Picking up pizza for my daughter. Store is locked, and they are meeting customers at the door with their order. As I am walking back to my car, an elderly man walks up. Nice kid working at the pizza place asks him "What is the name on your order, sir?" Old man goes nuts..."I'm here to place my order right now," barking at this poor kid. Kid tells him they can't let anyone in the store, old man yells, "What, my GD money is no good here," and it deteriorates from there. Yelling, cursing, basically throwing the old man version of a toddler's temper tantrum, especially when the kid told him, "I'll get you something to write down your order. That really set the guy off.

Why wouldn't you just order online, or if that's not an option, order by phone? Why leave your house looking for a fight? Why expend the energy it took to act like a raging a-hole? These people who feel the need to assert dominance over service workers, especially during a time like this, are pure trash.

What is his user name here?

The MO sounds familiar.

He might be trying to leverage control over something since he feels his world is out of control around him (pandemic).

Or he's off his meds and is just bat s*** crazy.

Who knows.

It was ME!



I seen the same thing at my Herb shop. Big sign on the door that ONLY online or phone are being filled. You must state your order number at the speaker and only then are you allowed inside. As I was paying for my herb an elderly man (I am 64 and he was much older than me) was pushing the doorbell and pushing.... When they told him to go place an order on line he went totally bonkers, screaming like a Marine when he found out his date had a bigger.......

I finished paying and went out and asked him to calm down and say what he wanted to pick up. He said he could not get his smart phone to work. So I logged on to their web page, signed in as a guest and placed an order for 2 ea 3.5 gr of what he wanted. He had to wait 5 more minuets before they called him in.

Old people seem to think they are immune to a azz kicken, and I agree to a point, but in extreme conditions.

I had a old guy years ago come at me with a big kitchen knife for taking his morning paper to his front door step. Since I had gotten mine, I had to throw his own garden at him.

Unfortunately for him, it sounds like it's within his best interest to keep at home. This virus moves very fast on the elderly, but he rather get his pizza, I guess.

If you're going to be dumb, you better be tough.

A co-woker of mine was in the line at a supermarket picking up some supplies. the guy in front of him turned around and saw he worked at the airport , he then went bonkers saying to my guy was inconsiderate of others going out in public simply because he was wearing a shirt from the airport.

we work outside the terminal btw,

Some of the people out there are batchit nuts regardless of age

Elderly, online?
My parents are in their 80s. Mom is competent but Dad doesn't even have an email account.

So some of you read about my "love affair" with my local small town family owned Pizza parlor. I was concerned my twisting his arm to close his dining room would have serious negative financial implications. Bur he closed the next day, and two days later the Governor ordered all Florida dining rooms to close, I was maybe off the hook? He decided on his own to go take out/PU 11:00am till 6:00pm, which I found odd, and commented. He last night Friday decided to try and stay open till 8:00pm. I drove by last night around 5:30pm and parked in the parking lot to see what was going on. They were busy, 6? customers standing at the small area by the cashier giving/waiting on orders. Watched as other people drove up, park, walk to the door, see the crowd inside, and walk back 10', and I assume wait for some one to leave while they were waiting outside, others would walk right past and enter. Reading body English, things were a little stressful. I called the owner after closing when he was at home and shared my observations, and suggested he needed a system to keep the waiting customers informed, and outside. He didn't sound real receptive.

He called me this morning, said they did record numbers last night, and there was at least one viral facebook about mass confusion and dissatisfaction with the whole pizza PU ordeal. Others blasted the complainer and said the customer expected too much under the conditions.

I told him, the customer is always right, some care about their safety more then others, and if one of his staff (now 22?) gets sick, he is out of business.

He said he was going to work on it.

Hey, the pizza is worth it.

