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Author Topic: rant on SMELLY customers Melanie Loggins Expert Film Handler Posts: 154 From: Wayne, NE, USA Registered: Aug 2011 posted 08-18-2016 09:58 AM                        We have these two customers... It is probably a son (aged 30sish?) and his mother (50sish?) but one of our deepest collective fears is that they're dating. Anyway. He is phsyically repellent. He is a tall guy, big belly, jacked dirty teeth, thick curly black hair that is receding in the front but about to his shoulders in back. He has a thick beard that goes almost down to his chest. He has the worst eczema or dandruff I have ever seen. He has flaky patches around the hairline and it falls into his beard. He sometimes also has bits of food in his beard. They ALWAYS wear the same clothes, which are discolored from sweat and frequent wearing. They smell horrible. Like, standing on the other side of the counter from them to take their order, I sometimes feel a little sick from the smell. They take an interminable amount of time putting salt and flavor on their popcorn, often bringing the line to a halt because nobody can move until they're done, and the customers unfortunate enough to be behind them always make frantic eye contact with me, like, um wtf is going on here?!? When they leave the lobby and go into the theatre, the smell lingers for 5 to 10 minutes if we don't rush out and (surreptitiously) spray Lysol behind them. Every time they finally move into the theatre I just think, man, and some of our customers are going to have to sit near that for two hours? That hardly seems fair! But... what can we do? They pay their money just like everyone else. When he leaves he usually has popcorn in his beard. He goes into the restroom for a while and we actually have to make sure he's out before we lock the door. When the house is clear, we spray more Lysol all around where they were sitting to help remove the stench from the seats. (The best part is that they've been coming every weekend lately and they're feeling a little more comfortable to talk, and she randomly, without irony or sarcasm, showed me the ghost-finder app on her phone and pointed to an empty corner of the lobby and said, "There's one. It says 'the architect'." I just thought, oh sweet mercy, please stop talking and move away from me!)  |  IP: Logged Frank Cox Film God Posts: 2234 From: Melville Saskatchewan Canada Registered: Apr 2011 posted 08-18-2016 10:07 AM                        I had a family come to the show that smelled very strongly of manure. I politely informed them that I can't allow them in unless they wash their clothes first because it's just not fair to the other customers. In your situation, I would probably say, "Unfortunately, we have received some complaints and this situation can not continue" the next time they come. Otherwise your other customers will likely stop coming to the show, and I wouldn't blame them a bit.  |  IP: Logged Melanie Loggins Expert Film Handler Posts: 154 From: Wayne, NE, USA Registered: Aug 2011 posted 08-18-2016 10:46 AM                        How did they take it? I feel awful. There's clearly some real mental illness going on with these two. I don't want to embarrass them! But you're right; this can't continue.  |  IP: Logged Carsten Kurz Film God Posts: 4340 From: Cologne, NRW, Germany Registered: Aug 2009 posted 08-18-2016 11:36 AM                     I guess Frank is right on this. Do any of your other customers know this couple? - Carsten  |  IP: Logged Randy Stankey Film God Posts: 6539 From: Erie, Pennsylvania Registered: Jun 99 posted 08-18-2016 01:44 PM                     Years ago, before he died, my Father-in-Law, George, was one of those "smelly old men." He was 90 years old. He had a boat load of money in the bank and he thought he was exempt from having to take a shower because he was rich. Whenever my wife (now ex-wife) went to visit him, he always wanted to go to lunch at Ponderosa. Of course, he needed to use every discount card and coupon that he could. It probably took five extra minutes while he haggled for every penny he could. All the while, everybody in line, myself included, had to endure his urine tinged body odor. Like you said, it lingered, too. Finally, it got so bad that the manager came over to tell George that people were complaining and that he needed to take a bath or else he wouldn't be welcome to come back, anymore. That was the last time we ever went to Ponderosa because George decided that his right to not take a bath was more important.  |  IP: Logged Martin McCaffery Film God Posts: 2481 From: Montgomery, AL Registered: Jun 99 posted 08-18-2016 02:33 PM                        As George Burns said late in life: "I was always taught to respect me elders. I've reached the point I don't have to respect anyone."  |  IP: Logged Frank Cox Film God Posts: 2234 From: Melville Saskatchewan Canada Registered: Apr 2011 posted 08-18-2016 02:37 PM                        Frankly, I don't remember much about that incident other than that it occurred. I guess there wasn't any kind of a noteworthy confrontation involved.  |  IP: Logged Leo Enticknap Film God Posts: 7474 From: Loma Linda, CA Registered: Jul 2000 posted 08-20-2016 01:03 AM                        quote: Melanie Loggins It is probably a son (aged 30sish?) and his mother (50sish?) but one of our deepest collective fears is that they're dating. Hope you weren't playing Inbred - might give them ideas!  |  IP: Logged Ron Funderburg Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 814 From: Chickasha, Oklahoma, USA Registered: Nov 2007 posted 08-22-2016 01:31 PM                        We have a few customers that are poor who have definite, heavy smells, at times some customers have a strong sent of cannabis about them. My staff waits until they are out of site then spray an over abundance of air freshener in the room. After which they discreetly go to the booth and open view port window and spray relief for the others in the auditorium as gentle mercy.  |  IP: Logged Pravin Ratnam Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 844 From: Atlanta, GA,USA Registered: Sep 2002 posted 09-25-2016 02:03 AM                     Two solutions 1) Be direct with them - politely and firmly. Maybe give them a set of freebie concession coupons for the future on the stipulation they take a shower and return. Comp them their next ticket too if they leave in case you feel delicate about kicking them out. 2) Or bribe another customer with a freebie to tell them they stink and to complain to you in front of them and then you can use the other customers as an excuse to kick them out.  |  IP: Logged Jeremy Weigel Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1062 From: Edmond, OK, USA Registered: Mar 2007 posted 09-30-2016 12:30 PM                     You always have the right to refuse service as long as its not based on race, color, religion, sex.  |  IP: Logged

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