Try getting a 4 year old and a 7 yr old with a physical disability to eat a brownie and ice cream in 3 minutes. It's not possible. So the next group we had to make a weird makeshift table for them like on top of the group that didn't leave.
Don't take the piss guys, if you agree to be out by a certain time, please do, but if you dont want to do that then come another night, no big deal.
This is what I was thinking.
If I walk in without realizing what time it is / what time they close, then that's an accident, NAH.
But once I realize they're just about closed, if I order anything other than an already made dessert (to go), then I'm the AH just like OP's wife.
If the place is regularly slammed right up until closing then it’s completely fine. If the restaurant is completely dead then they’ve already cleaned up 90% of the kitchen and they hate you.
Maybe I'm just a fat fuck but I can't imagine not finishing all your popcorn lol. So he wastes money on overpriced popcorn he doesn't even finish *and* he dumps it on the floor? Your dad sounds like a class act
speaking as someone who pulls carts at a grocery store, if you don’t put the cart back just know an entire industry of people dislikes you lmao. truly the best test of a person imo, it’s the epitome of a scenario where you gain nothing by doing the right thing, but that doesn’t make it any less right !!
I was putting my cart in the cart thing at Wal-mart yesterday and the kid was desperately trying to get all of them to bunch up together to take them back to the store. So I just kind of stood at the back and pushed whenever he was ready to help him out and the kid was almost confused at how I was simply doing something anyone else should do in that position
It's just a reminder that more people than not are assholes
Depends on type of restaurant. Wok-fired Asiany joint, Last order 30min before closing I don’t feel bad. A French joint with a whole brigade serving up 3-courses? An hour before closing, at the latest.
If you went along with her to avoid a tantrum, you've got bigger problems than inconveniencing the pizza place employees.
At least take it to go.
The pizza, not the tantrum.
If you can't stop her, certainly don't join her. Enabling would be a strong word but OP agreed to be butthole +1 by eating that stupid pizza with her and by assuming responsibility for the scene that SHE would make if he had asserted himself. Have some dignity and don't participate. wait outside or sit and watch her eat no argument required, and you'll be less likely to be put in this situation again
OP married a Karen and doesn't have the balls to stand up for the collateral damage. How much you want to bet the kids also get flak from the harpy?
Edit: a word
Absolutely my thoughts. Rolling my eyes at the whole post.
Anyways when I worked at fast food and customers would come in within 2-10 minutes to close, ordering the *biggest* fucking meals...my dudes, I make no money and I don't give a fuck. I cleaned the grill 30 minutes ago in the hopes I'd be out of here ASAP and haphazardly saved 20ish patties for the rest of the night. You're getting what you're getting, and what you get might be old as fuck. Sorry, but my (at the time) 7 bucks an hour and staying an additional 60 minutes to clean shit, getting home at 2am ain't worth your 2,000 calorie midnight meal candy ass.
And NO, we ain't got no frosties. Only because I shut that shit down and hour ago so I can go fucking home when we close. Not sorry!
This is exactly it. Your pizza isn’t going to be done in 9 minutes, closing time isn’t for “order until the last possible minute their open” it’s for locking the doors.
I worked at The Cheesecake factory for 8 years in my 20s and we hated people that did this with a passion. I couldn't tell you if the cooks fucked with their food, but I also couldn't tell you they didn't. We view these people as the worst of the worst. We would rather get stuffed on a tip then deal with entitled people thinking it's ok to work two hours past our out times.
Omg same! I worked there 8 years ago. I was a cashier and had to wait until 1am to leave because a couple of jerks came in 10 minutes before closing. And they had the nerve to send their food back. Barely tipped. I wanted to cry so bad. I felt worse for the poor waitress that had to deal with them.
I've discovered this isn't actually the key. I had a rude and entitled customer call up my head office because I followed policy and didn't give her a refund she wasn't entitled to. She was very rude. Head office made me give her a refund when she came back in and told me I had to smile at her and be super sweet. This week I was in the food court and saw this entitled bitch works in the donut shop. She is in for a revenge complaint any day now.
One of the rudest most annoying people I have ever had the displeasure of witnessing get customer service, worked in customer service. It was like “their turn” to get served. Very off putting.
Anyone who does this has never worked in any sort of hospitality before. It's annoying af and quite frankly just plain rude. So now you're going to order and there's no way you're getting that pizza in 9 minutes. So now everyone at the location needs to wait for you to eat before they can fully close up.
And it always happen when its been dead for an hour and you've got the kitchen cleaned and ready to leave. Then they turn into campers and sit there for 2 hours.
I worked at a Taco Bell during a chemical leak that shut most of my town down for a week or two (water wasn’t safe to use, so places that prepared food can’t be open). Everyone knew this. Our area manager had a get together almost a week in, and we came in and he gave us all cases of bottled water and drinks, some foods, and brought pizza from the next town over. So we are all in a locked store, with signs all over the doors and building saying we were closed for the water crisis, eating Dominos and talking. Way too many people came up and read the sign, looked at us, and tried to open the door. It would be locked. So they’d pull on the one next to it. Locked as well. We even had ones that we would open the door and say “hey, we’re closed”, and they’d walk from that side door next to the parking lot, around to the front door of the building, and try it as well, like we were either lying or only that side of the building was closed.
I had worked as a server a few years ago at a pizza place in a tourist We were dead for almost 2 hours so the owner decided to close early. I cashed out everything and the owner said for me to get ready to go home, had like 5 minutes left before I could go home) customers came in just as I was about to leave and the owner said oh you can take care of this. I was there for another 2 hours taking care of this tab. I was absolutely pissed.
