How was I supposed to know??

[sourwolf]

I think she was right to let you know it was a cheese and ham biscuit.

I would have been very upset if I had ordered a cheese biscuit and was given something with ham in it.

I have a hard time calling someone rude because of their tone. Her tone might have sounded rude to you, but could have simply been because she was tired or in a rush.

I agree, especially since you said the cold medicine was making you weepy, you might have interpreted her tone differently than she intended.

I am sure I did not.  I am further sure because she did not actually have a place in the original conversation.  I was not conversing with her.  She interrupted my original conversation with the cashier.

It would have been helpful to include that information in your original post.  It's counterproductive to respond to a thread and have information added later that completely changes the OP.

That information was included in the original post. It may have been missed, but it was in the post. (Though I wouldn't say she completely interupted where she shouldn't, as it was her job to get the biscuit, so it seems reasonable to converse with the customer directly if there is confusion)

The cheese biscuit.  Top row behind you, second from the right.  Next to the regular tea biscuits." 
"The cheese croissant?" (note, they did not have cheese croissants on the display shelf).
"No, no.  The cheese biscuit.  Right there on the top shelf."
At this point, the woman working next to the cashier (getting donuts, etc for both cashiers) stepped forward and looked at me like I was some sort of bug.  A very stupid bug.
"Those are cheese and ham biscuits!"

Thank you for pointing that out. I did miss it and the way the OP worded her post made it sound like it hadn't been included previously.

[kareng57]

It's up to you - but if it was me, I wouldn't bother.  I'd figure it as a one-time unpleasant experience, perhaps due mainly to miscommunication.  Of course I am not saying you are wrong if you do decide to escalate this.  But I think that the majority of us have experienced less-than-polite service at fast-food outlets and have just shrugged it off.

Even if you contacted HO and they sent you compensation such as coupons - would you even use them, considering that you rarely visit this location anyway?

[Take2]

I would write a letter. I had a very similar interaction recently at a movie concession stand. They were out of something that had a promotional sign up, and when I ordered that item, they spoke to me as though I must be truly an idiot to believe such an item would even exist. When I pointed out the sign, the cashier got even more snippy, speaking to me as though I was the dumbest human she had run across that day.

I tried to shrug it off, as I generally don't get my validation from movie concession workers. But in the end, I realized that the movie place generally works to provide excellent customer service. Leaving this employee un-corrected was not kind to the theater or to other theater patrons. So I went over and spoke to Customer Service, making it clear that I had no desire for compensation and wanted only to make them aware of a problem so it could be addressed. I was back at that theater today, and the signs have been updated AND the service was perfectly lovely. I think that when customers accept shoddy service without complaint, service levels suffer.

[LifeOnPluto]

I personally would not complain about the staff member. Yes, it sounds like her tone was nasty, and I completely get why you got teary, OP. But really, in the scheme of things, it seems a fairly minor incident.

However, I would complain about the sign issue. I'm sure the chain would not approve of having "broken" and misleading signs. I'd definitely bring that to their attention.

[Fleur]

Definitely complain. I am a little surpised that anyone would say 'just shrug it off'. For all we know, this woman does this all the time. I hate shoddy service, and fast food is no exception to the rule that CSRs should be civil.

[SoCalVal]

It's up to you - but if it was me, I wouldn't bother.  I'd figure it as a one-time unpleasant experience, perhaps due mainly to miscommunication.  Of course I am not saying you are wrong if you do decide to escalate this.  But I think that the majority of us have experienced less-than-polite service at fast-food outlets and have just shrugged it off.

Even if you contacted HO and they sent you compensation such as coupons - would you even use them, considering that you rarely visit this location anyway?

To me, the point of filing a complaint has never been compensation, and I have been offered coupons and, even, a refund check.  The point of filing a complaint is to put the person and/or company on notice that this practice or behavior is not acceptable and will not go, at least this time, unchecked.

Definitely complain. I am a little surpised that anyone would say 'just shrug it off'. For all we know, this woman does this all the time. I hate shoddy service, and fast food is no exception to the rule that CSRs should be civil.

Pod.  No one should ever have to just accept bad behavior and, especially, from someone in a customer-service oriented industry.

The one time recently I didn't complain and really should have (the employee's behavior was atrocious; he was a total bigot then expected a good tip), I learned the employee still worked there.  It's my fault for letting it go for so long I felt it was really too late to complain (just didn't want to deal with it, I guess).  Other times, filing a complaint has resulted in a response from someone (and, by filing, I mean in writing -- a phone call really won't necessarily garner results while something written typically needs to show a follow-up was done).

Also, the only time I complained that didn't get fixed by the company I really didn't care and expected that would happen.  I complained to the Better Business Bureau and specifically did it to get the company listed with a black mark with the BBB (because the customer service, I felt, was so bad that they needed a BBB rating showing someone was not happy with them).  My only request to the BBB was for them to apologize, and they wouldn't even do that much (and were rather snotty and indignant towards the BBB investigator so the follow-up letter I received from the BBB indicated the investigator had the same feeling about the attitude of the company's staff -- given all I was asking for was an apology, not a refund, an apology should not have been a big deal or unreasonable).

[rashea]

Feel free to write something, but I would focus on the factual things. Ie the sign was broken and she jumped into your conversation. Mention the tone,  but understand that such things are hard for them to address after the fact.

