Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE: Belligerent people

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Posted by David E. Nedrow (Member # 4981) on 02-19-2011, 10:45 PM:

Ugh, I got to deal with a person tonight, who became very upset when I informed him that we absolutely don't allow outside food and drink, and informed him I would be glad to take his drinks and food to the lobby and hold it for him. At first, he stared at me like I was crazy. Then came the "we didn't know, there are no signs" excuse. I pointed out that we do have signage. I would like to have asked him what movie theatre invites people to bring their own food.

So, he put his food in his bag, at which point I said if he wanted to retain the items, he would need to take his bag and coat to his car, and lock them in there. That brought him to his feet and he actually pressed up against me in that ridiculous puffed up peacock way people do.

I then told him that he, and his wife/girlfriend, had to leave and I would refund their tickets. The girl was fine at first, though she too pulled the "we didn't know, there are no signs".

I asked for their stubs, which angered the guy even more, though the girl did have them. I let her know that I just needed to see the colors of the tickets to calculate the refund. The guy was bouncing all over the place, and getting her flustered, at which point she blows up. She does the "I'm NEVER coming here again," to which I responded that that would be our preference as well. Then the "I'm telling all my friends about this!" Me: "So long as they don't bring contraband with them, they were welcome to come."

Some more blah, blah, the guy claims I said he stole from us and demands I call the police, which I'm happy to do. Girl: "Come on, Somename, I don't want to stay here all night." Me: "I'm perfectly willing to take as long with the police as is necessary to resolve this." Guy: "Let's go." Lots of muttering and cursing as they walk down the hall to the front doors.

The End

Posted by Martin McCaffery (Member # 37) on 02-19-2011, 11:21 PM:

Ain't dealing with the public grand [evil]

Wait until you get your first death threat.

Posted by Paul Mayer (Member # 355) on 02-20-2011, 12:12 AM:

As Miles Davis used to say, "The masses are asses."

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 02-20-2011, 01:00 AM:

Its always humorous when they threaten to take their business to the competition.

Great! Go occupy some of their seats which could have otherwise been sold to customers that didn't smuggle in outside food and drink. [thumbsup]

Posted by Aaron Garman (Member # 1653) on 02-20-2011, 02:42 AM:

It always got me when people thought it was ok to bring outside food and drink. Isn't it essentially common knowledge that you don't do that at the movies? It's like bringing a gun on an airplane.

AJG

Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 02-20-2011, 02:57 AM:

If it went down like you said, David, then you handled it very well. That's why I don't like dealing with customers. I am very good at customer service, but when they start giving me BS like that, I'm quick to give it right back to them. That's why I'm best left upstairs. I haven't interacted with patrons on a customer service or management level in nearly 15 years.

People get belligerent for the damnedest things. For example, we were the only theater in the metroplex to accept student IDs on weekends, I believe. All we ask is that the ID itself has proof that you are in school NOW as otherwise people could keep their IDs and use them forever. Two students came in and one didn't have the proper ID. That really upset them that we wouldn't honor the student pricing for that individual. It resulted in this review of the theater which, funnily enough, was posted after we closed forever.

Posted by Alan Plester (Member # 852) on 02-20-2011, 04:45 AM:

asking for i.d is a big problem where i work, in an amusement complex, if you are lucky enough to look under 25 you will be asked for i.d so you can play the 500pound jackpot machines, last year, i was verbally abused, and almost assualted, by a fat thug who just would not show i.d of any sort, security threw him out. Its so simple, no i.d no play and as for " I did not see the sign " crap
it`s 8feet high. Parents are another problem with them, taking kids into the gaming area, and then saying " it`s ok he`s with me", so what, you must be 18 to even enter the area, and i onc`e again point to the huge sign,and yes, they sit on stools, and start eating and drinking, smile at them and tell them politely
to &*^%^& off if only.

Posted by Bruce McGee (Member # 131) on 02-20-2011, 07:57 AM:

I thoroughly enjoy telling people to turn off the dang cell phones during the movie.

