I don’t remember when age became a requirement for decent customer service. I must have missed the memo that if I am younger than the waiter or waitress that I am exposed to a significantly lower standard of service and respect. I am not alone on this claim. When you are young, you are commonly overlooked. There must be a stigma attached to my age that says that it is acceptable to label me and make assumptions about me. I am not an outlaw or delinquent and regardless if I was, we all deserve the same customer service. Instead of watching me in a store to see if I will swipe something, maybe approach me and offer to assist. It may be easy to assume that teenagers have no real money to spend, but you know what they say about assuming. It makes a butt out of you and me.

We, as teenagers, are not always broke. I may not have my own fortune or wealth, but that does not mean I am broke. I can have a job or an allowance. I can have money, it is not a crazy assumption that I have more than pennies in my pocket. However, I have been repeatedly mistreated in public places because for some reason, my “age” is not respectable.

I once when to Johnny Rockets for lunch with friends. A restaurant that is not expensive and commonly occupied by people under the age of 21. When the waitress came back with my change she only gave me the bills, no coins. She assumed that I would not want them because many people leave their change. I understand that, but I also believe it is my choice with whether or not I desire to do so. I was appalled. What made this waitress feel as though she can take such blatant advantage of me? Did I have a neon sign on my head saying that I am dumb and you can walk all over me like a doormat? Why assume that I do not know the value of a dollar? Why assume that my change is suddenly yours, was it because your service was so darn impeccable? The change was twenty-nine cents. To be somewhat civil - which I did not in any way need to do- I asked for the quarter from my change because I use quarters. She huffed and said “I would have to open a new roll.” I could not believe what I was hearing. Is my business inconveniencing you? I said “ well then I think you will need to open a new roll.” She stomped away, returning more than ten-minutes later, dropping the quarter down so rudely. So I took my change and left. I wrote on the receipt at the tip line : customer service needs work.

I wish I could say that was the only instance of misconduct by a worker towards me or any other teenager. As a young adult, I am overlooked as a member of society and a paying customer. It is a tragedy how people judge and assume about others. You do not know my story, my financial situation, or my intentions. You do not have the right to decide them for me. My monetary change is my right. You expect me to pay, I expect the most basic amount of human respect. Customer service guidelines do not have fine print allowing anyone to discriminate against me because of my age. So why do you assume it is ok?