Sometimes life gets confusing. Whether it's wandering into the wrong store, forgetting where we are, or just getting lost, we've all had times when we've been completely out of our depth doing something that should be perfectly ordinary. Here are some real stories from times people got muddled up and couldn't figure out what was going on.
The Wrong Coupon
One time this older dude rushes up to order and slams a coupon on the counter saying ”I want this!” I pick it up. It has menu items for KFC. I ask him “What exactly would you like to order?”
He instantly gets disgruntled with me for not reading his god darn mind and shakes his finger at the coupon and said “Well Whatever is on the coupon, obviously!?” in a condescending tone.
I just look at him for a minute and say word for word “Sir, this is McDonald’s. I don’t know what you want me to do with this KFC coupon.” He looks at me dumbfounded.
Then looks behind me at the menu and around the store, (like this isn’t his first time walking into the wrong establishment), grabs the coupon and storms off. Story credit: Reddit / Apprehensive--Toe
A Hairy Situation
Not me, my daughter. She answered the phone, appropriately, "Radiology." Guy on the phone was looking for some test results, but she couldn’t find his name, or his wife’s name anywhere.
Long confusing call. Finally she asks for the name of the animal. "What animal? I’m asking about my wife’s test!"
"Sir, this is a veterinary hospital." Story credit: Reddit / Sparky-Malarky
Wrong Address
A woman came in our shop demanding to help her fix her car because it was our job to do so. I worked in a pawn shop. I told her that the car repair store was at the corner of the street and she got the address mixed up.
She looked ashamed and I never saw her again. Story credit: Reddit / Ok-Age3061
A Jumbo Misunderstanding
My wife was doing an interview and the interviewer asked her “How she would handle a situation if there was an Elephant in the room.” Not being familiar with the phrase she proceeded to describe in detail all the things she would consider to help get the Elephant out of the room.
The interviewers allowed her to finish and she didn’t realize it until she told me about it later. Story credit: Reddit / Overrated_22
Library Donation
I worked in the tech department of my university’s library. Some guy called and asked who he needed to contact to donate his body to the medical school when he died. I was like 20, and I had no idea how to respond especially since the medical school is another campus.
I explained to him that he needed to contact the medical school, and he told me he already had. I was like… okay… I can’t really help you. This is the tech service department of the library. I was on the phone with him for like 35 minutes. Story credit: Reddit / spiderlegged
The Case of the Missing Cheeseburgers
I used to work at a drive through coffee stand. Two guys came through, asking for cheeseburgers. We explained that this is a coffee stand, we have breakfast sandwiches, but if they want cheeseburgers they’ll have to go down the street to jack in the box.
It took them a solid 5 minutes of us re-explaining this to them before they understood. Story credit: Reddit / pnwrdh
Where Am I?
It was super early in the morning, I was working at a coffee stand. A woman rolls up and it legit looks like she’s sleeping.
She orders her coffee and hands me a punch card for a different local coffee stand. I said oh wrong card (happens all the time). She looks at the card, looks at me, looks around, and says “what, where am I?” Story credit: Reddit / pnwrdh
Forgotten Workplace
I went to pick up my McDonald's order that I ordered on the app. The lady that worked there said "are you here to pick up your Starbucks?" I was confused. It was McDonald's. Story credit: Reddit / yesname1
A Real Emergency
Former police/emergency dispatcher. People would call for all sorts of things, like settling an argument over the rules of Monopoly or other board games, answers to crossword puzzles, complaints about the weather, etc.
My favorite over the years: "The power's out, can you have the fire department come over and hook up a generator? I need to watch the ballgame." Story credit: Reddit / Faelwolf
Home Run
I worked at a screen printing shop. We usually did the local baseball league uniforms. A team mom came to our office and complained for several minutes about how bad the uniforms had turned out.
When I finally got a chance to speak, I told her that we had been outbid that year and where she could find the company that did her uniforms. Story credit: Reddit / randomkeystrike
Mystery Solved
Overheard a dude at a bank drive-thru telling the teller all his info and getting irate that the teller couldn't find his account. About five more minutes went by and I heard him say, "uh… I think I'm actually at the wrong bank…" And the teller just says "well that would make sense why I can't find your account…" Story credit: Reddit / stonedseals
Off-Topic
I work at a bank and I take a lot of calls (we are open on Saturdays with it mostly being calls). This girl called in and she was younger. She asked for her balance and I gave it to her, no big deal. Then she asked "I got a question, its not about banking or anything but... are you gay?"