A cell phone guy recently informed me that if he ever saw me outside the theatre, he'd make my life a living hell. I got his tag number when he left. Gave it to the police. I understand that they paid him a visit.

Posted by Steve Guttag (Member # 268) on 02-20-2011, 09:35 AM:

Actually, Joe, by all accounts the manager at your theatre did seem to be a bit over-the-top and I didn't see any real defense from you. Some schools do NOT put an expiration date on their student IDs...in fact, my University of Maryland student ID has no dates on it that I'm aware and I graduated in 1992! (aren't we all students at heart?) Maryland's way around that was their "registration cards." For any time sensitive stuff, one had to show their registration card which was only good for one semester. That was also one's ticket to the Football and Basketball games. The student IDs were just that...an ID that had a photo of you and a magnetic strip that if run would identify you. It got you into places like libraries and onto campus after normal class hours.

If the requirement at a theatre for student rates is ones Student ID...then that is all they should need...it ISN'T their fault the college/school does not put dates on the card.

-Steve

Posted by Rick Raskin (Member # 1561) on 02-20-2011, 10:51 AM:

I have to agree with Steve on this one. What was gained by refusing admission? A disgusted patron and a vitriolic article. What was lost was a satisfied patron both then and in the future. It seems the manager made the critical mistake of injecting his personal feelings into the argument, thus creating a confrontational environment. That kind of behavior seems to me to always be a losing proposition. It would have been far simpler to just let the guy in.

Posted by Dominic Espinosa (Member # 2122) on 02-20-2011, 02:23 PM:

Indeed.
We go with majority rule. If 50% of the group has student ID's and they look like students (this is usually the case, older folks always have their ID's it seems) we'll go ahead and give it.

My favorite is still the noisy guys in NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN a couple years ago that got themselves battered by another guest and then threw a table at one of our employees when they were asked to leave...Great new years eve!

Posted by Chris Slycord (Member # 4239) on 02-20-2011, 02:31 PM:

quote:
My favorite is still the noisy guys in NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN a couple years ago that got themselves battered by another guest and then threw a table at one of our employees when they were asked to leave...Great new years eve!

Did you only ask them to leave? Because it makes no sense to me to ask them to leave and not the perso who you describe as battering them.

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 02-20-2011, 03:14 PM:

quote: Joe Redifer
It resulted in this review of the theater which, funnily enough, was posted after we closed forever.

First, I agree with Steve that its not their fault if the expiration date isn't on their student ID. So long as they looked like the picture, it was probably current. I would have accepted it.

HOWEVER, I doubt the manager was that rude. When people take the time out of their day to vent online, it is typically an exaggeration of the actual event. Also I doubt they went to the BBB, because that would have required even more effort, and let's face it, kids these days are not willing to put forth the effort (but a lame threat is quick and easy).

Still those kids probably thought they put the theater out of business!

Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 02-20-2011, 03:38 PM:

Steve, it didn't get any defense from me because I cannot defend what I did not personally see. I did hear about it right after it happened, though, and the manager said they were pretty pissed. That has always been theater policy and like I also said, other theaters around here don't even accept student IDs at all on weekends. Brad is likely correct that they greatly exaggerated. While our manager can be bit abrasive, he'd NEVER go that far. About as bad as I can see it getting is them mulling and arguing about it and him replying "So do you want the tickets or not?" especially if there was a line behind them. But no way would he stop a transaction with another customer to go yell at them. You are seeing only one side of the issue here and taking it as golden truth. You should definitely know that's not a good idea.

quote: Rick Raskin
What was gained by refusing admission? A disgusted patron and a vitriolic article. What was lost was a satisfied patron both then and in the future.

Yeah, I'm pretty sure they won't be coming back. Even if everything had gone "right", they wouldn't be coming back. Ever. The manager was following company policy. Don't damn him for doing his job. If you don't like the policy, take it up with Regency Theaters here.

Posted by David E. Nedrow (Member # 4981) on 02-20-2011, 06:01 PM:

quote: Brad M
Its always humorous when they threaten to take their business to the competition.

