Over the years I have had my share of time in restaurants, fast food stores and retail environments. While every place is different, one thing has never changed: rude customers.

I see you guys everywhere. I go to McDonald’s for a milkshake or ice cream cone before work, and there you are, in front of me in line ruining the day of an innocent 17-year-old girl who made a simple mistake. Yes, she understands that you wanted medium fries instead of large, and she knows you did not want to be charged the extra money. Chances are she misunderstood what you said in the midst of the four happy meals, three extra drinks and two adults ordering various items off of the menu. You turn to your oldest son, who looks like he is nine years old, and rudely snicker. You tell him, “This is what people want fifteen dollars an hour for.” He nods, as if he understands what that means. Chances are, this girl has not once questioned her pay, and is simply happy she has the money for prom and her class trip.

To top off the entire situation, you are a full grown adult who is throwing a temper tantrum in a public place over a small mistake, as if you have never made mistakes before. Everyone makes mistakes, whether it be in the work place or not. Doctors make them and so do lawyers, and their mistakes cost way more than the extra fifty cents which can easily be refunded you when you stop screaming at the young girl.

I see you guys in stores, too. While I am shopping around, I notice that some shirts that I like were not in stock in my size. While this is upsetting because I liked the shirt, I move on with my life. I can hear another one of you yelling at a sales associate because for some reason, this particular stores owes you something, and you have rights to the missing size for the shirt you wanted. I am not sure why you cannot go find a different shirt, outfit or even a different store. There is no need to be yelling at a retail associate over something that he or she cannot control.

I see this same pattern when I am working too, whether or not a mistake is made in an environment with customers, some are always going to be rude. No matter how many times orders are repeated back and read to the customer, someone will always complain about the order. If the food was right, then the quality is poor. It is mostly ironic when the quality of the food is poor and the customer does not realize it until he or she is done eating it.

In the end, no one is trying to offend you by any means, but you all have to remember that the world does not revolve around you and good customer service begins with a good customer.