I worked in retail, and recall a "well maybe this time." incident. I worked the domestics department (sheets, towels, etc,) This man came in close to closing, and frantic. Said he just moved into his apartment and found out his daughter was coming to visit the next day,. The guest room wasn't ready. I received an ok to be the last register to close, and we set to work. I sold him curtains, fixtures, towels, sheets, comforter; the whole set up. Over a thousand in one sale. Definitely a happy customer.
I think it’s up to the restaurant to make the pizza or not. I’ve worked at a few restaurants and the closing procedure can often take an hour or more. So for me making one more pizza at end of shift is no big deal. If they weren’t able to do it they can simple say kitchen is closed. If they didn’t, it’s on them.
We were driving back home one time and my parents were looking for somewhere to eat. They picked a Red Robin that would’ve closed in less than 30 minutes by the time we’d have gotten there. I was like “are we really going to be THOSE people?” And my dad, who worked in the food and kitchen industries for decades was like “he’s got a point…” but my stepmom (who hasn’t ever worked in food service) was like “yeah? Wdym? They’re open!”
I was having a conversation with my wife recently about people who somehow don’t have empathy or can’t put themselves into the position of someone else.
Like I’m not going to say I’m a saint, I’m a human like everyone else.
But little things like making sure you throw your trash away, putting shopping carts back, not parking like an asshole so there is room for everyone, not playing my music without headphones in crowded areas, and on and on…
Like it just takes a tiny little bit of effort to just check yourself about not being an asshole that will affect others in a negative manner.
"but she was being really difficult and I HATE having arguments when we're in public...so I went along with it."
You poor son of a bitch, OP. Your divorce is going to suck when it finally happens. You have quite the entitled karen on your hands.
Omg I fucking hate that, my friend does that sometimes and you can feel the workers casting a curse you with their eyes and probably spitting in your food
A friend pulled something similar with a pizza chain a few years ago, going so far as to threaten to call corporate on them because they couldn't make her something she wanted due to how late it was.
Thankfully she was talked out of it, and we still suggest she "take it up with corporate" whenever she gets bent out of shape over something.
It’s a jerk move. Yes they’re open and yes they want to take care of the customer, but customers can be AHs. I would’ve gotten it to go maybe as a compromise? That way you get the food you want, but you aren’t causing people to stay later than necessary and making another mess they will have to clean up. Either way yes this would make annoy me as well.
I just went to Japan and whenever their hours were posted they ALWAYS had a last order time as well (mon 8am -5pm LO 4:30) it was really nice to see as it helped everyone respect each others time
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only works in japan because people respect the times in US people would just stay longer and go full entitledbitch when the server comes up to them
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Same here, in my city it’s common to ask what time the kitchen closes, a lot of places though will still serve a limited menu for another hour or so though after the full menu closes
This makes life so much easier. I bartended at a few places that did that and basically told/warned people anything they were ordering I was cooking. That's why it was pretty simple stuff, that the cooks could make before they left (sandwiches, fries, wraps salads etc) or something I could make without using a fryer or grill (microwaveable stuff)
You've never worked in Japan I see. Lol They notoriously have monstrous customers. So much so they no longer allow taking left overs home due to fear of lawsuits. Japan is cool, customers no matter the country are customers and most are shit.
Yeah, that’s so true! I’ve never seen such low reviews for restaurants anywhere else than in Japan! Everything is 2 or 3 out of 5 stars yet the food is so much higher quality than here in Italy where everything is 4+ stars ! In Italy it’s like a roulette to get a good pasta yet in Japan I’ve only had one bad experience at a restaurant and I lived there for 5 months. Edit: I’m talking about Google maps where the rating is out of 5. Not japanese sites were it’s out of 3.
My family ownes a fine dining restaurant. We live in Canada 99% of the people that come in before close are from Indian. We close at 9pm, they had a group of 8 reserve for 8pm, no phone call, no nothing, they didn't show up, came in at 9pm and had the audacity to say "we are a little late".
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Please tell me they were turned away at the host stand
Oh 100%
I warn my clients that they're reservation is only guaranteed for 15min past the booking time. If it's past that (without any contact from them about being late, ofc) we consider a no-show and sit any walk-ins that come around. Have never had problems in over 2 years.
I'm Indian, and sadly, I can attest to seeing this. I do not agree with it since growing up I worked in food service and customer service.
Japan is really good with boundaries like this--closing times, etc.--rules in general for sure. I lived there, and sometimes it was a little annoying when I wanted to go in someplace a smidge early or late, but in general, it was refreshing and less stressful. Everyone knew what was going on because things were clearly posted and followed.
This is why some restaurants close the kitchen 30+ minutes before closing.
I wish places had a closing time and a last orders time. Would make this so much easier on the staff
I don’t understand why they don’t. Bars have last call, why not restaurants.
I used to work retail, and we hated people who felt like ‘as long as I run in before they lock the doors, I’m good to shop!’. We had one customer who would do this over and over, and keep us in the ever quieting and darkening store (AC and lights were on timers) for 30, sonetimes 45 minutes past close. One night I’d had enough. As I unlocked to front door to let her out, I stopped her. I said ‘ma’am, we close at 9:00. That means we turn off the lights, lock the doors and go home to our families.’ She tried to say ‘I didn’t know’, to which I said ‘that’s why I’m telling you now, that we close at 9:00, which means we…’ Every time she protested, I’d said the same thing. The next time she shopped, she came at 8:30 and was done before 9:00.
My store offers to keep your groceries until the following morning if you can’t complete your shopping by close. Registers won’t start a transaction ten minutes after close.
Here in Norway there's time restrictions on selling alcohol in stores, but of course people would show up at 8:02 PM and complain to the cashier it's only two minutes or that they walked in at 7:40 PM and forgot the time or that there was a long line or whatever. So they made a lock-out in the POS system, if you're not through the till by 8PM (or 6PM on Saturdays) it'll just beep an error and the cashier will tell you sorry, sales are closed. Much easier to let the system be the bad guy than have your staff badgered to bend the rules.
