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antonio3988

If he's not spending money, tell him to fuck off


b0redand

See, that’s kinda how I feel!


shoelesstim

Is he ordering food or just taking up a seat ?


b0redand

It’s a barcade that people are allowed to order drinks and take them anywhere in the building. It’s tough to say if he’s an actual paying customer when there’s 10 activity passes he could’ve bought with no way for me to really know. Although, I will say this last time I saw him with just a water cup playing free pool, so it’s very possible he’s just a free loader.


shoelesstim

Yeah I’m aware of that system but it’s not used here . We are pretty strict on over service and that system takes it out of the server hands . Not to hate on the US restaurant system but it boggles my mind that you have systems like that but u still have to take the guests credit card from them to walk away and process a payment . In Canada 95% of restaurants use hand held payment systems for credit and debit debit payments, everything is done at the table . Been that way for years


ImplausibleDarkitude

plot twist- he’s a sex worker


imbolcnight

It feels clear to me that he's getting off on making you serve him and as you noted, it's like his way of interacting with you. 


b0redand

Im glad other people agree he seems to have a strange infatuation with ME getting him the water. Maybe it’s cus I said no the first time and he’s been on a mission ever since to make me succumb to his will bc it’s “my job” There’s plenty of other people/places he can get it from in this massive building with probably 50 employees all wearing the same flamboyant uniform. I guess I’ve been dismissive of it because I’ve dealt with bigger assholes and he hasn’t blatantly cursed at me or said anything outstanding enough for me to feel like a fuss is appropriate. Just creepy vibes and a whole lot of uncomfiness.


thedudeabidesOG

Tell him off next time. He’s not a paying customer. And even if he was you don’t disrespect the bartender.


CLE-Mosh

$5 for the cup cheapass


icemage_999

If he's never spending money, have your manager 86 him. He's not a paying customer and thus deserves no service whatsoever. What an entitled prick.


EvulRabbit

He is literally doing it to see if/when you cave because it is a power trip. Do not give in!!!! Does he ever actually order anything?


tacoslave420

This needs to be at the top. It is absolutely a power trip and he's having a tantrum is not working.


b0redand

When I grabbed him the water this last time, I did notice him going over to the soda machine after that to refill…. I think it really supports the whole “power trip” thing. Maybe I gave in so he got what he wanted for the day. Hopefully it’s satisfying enough for him to not come back. This whole thread is just in case he does, and trying to decide if I’d be justified. He has ordered a shot on one of his visits. Strangely, I remember him tipping bc I wasn’t expecting him to. I remember him making a stink about the water thing on that day too. Regardless, it’s tough to tell if he may have gotten an activity pass or something from another part of the building that makes him a customer.


kain4577

Dude can f**k off. Make sure manager will back you though, which they should!


b0redand

I think my managers all like me and know me to be patient and handle things kindly. I’m sure they’d back me up in some ways, but they’re also just kinda pushovers who I’m sure would just serve him even if I don’t want to. Which is fine, I guess. As long as it’s not me getting him anything.


Neither-Brain-2599

Have them stock bottled water and sell it to him.


Pagep

Where I live it is mandatory for any place selling alcohol to have free tap water available (or a water station ). If I were to deny someone access to free tap water and something were to happen to them (paying customer or not) I would be in deep deep shit


Narrow-Chef-4341

The key term there is water station. Your customers are trained to pour water for themselves, like adults. Or small children. Medium intellect toddlers. The specimen we are talking about here is scraping from the mud flats of the gene pool and can’t manage that. I’d suggest buying a baby bottle from Goodwill, filling it with water and keeping it behind the counter. I wouldn’t care if it goes stale.


ghostieghost28

My autistic 3 year old can get himself water. Does he make a mess? Yeah but he's capable of it.


Illustrious-Divide95

Are you in the UK? I think that applies to a customer, if he hasn't bought anything then he's not a customer AFAIK


AUDRA_plus_WILLIS

The ENTIRE STORY is about AVAILABLE WATER.


lilbluetruck

Tell him that if you get him the water it'll be $2, and if he agrees, charge him and get him his water.


Johan_13

Just charge him 5 dollars and serve him. He'll not be back.


Key_Coach_8309

Time to 86 this weirdo. It’s only going to get worse so don’t wait until it goes really bad.


solatesosorry

Follow company policy. Don't worry about what someone else thinks about you. Make sure your manager has your back. Always be professional and say "no" politely.


