They Are Not Behaving Rice-ly

British Columbia, Canada, Food & Drink, Restaurant | Right | June 22, 2020


I work in the deli section of a mainly Asian grocery store where we serve hot Chinese food. Our combinations include one, two, or three items plus your choice of rice or a noodle; we have two rice and three noodle dishes.

Customer: “I’d like a two-item combo with the fried rice, ginger beef, and beef and broccoli.”

Me: “A two-item with fried rice, ginger beef, and beef and broccoli. For here or to go?”

Customer: “To go.”

The customer walks away to grab a drink. I serve the rice and begin scooping up ginger beef. The customer returns.

Customer: “That’s not what I ordered.”

Me: “Oh, I’m sorry, ma’am, I thought you said a two-item combo with fried rice, ginger beef, and beef and broccoli?”

The customer points at the Singapore fried vermicelli noodle.

Customer: “Yeah, I want that one. It says right here on the tag Singapore Fried. That’s what I want.”

Me: “So the fried vermicelli noodle, ginger beef, and beef and broccoli, not the fried rice? Sorry about that!”

I start dishing up the new combination for her.

Customer’s Friend: “Ugh! The service here is terrible