Work in any customer-facing role, and at some point, you're bound to encounter someone demanding special treatment because they're friends with the owners or some other upper manager. Nine times out of ten, these people are absolutely full of it, and mentioning their name to the owner or manager at a later date will be met with an eye roll, facepalm, or "Who?" No, this person isn't their friend; in some cases, they might be a mutual acquaintance, but what kind of friend would go into their friend's business, be rude to staff, and demand free or discounted items?
Sure, there are probably some jerk owners with jerk friends who treat staff poorly. This means it can often be hard to know when to comply with the "friend's" demands—to avoid being personally named in a complaint from someone who could be their closest mate—and when to shut it down.
When this entitled customer repeatedly treated staff at this chain restaurant poorly, name-dropping the district manager as if they were a close friend, they had the staff—who were worried about keeping their jobs—on a hook. It wasn't until the District Manager himself addressed the situation that her deceit was revealed—they were mere acquaintances and, even then, only through their kid's school.
Next, see this customer who left a 1-star review for a bike shop after they helped him for free.
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