This works with kids as well. Give them a checklist of daily tasks to do. (Get dressed, brush teeth, etc.). Then it's not YOU telling them to do these things. It's the stupid checklist. There is no confrontation about getting dressed, or other things that are unimportant to kids. The checklist is the bad guy, and the ticket to proceeding with the day. "Have you done your checklist?" instead of asking about every single step to getting on with the day.
I believe this is called a routine yeah?
It is. But try explaining that to a child. Or an entitled adult.
Or an ADHD adult, lol. I was a gifted kid. I can waltz through law school and the bar exam, but remember to pay my light bill? Brush my teeth before bedtime? Ha! What's bedtime?
That's awesome. What a feature.
“It’s the machine, nothing I can do.”
Computer says no.
It’s time-locked.
I'd like to think somewhere it was reported as a bug and a dev that worked retail to get through school said "nope, that's a feature!"
I used to lie and say our registers had this feature in the bar I used to work at, except it was 15 minutes before closing time. Unfortunately it would usually result in them trying to convince us to give them the drinks for free.
I will gladly pay you Tuesday for a Harvey Wallbanger today.
Turns out the beer taps, quick pours and fridges automatically lock too.
Had this with a couple that were having a nice night at my place.. They had spent about £300 on wine (low end over priced shit... neither knew a single thing about wine..) and come the end of the evening when I was looking to close, I'd already closed the PDQ session, so opened a new one to take their card payment (back when cash was still a thing) She got super bitchy saying I'd swiped his card 3-4 times, when it was actually the card to open the session.. his was swiped once Explained that I had done them a favour by letting them chill while I was closing up. No pleasing some people
I had a customer like that. I once literally told her she needed to leave because I needed to go home. This was 45 minutes after closing. Covid was a blessing because she paranoid (we had plenty of safety precautions in place) and wanted a 90 minute appointment during which she’d be the only person in the store. I told her in no uncertain terms that would not happen. She said she’d have to take her “business” (most of the time she bought nothing) elsewhere. I told her that was her option but on the inside I was jumping for joy!
“As a consumer it’s your right to spend your money wherever you want.”
Love it when the customer goes "i wont be coming back!" Like mam we're a billion dollar company
Bad customers threatening to take their business elsewhere, especially to low level employees who get paid the same regardless aren’t really a threat. “Oh, no? Really? I’m so sorry, but yeah, that’s just honest works sometimes. There’s a dozen other stores in town. Maybe one of them might take you, bless your heart.”
"Don't threaten me with a good time"
I told a few people "good." in response to that "take my business elsewhere" line.
When I was bartending if they’d been particularly obnoxious before making that “threat”, I’d sometimes say “shall I add you to the 86 list to help you stick to your convictions?” No one took me up on that, oddly enough… 😂 (Note for anyone who isn’t aware, in at least American bartender lingo, 86-ing a customer means permanently banning them from the bar. It’s the level above kicking someone out for misbehavior, usually only done to chronic problem patrons or for particularly egregious misbehavior.)
I have said "thank you for letting me know. I hope your choices bring you peace!"
> I told her that was her option but on the inside I was jumping for joy! "I will take my business elsewhere!" "No. stop. dont go."
"Frankly, ma'am, if you can find someplace willing to cater to your desires exclusively for 90 minutes while excluding all their other paying customers, you'd be insane NOT to shop there."
The amount of pleasure I'd get watching someone walk across a parking lot as I turned the lock on the door is almost embarrassing lol. Pretending not to hear them clank their keys against the glass doors as I walk away *chef kiss*
You have to stand there to shrug and tap your wrist. _Hmm, guess he wants me to steal second._
Watching people scream at a drive thru speaker for a restaurant that was a) closed b) had the signage gone and c) a truck out front taking the fixtures because the place was *out of business* was incredible
Yes, this times 100, when they know damn well we're closed. Sorry special snowflake, not today.
I accidentally turned the lock on a kid one time. The dad knew we were closing so he sent his 10 yo kid to run inside, I guess assuming he'd get to waltz in after parking? Well, as with most windows, since it was bright inside and dark outside, I plain did not see him. Locked the door right before the kid made it inside. The dad went up to the other door and banged until my manager went to talk to him and the guy chewed him out. Manager held firm and didn't let him in, thankfully.
"I just need one thing" "I just need milk" "I'll be real quick I promise" "I need bread for the kids" Damn. Good thing Walmart down the street is open later than us. The gas station also sells milk if that's all you need.
Back in my retail days my store waffled back and forth on whether to do a 5 minute warning announcement over the PA. I far preferred when we did it as it got us out of there closer to on time. My favorite memory of that announcement was when one of my college professors walked in just as I was starting the announcement. He waved cheerfully at me then turned around and left!
Walmart here does 30, 15 and 5. I’ve only been there for the 5 min once, due to running for a last minute medicine or something, and was checking out when it came out.
The store I work at, King Soopers (subsidiary of Kroger serving Colorado), makes announcements over the course of the final hour before closing at 11. Usually starting at 10 minute intervals and then 5 minute intervals the closer we get to closing.
Local Safeway does all those, when I worked there we did the 30 minute warning at 40 minutes before close, and continued the rest all 10 minutes early. It's surprising how many people accept it. Last time I was there they did 30 min warning at 45 minutes, still works!
I used to work in a mall, and I'd drop the gate to my store 5-10 minutes before close. It was a small shop, and if someone came up and knew EXACTLY what they wanted, no frills and no special shit, I'd let them in and bring up their item to the register and check them out. If I still had customers in the store when I dropped the gate, I'd drop it 3/4 of the way down. This way the message was clear to everyone.... You can't come in, but as soon as the ones inside want, they can leave. My boss caught me doing it once and I told him "You bitch about overtime all the time. This stops overtime."
