A user on TikTok has sparked discussion after recounting what appears to be an experience she had as a server.
In a series of two videos, which have 358,000 and 127,000 views respectively, TikTok user Hannah Brown (@.hannahbrown) recalls an interaction with a guest who placed a massive order—then expected it to be done within a half hour.
After the customer places an order, which includes 6 sandwiches, 6 burgers, and 4 salads with specific requests, Brown informs the customer that an order of that size typically takes about an hour and that their order can be picked up later.
“What do you mean an hour? There is no reason it should take that long,” the customer responds.
Brown then tells the person that they ordered an amount of food typical for catering, which requires more time.
“No, I’m not interested in getting catering. I have my daughter’s engagement party in 30 minutes. And there has to be food there,” the customer responds.
After a bit of argument, the customer says, “OK, I think what you don’t understand right now is that you are ruining my daughter’s engagement party. You think I can show up with no food? Or you think I can show up an hour late?”
“OK, well, we would have easily been able to accommodate your request if you had just called ahead or placed the order online,” Brown counters.
The argument continues, at which point the customer says, “If your goal was to ruin my day, then congratulations because you ruined it.”
@.hannahbrown can you smell the part two cooking 🗣️#restaurantstory #hostesstiktok #serverproblems #hostessingtings #hostesstingz #hostessing #hostessproblems #customerservicestories #restauranttings #servertiktok #hostessingstories #serverstories ♬ original sound – hannah brown
The conversation continues in the follow-up video. At this point, someone has entered the restaurant and picked up an order that they had placed previously. This, it seems, incensed the previous customer.
“So instead of making my food back there, you were making hers. Is that right?” the customer asks.
“Right, well she placed her order online like 45 minutes ago,” Brown responds.
Brown then goes on to explain that, as a restaurant, they make orders as they receive them. This does not satisfy the customer.
“OK, well just so you know, my daughter is livid right now. This is supposed to be her engagement party,” the customer says. “She’s supposed to be having a blast, but she’s blowing up my phone, texting me because there’s 15 hungry guests at my house right now and no food.”
Brown says she is “sorry to hear that,” then informs her that her food is still being made. The customer responds by accusing Brown of jealousy.
“Listen, I’m sorry that you’re jealous that my daughter’s getting engaged and you’re not, but try not to take it out on us,” the customer says.
“I’m not jealous of your daughter. I’m just trying to do my job,” Brown answers. “I am jealous of the person I was before we started having this conversation.”
@.hannahbrown hope this girl’s daughter had a great engagement party. sorry about ur mom 🙏🏼 #restaurantstory #hostesstiktok #hostessingtings #hostesstingz #hostessing #hostessproblems #customerservicestories #serverproblems #restauranttings #hostessingstories #customerservice ♬ original sound – hannah brown
In the comments section, users shared their thoughts on this type of customer, which many claimed to have encountered personally.
“I often have to wonder, who ties these people’s shoes for them in the morning, because how?!” asked a user. “How do they function day to day.”
“I used to work at Aldi & there was a lady who put all her food up on the belt without putting the divider up. Then she stood there and watched me scan 1/2 of her stuff before she told me. I very nicely reminded her about the dividers & she proceeded to scream in my face [that] I ruined her daughters 9th birthday. Because I asked her to put the divider up next time,” detailed another. “She screamed so much that she was escorted out & banned.”
“Omg for our engagement party we were searching restaurants and catering for MONTHS beforehand,” offered a third. “I would be SO stressed if i were her daughter.”
The Daily Dot reached out to Brown via email.
