Welcome back toOff The Menu , where we fetch you the good and strangest intellectual nourishment stories from my email inbox . This week , we have the classic fib of customers who were pretty much just troll in human guise . As always , these are real emails from real readers , though names have been switch .

I want THIS sandwich at THIS price

" I had a former co - prole that was almost always a client from hell . This guy could be described as aggressively sociopathic , I conceive . He would seriously go out of his way to insult , belittle , derision , etc . anyone who do in his path , and would even falsify his path as need to find fresh victims . My first daytime on the line of work , his first Good Book to me were , ' That tie sucks . '

" Our agency was justly out ofOffice Space , although it predated the motion picture by several years . Every day , tiffin hour became a hide - and - try / avoid - the - trolling as we tried to sneak out to our railway car without attract the tending of InsultBoy . In addition to being an abrasive prick , he was a vast cheapskate – he never drive to lunch one single time .

" Anyway , we buy at a local bar / eating house for dejeuner , usually one to two times a calendar week . One day , we were ineffective to avoid InsultBoy , so he tail along . He ordered a veal Parm sandwich . When the check get ( disjoined , of course ) , he was THRILLED to see that they had undercharged him almost a full dollar on the sandwich . He giggled and gloated the whole way back to the function .

evil customers restaurant

Jason Hoffman/Thrillist

" The VERY NEXT DAY , InsultBoy overhear us at lunchtime and INSISTED that we return to the same restaurant . We did , and got the same waiter ( a immature ma’am , maybe 19 - ish ) , and he ordered the same veal Parm sandwich .

" Of course , this clip he was commit the right amount for the sandwich . He then keep to raise holy hell with the waiter , ' Why is this sandwich a dollar more than yesterday ? Do you recollect I ’m an IDIOT ? We are your C. H. Best customer … ' and on and on . She stammered something along the lines that he was likely charge incorrectly before , to which he reply , ' I came here for THIS sandwich at THIS price ! If you charge me more , it ’s issue forth out of your tip ! '

" The poor host started to cry out , then threw his stop down and say , ' I do n’t care ! Do whatever ! ' then run for off . The rest of us started pulling bills out and throwing them on the mesa to make up for Mr. Cheapo , who did indeed deduct the clam from her tip – which mean he left zero . Bastard . " –Alan DeMarco

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Michelle doesn’t like beets

" My high school ’s marching stripe was invite to march in the St. Patrick ’s Day Parade in Dublin , Ireland . We all had an amazing time , but the one in truth terrible thing about the slip was being in a mathematical group with someone who I will refer to as ' Michelle . '

" Michelle was place in my chemical group because no one desire to have to deal with her whining and complain . Not only was she a belligerent vegetarian who constantly chastised the rest of us for feed meat , she was a finicky militant vegetarian . Here ’s a poor list of foods that vegetarians normally feed to survive that Michelle refused to even make centre striking with : tomato , mushrooms , tofu , beans , and most cheeses . Most of our meal were served at the hotel where I could eat with my admirer and not have to see her . Mercifully , there was only one metre I had to find the extent of her nitpicking , crybaby , all - around abhorrent dietary ' need ' at a sit down - down eating house .

In the centre of her spiel , Michelle , without breaking center contact with the waitress , spat the chewed - up beets back onto the plate .

evil customers in restaurants

Jason Hofffman/Thrillist

" On one of our last days in Dublin , we lastly got a opportunity to explore the metropolis in belittled groups . The first matter we resolve to do was take hold of dejeuner . Most groups use up together in big eating place , but Michelle insisted on us find a purely vegetarian eating place . There were a few problems with her request : 1 ) we had limited prison term to search for the restaurant in Downtown Dublin before we had to leave for more rubber-necking ( and had no use of smartphones because of roaming datum and whatever ) , 2 ) she was so picky she rudely refuse any helpful suggestions we made since we were get athirst , 3 ) she did n’t even know the name of the position or if it even live . She had only overheard a alien say something about it the mean solar day before !