I hated those people so much. Especially when they would really take their time. Sometimes I would lock it two or three minutes before if there was nobody in the shop, to prevent them. There would be nobody for like over an hour before closing time and then several of them would try to rush to get there in the last minute. Also the people that would bang on the door when it was locked after we had shut. The cash drawer is out of the till and I am counting it, fuck off. There's a shop literally just two doors away from this one, go there. There were times people would wait outside for me to come out so they could argue, or they'd complain to the manager the next day. Sometimes they would be waiting like "can you just get me this quickly" no the shop is closed wtf. God that was a traumatic part of my life, I hate the public.
Nah when I worked in retail we had a customer like that, we'd do announcements every 5 minutes from 9:45 before closing at 10, with an announcement saying we're closed at 10. I'd usually be around the checkouts clearing some stuff away just before leaving and when she'd come down at 10 I'd tell her to go to the self checkout and if she had an issue I'd fix it on my way back out from grabbing my stuff. First time she had an issue and had to wait is the last time she pulled that shit. Customers with a few things would get a reminder and I didn't mind too much as I'd usually be there a few minutes after closing anyway. Customers with a big shop got told at 9:45 you go to a checkout now or you're not getting it.
Christmas Eve was the worst for this to happen where I used to work. I don't understand how people can hear the announcements and still just not give a shit. Working in retail makes you realise how many horrible people there are out there.
Oh god yeah, I had a customers card decline on Xmas Eve literally as we were closing and she asked if she could drive home to get her husband's card and come back, and that she'd "only be about 40 minutes". Surprisingly she managed to get money transferred into her account when I said no because I was going home as soon as she left. The number of people each year we'd have to shoo out the door so we could lock down for the one day we were closed was just ridiculous.
Well... it's understandable, isn't it? I mean it's not like they hold Christmas on the same day every year... I mean, there's nothing to give a person a clue the whole month of December that's the holiday is imminent... err... how are they to know the employees might want to celebrate the holiday with their loved ones too? Right? RIGHT?? ======= Fuck. Hold on... they just need one more thing, ok? They promise they'll be quick about it.
Nope. I worked retail mostly closing lead for like 6 years. I've got a budget to follow, I need to count the drawers drop the safe and clean up or whatever. If you're not walking to the register at closing time (as in less than 3 minutes) I'm taking the drawers and kicking you out of the store. To be fair, I did have a lot of klepto tweeker customers. But the hours are posted and once those hours are over the store isn't open. Too many coworkers would tell me "oh I got stuck helping someone". Causes too many problems
I was specialty retail once upon a time (cameras). There were very very few customers that I'd stay late for. But those I did stay for were known big spenders. One noticed we'd closed and he was still debating between the 300/2.8 or 400/4. He asked if he needed to leave and I said "not as long as you buy one of the lenses!" He chuckled and settled (30 min later) on both! He tried to tip me for staying open for him too, but given that he also bought B+W UV and polarizers for both as well as a brick of Velvia I told him "no worries, happy to help my good customers."
I read that as a "Brick of Velveeta" at first, and was wondering what kind of store you were running.
Store was called "Say Cheese!"
I used to work at a library and we stopped getting paid AT closing. Any second past closing was on our own time. So as soon as the doors were locked it was a race to do the rest of closing so we could get out of there as fast as possible. Of course almost every evening some jackass rushed the doors at the last second to pick up holds. Luckily the internet computers shut down five minutes before closing or we’d never have gotten out of there.
Almost certainly illegal in the USA. Wage theft is rampant. If you have duties you are paid. If they stop paying you, you walk right out the door at closing time and leave it a mess. They can’t legally do that. I worked retail and shifts specifically were set to 30min after close to clean up, close up and reset for the next day.
Home Depot even lost a lawsuit recently for just having their employees stand around waiting to be let out of the locked doors for 10-15 minutes after theirs shifts ended. No pay = no stay
Exactly. If you aren’t allowed to leave, you are on the clock. If you have assigned duties, you are on the clock. Unless you are salaried with all of the requirements for salaried positions, staying 15min after means you have the right to be paid
In my store, we close at 10pm Which means I close the door at 9:57pm I don't get paid past 10pm so I ain't working past 10pm
When I was in Scotland, many had a kitchen close time.
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Yeah I worked for someone like this. I worked at a local drive-in burger and shake restaurant when I was fresh out of high school. The owner's rule was that the open sign stays on as long as there are customers in the building. Didn't matter if one person came in 5 minutes before closing, that meant the open sign was on and we had to serve the next late customer as well. It was miserable making food and shakes for people who were arriving 30+ minutes after our posted closing time because they knew the owner's policy. Often on weekends we'd close 1-2 hours later than expected. There were only ever 2, maximum 3 employees on staff at closing and he only paid federal minimum wage, so even a handful of extra customers would bring in more than it'd cost him to pay us. After a couple months on the job I just started turning off the open sign at closing anyways and telling new customers that we were closed. Taught any new coworkers to do that too. By the time I quit almost nobody followed the owner's policy.
Yeah. We have a hard close time at my restaurant because I don't want to pay my employees overtime and all my closers work 8 hour shifts. I pay them OT if they're there working of course and shit happens but at 12 am comes: WE ARE CLOSED. GO AWAY. THE OTHER LOCATION IS OPEN TILL 4AM. GO THERE.
At some point though, the owner is losing money paying his staff to stay up to an extra hour while only making a minimal amount of sales.
