work stories 2/15/2019

Yesterday sucked. Completely.

I work at an arcade, and I'm not sure why, but people are being more rude and entitled for no reason. A guy said he was going to throw his food in my face. While I was in the middle of helping another customer.

I went into work at 5pm. I did realize once I got there, that I left my work shoes at home. So I sent my boyfriend a text asking him to bring my work shoes to me when he gets home from work, which given the traffic from the past few days would be around 7. Since my normal shoes are black, they shouldn't be too much trouble to wear for two hours as I do my job. 

Things were going blahzai. My co-worker who didn't clock in yet, told me that we have 8 parties tomorrow. Good choas, I already know Saturday is going to be chaotic. 

I get on the floor and begin helping my lead prep. He sets me to work on pizza, and he works on wings. He gets those at the bar while I get those at the food and bev space. He goes to get water and I handle both station. Luckily, it's slow at the moment and not many people need things. My co-worker M clocks in and takes over kitchen space while I'm in the middle of helping people at the bar. I had a stream of steady people. I had two guys who wanted to get another drink. I decide to help the one at the end of the bar first because one of them has a beer 3/4 to half full and the guy next to him didn't have a drink. The guy tells me he wants two dos equis. I told them I needed to see the other man's ID. The man said something about not having a photo ID which I thought was odd, but I reiterated I needed to see an ID before I could serve him. They handed me a folded up piece of paper with tiny text on it. No photo. One of them mentioned it was a temporary ID. I explained to them that I wouldn't be able to accept the id. and because he didn't have a proper ID, he wouldn't be allowed to drink. His friend, who had a proper ID, went off saying, "But he's with me," as he got up from the bar and walked away still saying, "But he's with me."

I went to serving the rest of the people at the bar. I recall serving the party dad because we had two parties that evening. I also warned M to keep an eye on the two at the end of the bar, one to make sure the one without a wristband wasn't drinking and two, the other guy seemed to have an attitude issue. There was no one at the bar who needed anything. Other Dude, who I will not dub Jerk, still had a half full glass last I had checked. I went to take orders for M so that she could cook. Most of the people were wanting ice cream and surprisingly a lot wanted ice cream in cups. I saw K walk by at some point. So it was around 6:30pm. I had saw M walk to the bar to help someone over there since she was closest. The food counter had a steady stream of people constantly coming up to order food. I recall a sweet dad making several runs to the counter to make a few individual orders of food. 

So at some point, JERK comes over to the food counter to order. He got two 6 piece wings and then asks if it comes with fries. I reply that it doesn't. He says to add an order of fries. I ask, "2?" holding up two fingers just to make sure. He gives me major attitude going "Yes two." 

I'm just trying to do my job and make sure your order is right, no need to be all huffy, but whatever. I read the order back to make sure it's correct. I don't want to hear anything about his order was taken wrong when it wasn't. He also says he needs me back at the bar. 

I respond that there's someone over there. He states there not and I wonder where M has gone. He also accuses me of being rude for not coming back to check on him. I hold my hands up as to gesture to the food counter. "I've been here," I state. Doing my job. I kind of can't leave the food counter when there are people in the line. As a few people got in line behind me during his order. I hand him his receipt and tell him his order number is 45. I proceed to help the one lady that was in line behind him. She wanted ice cream. I look up and M at the bar. So I don't bother going to the bar, since M is a better bartender then me. I know she can handle him. I finally have a space of air to breath, so I change the ice cream scoop water. I also restock the ranch and blue cheese since there is hardly any up front. 

In the midst of restocking blue cheese, my lead asks where I am. 

"I'm in the back restocking blue cheese." 

Lead comes in the back, "Your boyfriend's here." 

"Aw! Cool. he brought me my shoes." I explain to him how I left my work shoes at him. I greet my boyfriend by the food counter and get my shoes from him, which he had put in a bag our sheets came in. I say thanks and I love you. Bf is still in work clothes, so I know he hasn't been home long. He nods and go to change my shoes. Letting my lead know on my way. I hurry to change my shoes and try to be quiet so my managers don't realize I haven't been wearing my nonslip shoes. I return within a few minutes and take back over taking orders. I've only taken a few orders when JERK shows up. He asks me if his food is done.

I am in the middle of serving an ice cream number. I ask him what the order number is as I look at the ice cream ticket I'm working on it. I'm only taking orders and serving ice cream. I'm not handling any of the food. So I need to make sure tickets match before I grab any trays of food. 

JERK simply tells me what his order was. 

I reply with that we need to see the receipt with the order number. It's so that we aren't giving people aren't giving people wrong orders and wasting food. 

He then starts going off and being rude. I just continue doing my job with the ice cream and tell him, we need the order and receipt. We often get several people ordering the same thing. So we are required to see all food receipts before we give anyone any food. 

JERK finally produces a receipt and I ask Lead if he has this number and point at the receipt. He takes over and I try to go about getting the ice cream to my customers. Jerk is going off saying we should have brought his food to him since I knew he was at the bar." I explain that we call the number and the customer is to come pick up the food. He insist that we didn't call it. But Lead assures him we did call his number as he gives him his food. 

