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

Ban them. Hope you never get a plague of Chinese tourists who will take anything that isn’t bolted down!

I would feed them a stew that makes them blind for one day

Definitely, one day blinding stew.

Don’t ban them. But, do remove the samples when they come in. I’d also be double checking with them when they’re paying “you’re taking away, yes? Or will you be staying as I’ll need to add that on”

You should probably change your "sample" strategy. Cut the cakes into small bite-size pieces and put a sign with them that says "sample tasters, one per customer (or order)" - or select customers to offer a sample to.

But if you just put out give-aways, they'll be taken by anyone. And you're just encouraing mums with multiple kids to come in and take.

Alternatively if that particular mum asks for samples, say that you're running a promotion aimed at new customers - but as a gesture of goodwill, cut a sample cake into a very small bite sized piece for each child, so that kids beg mum to buy them a cake each. That might discourage their patronage.

Been there and got the t shirt. In this situation I would remove the plate of samples as soon as you spot the family. My favourite was the woman who ordered a roast dinner then complained and asked for a refund because one of the carrots was hard. She’d eaten the rest, but before I could give her a talking to the newbie gave her a refund.

Yes definitely this and don't worry about trying to be discreet about doing it . Hopefully they will get the message.

I have a restaurant and it seems she’s has trouble with these people so yes straight to banning.

I used to keep taster samples on a covered plate behind the counter and offer it at discretion to the main person in the party if it were a family or a group. 'Would you like to try a taste of XYZ?'

If I owned a cafe I’d encourage children to try samples as they are more likely to persuade adults to buy some more. Pester power.

That does rather depend on them being the kind of parents who would take any notice of what their children ask for, though. A lot would just fob them off with "We'll have to come back another time and see if they have any [free] cake then".

Free samples is free samples, regardless of how many people you think could share one. The common understanding is one per person which they stuck to. So in this case you have no reason to be fuming.

it’s also a bit odd to have different prices for eating in or taking away. It doesn’t sound like a very welcoming atmosphere. That said, since your pricing system is clearly displayed I would ask them to pay the extra if they forget to take away again.

there’s no sense getting so angry and worked up over something so tiny it just ruins your own mood. Instead, think how much they probably enjoyed the cake which they would otherwise not have had?

Are you dog friendly ?

if so make up a batch of doggy cakes/biscuits (something with offal in maybe …) just to pop out the next time they come in and after they’ve all greedily taken a bite let them know the samples weren’t for humans this time

The different prices will be for HMRC. You charge VAT on all food consumed within the cafe, however if it’s for takeaway then some items are zero rated, for example cake!

Why don't you just offer samples to people when they come in, one per person, rather than leaving the tray out?

Yes, this is part of the frustration: you end up looking mean and petty for charging people considerably more to sit in to eat, when it all goes straight to the taxman and you don't see a penny of the extra money.

Aside from the weird anomalies of which (possibly more treat-type) foods qualify as VAT-free if eaten off the premises and which (often more basic) ones don't!

i remember doing this in mcdonalds years ago as a teen they used to have seprate takeawway prices but i woulnt do it now

can your manager not deal with them when they try an pull this again

If they're regulars then don't ban them as they're regularly spending money with you. If they decide to eat in after paying to takeaway just remind them of the extra charges to eat in. Make your samples smaller bite sized if they're big enough to share as they are now. If there were 6 samples & six people each took one you can't really complain. If there were only 2 of them & they took all six that's out of order. Next time they come in & there's samples out ask them to take one each & leave some for others.

It is usually 1 sample per customer so I don’t see anything wrong with it.
They were also probably unaware that they were taking the last samples and assumed you’d have more out the back.
I wouldn’t put samples out but rather keep them for customers who are struggling to decide which cake they’d like to buy, then give them a sample.
otherwise as you’ve said ‘a free’ sample is exactly that & with no obligation to buy’… They might be cheeky but they’ve done nothing wrong, and if they hadn’t taken 6 it’s likely other people would’ve taken and still not bought cake anyway.

Make them a smaller size to sample then

Or get a transmorph ray gun and make the freeloaders customers a smaller size!

Well all of them wiping out the free samples was one.

The thing is if you are n catering you can tell what people are like. Ones that walk in and let their kids grab all the samples would ring alarm bell so its best to nip it in the bud.