Last week I visited our dine-in pizza place (because of posts here pizza sounded good). Place is owned by a husband and wife orthodox refugees from a Muslim country. They make a very good pizza. I ordered by phone and picked up take and bake style. I asked them to consider doing this if cv19 requires no dine in. Well yesterday I did our once a week sprint to the store for refill and thought wth, may as well get a pizza to take home again. I phoned them and they told me for take and bake they have a 2 lg 2 topping special. I ordered 2 to pick up at 11. When I arrived after shopping I was greeted by "oh, it is you" they thanked me for the idea of offering t&b pizza, said it is doing so well they may keep it as an option. Great to live in a community that supports our assets.
Best part of the story they tried to comp the pizzas, I would not do that and paid in full, and left a tip as I do. I explained one never knows how bad this may get (our county has zero cases yet with 60 tests taken), he replied, with a huge grin, remember to pop the bubbles.
Thus far I've seen no incidents or read reports of any local rage. I do wonder how long people can do this. As of now, this all seems surreal, more like the plot of a movie. I do think as finances are strained I will keep personal protection at hand when venturing out, and likely available while at home. I think the best in people will go far as we weather this storm. Any uproars should not be approached, rather let the proper channels take care of those activities. Be smart and keep safe people.

Some people are just plain rude and dis-respectful. I can understand someone pulling in somewhere to pickup hood without knowing they had to order by phone or online first but why get pissed off when there's nothing the place or employees can do. If I was that person i'd hope they'd be able to at least take my order when I was there and if they couldn't for some reason I'd go somewhere else.

Sounds like a good take and bake idea. I might have worn out my friendship if I pass it along at this point.

Maybe I'll wait a few days.

Good story.

Maybe the old man will get the special sauce someday like in that movie "Waiting"

I got take-out pizza from Cuda's which is a bar my friend Julio owns, he is so far making it on take-out. He still lets people pick-up in the restaurant but most call when they are in the parking lot and ask it they should wait in the car or come in. I ordered a pizza tonight from another place I used to eat at all the time and they can only bring it out to the vehicle and accepts only credit card payment. I still gave the lady a $5 tip and she was appreciative.

You didn't say how old the man was but maybe he was from a country or remembered a time when an overreach of authoritarian government was unacceptable under any circumstances. In our area the government still "allows" people to order inside but they just can't dine in. Maybe the old geyser had that expectation.

Someone with a deep understanding of history might find themselves isolated or scared when confronted by an unimaginable situation like that. When people are scared they don't always act in a civil way.

My basic rule of Food: Never antagonize anyone preparing or serving your meal.

Some people are not going to handle the current reality very well. And if they're elderly, maybe one of their friends is in rough shape - or worse - and it's too much.
Not that such a thing entitles one to be rude, though.

NO PIE FOR ME!


Not going 32 miles each way for a $28 two topping large deal.

pOtO ..want a good deal ? Get yur SPUD down to Wally World and get their branded PIES !

$ 2.78 ! ... the 3 meat is the bestest!

Must have been Doc Fiberglass.

The nearest wally world is 106 miles away, no thanks doc.

But I do have a $100 wally gift card here from Christmas.

No .. sounds like someone really is majorly because they live in a SOGGY cold part of the country

That will GET CHA almost 36 pies !

But they are in SEVERE DEMAND now ..especially rising crust !

Or ...I’ll buy that card !

Which is why the very next thing I wrote was "or if that's not an option, order by phone."

He was definitely in his 70s, at least. And he freaked out when the kid asked him for the name on his order, which was before he was told that no one was allowed in the store.

Not trying to be cute but I think you answered your own question, as in "raging a-hole". I'd bet regardless of the situation, this person is just that, an a-hole.

From what you described, an option for the kid would have been to get the owner/manager involved and they should have defused the situation.

I own a service type business and when there's an issue with a client, I deal with it politely. Over the course of 22 years, I've had to fire a few clients.

Mike.

There were only 2 people working in the shop...taking orders, making pizzas, and giving out the orders to customers. Everyone else was out doing deliveries. I only know this because when the kid came to the door, I saw just the two of them and said, "Wow, only 2 people on a Saturday? That's rough," and he told me that delivery volume is so high that they have to have as many cars on the road as possible.