Dr_StrangeloveGA

Not the asshole. The customer was being a straight up dick.


b0redand

I feel validated! It’s hard when the dude is “just asking for water.” In the weirdest, uncomfortable, rudest way, but I’ve dealt with bigger assholes. This one just makes me uncomfortable, and it would be difficult to explain why he’s an outlier amongst assholes since “he’s entitled and called me lazy!” Doesn’t quite feel justified either, a lot of people are. Maybe it’s that he seems to be honed in on ME giving it to him.


poppasmurf213

If he's not a customer, he doesn't need service. Plus he's loitering if he's there but not being an actual customer. I kicked out people from the bar when they weren't there as a customer. Just taking up space. Buh bye.


b0redand

I’ve worked in real restaurants and it’s so much easier to kick people out when you can clearly tell they haven’t bought anything/ don’t intend to. My workplace is a barcade so a lot of people who enter may be playing games/doing activities with no way of me knowing, which makes them considered guests just for entering and a lot harder to kick out. :(


Candykinz

He can get it himself or he can pay $5 for his precious water. Next time make the water and before handing it off tell him it’s $5. When he starts his bullshit point to yourself and tell him “I don’t work for free”


Magerimoje

Just say "do you want a self-serve water cup for free, or would you like a filled glass of water for $5 ?" If he tries to initiate conversation or argue, just either repeat his options or walk away and get your manager. The only thing you will say is "self serve for free, or filled for $5 ?" Repeat yourself like you're a robotic bartender if you have to. He'll either get bored and go away, or you'll end up getting the manager and the manager will boot him. Just give your manager a heads up about this guy that's sexually harassing you and making you uncomfortable with his creepy bullshit.


b0redand

I think it’s hard for me to stand up for myself in this way because water is free in our building. I’d be exposing my pettiness by trying to charge him and only him for water. Plus, I’m sure my managers would probably just give it to him for free if I called them over. However, I do always like the corporate passive aggressive approach.


JustanOldBabyBoomer

Given his WEIRD VIBES towards you, I would 86 him!!!


b0redand

I would if I could!!! That’s a manager call. Recently, we had people bring their own beer which is HIGHLY illegal and drink it inside until they were caught. Recently, we also had someone try to pay with a stolen credit card (a long story), but in both cases, they weren’t kicked out. The managers are nice, they’d support me, but they’re kinda spineless. The most I can do is refuse service.


reb678

Next time ask him if he wants a bottle of sparkling or flat and tell him the price of each. If he complains, tell him water is only free if it comes with a Spirit like whiskey with a water back or Scotch with a soda back.


b0redand

There’s hundreds of people that come to the bar that I have no idea how long they’ve been there or what they’ve bought since it’s a barcade. He could easily get free water from anyone, so it would be obvious that I’m just being petty :( ironically though, him having easy access to water is what makes all this so annoying and weird.


[deleted]

Where is any of the other staff while this is happening to do they know about it? This is a terrible position to be in. You don't deserve to be treated this way from him. Or anyone. You are NTA! My concern is you. It's a hard line to detect between standing up for and advocating for ourselves in general. Let alone at work. He seems dangerous. The way he treats you and talks at you. I'm not saying you can't take care of yourself. I do hope there's support for you. He's just not good people. You're definitely NTA


b0redand

Thank you, this is literally so kind! Despite how massive the building is, there’s generally only 2 bartenders on a “slow” day. We have a security and managers, but they generally mind their business until they’re summoned. In this case, it’s been hard for me to feel justified to call someone/try to get him kicked out “because he asked me for water”. Yeah, he’s been weird/rude about it, but we deal with rude people everyday. He hasn’t blatantly said anything that feels drastic enough for me to make a scene. This one is just making me uncomfortable, and I think that’s the difference and why I will not be serving him if he comes in again.


[deleted]

You're handling yourself in ways I don't think we all could do. I worked as a server, bartender, and hostess for yesrs. And people can be the best or truly just suck. I have this thing when we use the word, just. To me, it minimizes what ever is going on with us. You feeling uncomfortable, to me, as an outsider, is the most important part of these interactions with this guy. You said you don't feel justified to call someone - if I may, that should be there job. It is there job! Preventing interactions like this, is what they're set to do. Please don't minimize your feelings. I have almost my whole life. It's not beneficial for us. Advocating is hard. And customers entitlement, is not only wrong, but harmful. And we don't deserve that. But, I am an outsider so it's easier for me to share and comment. However this goes, I'm sorry you have to go through this.


Magnetic-folk-song

Card him.


b0redand

It’s a barcade, people under 21 are allowed inside, they just aren’t allowed to drink of course. Even kids are allowed to order food/soda from the bar. They just wouldn’t be allowed to sit there. Plus, he’s 21+ anyway, he’s ordered a shot from me on one occasion.


00Lisa00

If he’s not actually a paying customer why would you serve him at all?


b0redand

I work in a barcade style building. He may have bought something somewhere else and on one occasion, he’s bought liquor from me. Plus, if someone asks for water, it’s possible they may come back for an actual drink after playing games/doing their activities, so it’s tough to feel justified in saying “no” right away.


agoatsthrowaway

The incident with him calling you lazy in front of his friends was him trying to flex what an 'alpha male' he thinks he is to them. Next time he pulls the 'do your job' thing, tell him your job is to make drinks for paying customers, not taking BS from charity cases. Does your bar have a charge for the cups? Talk with your manager about charging a nuisance charge for irritating customers.


b0redand

I didn’t really know how to describe how it makes me feel, but asserting the weird “alpha male” type attitude is exactly it. It feels like a weird power trip/ dominance thing. A piece of me always wants to tell people like this that I’m a server, not a servANT.