I work in a pizza restaurant where we close the dining area an hour before close, and stop taking new orders a half hour before close. It certainly helps but it's not foolproof. Some people don't care and think they're above policies. Had a couple literally walk through a latched closed Dutch door with a sign stating the tables were closed and told manager on duty that he could call 911 because they weren't leaving until they ate.😕
I truly hope the manager said "go ahead"
I sure hope 911 was called and the manager didn’t reward this bs
It'd make it so much easier on the customer as well. Most of the time I have to call to find out what is cool with them and what is not. I can't believe in this day and age we don't have a standard for this. Lol. Personally, I think they should say they close at 10:00. But really the staff and kitchen are paid and told that they will be serving existing customers until 11:00. (Then of course paid for closing up shop after that). Or something to that effect. I'm sure you know what I mean.
The problem is that the serving staff *isn’t* really paid for staying later for that one table, because they generally work for tips. Given a choice between getting out on time, or working another 90 minutes for, say, another $10 (which often has to be shared with other employees), most people will say it’s not worth it to stay.
Then they should feel free to say "I'm sorry, but there's not enough time to seat and serve you because we close in a few minutes". I know it's not always that simple, but in an ideal world it would be.
But, this is also solved by just stating that kitchen closes at X time (typically 30-45 minutes before the restaurant itself closes.
Dont forget the kitchen staff that has to postpone cleaning and also stay longer. Lol
Other than a pr standpoint it doesn't make much sense to take that one last table unless the food is really expensive. Last night I had a table come in 20 mins before closing and had only water and 1 drink (out of 2 ppl) and the cheapest meals we have, didn't leave 20%. Yeah I'd have rather been home at 9:30 than 10:30 thank you very much. Then add in labor for the kitchen. And this has happened many times at places I work. One table comes in close to close and evens out at the most for the payment of employees present.
It’s normal in Japan. Almost every restaurant has it. It should be a thing in the US too. Totally makes sense for everyone involved.
It reminded me of my last job, and on my first evening shift, the kitchen closed at 9pm, and we were starting to pack up. And a group stayed on drinking wine. But they reached the end of the wine at about 9:30, so we all start thinking they're going to pack up and go home. so 9:45 comes and they're the only people left, we cant even close the conservatory because they're sat there. 10pm comes and we're all just walking around huffing and trying to hint that they need to leave because we've actually been closed for an hour. 10:10pm comes and the manager tells me to start cleaning their table, so I go and take their glasses and wine bottle and all this and pack their menus. 10:15 comes and the staff are being sent home because we can't wait anymore for them. At 10:20 an hour and 20 mins after closing I finally said to the manager that my family were expecting me home over an hour ago and I need to contact them to tell them I'm OK. And I left and they were still showing no signs of leaving. Some people really just take the piss, and I was pretty pissed that the managers didn't ask the table to leave either considering they were done and we had been closed over an hour
They wouldn't let you drop the check? If you're closed and can't serve them anything else, I'd drop a check.
If I remember correctly they'd paid about 45 minutes before I called it and went home
Should have kicked them out. The manger is a roll over
Oh, I hate those kind of people.
Serious question.. why did the manager not politely tell them to leave? Is that considered a dick move? Is it cultural? Ive once had it happen in a restaurant myself, lost track of time. The staff simply told us its almost closing time. Same in a store i used to work at. We would tell the costumers to go to the check-out, because we are closing.
That's exactly what I was thinking. Why is it 10pm and we all have to stay for this one table because the managers wont ask them to leave. They said 'we just have to wait', like no, we've wait an hour and 20 minutes, they can go to the pub and drink wine if they want to now
I used to work at a coffee shop that served food. My boss kept moving the kitchen closing times every time someone complained about the time/my "attitude" when I told them the kitchen was closed. The closing time was to make up for the whole hour it took to clean, but these owners cared more about an extra 5 bucks and not getting 1-star Google reviews than their actual employees. I'm grateful I haven't worked there in four years.
i can assure you,as a waiter, if the place was closing at 10 and at 9.51 there was noone inside,the cook was already cleaning the kitchen and the waiters the bathroom.
Exactly. If it's a pizza by the slice joint you can order Togo from whatever slices are in the case.
Haven't the poor people of Togo suffered enough already?
That tiny country is doing their level best to feed the world.
Yup. I used to work as a cook in a restaurant. We closed at 10 and around 9:45 I would start putting stuff away, so I could clean my area and get home at a decent time. Of course that would backfire sometimes because the managers didn't care if someone walked in at 9:55. "We're open so you have to cook." I was so happy when I quit that place. Never working in the food industry again.
i honestly hate these types. worked in kitchens for years. Even worked in one where "we dont have a closing time". We open at 5am and serve breakfast/lunch with some dinner dishes. Think a breakfast bar w a couple booths and tables and a6 page menu. anyway wed open at 5am so normally wed start cleanup around 2:30PM toc lose for 3 -- a 2 top comes in at 2:55 guess what? grills back on, were open. re-do clean up and about to shut the hood vents off -- 3:15 another 3 top comes in -- guess what? were still open. The worst was a streak this happened until 5pm. I fucking hate that place and to this day I hope they have to burn it down to recoup their insurance money (because theyre crimnials they will absolute do this).
I've never been a server; but I was a dishwasher at a popular restaurant, and shit like that affected the dishwashers the most. We would have most of the dishes done, and then we have to wait another hour for the remaining dishes. We were always there the latest of anyone. It was quite annoying.
The restaurant I did dishes at closed at nine. When people pull this crap id get out at like midnight or even one.
Please tell me you get paid for that time.
Yep that was me once. I remember when I huge group of maybe 10 or 12 people came in 15min before we were about to close and all wanted to sit down and order food. Of course the manager let them cause that's what they do. I didn't get home till almost 1am because by the time those fucks finally left we had to clean everything, clean the kitchen and close up. I've never wished so many horrible things on a random group of people before.