" At this point , we were all have middling hangry with her , so I pointed to a farm - to - table eating house across the street , tell her that there would credibly be plenty of fresh vegetarian selection for her , and she begrudgingly accept . The eatery faculty was genial , the computer menu was filled with pun - based names for repast , and the food was delicious . No one kick … except for Michelle . While all of us were savour our meal and make up small talk about how peachy the trip had been , Michelle just stared at her shell . We asked her if she was all right , and she responded , ' I do n’t like beets . ' Her dish was constitute of mainly Beta vulgaris , and its name was ' Do n’t Beet Yourself Up , ' so I ’m not sure how exactly she missed that . I offered her some of my Italian rice , but she snapped at me , ' I do n’t consume mushroom ! '

" She finally made an attempt to seek the beets when our waitress come back to train on us . In the middle of her spiel , Michelle , without breaking eye contact with the waitress , spat the chewed - up common beet back onto the collection plate . We were all mortified . Our waitress , feel very inept , asked her if anything was wrong , to which Michelle reply , ' This is disgusting . I did n’t bonk there would be beet in this . ' The waitress apologize and offered her a different entree . Michelle said there was no time and just ask for a basket of kale . When the waitress left , we all lean in and berated Michelle like she was literally a 4 - year - old experience a tantrum , telling her that her rude behavior is unacceptable and made us and the schooltime ring look bad to a state we ’d been gracefully invited to march in . Of course , she did n’t see how her action could maybe have effect and seek to immobilize the blame on me : ' This is all your fault ! If we had just go where I wanted to go this would n’t have happened ! '

" Before I could respond , she threw her money on the tabular array and ran off to hide in the privy as we finished eating in peace treaty without her . When we went to get her after we paid , she acted as if the incident never happened .

" I guess she didn’tbeetherself up about it . " –Meghan Cimini

The guy who thought he was Dirk Diggler

" I was a bartender / server at the local lachrymation mess , which was popular with tourist and locals alike because of its propinquity to the highway and golf form , which also has a campground . It was a Saturday dark and we had already call last call when this table I had been serving all night decides they want to go back to their campsite … in their cars … intoxicated . In an effort to forestall a potentially dangerous site , my coach offer to ram their vehicle to the campsite and have one of our Captain Cook follow him in his car . This way aver inebriate could wake up up with their cars and did n’t have to peril anyone with their stupidity ( it was a one - cab townsfolk and the equipment driver was in the main drunker than his patrons ) .

" The problem with this scenario is that it think I was abide alone in the lounge with those wait for a drive . I decide to chat them up and undertake to keep them out of trouble . One military man I was speaking with enquire if I had see the newly releasedBoogie Nightsand did I know who Dirk Diggler was . As I had not been endure in a cave , I do in the affirmative . He then asked if I wanted to ' see something . ' I ’ll hold , I was naive . I did not relate his previous dubiousness with his current question and unhappily I did not learn the little girl next him chanting , ' SAY NO , ' until after I answered , ' Yes . '

" The guy cable whips out his junk , flings it around like a wind generator , and says , ' How about this ! ' I did n’t even reply . I just walk away . " –Jess Myers

Over-privileged old people

" Last week , my beau and I go away out to dinner . We go to a local ' 50s - expressive style diner and beefburger joint telephone Zebb ’s . It was around 5 or so – former dinner boot . An erstwhile duet got seated at a two - person board behind my swain . The lady was a typical - looking ' old money ' lady : fancy pelt pelage that was folded in front of her arms , a purple chapeau with flower , contraband dress , black stocking . I wish I could more accurately describe the coating she had . Like she walked into ZEBB ‘S in this outfit and I was like , WTF , this is n’t church service .

" before long after being seat , it became evident that they thought their two - person board was MUCH too lowly for them . They endure up , shuffled to a nearby four - person table , and sat themselves down – without notifying or take a server . After their server return with drinks , the man find up to go to the salad bar . While he mix PAINSTAKINGLY SLOWLY over , the woman swapped his chair with an identical president from another table . When he return , she get to the salad bar . He then ROTATED THE TABLE about 40 stage , which completely clusterfucked the walking way of the waitress ( they were now basically seat in the aisles ) . Waitresses had to press by with trays full of food .

" My boyfriend and I bequeath to bear at that point . I ’m glad ; not certain I could take much more of the definition of over - inside older white-hot people . " –Andrea Bilestri

If your barista passes out, please don’t do this

" I used to work as a barista at a Starbucks that was located inside a Barnes & Noble . This Barnes & Noble was in a very busy neck of the woods in a jolly expectant city , so we had our share of weirdos come in . For example , there was a man who would make out and order a java and baby-sit there with a muckle of Bible , but he would n’t actually understand , he would just hide behind the book and spy on people . I know this because he sit there holding a account book upside down for an hour once .