Great! Go occupy some of their seats which could have otherwise been sold to customers that didn't smuggle in outside food and drink.

Precisely. As they left, the girl kept loudly saying, "let's go spend lot's of money SOMEWHERE ELSE!"

I just wanted to say, "that's precisely the problem," but didn't want to escalate the situation. [Wink]

Posted by Caleb Johnstone-Cowan (Member # 3710) on 02-20-2011, 08:06 PM:

I find it hard to take someone seriously when they mention going to the competition.

The best is when they try and cite a Act of Parliament they've heard on TV somewhere. I wish I could go in to specifics but there have been a couple recently where it's been way too funny to be true.

What annoys me most though is when the customer has obviously been rude to my staff, then I walk out in my suit and they're all smiley and happy to me, and then they leave after I've said exactly the same thing my staff have to them.

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 02-20-2011, 08:07 PM:

My favorite was the girl who said "I'm going to write to your boss and GET YOU FIRED!" when I told her she couldn't have her cellphone on in the theatre. I said, "Great, good luck with that!"

Posted by John T. Hendrickson, Jr (Member # 849) on 02-20-2011, 08:42 PM:

Good one, Mike. Yet, even if you had ID'd yourself as the owner, they probably would not have believed you anyway.

People today are used to taking everything to the top. I maintain it's what we taught them in school- If you don't get satisfaction from the teacher, you go directly to the school board. Forget talking to the Department Head, the Principal or the Superintendent. For that matter, why bother to go to the teacher at all? Just show up at a Board meeting.

Likewise, if patrons confront the theater manager and don't get what they want, they feel they have to take it to the top. It's the new rules of society. No need to be civil- just bitch and moan and put up a stink until you get your way.

People no longer understand what the word "NO" means.

Posted by Chase Pickett (Member # 5975) on 02-21-2011, 12:45 AM:

I noticed a guest chowing down on some Kung-Pow Chicken (we are right next to a p.f changs) while about to start a show. I called down to the floor staff to ask this lady to take the food outside the auditorium, and last I heard of the situation, the police had escorted her out of the building. Absolutely ridiculous. Our theater has a policy of ALLOWING outside food or drink in the lobby, after passing the ticket taker. I think it's the most ass backwards policy I have ever heard of, and has caused more head aches than just not allowing any outside food or drink at all. But when a customer asks why we have a no outside food or drink policy, I explain to them that we not only show movies but serve concessions (just in case they missed the stand) and that they wouldn't take their Red Robin to go over to p.f. chang's to eat it.

Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 02-21-2011, 01:05 AM:

Didn't AMC once allow outside food and drink even in the auditoriums and then somewhat recently change that policy? It is because of AMC that people are accustomed to taking in outside food or drink into the auditoriums.

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 02-21-2011, 01:48 AM:

quote: Caleb Johnstone-Cowan
What annoys me most though is when the customer has obviously been rude to my staff, then I walk out in my suit and they're all smiley and happy to me, and then they leave after I've said exactly the same thing my staff have to them.

When I was managing theaters, I had a code that I devised for my trusted employees to use.

A - "There is a gentleman/lady who would like to speak with you."

B - "There is a customer who would like to speak with you."

C - "There is a customer who would like to speak with you immediately."

A meant the person was polite or had a legitimate reason to be angry. They always got taken care of regardless of what it took.

B meant the person was being rude and an overall ass (usually about a company policy the employees were enforcing). Typically these people just needed to be calmed down a little bit and made good on whatever was wrong.

C meant the person was being threatening or otherwise crossing the line and to be particularly on guard if they turned into a bed of roses once I got there. Most of the time they left vowing to never return (a victory). [fu]

I started that code because there were too many times where I was in an auditorium or upstairs when the complaint hit. Of course by the time I spoke to the patron he/she was a bed of roses and I bent over backwards to make sure they were satisfied, only to find out they had been cursing and threatening my staff before I got to the lobby. Not cool. [Mad]

quote:
My favorite was the girl who said "I'm going to write to your boss and GET YOU FIRED!"

