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Dealing With Strange Customers

Thanks All for your responses…She came in last nite, she asked for a regular plate, I told her I got ride of them, she asked why I expalined to her in lenght about the situation with dirty dishes, then talked to her about the restroom, honestly I hate to say it, but she is dumber than a box of rocks, because she asked I thought the health department only cared about cleanliness, HAHA. I told her they do but also the welfare & safety of customers & employees. Anyway she appoligized for her behavior and the nite went on as usual. On the other hand one of my employees seemed like I am the bad guy, I had to explain, hey this is my life & my business Im not going to loose it for anyone or anything, if just one thing goes wrong while someone walks thru here to use the bathroom, then I loose everything…Anyway thanks all for your responses and advice 😃
 
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Okay I am a little late on this but am I the only one with this perspective?

I am amazed we are always thinking of ways to increase sales, make more money etc. and here you have a gal that comes in 4 times a week. And you are complaining cuz she wants to use your bathroom without bothering to ask you?

As for the plates…give me a break where is the customer service. The lady comes in 4 times a week GO OUT THERE AND BUS HER FRIGGIN TABLE FOR HER! Then you can put the dishes where they should go…

You need to rethink your problems and figure out how you can upsell this gal with some of your great food not how she can behave to please you.
 
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Kris:
Okay I am a little late on this but am I the only one with this perspective?

I am amazed we are always thinking of ways to increase sales, make more money etc. and here you have a gal that comes in 4 times a week. And you are complaining cuz she wants to use your bathroom without bothering to ask you?

As for the plates…give me a break where is the customer service. The lady comes in 4 times a week GO OUT THERE AND BUS HER FRIGGIN TABLE FOR HER! Then you can put the dishes where they should go…

You need to rethink your problems and figure out how you can upsell this gal with some of your great food not how she can behave to please you.
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Kris, you are little late in the conversation, the issue was not bussing her tables it was her putting the dirty dishes on the counter, & it is a safety issue when you have customers walking thru your kitchen. We have told her over a dozen times that we will take care of the table, & have actually thanked her for doing so one her own. Please go back from the start & read all posts
 
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Hey Kris, not to jump on ya…but it is truely the access issue. Her kids just walk right into her kitchen to go to the back of the kitchen area to the restrooms. Hot ovens, knives, etc… I agree that there should be restrooms for customer use but she is not set up for them at all and if her insurer knew she had random customers walking through her kitchen I bet she would have more issues. I still go with my idea pull out the tables…add a bench or chairs for waiting… and as you said… you are 99.9% delivery and carryout. Now you are 100% and zero dine-in! Yes she is a great customer but one kids hand to an oven and your profit for all her visits is gone at that first ER visit! This is 100% safety and has nothing to do with how good a customer or the dirty dishes. If all you care about is profit…and yes it is the point of running a business…but you need to be a responsible business owner and that is what I see Daisy trying to do. Sorry to this one family and others than need a restroom…but if an establishment is not set up nor required to offer them…they usually do not. Go to a mall. They have public ones and private in store for employees only. Common sense needs to come into play here. :roll:
 
I have been following this thread too because I have 3 tables in my front area that are used very sparingly. I always feel uncomfortable when I let people use the bathroom. It just feels so wrong to have customers in the kitchen area and with my setup they don’t even get close to the dangerous equipment. I would feel bad having to tell them they can’t use the bathroom. The worst is when someone walks in and asks to use it and then leaves without a purchase or a menu like we were just a pit stop.
 
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Ok guys, now this is exactly how strange this customer is I’m dealing with, I think I really have had it with her. She came in Friday night, just after I had left, with all 3 kids, according to one of my workers, her teen daughter came in claiming she really had to pee, both my workers told her NO, that there was a public bathroom 2 blks down at the gas station, so guess what her mom said to do… She actually told her just go around back & go in the back door, so that way I would not see her on the security camera, R U KIDDING ME !!! :? My one gal told her she cannot do that, and that the back door was locked anyway. I have absolutely had it with her, I talked to a few people around & they said to go and talk to my insurance guy & get some answers’. I thought that it was handled, but the mother is pushing it to extremes. WOW she has balls !!!
 
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Daisy do not call your insurance agent. You will look stupid! I hope you haven’t had any other claims that they could reopen since you now have admitted to several osha and health violations. This women needs to be told thank you for your patronage but with the “go in the backdoor” comment and her inability to see the light… I hate to see anyone tell a paying customer goodbye…but one slip, or burn and you are now working at the gas station 2 blocks down! Sorry for the bluntness but smarten up here…you have it all to lose not just one regular customer. I would also still remove the tables and in with the bench! Why wait for another. 100% NO-DINE-IN!!! :idea:
 
Mike, I did speak to a family member of mine who is in the insurance business, he absolutely said that I am 100% covered reguardless if a customer slips & falls walking in the door or falls anywhere inside the building reguardless if they are using the bathroom or not, he did say to call speak to my county health department and that what I did this morning, they stated to me, ABSOLUTELY no one is allowed behind the counter that is not an employee due to health & safety issues, they completely know my setup of my business and the tables are only for waiting, but they are allowed to eat in if they choose to do so. So on that note, I am going to post a sign “NO PUBLIC RESTROOM” available. And I will speak to this woman again & tell her how it is & if she does not appreciate the fact, then well I hate to say it BUT GOOD BYE
 
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Daisy, given all that has happened to this point, I think you are doing the right thing. I would do the same.
 
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Ask the county health inspector to print out a copy of the rule and laminate it.
Keep it behind the counter and when she comes in, show her.
 
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[paul7979:
State regulation or not, if you have tables to dine at within your establishment you should have customer accessible bathrooms. I have never run across a place that does not, but when I do, I will absolutely not do business with them. If I’m going to eat at your restaurant, I should be given the opportunity to wash my hands without having to wait till it’s convenient for the employees. It shocks me to hear that anyone thinks this is acceptable, especially a state health department/inspector.
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I have not either. It’s like a playground without a swing. No disrespect intended; I simply don’t get it. Nor do I understand why this is so dramatic. Post the notice as advised and carry on with an offer of a no charge item for any confusion. Word of mouth is your best or your worst marketing.

PD
 
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