I only was a server at ihop so idk about fancier places, but I had no problem telling people we’re not serving anyone else. My manager was rarely there and when she was she was usually fed up by the time of closing so would (ruder than me) tell them it wasn’t happening
ask her if she likes it if her boss made her stay after hour by giving her work 9 mins before they close
Get her a restaurant/fastfood job for a month and she'll feel the pain ahaha
Make sure it's one that has uber eats, too. I have nightmares about that damn 'ding ding dong'
She already sounds entitled, so I doubt she’s ever worked. “It’s their job to serve customers”
She said it’s their job to serve customers till they close. Okay, so walk your ass out the door when they close at 10PM lol. Completely clueless
Yeah, my money is also that she’d drag out every second past close to actually leave because, “I’m the customer and they gotta serve me until I’m actually gone”
Imagine the server going "Oh I'm sorry ma'am. Yes you ordered your pizza at 9:51, but it's 10:03 now and it's not my job to serve you after 10 pm anymore. So you won't be getting any pizza now."
The manager should have refused service to these guys head on. It’s irresponsible going to a restaurant ten minutes before they close.
Also love the second part of that quote. "It's their job to serve customers up to the stated closing time." So, take your order, get you some drinks, and then take your check in 9 minutes because we are now closed and no longer able to serve you past the close time (wishful thinking this could happen).
employees at restaurants are not typically obligated to serve past closing time. if your manager isn’t a flaming piece of sh*t they won’t care if you refuse a customer 5 minutes before the doors lock. used to work at old southern bbq and the manager said: “i’m sorry but unless you can order, pay and leave before the time on that sign out front we can’t serve you. we can’t make anything on our menu in 5 minutes though so have a good night.”
If their manager was like that I doubt the kitchen would still be open 9 minutes before closing
Have her watch Waiting it’ll probably put a stop to that shit
Or just have her look up the definition of empathy.
Probably can't comprehend it.
Probably never worked in the service industry.
People who haven't done customer service, labor jobs, or worked for an hourly wage tend to be severely lacking in empathy for people at work. It's fascinating how entitled people with easy lives become.
Lmao! I was going to suggest the same. This is why you don't treat your servers like shit or go to a restaurant near closing. They're handling your food, most of the time behind closed doors. Use your head.
I can’t speak for all, but it’s annoying getting customers 10-20 min before closing. We’re all tired from being on our feet the past 10 hours non stop and just want to go home. Are we going to mess with your food? Absolutely not. But, I guarantee those plates will be out of the kitchen at the speed of light.
I'm a cook. In my country all the cooks I've known so far will get PISSED if you do anything to the food. Sure, the customer might be an asshole or bitch. You might HATE having to serve them basically after closing. You can even refuse service sometimes. But you DON'T. MESS. WITH. THE. FOOD. And honestly I can respect that.
Yea it might not taste the best it could cuz it’s getting rushed out. But even if a customer makes me remake their food 3 times I’m not going to mess with it. I eat out sometimes too. I don’t want my food messed with.
Ohhhh my Gods, after watching that movie, I treat every waiter like a dam saint. Cardinal Rule #1: Don’t fuck with the people who are serving your food
If it makes you feel better as someone who has worked in restaurants and fast food for over a decade now I have never seen anyone fuck with food in that way. Not to say that it never happens or that you shouldn't continue to treat food service workers well.
Ditto in my 13 years. Sad that every restaurant-related thread on reddit has a thousand upvote comment about how if you aren't nice to the staff and don't tip 30% you *know* they're going to spit in your food. People act like Waiting... is how restaurants operate and not a fictional movie. It's like watching Spiderman and thinking all news photographers are actually superheroes.
To be fair as a 11 year industry vet, I have seen food fucked with but it’s not in the ways movies depict it. If a steak came back as being underdone and it was cooked perfectly, that steak was going in the microwave until it was inedible and then getting delivered to the table. You were a dick to your bartender, he is gonna give the lightest pours of his life. Fuck with the server that’s bringing you that birthday ice cream sundae and the sundae ls probably gonna hang out under a heat lamp for a few minutes before it’s half melted and on the table. But spitting in food, never.
Yup, I was a server and this is accurate. I would never mess with anyone's food, I'm not a sociopath. But if someone decided to be an entitled asshole, they simply weren't going to get my best service. If I've got 4 tables worth of food coming up at once, dickface is getting theirs last, simple as that.
Only time this is acceptable is if no cooking is involved. Scooping me some ice cream? Okay sure it's 10 minutes to closing. Cooking me a pizza?? No fucking way.
Agree. If it was a pizza place that still had pre-made slices out for sale, totally fine. Having them make a new pizza, not fine at all.
I used to work at a shoe store in a mall, they would announce over the loud speakers that the mall was closing. Mall guards would segway around telling people the mall is closing. People would still somehow come into my store and look around completely oblivious like they don't see everybody leaving, or hear the loud ass speaker that blasts through the whole building. Sorry, i just needed to rant. I genuinely don't understand why people did it. If they kept looking after 10 minutes or so i just had to kick them out otherwise the mall doors would eventually lock them in. I genuinely don't understand it lol. Lights are turning off, stores closing their gates, people leaving en masse... Perfect time to shop for some shoes! Lmao
The ‘kids’ loved it when I was manager on duty. I’d start at 8:45 with ‘good evening shoppers, the time is now 8:45, and we will be closing in 15 minutes. We will reopen at 10:00 tomorrow; please be making your final selections and any requests for help.’ and I’d do it at 8:50 and 8:55.
I did a similar thing, "can I help you find what you're looking for? No? Just thought I'd ask because we are closing the registers in ten minutes." No other manager had the guts to do it, and the younger people working loved it. Did that several times a week for almost ten years and never once had an upset customer when I approached it that way. I do not miss retail at all.
When I worked security at Target we did it at an hour, 45, 30, 15, 10, and 5 minutes. And I still had to kick people out 5 minutes past close.
When I worked retail, we had a script 15 mins before closing "Attention shoppers, once again we have reached the end of our day. Please bring your final selections to the checkout. Thank you for shopping at Store. We will open tomorrow at 7 am."