" Among our unearthly customers was a man who would come in every individual dawn and order an orchard apple tree pouch . I reckon that ’s what they were call ; it was basically an Malus pumila dumpling . And I ’m talking every . Single . Day . He would pay with exact variety , we would zap the apple pocket for him , and he would sit down and exhaust it .

" One day , I ’m the only person behind the counter , and I really do n’t find well . Apple Pocket Man comes in , I put his apple pocket in the microwave for him , and I get that fuzzy , everything’s - going - black feeling that you get before you pass out . I weakly slide down the wall and sit on the floor , and way off in the distance , through the roaring in my ears , I take heed Apple Pocket Man asking me a interrogative sentence . I was right on the edge of eliminate out , and I thought that he asked if he should go get help , so I said yes . beau walk behind the tabulator , STEPS OVER MY BODY , take his apple air hole out of the microwave oven , STEPS BACK OVER MY BODY , and sit around down at a tabular array to exhaust . " –Rebecca DiPonto

The most committed customer complaint ever

" I work at a bar / eating house in Australia and was serving a woman in the eating place field . She involve me what the petite filet mignons were , so I explained they ’re basically miniskirt - steaks wrapped in bacon , and that three of them come in one serve up . She consecrate it .

" After a nutrient moon-curser ran the peeress ’s filets , he add up back and found me to tell me she was sound off there were only two steak . Before decease to the mesa , I asked the chef why there were only two , and he said the only rationality we had been cast three on a plate lately was because the sous chef had quantify and cut the last mint incorrectly , so they were much smaller than mean . They had been putting three on a home plate to make up for it .

" When I went to the board , I go through on what the chef had told me and explained that she was still get the same amount of sum she would have had with three fillet , since these were large cuts . She made some awkward comment along the lines of , ' OK , just cook sure , because I would n’t want to have to get you fired or anything . ' OK , that ’s an awkward thing to say , but whatever . She wind up her meal , even ordered afters , and had no more complaints .

" Fast - forward to two calendar month later . She and her married man arrive on the button at opening sentence and requested to mouth with a manager . The manager came down to speak with them and even took them up to his office . Later , he came down and took some hard currency from the cash registry .

" Once they get out , my coach looked at me and said , ' What fucking psycho . ' I asked him what had happened and he recount me they came in because of her experience two calendar month to begin with . She had mailed us a HANDWRITTEN COMPLAINT and had a photocopied interpretation with her on her income tax return . She said she had given us two week to answer before contacting the Fair Trade Bureau about receiving two petite fillet mignons and not three , even after I explained it was the same amount of meat . Also , she had seemed to consent the cause I gave her ( even though she made that ungainly gossip about puzzle me burn ) . Had she thrown some big paroxysm , I would have ask the kitchen to manipulate her another one , but she did n’t seem raging .

" Anyway , Fair Trade essentially blew her off ( for obvious reasons ) , so she decided to just fare complain in person . My manager also told me her husband said he had been ' researching contract law ' and that legally I would be an broker of the eatery and blah blah blah all this simulated law jargon to try and scare my manager into discharge me or something . My manager give back them the $ 16 for the bantam fillet , but basically blew everything else off .

" after that same sidereal day , we received a telephone call from this woman . She asked what our reference was , and I told her . ' Hmmm , interesting . That ’s the address that my receipt from today says and that ’s the address I mailed my letter to , but I ca n’t find that reference posted anywhere in the telephone book . '

" Me : ' Um , well , I ’m not trusted why it would n’t be in the phonebook but that is our savoir-faire . It ’s posted on our web site as well . '

" moonstruck : ' Well , that ’s the address I mailed my letter to , so I do n’t understand why your director did n’t obtain it . '

" Me : ' There are actually several businesses in the same building . Perhaps it accidentally got put in someone else ’s mailbox ? '

" Lunatic ( almost squall now ): ' Well I addressed it to the manager of ( restaurant ) . '

" Me : ' I ’m gloomy , gentlewoman . I do n’t really have an response as to why your varsity letter was n’t have . '

" moonstruck : ' I observe it interesting that the receipt I received when I first came in has your address written on it but not your phone figure , yet the receipt I received today has your computer address and phone phone number written on it . I find it interesting I ’ve been founder two dissimilar receipts . '

" Me : ' Uh , well … I ’m grim about that ? '

" moonstruck : ' You will never be receiving business from me ever again ! '

" Me : ' OK , I ’m sorry about your experience . Have a good afternoon . ' * hang up *

" I have absolutely no idea what decimal point she was hear to get at with the receipts ( particularly since she already received her repayment and there was literally nothing else to be done about the situation ) . Maybe she should ask her husband with his cyberspace police degree . " –Nora Carter

The worst customer in Canadian restaurant history

" I work at a somewhat - local pizza pie concatenation that has expand across the province of Ontario in recent yr to about 30 locations , seven of which are in my small city . I make the pizzas , and am also a closer , but most of the time I ’m on the cash registry for pickup orders . I ’ve had a lot of shit customers but this older noblewoman really took the Proto-Indo European .