JERK then precedes to state over and over, "If my food is cold, I'm going to throw it in your face." And he's saying it towards me. I look up at my Lead like WTF?

I tell him to let M know not to serve JERK anymore booze while I finish up an ice cream order.

I personally avoided the bar for a while. I saw security come over and I was asked to help the party host take the party food to the lanes. So I do that and try to calm my nerves. Though in the back of my head, I'm shaken and scared of JERK, but also, "Go ahead, I will call the police and file a report." 

I smile at party dad as I walk past and let him know that we are bringing his food out now. 

I go about doing my job and sticking to food counter. I don't wanna be anywhere near the bar in case he is still there. 

As a security guard walks pass me, I ask if they handled the guy who said he was going to throw his food in my face. He tells me he believes Jackson did. I saw security have to go the bar a few times that evening. 

There weren't many other hiccups through out the night. At least not with customers. K went on her ten around the same time as a bunch of people came up to the food counter. So I was taking orders and my manager was making them. My alarm on my watch went off for my lunch at 9pm. No K in sight. K tells me she'll take over after next customer and I nod. This is at 9:20pm. I breath a sigh of relieve. I finish that customer, but K isn't there. I'm stuck taking orders as I wait for K. Then at around 9:40pm, manager comes over and tells me that she's going on her lunch now since GM is only other manager and Bowling manager isn't there. I reply she must've went home because I recall seeing her with a mask on. She tells me I'll go on lunch once she gets back. I sigh. 

"I was suppose to go like 30 minutes ago."

Her response is that I should have just gone. I want to glare at her. I was waiting for someone to cover the counter. So I don't go on break till like 10:40 something. When M and K should have been going on break. But Whatever... She complains if just leave for our breaks on time or if we don't take them on time because we're helping in the kitchen. So I don't know know what she wants. 

I still recall her coming up to me to ask when I had clocked in. I rattle off, "I clocked in at 5, I get off at midnight, I come back at 10 to open." And then she finally sent M over to take over for me so I can go on lunch. 

I came back to hear that we were closing both the food and bar at midnight. So at midnight, I tell those after my last customer that we're closed and I go to do the bar count. I wipe down the bar with the tap and wine machine. Put in the plugs to the draft beers and remove the drain grid to take it to the back so it can be washed. I noticed a lack of both M and K and realized sadly that I was now alone. at 12:13am. And do the bar count.

I was finally able to leave at around 12:22 am. Since M returned, K had not, and I was trying to empty out the condiment fridge. My manager just told me to go home so I can get sleep for tomorrow. Though if she really wanted me to be rested, she wouldn't have me schedule to get off at 12am. and then come in at 10am. I mean, my clothes are going to be dirty because I don't have the time to wash them and sleep.