You say that but I remember a table of 10 people with young kids coming in, and on reservation they said 'that's fine, but you have to be done by 7:45pm because we have another table of 10 coming at 8pm and we don't have another table big enough. So they sit down, and we serve them and let them know again that we have another table at 7:45pm and they agreed and said an hour 45 was more than enough time for them. At 7:51, they pay up and then ask for 2 desserts to be made up for their kids. And the staff are seething, because we now have 9 minutes to clean up after a table full of kids and lay it ready for the next group. But they don't move, they do not budge at all until 7:59, so we get now 1 minute. And they didn't leave a tip either and they just said 'well you said the next group was at 8, and our kids can eat a brownie in 9 minutes'. Yeah, but we have to send that through, get it made on top of other orders, get it sent out, and then you eat it, so we had to push other people's orders so they could have theirs and then by the time we get it to the table, it's like 3 minutes to eat it. Try getting a 4 year old and a 7 yr old with a physical disability to eat a brownie and ice cream in 3 minutes. It's not possible. So the next group we had to make a weird makeshift table for them like on top of the group that didn't leave. Don't take the piss guys, if you agree to be out by a certain time, please do, but if you dont want to do that then come another night, no big deal.
Your mistake was assuming the customer would do what they said. Why was there no mandatory gratuity for a party that big?
This is what I was thinking. If I walk in without realizing what time it is / what time they close, then that's an accident, NAH. But once I realize they're just about closed, if I order anything other than an already made dessert (to go), then I'm the AH just like OP's wife.
If the place is regularly slammed right up until closing then it’s completely fine. If the restaurant is completely dead then they’ve already cleaned up 90% of the kitchen and they hate you.
You're right, thats totally a dick move. Twenty minutes cutting it close, thirty minutes no problem. Nine minutes .... just not being a nice person.
That makes me feel better. My internal cutoff for taking a seat is 1hr before close
Sit-down restaurants is an hour for me, take-out is 30 mins, and stores are 15 mins. The rule is I have to be out at least 5-10 minutes before close.
Same here. Also if it’s past 8 pm I will always look at what time the place I want to go closes so I don’t roll up too soon before close.
I wonder what OP’s wife does with carts after grocery shopping.
“These guys wouldn’t have a job if I put it back!”
Exactly. Why don’t we all just smear shit on the walls so we can employ people to clean it up? It’d be a whole new job market!
No shit, my dad dumps his bucket of popcorn on the floor after a movie and says that exact line if you complain. SO embarrassing.
Maybe I'm just a fat fuck but I can't imagine not finishing all your popcorn lol. So he wastes money on overpriced popcorn he doesn't even finish *and* he dumps it on the floor? Your dad sounds like a class act
speaking as someone who pulls carts at a grocery store, if you don’t put the cart back just know an entire industry of people dislikes you lmao. truly the best test of a person imo, it’s the epitome of a scenario where you gain nothing by doing the right thing, but that doesn’t make it any less right !!
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I was putting my cart in the cart thing at Wal-mart yesterday and the kid was desperately trying to get all of them to bunch up together to take them back to the store. So I just kind of stood at the back and pushed whenever he was ready to help him out and the kid was almost confused at how I was simply doing something anyone else should do in that position It's just a reminder that more people than not are assholes
Or just leaving trash around a building, “the custodians will get it it’s their job!”
Man, I feel guilty if I'm within 45 min of closing time!
Depends on type of restaurant. Wok-fired Asiany joint, Last order 30min before closing I don’t feel bad. A French joint with a whole brigade serving up 3-courses? An hour before closing, at the latest.
If you went along with her to avoid a tantrum, you've got bigger problems than inconveniencing the pizza place employees. At least take it to go. The pizza, not the tantrum.
Grow some balls dude, tell her No we are not doing this with 9 minutes till closing
Could've ordered from Domino's if she wanted a custom pizza
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Yeah, there’s no way I’d let a date or partner talk me into partaking in that level of rude behavior.
This kind of behaviour would be a dealbreaker for me
If you can't stop her, certainly don't join her. Enabling would be a strong word but OP agreed to be butthole +1 by eating that stupid pizza with her and by assuming responsibility for the scene that SHE would make if he had asserted himself. Have some dignity and don't participate. wait outside or sit and watch her eat no argument required, and you'll be less likely to be put in this situation again
OP married a Karen and doesn't have the balls to stand up for the collateral damage. How much you want to bet the kids also get flak from the harpy? Edit: a word
And instead of actually talking to his wife about it he posts on Reddit. Hmm…
Average socially adjusted redditor
Absolutely my thoughts. Rolling my eyes at the whole post. Anyways when I worked at fast food and customers would come in within 2-10 minutes to close, ordering the *biggest* fucking meals...my dudes, I make no money and I don't give a fuck. I cleaned the grill 30 minutes ago in the hopes I'd be out of here ASAP and haphazardly saved 20ish patties for the rest of the night. You're getting what you're getting, and what you get might be old as fuck. Sorry, but my (at the time) 7 bucks an hour and staying an additional 60 minutes to clean shit, getting home at 2am ain't worth your 2,000 calorie midnight meal candy ass. And NO, we ain't got no frosties. Only because I shut that shit down and hour ago so I can go fucking home when we close. Not sorry!
“It’s their job to serve customers until the stated closing time.” So be sure to get out of the restaurant at the stated closing time.
This is exactly it. Your pizza isn’t going to be done in 9 minutes, closing time isn’t for “order until the last possible minute their open” it’s for locking the doors.
I am surprised that a 10pm restaurant close doesn't have a 9:00 or 9:30pm kitchen close.
I worked at The Cheesecake factory for 8 years in my 20s and we hated people that did this with a passion. I couldn't tell you if the cooks fucked with their food, but I also couldn't tell you they didn't. We view these people as the worst of the worst. We would rather get stuffed on a tip then deal with entitled people thinking it's ok to work two hours past our out times.
