We asked members of the BuzzFeed Community to share the dumbest things a customer has ever asked them. The responses? Hundreds of stories that prove service workers deserve not just a raise, but a lifetime supply of therapy. Prepare to be amazed (and possibly horrified) by these 29 outrageously wild tales:
Incense Inferno and Other Customer Catastrophes
First up, a customer demanded a refund for incense *and* reimbursement for a curtain she’d set ablaze because, apparently, the store failed to explicitly warn her against leaning a lit incense stick against flammable fabric. Need we say more? This sets the tone for the sheer absurdity to come.
Then there was the fast-food saga of the double sweet tea debacle. One with extra ice, one without. The customer, upon receiving her drinks, exploded with fury, convinced the ice-less tea was the one *with* extra ice. The employee’s clever sleight-of-hand solution only added to the comedic chaos. The apologetic boyfriend in the passenger seat remains a mystery, a silent testament to customer irrationality, leaving us to wonder, “Is he okay?”
Beauty Blunders and Bakery Brain-Teasers
A Lancôme customer returned a night cream because it “didn’t taste good,” sparking a bizarre debate on the connection between taste and topical application. Meanwhile, a bakery worker faced the daily existential question: “Where do you get your bread?” It appears some customers can’t quite grasp the concept of a bakery baking its own bread.
Time-Telling Troubles and Technophobic Tantrums
A watch-shop customer demanded a refund because she’d been misreading the time – confusing the hour and minute hands. The refusal to accept the explanation highlights a stunning level of customer entitlement. Another shopper attempted a necklace return, presenting only a photograph of the broken necklace, still at home, as proof of purchase.
An email recipient declared she couldn’t reply to an email because she’d forwarded it. No, this isn’t a joke. And then there’s the gas station saga of the 52-cent ice cup purchased with a credit card, followed by an enraged demand for a refund based on a misheard price, causing a massive backup during a rush hour.
Microwaving Shoes and Whale-Watching Wonders
The list of bizarre requests continues. A restaurant patron requested that their shoes be microwaved to warm their cold feet. A NOAA volunteer was asked what time the whales were being fed, seemingly unaware that wild animals have their own schedules.
And the bizarre requests don’t stop there. A pharmacy customer demanded that the entire neighborhood’s phone outage be fixed, not just their store’s phone. A mother tried to reschedule a college open house for 1,000 students due to her daughter’s cheer competition. A hotel guest, checking in after midnight, wondered if they could check in at 3 p.m. *now*.
Ulta Ultimatums and Five Guys Follies
A woman at Ulta was caught scooping a large amount of hand cream from a tester into her own jar, sparking a fiery confrontation and a threat to boycott the store. At Five Guys, a customer ordered a large cup of chocolate syrup to dip peanuts (shells and all) into. A university librarian was asked to clear someone’s negative credit report.
Beyond Belief
Customers have attempted to use sex toy demonstrators inappropriately, ranted about women golf presenters, and even mistaken a calligraphy artist at Disney for a robot. A cruise ship passenger reported being trapped in her cabin because of the “do-not-disturb” sign.
These tales are a testament to the resilience and patience of service industry workers. If you’ve got your own jaw-dropping customer story, share it in the comments below! Let’s celebrate the absurdity – and the incredible people who handle it all.