Seems these businesses that were already set up for take-out/ delivery are doing well. Everyone else is playing catch-up. But it seems some are letting you in to order and wait so maybe that's what this guy was expecting. Perception is everything but man, what a bad reaction.

All these replies yet no one has said it: The guy is a grumpy old F!#@!!!. Plain and simple. Hes doesn't do online anything and thats fine. He could call but he chose to be that grumpy ole man yelling at the low wage employee. Elderly folks can turn thrifty, demanding, unreasonable and confrontational. Kinda like a super hero abilities only they have A hole abilities.

Guarantee you he didn't tip, either.

Earlier in the week one of the poor downtrodden female members of our local black community decided the six-foot spacing in the pharmacy didn't apply to her. She was coughing and sneezing close to the other customers - but appeared to be faking that. When confronted by the staff there was a lot of unpleasant backtalk and finally spitting on the floor as she left. Someone called the cops and she was charged with something or other and "apparently" has to pay for the cleansing of the entire area around the checkout and exit area. Its my observation that most of these incidents involve a low-life.

Not all brains are wired up to specs. Some people just don't have a "normal thought process".

Ditto

I would have asked him , "Why in the hell are you here then"

Then would have told him , by the way , i just had my hands inside the

Its business as usual at the Airports honestly , just very slowwwwwwww

As mentioned, probably has no idea how to order online, and sounds like it's possible dementia may be at work. This is a symptom, and I'm not making excuses for this behavior, but some people with dementia or Alzheimers will react in this way.

Sorry Mike

I was a little hungry and tired ..

Order by phone? I mean, guy was older, but not pre-Alexander Graham Bell old.

This makes sense too.

Wonder if he challenged the kid to a pushup contest... seems to be a go too move for some senile old dudes.



While you were watching the show... did you happen to notice if the kid folding the boxes was wearing gloves?
Cardboard is one of the surfaces listed where they say the virus can live for quite some time.

(Assuming it's one of the pizza shops with a big section of glass windows that view right into the shop)

Yes. The guy making pizzas/putting them in boxes was wearing gloves, and the guy folding boxes/bringing orders to the door was wearing gloves. These guys were hustling, too. Can of Lysol/container of sanitizing wipes on a table just inside the door, too. I assume for wiping down the inside of the door. He also pressed the door open with his shoulder, never touched it with his hands when I saw him.

Gloves do very little in terms of transmission. Really they just allow the wearer easier cleanup, and of course they are a good sign that the business is taking the matter seriously.

I suppose gloves reduce the users frequency of touching their own face as you are kind of “aware” of it when wearing gloves. but the virus can ride on the gloves and be deposited on your item just as easily as skin.

in real life condoms are about 85% effective

LOL...different application.

That is a good one. I get it.

"These people who feel the need to assert dominance over service workers, especially during a time like this, are pure trash."

100%

The family owned Pizza Perfect in my neighborhood has also adjusted to only carry out or delivery. No problems I've heard about so far. The dining area being closed and the door open means walk in, order and then go wait in my vehicle. At least that is how I interpret the sign.

I've been a regular (for the buffet) for years and not aware of any behavior like that. Seems as if it was handled as well as could be under the current circumstances.

I picked up this medium pepperoni, mushroom, pork sausage for $17.04 yesterday

Maybe the old guy doesn't have a computer, nor a cell phone. My 84 year old mother has no computer and is still connected to a land line. She has one of those pre load minutes phone, but she doesn't use it very often and probably doesn't carry it with her much. If she can't order something at the food establishment, she would have to go some place else.