Sweet. Of course for those who aren't the actual owners of the theater they manage, they could always use my tactic.

Theatening dipshit: "I'm going to have you fired for not letting me bring my open bottle of alcohol into the theater!"

Me: "Ok, but please let me make that easier for you, because I wouldn't want you to have to put too much effort into that task. (Grabs business card and pen.) Here is my business card. I am going to write my district manager's name and direct phone number on the back. Ok? Now just in case you don't get me fired after talking to him, go ahead and call HIS boss. This is the regional manager and his direct phone number. If for some reason you still haven't succeeded, go ahead and call the CEO of the company. I'll put his name and phone number on here too. Is there anything else I can do for you sir? (I hand the dipshit the card at this point.)"

After they picked their jaw up off the floor they without fail stuttered their next comment and left, pretending to be satisfied.

Only once that I know of did anyone call. The DM told me the call was hilarious and made his day. [Razz]

Posted by Christopher Crouch (Member # 3784) on 02-21-2011, 02:06 AM:

I'm not sure how much of the issue is related to AMC "relaxing" their rules for a few years and how much is a general shift in the public's attitude, towards a growing sense of entittlement. There have always been issues with people trying to sneak food in, but now people seem to act like it's their right to do so.

The theatre I manage is a bit of an extreme example of this attitude, as we are located in a very affluent area, but not a day goes by when I'm not inundated by guests who are outraged that we won't allow them special privileges. Many are fully aware of the rules, but seem to believe that they shouldn't be held to such rules. Not only am I constantly lectured about "rights being violated", I've actually had people call the police because we wouldn't allow their coffee in to the theatre. Of course, the police blow them off, but the very idea that someone would take that action says something very disturbing about their outlook on the world. I've noticed similar attitudes towards cell phone use, having to pay extra for 3D, hours of operation, having to wait in line, etc. Basically, more and more people seem to believe the world revolves around them.

Posted by Chase Pickett (Member # 5975) on 02-21-2011, 02:49 AM:

AMC, to be courteous, allowed outside food/drink from restaurants and shops within the surrounding shopping area for a while. I want to say 3 years or so that wasn't the case, but since trying that we reverted back to the original policy after diminishing per head rates. Being around box office during the beginning of this year (that's when we went back) was like hell. Most guests were understanding and nice about it, but we had the douche bags too.

Posted by Martin McCaffery (Member # 37) on 02-21-2011, 08:30 AM:

quote: John T. Hendrickson, Jr
People today are used to taking everything to the top.

In defense of "going to the top", but not general douchebaggery, anyone who has tried to get a legitimate problem remedied by a large corporation knows you have to hack your way through layers of cannon fodder before you can get to someone who is even capable of helping you.

I think the to-the- top mentality is a reaction to generally awful customer service and a corporate attitude of "we can outlast you." I don't know how many hours of frustration I have suffered and caused just to get someone who can say "We made a mistake. We're sorry. How can we fix it?"

Posted by John T. Hendrickson, Jr (Member # 849) on 02-21-2011, 09:08 AM:

Well, there you go, Martin. I agree, because you are speaking about a legitimate problem. And often, you do have to go to the top in that case.

What I'm commenting about is the general attitude of people who have learned to bitch and moan without regard to allowing anyone to solve a problem, so they go right to the top.

Can't begin to tell you how many customer emails I have read where people embellish everything that happened. We recently had a guy on our security camera jumping up and down and carrying on, yet he claimed it was all the fault of management. Different story in real time, so to speak.

It's unfortunate, but people have been conditioned to lie in order to get what they want.