Honestly nothing could have prepaired me for this question. I stayed silent for a bit before chuckling and for some reason I said "Yeah, sure. Now is there anything else I can help you with?" Ma'am this is a bank. I dont know what to say to that. Story credit: Reddit / Hypoplasia
Bob is Hungry
A guy called the pro desk and asked if he could order a pizza. I told him we’re a home improvement store and he said, “but I’m hungry”.
Well in that case, I’ll contact the CEO and ask him to change the company because Bob wants a pizza. Story credit: Reddit / BurghFinsFan
Wrong Honey
I needed a ham for Easter dinner. I called to order one and when they answered, I couldn’t decide what size to get…”we’re having 10 people, but I want leftovers, so maybe one that will feed 15? The guy let me ramble for awhile, then responded, “Ma’am, this is Honeywell, I think you want Honeybaked.” Story credit: Reddit / sunnyday222
Invalid Return
I once worked in a supermarket, a customer tried to return some food with a rival supermarkets name on it, I told them I could not give them their money back as it was from a different store, they refused to believe me.
Eventually security kicked them out as they were getting angry and I was standing my ground. Story credit: Reddit / Stabwank
Secure in Sector 7-G
I work at a nuclear power plant. A few years ago, the control room emergency phone number got out. We get a call on the emergency line. One of the reactor operators picks it up “xxx power station emergency line”
He hears a click. Then some dude is asking if we want to upgrade our home security system. The reactor operator is like “do you have like, microwave or infrared detectors? Oh no, we do. Do you have an option for hand geometry scanners”.
This goes on for a few minutes and he’s finally like “dude you called the control room for a nuclear reactor. You don’t have anything that could upgrade what we already have. Never call this number again” and hangs up.
I was dying laughing. Story credit: Reddit / Hiddencamper
Large Pepperoni Please
Many years ago, my dad was working for the USGS. He and some colleagues were working late one night and decided to order a pizza. They dialed the number for the local pizza place but forgot to first dial for an outside line, so they were unwittingly dialing into the federal government phone system.
Apparently the first few numbers of the pizza place's phone number turned out to be the direct extension for some office in whatever the 1980's version of Homeland Security was. Instead of the pizza place they ended up with some very grumpy man demanding to know how they got that number. Story credit: Reddit / Lachwen
Wrong Shack
Before AutoShack was forced to rename themselves Autozone, I worked at RadioShack and somebody tried to exchange spark plugs. He was upset and was more upset when I told him we don't sell spark plugs. He got a little nasty until I told him to look around.
Now you know why RadioShack had to make AutoShack to change their name. They even used the same colors and font on their signs. Story credit: Reddit / TheRealGlenn
Body and Mind
I’m a massage therapist. Most people don’t talk during their sessions, but every now and then, I get a client who starts telling me their life story, including their trauma.
Sometimes, I think they overlook the word massage, and just see the “therapist” part. Story credit: Reddit / NerfRepellingBoobs
Not That Kind of Music Store
I used to work in a CD store in the mall. One day a customer walked in and asked where the guitar strings were, I let them know we didn't sell guitar strings, but the music store at the other end of town did.
The customer then said, "wait, isn't this insert local music store name?" to which I responded, "no, this is insert local cd store name" the customer then walked out of the store, looked up at the sign, walked back in and said "huh, I guess you are right" and left. I was so confused.
Did they think I was lying to them about the name of my place of employment or that I had no idea where I was? Retail is weird. Story credit: Reddit / tacoofdoomk
There's More Than One Walmart?!
I had a Walmart in store pickup recently. The Walmart employee couldn’t find my order and asked if I was at the right store. I told him the address and he said no this was the other address in the same city.
