To be fuming with these selfish customers?

[squashedalmondcroissant]

I work in a cafe and sometimes we put out free samples of cakes etc to give people a taster and obviously try and tempt people into buying a full price piece. No obligation, but that is the general idea, even if they come back another time.

Family comes in, I have a tray of 6 samples out on the counter. They proceed to take ALL the samples for themselves. The samples were plenty big enough to share especially as most of them were very young kids who could have easily had a bite each.

Aibu to be fuming at this? They saw me put them out so they knew that was all I had to give away and they just took them all! This particular family are regulars and I know (and they know) that they had absolutely NO intention of buying any of the cakes. They never do, they have a bit of a reputation for being freeloaders, helping themselves to things they shouldn't and paying for take away and then 'conveniently' changing their minds after they're paid to eat in knowing that they haven't paid the extra charge.

Aibu to just ban them forever? or am I just grumpy after dealing with annoying customers all day

It doesn't sound like they're actually doing anything wrong

I would have taken great pleasure in taking the samples back inside until they left.

Can you do that next time?

They are FREE samples.

And each sample is one per person.

They did nothing wrong.

If you want people to share samples then you need to make them smaller or put a sign up saying samples must be shared 1 between 2 (although that would be ridiculous).

I don’t understand why this has annoyed you so much.
I assume the samples don’t get taken out of your pay packet?

😂

I thought it's normal? I hardly get to try anything in costco!

''Your samples should be tiny one bite size.''

Exactly what you need to do OP.

Make your sample small enough rather than expect people to share...

Maybe feed back to management? Get a promotion

I would have called them out on it. "Those were a limited amount of tasters, not free samples".

Nothing worse than freeloaders.

huh? what’s the difference? there is none

Sneeze loudly at the samples and then offer them to them.

What’s the difference between a taster and a free sample?

if you're not important enough in the company to influence the sample size...literally what's it to you?

I suspect they don’t realise that you only have 6 preset-sized samples to give out per day, and maybe think that the samples are for … well, sampling, the same as regular places.

I suggest you speak to the owner or manager about how much this is bothering you.

What? Its the same thing

I don't think you can stop this particular family from accessing something which is being away away. Imagine saying 'yes, we have free samples but not for you'. You would be letting your personal dislike of them affect how you do your job and I think it will end up biting you on the bum. You'll sound crazy explaining to head office that they didn't share an individual sample!

This kind of selfish and cheeky behaviour means places will just stop free samples.

don’t tell me that mum and dad or mum and one kid couldn’t try it and see if they thought they’d like it. What bullshit. It was just cheeky grabbing with no regard for anyone else or the cake shop.

extra cunty is the fact that there were only 6 samples so this grab cleaned the shop out of samples

I’m astonished that some people think there’s nothing wrong with it. Nothing legally no, but come on - would you behave like it?? It’s antisocial and twatty.

@squashedalmondcroissant so it's not even your business. 🙄🙄

are you working in a chain (like Costa)?

let the people who set the size & quantity worry about it, it doesn't affect you

Ok fine, fair enough, you are probably right in that they didn't technically do anything wrong, I just thought it was bad form to intentionally clear the plate seconds after I'd put it there so no one else could take a sample.

Honestly though it probably is a bit of prejudice on my part as this is the tip of the piss taking iceberg with this particular family, everyone is fed up with them. Plus it was a very busy day, we're stressed out and understaffed so I'm probably being a bit over sensitive!

Exactly!

This. If there was 6 of them then I don't see the issue or think they sre CF

OP I don’t think people are actually getting it.On any other thread regular known piss takers like this would be known as the Mumsnet cheeky fuckers.

It's so easy to spot the greedy buggers on here. Do you care about your job?

But realistically, the family have no way of knowing that the shop only has 6 samples (for the whole day), and any shop I've been in that has offered samples has offered to each person.

OP, this seems poorly organised. Rather than a few samples that are 'big enough to share', you should put out multiple bite-sized samples (and keep enough back to replenish the plate.

Getting annoyed with a family for eating free samples (assuming one each) isn't really a good look for the type of shop where friendliness and generosity are usually selling points.

What do they usually order? How often do they come in? They sound totally fine to me to be honest. Not sure why you're taking it so personally? Best to let them know how you feel upfront than continue to grudgingly take their money whenever they come in. I'm sure they'll find somewhere else for a tea/coffee.

”They saw me put them out so I couldn't remove them without it being obvious.”

Would you get into trouble for taking them back, even if it was obvious? They must know perfectly well that their behaviour is cheeky. If they ask, you could just make some excuse, “sorry, I wasn’t meant to put them out just yet.”