Posted by Mike Spaeth (Member # 524) on 02-21-2011, 01:23 PM:

I've got a different take on the outside food/drink thing ... Making a customer dispose of outside food / drink does NOT result in them suddenly buying something from the stand, so as long as it's not something that's going to bother other customers (pungent odor, etc), what's gained by the confrontation? It's not like they're going to suddenly say "Wow ... I need to buy popcorn and a soda instead." They're just going to toss their items / put them in the car, watch the movie, and still not buy anything from the stand, at best. At worst, they'll no longer be a customer. Some of the highest per caps I've seen in the industry are from theatres that allowed outside food / drink (Century) anyways...

Posted by Michael Brown (Member # 890) on 02-21-2011, 01:52 PM:

Regarding the "we didn't see a sign". I've actually had someone pull that crap when they were kicked out of an auditorium for constantly talking. They complained that we didn't have any signs up saying that they couldn't talk in a movie.

quote: Caleb Johnstone-Cowan
What annoys me most though is when the customer has obviously been rude to my staff, then I walk out in my suit and they're all smiley and happy to me

I had a situation over christmas where a group of girls were demanding I give then 3D glasses even thought they had claimed they had paid for them but "lost" their receipt. As soon as I call my GM and they see a guy in a suit they completely change their story that they haven't even paid for them.

quote: John T. Hendrickson, Jr
People today are used to taking everything to the top

Had a customer discover their toilet stall had run out of paper. They came out and wanted to get the phone number of head office, rather than just asking an employee who would have been more than happy to go the the supply cupboard and get a new roll of toilet paper.

Posted by Dan Biegner (Member # 6026) on 02-21-2011, 02:49 PM:

The thing that I really don't get is haven't any of those people had jobs in customer service? The thing that I really take away from being in this job is that I as the employee am always going to go the extra mile and try and help out people who are super nice and polite about things. I, as well as the rest of the staff, do tend to make little exceptions when people are nice about things. Nothing major, but stuff that isn't going to make an impact at all really. But once someone starts putting up a fight, or starts being supremely rude about something, I immediately don't want to help those people, so then I start playing by the book and all of a sudden every rule is life or death.

So when I go out to the movies or to a restaurant or something, if there's ever a problem and I need to complain, I'm super polite and understanding, because most of the employees legitimately are invested and want you to have a good experience. Being rude makes people not WANT to help you!

Oy. People. We had a pretty nasty old woman who actually not only threatened the staff, but when the customer behind her tried to intervene because she was being so rude and holding everything up, she turned to him, lifted her walker, and challenged him to a fight! Craziest thing I ever saw!

Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 02-21-2011, 03:22 PM:

I am always highly amused when people refer to customers as "guests". Absolutely NO movie theater is a high-class establishment. It's a frickin' movie theater. That's like referring to eating inside McDonald's as "dining in".

quote: Martin McCaffery
In defense of "going to the top", but not general douchebaggery, anyone who has tried to get a legitimate problem remedied by a large corporation knows you have to hack your way through layers of cannon fodder before you can get to someone who is even capable of helping you.

Very true, but EVERYONE thinks their problem is legitimate.

quote: Mike Spaeth
so as long as it's not something that's going to bother other customers (pungent odor, etc), what's gained by the confrontation?

The other highly distinguished exclusive guests in the auditorium will see the items and feel they can bring stuff in, too. Then that increases exponentially and soon a lot more people than you would like would bring food in.

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 02-21-2011, 03:25 PM:

We stayed in one of the Disney World hotels a few years ago, and on the first night of our stay the toilet clogged up following one of my epic outputs. I called it in to the front desk but, to be nice, I said it would be OK to wait until the next day to fix it since it was late at night. So the next morning we went out for the day, and came back that night to find the damn toilet was still plugged, even though our room had been cleaned!

So this time I went to the front desk in person and told them the problem. Again, I said it would be OK to wait until the next day to fix it since it was very late. They apologized profusely and said it would definitely be taken care of. (Disney has some of the best front-desk personnel in all of hoteldom.)

The next day, we went out again and got back that night and the DAMN TOILET WAS STILL CLOGGED!! So once again I went to the front desk and this time I said, "This is day three of us having no toilet in our room, and it's getting pretty smelly, so I would like to have it fixed right now." So they got some non-English speaking dude from somewhere, and he had the clog fixed in a few minutes.