" This older noblewoman derive in on a super - busy Friday with her husband and orders two speciality pizza , 40 hot annex , and breadsticks . OK , ripe , I say , that ’ll be about 40 minute because we are very engaged . She pretends to act puzzle and declares that she ’s not going anywhere until she gets her food . I say she ’s welcome to stay until her order is quick , in approximately 40 moment . She huff and fend there , cross her blazon , glower at me for the next . one-half . Hour . She was actually obstructing other client from getting their pizza or paying for their orders and I had to open my 2nd till down the counter because she just would n’t freaking move no matter how much I or the other customer asked her . Her husband stood there like a extrusion on a logarithm .

' Well , ' she snarls , doing a good imprint of Lucifer , ' I changed my psyche . '

" After a half - hr her nutrient comes out and I joyfully hand it to her , hoping she ’ll get the ass out of dodge . She smile venomously and hisses , ' You LIED . You told me 40 moment so I ’d leave , and then when I add up back my food would be insensate ! ' I do n’t respond to that . She go to take up the full retort , spreading out her food and opening each box seat to chequer the mental object , hemming and hawing about how the slice were n’t exactly the same sizing , poking the freshness , ' There ’s no crybaby on this slice , ' etc . When she spread out the wing box , however … she lets out an ear - piercing shriek . alarm , I ask what the problem is .

" ' You put sauce on my wings ! I want it on the side ! '

" ' But … you inquire for your wing with sauce on them . You asked for them additional - saucy . '

" ' Well , ' she mat , doing a proficient belief of Lucifer , ' I convert my mind . '

" I ’m completely dazed . I play the wings into the back and put some fresh single in the oven and specify sauce on the side , and go back to state the client it ’ll be 10 minutes .

" Ten minutes after , I give her the wings , and lo and behold , there ’s something incorrect with them – they ’re not crispy enough . Keep in brain that we put our wings through the oven twice to prep them , and when a client orders them we just throw them through the conveyor oven in a dish to heat them up .

" OK , so we put them through a second time . AND THEY’RE STILL NOT maledict CRISPY ENOUGH .

" She ’s been in the store for an hr now . We put them through a third prison term , and as I ’m turning around to see how they ’re doing , I get word this sinful compaction . slow , I turn over around . Her husband , who is n’t a very with child man , has broken our work bench . Legit , three of the table are broken and his ass is on the floor . This was n’t an honest-to-god or weak bench , we had only open two months prior . brother must have literally discombobulate himself at this bench to break it .

" I stand there , perplexed and horrified , and lady goes fucking POSTAL . ' YOU SHOULD HAVE warn HIM ! HE COULD HAVE BEEN gravely INJURED ! I’M go TO SUE YOU ! THE NERVE ! YOU SHOULD HAVE WAAAARNED HIM ! ' "

" I cannonball along to the back and quickly make a star sign , ' Bench Broken . SRY 4 Inconvenience . ' And go and stick it on the terrace while she observe . I reach her her now - thrice - make wings . She starts yell that they ’re burnt . I ’m about to fucking recede it . I explain that since we have a conveyor oven and we ’re very officious , she can either have her wing this means or the way they were the 2d time . She huffs and get hold of them and grabs her hubby by the weapon system .

" Finally they leave . On her way out the door , she call on around and smiles evilly at me , and says , ' Do n’t form too severely , you hear ? '

" I went into the employee bathroom and shout for a good , unanimous five hour . " –Miranda Sagan

Do you have a restaurant , rest home - cooking , or any other nutrient - adjacent report you ’d wish to see appear in Off the Menu ( on ANY subject , not just this one ) ? Please email WilyUbertrout@gmail.com with “ Off the Menu ” in the dependent rail line ( or you may find me on Twitter:@EyePatchGuy ) . Submissions are always welcome !

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