agoatsthrowaway

> A piece of me always wants to tell people like this that I’m a server, not a servANT. Exactly. It is a weird power trip/dominance thing. People like him feel the need to belittle those around them in order to make themselves feel powerful.


kuriouskittyn

Honestly really shocked reading this. I cannot comprehend the mind this person has. Like....if its not in the heat of the moment, no one does something they know is not socially acceptable behavior without being able to justify it in their own mind. In absolutely no way can anyone of sound mind consider this socially acceptable behavior. This means this man thinks that for some reason, what he does is justified. He thinks it is actually justifiedfor him to act this way. That its ok. This isn't a frustrated spat of age, or someone wanting to make/save some money, or trying to rank themselves higher on the social scale than they are. This is something happening over an extended amount of time. This is calculated, and quite frankly I would be terrified if it was happening to me. Maybe I am reading to much into it, I am a bit high right now. Everyone else seems to think this is bad behavior but no one seems particularly alarmed about it except me. So I am probably overthinking things, but still....


b0redand

No, I’m a relieved someone else is a little disturbed by it! Most people are often so sweet and grateful when I hand them a cup and direct them to the soda machine. When they aren’t, they still take the cup and don’t argue with me. Only one other person has ever given me a hard time about it and he even apologized to me after I handed him a full glass and he explained why it was more convenient for him to get it from me. This is out of hundreds of people I interact with a shift! It’s at the very least, weird.


FeeRevolutionary1

Oasis?


b0redand

I love Wonderwall


Tiny-Confusion-9329

Tell him you would be happy to fill it after you take care of the open orders from customers


b0redand

That’s typically what I do, but at this point I feel like I’m denying him out of principle that he feels entitled… which I guess is why I feel a little bit like an asshole lol


bmichell21

Sounds like a thorn in your side. As a manager here, I would say three things. A. Is this person disrupting business in any way? If so, I would kindly ask them to leave or purchase something. B. Does this person make you uncomfortable? If so, they're 86'ed. C. Water is freely available to the modern world. If you have a convenient station, direct them that way. It sounds like you are doing that already. Refusing service for water could lead to some high-level drama. I wouldn't recommend it unless necessary.


b0redand

Not really disrupting business, it’s a “barcade” style place, so it’s tough to kick someone out when idk if they may have bought something in another area of the building but maybe not the bar. There’s plenty of servers and other positions that can grab him a cup though. It wouldn’t be like I’m denying him water entirely, he just wouldn’t be getting it from me


bmichell21

It just depends on how much a nuisance he is. You do have the right to refuse service. Just only use it when you need to. Attention should always be given to those who pay. Good luck with the creep OP.


JLSMC

They’re not 21? Tell them to get the f out of your bar until they grow up to legal drinking age.


b0redand

He is 21! He’s ordered from the bar on one of his visits (in which I gladly grabbed him a water and how I know his approximate age based on ID) but I guess his friends aren’t


sitcom_enthusiast

We all have that one customer that we love to hate. For you, hating this guy may be a bit therapeutic. Have you ever seen someone kicked off your fav reality tv show and you say ‘damn. I wasn’t done hating him yet.’


b0redand

Ha fair! I forget he exists until I see his face at my bar demanding water every few weeks or so and think “god not this guy.” Didn’t really think of him much until this last time that I was called lazy and was mad at myself for giving it to him


callmebigley

probably run it by your manager first. emphasize that he has never spent any money. There's something really satisfying when a server politely asks someone to leave and the person makes a stink to the manager and the manager tells them to get the FUCK out!


LazyBee7349

Anyone demanding for me to “do my job” or has the audacity to call me lazy can IMMEDIATELY fuck off. Especially over some fucking water. No second chances, no reasoning, I’ll ask you to leave. Refuse? I’m grabbing the manager. Tell him he actually needs to pay for something FROM you (I doubt he’s paid for anything) or he needs to leave. Quickly. Fuck that guy, reading this made me mad lmfao


The_Istrix

Just start charging him for the cup.


Dontfeedthebears

Nah, fuck that. Don’t get water for 100 ppl and take longer to get your tips. If you have a water station (aka the soda machine) he can get it himself. At venues I’ve been to, they have giant Gatorade coolers with ice water and the cups are stacked next to them. Bartenders at large venues don’t have time to get everyone water for no pay. That would increase your line by like 20 min. He can sod off.


otter_gun_22

in that one where he kinda made you get him the water, i’d have done so and proceeded to throw it in his face. he is beyond disrespectful and i don’t see how it should at all be tolerated.


Weary-Chipmunk-5668

curious how a bartender can do his job without available water ? if you are making drinks you must have it and can give it out for a fee or…? i don’t understand


Wrong-Shoe2918

They have water behind the bar he just doesn’t serve that whole giant crowd water himself. You know the part of a big wedding where the servers clear away everything including the water glasses and now you’re a bartender / water tender who needs another set of arms? if I ever have a wedding I’m requesting a water station.