So, if I had blown a fuse on Day 1 would the toilet have gotten fixed any faster? Probably. Did Disney give us any perks like a park voucher or a room discount or anything for having no toilet for 3 days? No. If I had really raised hell about it to the manager, would we have gotten some kind of a complimentary deal? Maybe...but I was nice the whole time, so they got off cheap.

What's the moral of this story? Sometimes you might have to raise your voice a little but you should still be civil, I guess.

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 02-21-2011, 05:05 PM:

quote: Joe Redifer
The other highly distinguished exclusive guests in the auditorium will see the items and feel they can bring stuff in, too. Then that increases exponentially and soon a lot more people than you would like would bring food in.

They also tend to throw their trash on the floor, leaving the theater's staff to clean it up. If there is much of that sort of behavior, that could mean having to staff an extra usher to deal with the additional mess.

Posted by Michael Brown (Member # 890) on 02-21-2011, 06:19 PM:

That's what really pisses me off about outside food, it gets dumped on the floor with everything else. There should be an unwritten rule - if your going to sneak outside food into a theatre at least get rid of any rubbish generated from said outside food.

If you didn't buy the food from the theatre then it shouldn't be the theatres responsibility to clean it up.

Posted by Ron Lacheur (Member # 1126) on 02-21-2011, 06:43 PM:

quote: Joe Redifer
I am always highly amused when people refer to customers as "guests". Absolutely NO movie theater is a high-class establishment. It's a frickin' movie theater. That's like referring to eating inside McDonald's as "dining in".

Joe, most cinemas in Canada refer to their customers as guests.

As for sneaking in food, one theater I worked at, I've never seen so many pre-popped bags of microwave popcorn. Always on the floor after a movie.

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 02-21-2011, 10:55 PM:

I don't like the word "guests" either. The word is "customers."

I also don't like everyone who works in a store referred to as "associates." They are a sales clerk or a cashier or a stocker, for Pete's sake. But my least favorite of all is "teammate."

Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 02-21-2011, 11:01 PM:

I think Regal calls their staff "cast" or something like that. They're trying to be cute, I guess.

Posted by Paul Mayer (Member # 355) on 02-21-2011, 11:26 PM:

"Cast members." Following Disney's lead on that one. The Harrah's casino properties here do the same thing.

Posted by Frank Angel (Member # 248) on 02-22-2011, 05:42 AM:

quote: Joe Redifer
I think Regal calls their staff "cast" or something like that. They're trying to be cute, I guess.

I am with Mike and Mr. Grant on this one: Cute? I HATE cute.

Posted by Dan Biegner (Member # 6026) on 02-22-2011, 09:45 AM:

Thing I actually find sneaked in the most is beer. Which pisses me off because A) you didn't buy anything from our theater, so thanks, B) you left it on the floor for me to pick up, so thanks, and C) you didn't bring enough to share, so, thanks.

You guys find it strange to go see movies in another theater now? I'm always super aware of what I'm doing and always alter my behavior to be the most theater-staff friendly when I go to movies. My friends hate going to movies with me because I make them pick up their trash!

Posted by Joe Redifer (Member # 3) on 02-22-2011, 02:59 PM:

Your friends suck.

Posted by Frank Angel (Member # 248) on 02-22-2011, 03:43 PM:

And not in a good way.

Posted by Chris Slycord (Member # 4239) on 02-22-2011, 08:07 PM:

quote: Mike Blakesley
I don't like the word "guests" either. The word is "customers."

Referring to them as guests makes things seem (to them) less impersonal, imo.

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 02-22-2011, 10:46 PM:

Just thinking about it, I guess in most places where we refer to people (website and such), we call them patrons or moviegoers. "Guests" to me sounds like we've invited them over to the house for dinner.

Posted by Chase Pickett (Member # 5975) on 02-22-2011, 11:33 PM:

Who gives a shit really? I don't. "Guest" has been engraved in my head, so that's what I refer to the "customers" as. Patrons, in my opinion, is the most accurate. i hope this thread doesn't turn into an argument on which is correct.