Work stories - 2/9/2019

So 2/9/2019 was a hectic day at the arcade. So I arrived at around 9:47am, only to find all of my opening co-workers outside waiting on the opening manager. This is really weird because the store opens at 10am and the others are all scheduled to be clocked in at 9:30am. Since I work the kitchen and bar, I don't come in til 10-10:30am, since the kitchen doesn't open until 11am and bar at 12pm.
One of the openers sent a message in the store group chat asking where opening manager was. I had noticed that my phone had dinged with the message when I was pulling into the parking lot, but didn't read it until I was walking up. I waited a few minutes outside with everyone until around 9:55 and sent a message in the group chat myself stating we were all there and asking in the opening manager was on the way. After all, only managers have keys to the building.
The opener for amusement called the amusement manager to figure out who was supposed to be there. That manager tried calling the opening manager, but got no response, so she called and told us to go inside the mall food court to get out of the cold and that she would be there to open shortly.
I don't know what happened exactly, but the opening manager finally showed up at around 10:30 ish. We were instructed to write in out times today so that we would get paid for the time we spent waiting for her.
I had to rush to get the chairs down and get the kitchen set up. The filter bag for the fryers is torn and unusable (We're still not sure how that one happened), so I had to use a pizza screen to filter both the fryers. Unfortunately it causes some of the oil to splatter and several splashes of hot oil hit my legs and feet. It hurt lots because I could feel it going through my shoes, socks, and both layers of pants I was wearing.
After I finished getting the kitchen set up, I answered the phone and gave a customer information about booking parties. It took a long time. During this time and older lady, she looked around 40 or 50 at most. She spoke to the girl at the bowling counter while I handled the customer on the phone. Once I was done on the phone, my coworker informed me that the lady had apparently peed on the floor. Apparently she didn't look before she sat because the lids where all down. Especially since we don't have facilities in the morning. So apparently, she just sat began to piss and then realize her mistake as she felt and noticed piss on her pants. The bowling opener whined that she didn't want to clean it. So the opener from amusement wound up doing it. I remember she came by and spoke to me as I was rolling up the cord for the oil filter. The oil filter has a piece of metal that connects to the tube, and while rolling up the cord, my arm made connect and burnt my arm. I ran it under cold water after cussing and put burn cream on it. I also grabbed burn cream for my legs from earlier. I also announced on the walkie to the manager that I had burned myself as is protocol. I got no response to it.
A little while later, I had a polite lady at the bar. She wanted to get a drink for her and a her friend. I informed her, he would have to come up with his id so that I could confirm he was of age and the id was valid as well as give him a wristband. She was super polite, I had no problem with her. She told me they had rented billiards, but didn't know the number, but told me the guy with a red and black jacket was standing at the table. I'm blind, so he was the only guy I saw, so I believed he was the one she was getting the 2nd drink for. She got her drink and took the menu to show her friend to figure out what they wanted. She came up and told me they were billiards 3. They were actually billiards 2, and I let her know and the name I read was Jeffery Jeffers. That'll be important later. Since the id was good and he was old enough, I let her buy the drink and told her to send him up here so I could give him the drink and put the wristband on him. She nods and walk back to the table.
Now I hung by the bar for about 5 to 10 minutes waiting, but the guy in red and black didn't come. So I go back to the kitchen to work.
I served a lady who already seemed to have an attitude for no reason and didn't listen when I explained things, so I had to explain things about 3 to 4 times before she understood, but I did my best to be polite. This was about 15 minutes. A few more minutes afterwards, and I guy in a green jacket, white shirt, and white hat comes up to the bar. He just stands there, but I go over to greet him and he flips open his wallet to show me his id. I think, "Oh he gets it," because not everyone realized or think that they need to show their id at the bar before I can serve them.
The id however expired October of 2018. I inform him that I can't take an expired id. He looks confused and begins going through his wallet and pockets, I stay at the bar waiting for him to find his non-expired id. Then he realizes that he has rented Billiards and his id is at the bowling counter. I ask which billiards set he is so I can ask over the mic for the id check. I'm awful at repeating names especially over the mic. He just randomly gestures and says he doesn't know. Which I think is stupid. Should should know what number set you rent for many reasons. Especially since you since I rental agreement. I told him I need to know which set so we can find his id. He hasn't said anything about a friend buying him a drink or anything. But he begins getting irate with me for not serving, but I tell him I need his id and that in order to find it is for me to tell him what his billiards set number is. He yells and says he doesn't want to go back over there and then back up there. Mind you, it's not that far a walk, a few yards at best. But for some reason, he wanted me to go and check. I told him I'm not allowed to leave the bar or kitchen area, as that is my department, and not the billiards area. He becomes even more irate, rude, and frankly aggressive. I back away and my lead comes over to try to talk to him and calm him down. He continues going off and screaming. He finally says his name, because to be honest, when shown ids. I only look at the years not the names. He says Jeff Roys. Or at least that's what I heard.
I get on the mic and ask if anyone at bowling counter as an id with his name and I tell the bowling manager that I have a guy saying he's that person and that he's being really aggressive. I also ask if she still wants me to serve the rude man. My manager tells me that as the bar tender that it's up to me to use discretion and basically that it is up to me to decide rather to serve him or not. I nodded. I don't think he needs any alcohol of any sort. I turn around and the the polite lady from earlier is up there talking to him. I say hi to her. And she explains that this was the guy she bought the beer for.
I go "Oh! I thought it was for the guy with the black and red jacket."
The guy still fuming and rude as my lead goes back to the kitchen. I grab the wristband. I figure, since the polite lady already paid for the drink, I would let him have it since one drink won't get you drunk. But that would be all he would be having. Especially since I'm the only one working the bar.
However, the guy wanted to fuss about the armband. I explain you have to wear the armband in order to drink at the arcade. I hold the armband up to put it on his wrist and he jerks back.
"Give it to her," He gestures to the lady with him. "I don't want you putting on it.
"I can't do that," I shake my head. "I have to do it." I am so fed up with this idiot. I'm pretty sure I also stated I was the only bartender.
The lady grabs his hand and arm and held it on the bar. I state it has to be the right hand and the man still fussing, but I just want to get it over with. The whole time, the lady telling him to calm down so he can get his beer and let me do my job. He is also rudely telling me not to touch him as I'm putting the wrist band on him. Hearing the lady telling him, "She's not touching you," was amusing him.
The idiot was acting like I was going to hurt you. I went to pour the drink, which was a Heineken  and I kind of wished it had foamed up a bit more. When I walked back to where they were standing, it was just the lady. I placed it in front of her and I let her know.
"Due that behavior of his, he is not going to be served anything else." I made sure to put on my most serious face. I also inform my lead and the manager about it. I really only gave them the beer because the lady had been so polite and I can't do refunds.
The poor woman looked a bit embarrassed but nodded with understanding.
Later, mall security showed up. Apparently the bowling manager had called them. I was confused because he asked me where the drunk person was. It took a few minutes to realize they were here about the guy from earlier. My manager spoke to them and explained the situation to them and what happened. The officer asked where the guy was currently and I pointed him out and described him.
I found it almost joyous as the officers went over to talk to them. I was concern they would come over to the counter to ask why they called security on them, but luckily they didn't. They went back to playing their pool game. I did seem them in a small huddle a few times. I didn't see them leave, but I'm glad that was the last of dealing with them.
A lot of other hectic stuff happened today, but the main part I wanted to get down was about the rude guy.