We all read those horror stories about working in retail and food service. Most of the terrible experiences involve customers. Customers, though they are the reason the business is kept running, can be the bane of your existence as an employee in these establishments. From being rude, to overly needy and just plain entitled, it’s almost like they forget that the people helping them are…people? In this article, we’re going to go over some basic things to keep in mind when you visit an establishment from the point of view of the worker.

Please be courteous and understanding. Even if you don’t see the other stuff that’s going on in the business, sometimes the employees can’t drop everything to assist you. So when you hear that phrase “Someone will be with you shortly”, don’t wig out. Patience goes a long way in life; getting assistance at an establishment is no different. Now I’m not saying your server should ignore you to chew gum and twirl their thumbs while you wait for a glass of water, but if someone hasn’t been by to get your order within five seconds of sitting down, I promise you’ll survive. The same principle applies in any place of retail. Most employees are expected to watch over multiple areas of the store while also restocking their shelves with things from the back room while also helping customers. Not to mention those little stickers that remind you something is on clearance or those dandy cardboard displays. You didn’t think those popped up magically, did you? So when you ring that special little “Need assistance?” bell, someone else might have pushed it milliseconds before you on the other side of an employee’s section. Sometimes places are understaffed and people are stretched thin, you coming in and pitching a fit doesn’t make the process smoother and you’ll definitely be made fun of later in a weird voice to illustrate how ridiculous you were acting.

Tip your servers. Most restaurants don’t pay their servers minimum wage (though a rare few do). Now, we’ve all heard people complain about how tipping is expected and how it should be extra, like a treat. Well, it doesn’t work that way. If you don’t want to tip and want instantaneous service, check out your local fast food joint. Your servers are responsible for not only your table but a group of tables just like yours. Sometimes the group of tables referred to as sections is widespread. Want to know the crazy thing? All of those tables think their food should be out first, even though they only ordered ten minutes ago, and all of those tables just can’t understand why their server isn’t hovering within snapping distance to indulge their every whim. Aside from catering to their tables, servers also have to make change from a $100 for your $3 check, arguing with the kitchen about what an acronym means, dealing with a fellow server’s meltdown over their table losing their absolute minds, and so many other things. The job deserves way more than the average pay. But employers get to pay servers less (try about $2.13/hour) because it’s common decency and expected to tip servers at least 15%. So next time you see your servers in the weeds and decide to say to yourself, “I don’t think they deserve a tip at all because I had to chew on ice for two whole minutes!” REMEMBER THAT THEY ARE PEOPLE TRYING TO MAKE A LIVING.

So you want to talk to the manager? Managers in both retail and food service know all too well about those “Can I see your manager?” types. Sometimes calling in management is warranted. Sometimes you need to ask for clarification on a special sale or have them speak to the kitchen about why your side of fries is taking 40 minutes. Most of the time, it’s because someone just didn’t get their way. Speaking for the majority of the workers in public service: we don’t make the rules and we aren’t going to lose our jobs breaking those rules for you. Several stories are floating around on the internet about customers not accepting the fact that their coupon was expired or invalid (honestly, we’ve all seen it happen in person) and they go screaming to the manager demanding to not only receive their discounts but several additional ones. Once again, if you make a complete butt out of yourself, the employees (and managers) will remember you fondly while making fun of you for being incredibly demanding and ridiculous.

In short please remember that people working in not only food and retail but all public services are people, not machines. We are trying to pay our bills and make a living while not working our lives away, like anyone. So remember all of these things the next time you go to an establishment. We really are glad you’re there, but please don’t bring a bad attitude with you. People deserve respect, whether they are the employee or the customer. So please, please be kind to your public service worker. We make fun of the stressful customers, but we also remember the ones that were pleasant to us. We’ll always go an extra mile for the people who were kind.