Posted by Martin McCaffery (Member # 37) on 02-23-2011, 09:37 AM:

"Guest" is some corporate consultants euphemism to hide the fact there is a financial transaction involved. I'm sure there are tons of studies to go along with it about how people feel more liked if we pretend they are "Guests" (as Mike said, invited over for dinner) rather than customers or patrons who are involved in some filthy monetary transaction.

Of course, the second something goes not to their liking, the "Guests" turn into consumers who want their money back and a pound of flesh.

It's a business transaction and there's nothing wrong with that. It can be friendly and professional, especially if both sides treat the other with respect.

Besides, if any of my real guests threw their trash on the floor like they do in the theatre they would never be invited back to my home.

Posted by Todd McCracken (Member # 4718) on 02-23-2011, 06:14 PM:

Rule #1 with people who threaten to never come back. They always do.

The people who say nothing are the ones you will never see again.

Posted by Mike Blakesley (Member # 26) on 02-23-2011, 08:12 PM:

I think I've told this story somewhere on here before, but it deserves another airing here.

We had a kid one time who got nasty and we tossed him out...his parting words were, "I AM NEVER COMING BACK HERE AGAIN!" My partner (at the time) Tom said, "Perfect, that's the way it'll be."

Then a few weeks later the kid started dating one of our concession staff and wanted to come to the movie with her. Tom said, "Well, she can get in but you can't -- remember, you said you never wanted to come back here again." After two or three "ruined" dates, the kid came in to the office and apologized, so we let him come back and he turned into a pretty good customer after that.

Posted by David E. Nedrow (Member # 4981) on 02-23-2011, 11:52 PM:

quote: Mike S
've got a different take on the outside food/drink thing ... Making a customer dispose of outside food / drink does NOT result in them suddenly buying something from the stand,

I could care less about THEM buying something, than I am about allowing them to keep it and have it get around that we're a lawless frontier in Movieland.

And, allowing them to keep it penalizes the people who do buy concessions, as I have to price my stuff to include lost revenue for the people we don't catch, but who leave an entire meal on the floor for us to clean up.

Posted by Joseph Pandolfi (Member # 223) on 02-27-2011, 05:06 PM:

We deal with outside food too at our place. Either we politely ask to dispose it or we will put it in the fridge for them and return it when they finish the movie. Sometimes you can't avoid them when they get away with it. About a month ago I seen two people enter the auditorium with a huge shopping bag. They sat down reached inside the bag and pulled out a mound of COTTON CANDY !! and started stuffing their faces. I'll dred when they sneak a barrel of KFC chicken and drop the bones on the floor for a person to trip and fall on.

Posted by Jeremy Weigel (Member # 4208) on 02-27-2011, 08:01 PM:

quote: Joseph Pandolfi
I'll dred when they sneak a barrel of KFC chicken and drop the bones on the floor for a person to trip and fall on.

A few years back we had someone that kept sneaking in the small 2-3 piece KFC meals packed in the small box. They always left the bones on the floor next to the box. Never did catch them.

Posted by Damian Thornton (Member # 5971) on 03-16-2011, 05:54 PM:

Not exactly a "belligerent" customer, but that word always makes me think of folks who've had a bit too much to drink.

About 11:30 on a night with a midnight showing (late 2008, Twilight maybe?) a drunk driver came barreling through the parking lot toward the theater, apparently not coherent enough to find the brake pedal. He jumped the curb and slammed into the cement wall about 20 feet from the box office entrance. His little car was totaled, and the first thing he said to the manager who got outside first was "hey man, help me push my car."

Fortunately we had already seated for the showing. If it had been much sooner we might've still had a line wrapping around the building.

Posted by Michael Brown (Member # 890) on 03-23-2011, 07:48 PM:

I've had a couple of "challenging" customers over the weekend.