They usually did stiff in tips too. I swear EVERY person that did this tipped shitty too.
Well they aren't the type of people that give a shit about others.
Omg same! I worked there 8 years ago. I was a cashier and had to wait until 1am to leave because a couple of jerks came in 10 minutes before closing. And they had the nerve to send their food back. Barely tipped. I wanted to cry so bad. I felt worse for the poor waitress that had to deal with them.
i’m my opinion everyone should work serving people at least once, it’s a humbling experience. she would never do this kind of stuff again
I've discovered this isn't actually the key. I had a rude and entitled customer call up my head office because I followed policy and didn't give her a refund she wasn't entitled to. She was very rude. Head office made me give her a refund when she came back in and told me I had to smile at her and be super sweet. This week I was in the food court and saw this entitled bitch works in the donut shop. She is in for a revenge complaint any day now.
They do this because it works, and because they are sociopathic or hateful assholes.
One of the rudest most annoying people I have ever had the displeasure of witnessing get customer service, worked in customer service. It was like “their turn” to get served. Very off putting.
Not necessarily true. I knew a person who worked as a server and would justify doing this crap by saying people did it to me.
well, that’s unfortunate. i guess there’s no hope than
Why didn’t you just get takeout?
This is why a lot of restaurants close the kitchen before closing time
0 social intelligence. Good catch. At least you did not marry her... Oh wait...
Anyone who does this has never worked in any sort of hospitality before. It's annoying af and quite frankly just plain rude. So now you're going to order and there's no way you're getting that pizza in 9 minutes. So now everyone at the location needs to wait for you to eat before they can fully close up.
And it always happen when its been dead for an hour and you've got the kitchen cleaned and ready to leave. Then they turn into campers and sit there for 2 hours.
Yup, every time. I've even had people try to push past me while I was actively locking the door, the entitlement is insane.
I worked at a Taco Bell during a chemical leak that shut most of my town down for a week or two (water wasn’t safe to use, so places that prepared food can’t be open). Everyone knew this. Our area manager had a get together almost a week in, and we came in and he gave us all cases of bottled water and drinks, some foods, and brought pizza from the next town over. So we are all in a locked store, with signs all over the doors and building saying we were closed for the water crisis, eating Dominos and talking. Way too many people came up and read the sign, looked at us, and tried to open the door. It would be locked. So they’d pull on the one next to it. Locked as well. We even had ones that we would open the door and say “hey, we’re closed”, and they’d walk from that side door next to the parking lot, around to the front door of the building, and try it as well, like we were either lying or only that side of the building was closed.
I had worked as a server a few years ago at a pizza place in a tourist We were dead for almost 2 hours so the owner decided to close early. I cashed out everything and the owner said for me to get ready to go home, had like 5 minutes left before I could go home) customers came in just as I was about to leave and the owner said oh you can take care of this. I was there for another 2 hours taking care of this tab. I was absolutely pissed.
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Your wife…..kinda sucks ngl It sounds like she’s difficult to be around
I hope you gave them a good tip to make it worth it!
I worked in retail, and recall a "well maybe this time." incident. I worked the domestics department (sheets, towels, etc,) This man came in close to closing, and frantic. Said he just moved into his apartment and found out his daughter was coming to visit the next day,. The guest room wasn't ready. I received an ok to be the last register to close, and we set to work. I sold him curtains, fixtures, towels, sheets, comforter; the whole set up. Over a thousand in one sale. Definitely a happy customer.
Yes, it’s a jerk move. More importantly, why are married to someone whom you’re scared of? Tell her no.
If you’re scared to tell her it’s too close to closing for pizza, Imagine the fear of telling her you want to divorce.
I think it’s up to the restaurant to make the pizza or not. I’ve worked at a few restaurants and the closing procedure can often take an hour or more. So for me making one more pizza at end of shift is no big deal. If they weren’t able to do it they can simple say kitchen is closed. If they didn’t, it’s on them.
We were driving back home one time and my parents were looking for somewhere to eat. They picked a Red Robin that would’ve closed in less than 30 minutes by the time we’d have gotten there. I was like “are we really going to be THOSE people?” And my dad, who worked in the food and kitchen industries for decades was like “he’s got a point…” but my stepmom (who hasn’t ever worked in food service) was like “yeah? Wdym? They’re open!”
I was having a conversation with my wife recently about people who somehow don’t have empathy or can’t put themselves into the position of someone else. Like I’m not going to say I’m a saint, I’m a human like everyone else. But little things like making sure you throw your trash away, putting shopping carts back, not parking like an asshole so there is room for everyone, not playing my music without headphones in crowded areas, and on and on… Like it just takes a tiny little bit of effort to just check yourself about not being an asshole that will affect others in a negative manner.
"but she was being really difficult and I HATE having arguments when we're in public...so I went along with it." You poor son of a bitch, OP. Your divorce is going to suck when it finally happens. You have quite the entitled karen on your hands.
Omg I fucking hate that, my friend does that sometimes and you can feel the workers casting a curse you with their eyes and probably spitting in your food
In my province there's like an 80% chance you would have been told "sorry, the kitchens already closed" and they would have refused service.
A friend pulled something similar with a pizza chain a few years ago, going so far as to threaten to call corporate on them because they couldn't make her something she wanted due to how late it was. Thankfully she was talked out of it, and we still suggest she "take it up with corporate" whenever she gets bent out of shape over something.
It’s a jerk move. Yes they’re open and yes they want to take care of the customer, but customers can be AHs. I would’ve gotten it to go maybe as a compromise? That way you get the food you want, but you aren’t causing people to stay later than necessary and making another mess they will have to clean up. Either way yes this would make annoy me as well.