Customer making unreasonable demands

[mercia82]

I work in one of the popular coffee cafes in the country and have for over a decade. I have come across people from all different walks of life and as a cafe we are on the ball when it comes to allergens, accessibility etc..

A new customer has been coming here a couple of times a week for the past few months. Every time she comes in she demands we all wear gloves and masks. Not a clue why?

We have explained that handwashing is much more hygienic but she’s not having any of it. The mask thing I have no idea what that is about? We haven’t kept them since Covid and quite frankly I will not wear one again.

We managed to stop her complaining about us not wearing hairnets but she has a huge bee in her bonnet about this.

One of my colleagues thinks she might be immune compromised perhaps? I’m not going to ask her I don’t think it’s my business.

AIBU if I refuse point blank to basically wear PPE when making her coffee?

New username also, I’ve been around since Zombie god rest her soul

Why does she keep coming back?

If she's been coming for months then she's not new. How many times has she asked? How have you answered her? Surely she'd stop coming if you don't do as she asks?

MH issues? just say no.

Has your manager spoken with her? Along the lines of this our policy, health and safety standards and she could could make a further request to head office to discuss

If she is immune compromised, does she wear a mask? I still wear a mask everywhere, despite how I get laughed at, to protect my mum from any germs. If the customer won't wear a mask to protect herself, I wouldn't take her seriously.

YANBU. Assuming you’re sticking to legal and / or company hygiene standards (whichever is the highest), that’s all that matters.

If she’s not comfortable, she can go somewhere else.

@Mumof1andacat
Manager won’t say a thing, she’s not one for confrontation

@rebeccachoc No she doesn’t wear a mask

So.. have you been doing it? Or have you just been saying 'sorry no we don't have any'?

I can't understand why she would keep coming back and making the same demands if you never actual do it for her? So weird.

I would just keep saying 'these are our company guidelines we follow, please feel free to contact head office if you have concerns'

AIBU if I refuse point blank to basically wear PPE

I think that if your company policy is that you comply with requests like this, then yes. You’re not complying with her request, you’re complying with management rules. If your manager’s view is that it’s up to you, then sure. But if they are providing the gloves and mask it wouldn’t really bother me to put them on for 2 mins.

Then she probably shouldn't be the manager

@AgentPidgeShe asks all of us everytime she places her order. At first I said no thank you and kind of laughed it off as I thought she was joking. She wasn’t, she was stony faced and gave me dirty looks for the rest of her time there

She asks us all every single time, we all say no. Now I just ignore it. It just makes us uncomfortable as she then make sly remarks and has raised her voice a couple of times

Is it a hygiene thing? Are your colleagues particularly unattractive?

@WhatAMarvelousTuneEven with allergens we would wear gloves, we just wash our hands. The company couldn’t force us to wear masks anyway

Just say no..she'll move on eventually. If she was immunocompromised or such she wouldn't accept the coffee after you've all said no anyway. I suspect some mental health issues but that being said it doesn't mean that you have to wear PPE just because she demands it.

@didntlikeanyofthesuggestionsNo, they’re all normal people. We have to wash our hands every 30 minutes, as is brand standard and we have a timer for it. Everyone is clean and presentable

Tell her if she doesnt like how you operate, she is very welcome to go elsewhere. You're not forcing her to come in. Theres other places to get coffee.

Or just blatantly ignore her aside from taking her order and fulfilling it. You dont owe people conversation. You're providing a service, that doesnt include conversation.

Personality Disorder
Extreme OCD? - Germ phobia
Conspiracists
Does she think it’s 2020 os is she with it?

one of the above should cover it

Agree maybe there is a mental health issue going on and maybe just smile and nod.
If she is really unhappy with the service and lack of PPE then she can always go elsewhere (and find that no where does this).

🤣🤣🤣

The best thing about customers making unreasonable demands is that you can quite reasonably refuse to do them!

As I say to my staff, a confident but polite no goes a long way.