The first was with a guy over his popcorn portion. We use cardboard cartons for our popcorn and it is filled to the top when served to the customer. The said customer spend 5 minutes patting the side of the box and picking the box up and hitting it down on the counter until his box was three-thirds full, then demanded it was topped up. In the ensuing debate between him and me he ends up telling me I’m shit at doing my job because I won’t top up his popcorn.

Tonight a lady orders a tonne of stuff, several drinks, a popcorn, 2 ice-creams and then has a problem (obviously) trying to carry it all on her own. Now if I’m stood behind the counter with plenty of other staff serving and no lines building up I’ll happily help someone take their stuff up the their screen, that’s great customer service can’t argue with that, but if there is only me and one other person working and there is a fair line of customers lining up then I can’t go anywhere. That is what this woman failed to realise. Looking at me and saying “What am I supposed to do?” is not going to help you. What annoyed me was the fact that she didn’t take responsibility for her own purchases. The fact that she had bought too much stuff to carry was MY problem not hers.

Posted by Chris Slycord (Member # 4239) on 03-23-2011, 11:16 PM:

I don't see why you debated him over a couple scoops of popcorn.

And with the lady, perhaps saying "I'll help you carry these as soon as I am through with this line" would work, although if she's as dense as you imply then obviously it wouldn't.

Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 03-24-2011, 12:41 AM:

Agreed that extra popcorn would've cost a penny and made the customer happy. The odd thing is I remember I used to teach my staff to tap down the buckets a bit while filling them.

FWIW, I would have told the customer that I couldn't leave my station due to the line, but that if she wanted to leave a few items beside the register for a minute while she took half of her items and got her seat that would be fine. (It probably still wouldn't have helped, but hey. That is also assuming there wasn't an usher available to help, but in my situation if I was in the concession stand serving customers it meant we were short staffed for the turnout anyway.)

Posted by Michael Brown (Member # 890) on 03-24-2011, 06:13 AM:

They are very strict on portion sizes, that extra scoop could have cost the company a penny but me my job.

In the end we did find someone to help her carry he food to the screen, but as I say it just the fact that she thought she we were responsible that I found annoying.

Posted by Caleb Johnstone-Cowan (Member # 3710) on 03-25-2011, 09:11 PM:

With popcorn guy there's no way after such a display anyone behind the counter or working in the building is going to want to help him out. Our boxes are pretty sturdy and big so to squeeze 25% worth of air out would have made him look more than a little odd doing that on the stand. A simple shake of the box and 'can I have a bit extra please' would have got him his desired extra scoop.

Posted by Chris Slycord (Member # 4239) on 03-25-2011, 10:46 PM:

Sounds more like Michael was saying his bosses made it clear if he added more corn, they'd fire him.

Posted by Ron Funderburg (Member # 4561) on 03-25-2011, 10:52 PM:

I had a call tonight from a distraught woman who was upset that her daughter was being accosted in the parking lot by a “Black Person” (insert proper bigot word) in our parking lot. The accosting was the girl was flirting with the guy and he was flirting back. The daughter didn’t report it that way I was in the parking lot when said accosting was going on. But the woman wanted something done about it.

I explained that I was there didn’t see or hear any accosting. The back and forth went on for about 5 to 8 minutes me explaining that that everyone has a right to be here or there and we aren’t the police for her person likes and dislikes. She continued to hurl insults at me and an entire race.

At last she accused me of being “Black Person” lover to which I replied that all people were worthy of love as God made all people and her anger should be directed at God then and not me. She yelled out some platitudes about my parentage as she slammed the phone down.

Well you just got to realize some folks are ignorant!

Posted by Michael Brown (Member # 890) on 03-26-2011, 08:55 AM:

quote: Chris Slycord
Sounds more like Michael was saying his bosses made it clear if he added more corn, they'd fire him.

Or at least get my ass kicked pretty hard.

It's been laid out in several training sessions and memo's that we are not to give any extra scoops, and bare in mind while this is going on the other two staff members behind the retail counter were a supervisor and the duty manager. (so I'm on my best behaviour re portion sizing etc).