Introduction

For restaurants, customer service is everything if you want your business to succeed. The staff is always trained to make sure that they serve every customer well. But unfortunately, some people still manage to treat their customers badly.

This is the story of how a diner learned the importance of customer service. A police officer fell in line to get a much-needed meal at a local diner. It was a popular diner so there was a long line. The police officer patiently waited for his turn and when he finally reached the counter, he was shocked to find out that the diner refused to serve him.

Enjoying a day-off

Police officer Karl Baker of Alexandria, VA, was enjoying a much-needed day off. He was doing a string of 12-hour shifts the past days so this was a break that he truly deserved. Baker planned to spend it the best way possible – by allowing himself to be lazy for a day.

Baker planned to sleep in, eat out, and finish the day relaxing in front of the television with a cold drink. Unfortunately, he had no idea that he was about to face one of the worst days of his life.

Getting brunch

It was already midday when Baker woke up. His dog had jumped on his bed, begging to be played with and fed. The sunlight was already pouring in the house. The day was a good start as Baker made himself a cup of coffee.

Baker thought about where he could go for brunch. There was no way he would be preparing his own meal after going through long shifts for the past days. It was about time to treat himself. And he was so excited for it.

Exploring another part of town

 

Baker then remembered a diner someone had recommended. He never got to go there because it was on the outskirts of the town. In fact, he has never been to that part of his town before. Now seems the perfect place to try it out.

Baker reached the diner and could tell that it was a popular spot. There was a line already in the queue. He fell in line to wait for his turn patiently, keeping himself occupied by reading the menu on the wall and making his choices.

A meal that’s worth the wait

Baker acknowledges himself as a picky eater. So, he welcomed the waiting time so that he can properly assess the items on the menu. He was hungry and he had high hopes that this diner is as good as people claim it is.

During the 45 minutes he spent in the line waiting for his turn, Baker was able to pick out two dishes from the diner’s specials. He was confident that these meals will be worth the wait.

The patient officer

The long queue to the counter was unusually long. It seems as if the staff was having a slow day. When other patrons would have probably given up after standing in line for more than 10 minutes, Baker stood his ground and waited for his turn.

By the time he finally reached the counter, Baker was starving and thirsty. This was his first meal of the day and it was afternoon already. But the cashier and the staff behind the counter just looked at him with disdain instead of a welcoming smile.