[TootsNYC]

Feel free to write something, but I would focus on the factual things. Ie the sign was broken and she jumped into your conversation. Mention the tone,  but understand that such things are hard for them to address after the fact.

I would actually dwell on the tone.

To me it's the only really egregious thing.

Sometimes they use the wrong sign (I still want to know--why the word "broken"?). Happens.
Sometimes a coworkers steps in to help when the conversation isn't going well.

But snotty tone of voice? That's factual. That's material. That's IMPORTANT in customer service.

As I said, I think you should write if it will help YOU let go of this.
You know how we often suggest writing out a huge, long letter full of all the anger and frustration--and then throwing it out? That the act of writing it is often very cathartic?

Well, consider that you get the same benefits, and maybe more, by mailing the letter (esp. if you can write it without vitriol).

I wouldn't dwell on your teariness, etc., but focus on the snotty tone. And feel free to mention your emotional upset and the resulting condescention. That her reaction to upsetting you was to further act as though it was your fault and not hers.

I think we should all have in our toolbox the quiet phrase, "Would you like to say that again with a different tone of voice?" spoken as a genuine question.

[SiotehCat]

Feel free to write something, but I would focus on the factual things. Ie the sign was broken and she jumped into your conversation. Mention the tone,  but understand that such things are hard for them to address after the fact.

I would actually dwell on the tone.

To me it's the only really egregious thing.

Sometimes they use the wrong sign (I still want to know--why the word "broken"?). Happens.
Sometimes a coworkers steps in to help when the conversation isn't going well.

But snotty tone of voice? That's factual. That's material. That's IMPORTANT in customer service.

As I said, I think you should write if it will help YOU let go of this.
You know how we often suggest writing out a huge, long letter full of all the anger and frustration--and then throwing it out? That the act of writing it is often very cathartic?

Well, consider that you get the same benefits, and maybe more, by mailing the letter (esp. if you can write it without vitriol).

I wouldn't dwell on your teariness, etc., but focus on the snotty tone. And feel free to mention your emotional upset and the resulting condescention. That her reaction to upsetting you was to further act as though it was your fault and not hers.

I think we should all have in our toolbox the quiet phrase, "Would you like to say that again with a different tone of voice?" spoken as a genuine question.

Why is there a question about the sign being broken?

We have signs at work that fall and break all the time. If they aren't the big poster kind that tape to the front door of the store, then there is a very good chance that it will break and have to be replaced in a few weeks.

[sparksals]

I think she was right to let you know it was a cheese and ham biscuit.

I would have been very upset if I had ordered a cheese biscuit and was given something with ham in it.

I have a hard time calling someone rude because of their tone. Her tone might have sounded rude to you, but could have simply been because she was tired or in a rush.

I agree, especially since you said the cold medicine was making you weepy, you might have interpreted her tone differently than she intended.

I am sure I did not.  I am further sure because she did not actually have a place in the original conversation.  I was not conversing with her.  She interrupted my original conversation with the cashier.

It would have been helpful to include that information in your original post.  It's counterproductive to respond to a thread and have information added later that completely changes the OP.

I don't see how that changes things.  I understood from the OP that the woman interrupted the convo with the other employee.

[sparksals]

I tend to cut those in customer service a bit more slack during the holiday season because they are under a lot of stress. OP, it doesn't excuse her rudeness. I do think she was somewhat rude in the way she replied even though I would have wanted to know because I don't ever touch ham.

Maybe the other posters are right, that corporate needs to know. But ... I probably would not inform them or the store manager. If it happened again, definitely yes but once, at this time of year, no. I'd personally file the experience under "be forgiving" and let it go.

I don't buy these 'holiday season' rationales for rude treatment by those providing customer service.   When I worked in CS, I had to do my job in the same friendly, efficient manner during the busy holidays that I did in July.  Sure, it is more stressful, but that is part of the job.   

The 'holiday season' excuse doesn't apply here anyway b/c the OP is in Canada.  While it is the official holiday season in the US, it doesn't ramp up in Canada til early December.  There is no Black Friday up there, no one is missing TG with their family.... that was back in October.   Even if I am shopping up there on Boxing Day, (day after Christmas, Canada's Equal to Black Friday), I would still expect employees in a customer service capacity to be friendly, prompt and efficient.   

Employee 1 was guilty of not knowing her products and how to communicate with customers.  Employee 2 was rude and condescending.   The added term of endearment would have put me over the edge too, especially with the tone described by the OP.  She may have said 'loveeeey"  but she meant something completely different.

[sourwolf]

Sparksals, if you'd read the entire thread you would have seen that I'd acknowledged my error.

[sparksals]

Sorry....very difficult to do that from a phone.  I respond as I see posts. 

[Shoo]

Stories like this make me so mad.  I know people who are out of work who would dearly love to have that woman's job, and these folks wouldn't dream of speaking to ANYONE that way, let alone a customer. 

[Fleur]

Stories like this make me so mad.  I know people who are out of work who would dearly love to have that woman's job, and these folks wouldn't dream of speaking to ANYONE that way, let alone a customer.

My exact feelings on the matter. I don't buy this whole 'cut her some slack' argument, not at all.