Around here, you don't get in the door any place that is still open for food. You call in, or go online to order, and they get your vehicle ID and bring it out to you in their parking lot, or you order over the squawk box and drive up to the window.
A few of the fast food places with drive through also now have some people out side pulling cars of people that know what they want and taking the orders, bring out the drinks and collect the payment, and will bring the food out to you while you wait during peak busy lunch times. All the local food places are closing by 8 pm. Gene

the old guy would poop his britches for sure around here then.
almost all parts stores and hardware stores, as well as my pharmacy MANDATE a call in order, then you wait OUTSIDE the store until a staff member brings your order to you.
the beer store i patronize uses the drive through method as they always have had since their ownership, but are only coming as close to the car as they can to collect the money and toss the case inside.

Land lines still work for ordering pizza.

This old fart only has a land line, and a computer, and can order pizza and Rock Auto any time I want. Attitude is everything. You don't wanna pizz off those that feed you, and certainly not those that get you your auto parts. It's counterproductive if you do.

When I joined the Army my Marine Corp cousin told me there are 3 Sergeants you never want to piss off.
1. The Mess Sergeant because he feeds you.
2. The Supply Sergeant because he gets you stuff you need.
3. The 1st sergeant because he controls what and who is doing everything. If you pissoff the 1st Sergeant, he sends you to see the Mess Sergeant real early in the morning (KP duty). I washed a lot of pots and pans, peeled a lot of potatoes.

As far as Alzheimers, they are finding it in people younger and younger now. It's very scary. Scientist are trying to figure out what in our diet or environment that may be the cause. Sorry, I'm going off on a tangent I know, but someone who acted as this man did sounds like they may have something wrong with them and not just be an a-hole.

Read this paragraph from recent article:

"The number of younger Americans aged 30 to 64 with Alzheimer’s disease has tripled, a new analysis out of Blue Cross Blue Shield finds. Early onset Alzheimer’s diagnosis rates increased by 200 percent between 2013 and 2017".

https://www.beingpatient.com/early-onset-alzheimers-diagnoses-tripled/

Yo L .... could part of this be these younger people being major pot heads ?

There’s a guy here that has CRASHED AND BURNED most every friend and business relationship he’s ever had !

STOP making so much sense!

Hey, I'm not a 'Younger People". Ohh did I just post this?

Get OFF my lawn, ya punks !

And has had over 50 years of practice...

Kevin

Unless they are changed between every potential cross contamination source, they are pretty much just a feel good operation.

Kevin

i was thinking the same.

He's just a old guy thats vulnerable and most likely scared

Well, from the OP's description of the incident it sounds like the only thing he was scared about was that he might get inconvenienced. Or that he might have to wait for his pizza.

If he was scared he would have stayed home and called in his order.

He's also a jackass.

I just saw one of these guys, different scenario. Local grocery store controls the flow of pedestrians so there is one distinct 'exit' and one distinct 'entrance'. When you go in, they give you a buggy that's been sanitized for your protection.

Everything is clearly laid out and labeled with signs with enough workers to assist.

Guy in his late 50's early 60's tried to go in the exit. Security guard stopped him. "What is all this crap? I just want to shop". He was politely directed to the entrance line (five people long), and he just barged past everyone. Again security stopped him. Again he said he 'just wanted to shop'. With a little assistance, he made it inside.

I was kinda watching him as he made his way around the store. He seemed 'off' to me. Watching his actions, he seemed to be having a hard time grasping what he was seeing.

Then he got to a check out lane...........

The cashiers for the check out lanes are behind Plexiglas now. I was too far away to hear the convo, but he thumped the plexi, flailed his arms around and stormed off once he got his groceries.

Security watched him leave.

I just spent two weeks with no land line, computer, cell service, internet, or TV, just ONE crappy country radio station. And then the power was out for 20 hours so no lights or water. You have no idea how frustrating that can be unless you've been there.

You're also not going to drive into town to order a pizza and throw a temper tantrum, because you're not that kind of guy.

Well no, I'm not but my point was you never know what someone might be going through. I'm not defending him, he may indeed just be a total jerk, but I like to give people the benefit of the doubt. Makes it easier for me to deal with in my own mind.