I then pulled up google maps and showed him where we were. He seemed genuinely surprised and didn’t know where he worked. Story credit: Reddit / bananasnpajamas
Fishy Story
A customer came up to me and asked for some haddock. I was like “sure how much?” She was like “enough for 2, so like half pound would you say?” I was like “for two people you probably want a pound.”
Then she talked about how her boyfriend was abusive and she hated him and living for herself now and she’s found god and peace and she won’t let another man ruin her and that she has friends she could ask out who will treat her better, and I’m like “cool, here’s your haddock.” Story credit: Reddit / fauxcanadian
Don't Need Money, Don't Need Fame
One time I was out with my friends at night. We stopped in to get some pizza at a place that sold by the slice and always had a heated rack full of slices at the front counter. I got my slice and went to pay for it and they refused my cash, so I took out my debit card and said I can pay on debit, and they refused that too.
Then I heard it loud and clear, "I'm telling you again; you can have the pizza for free, we're closing!" Story credit: Reddit / KeckyOK
Running Errands
Bloke sent his kid, no older than 14 into the shop I was working at to buy him cigarettes, twice. The first time I told him he needed ID, about an hour later he came back with a note, like that would make any difference and 10 mins after that the guy came in and had a go at me.
Like it was my fault that his son wasn't legal. I tried explaining that I would've lost my job while insisting that no one that worked there would serve his son, even with a note. Didn't care still shouted at me for 15 mins. Story credit: Reddit / killerkebab1499
Nobody Wants to Work
I work at a call center and honestly, at least once a day I get a story that has nothing to do with anything.
The one that stands out the most is this one woman who took every opportunity to talk about how "nobody wants to work anymore" and brag about how she worked 60 hour weeks for over 30 years. This fact has nothing to do with what we were talking about. Story credit: Reddit / Casanova666
Everyone Loves Ice Cream, Nobody Wants a Politician
I use to work for a politician. We had an ice cream shop next door. Every day, especially in good weather, people would March into my office and get annoyed I wasn't serving ice cream. The doors were right next to each other.
Some people came in and pretended they did it on purpose. I gave all the nice people pens or pins or things. Story credit: Reddit / ReactionEuphoric5362
Sovereignty Not Recognized
In the US when you sell property, you have to provide your social security number to the attorney/closing firm for tax reporting purposes. I was at the table and noticed we didn’t have our seller’s social yet, so I asked him to fill out the appropriate form. He scribbled on it and slid it back to me, all power-move like.
He had written “N/A do not recognize sovereignty of U.S.” He was dead serious. Luckily he had already signed paperwork allowing us to find it through other (legal, confidential) means. Story credit: Reddit / CaimansGalore
Honoring the Dress Code
My shop has a close relationship with a local event which has a dress code. We promote the event, they suggest us as a place to get items that match code.
Unfortunately, some folks think that means we are affiliated with the event. I had one dude rant to me for 10 minutes straight about how the dress code was discriminatory, etc. Eventually I just said “I’m sorry you feel that way, but I’m just a clothes salesperson, so I can’t do anything about it.” Story credit: Reddit / blackninjakitty
Big Mac Murder
I used to work at Burger King and at one point I was watching the register while the manager was doing inventory and this guy came in and tried to order a Big Mac.
When I told him we didn't sell Big Macs because it was a Burger King he went nuclear and threatened to follow me home and shoot me in front of my family because I wouldn't give him a Big Mac. Story credit: Reddit / 3vilR0ll0
No, Seriously, You Need This
I work for a commercial fire suppression company. We are the ones who inspect sprinkler/alarm systems, fire extinguishers, hydrants, etc yearly to make sure they’re up to code.
Any legally operating business has to have yearly inspections on these systems; sometimes you can slide by with not getting them done every year, but if the fire marshal shows up for a visit, you’re busted.
So I work in the office, and it’s my job to call our customers to let them know their inspections are due. These are people who know they need these inspections done and are already customers of ours.
Still, maybe it’s something in my voice, but like 6 times out of ten I get hung up on because these people think I’m trying to sell them a service.
I’ve had to call people back several times to try and let them know that I’m not a telemarketer and that, even if they choose not to use our services this year, their system will soon be out of code. I’ve had to start limiting myself to 3 callbacks because I can’t keep wasting my time with these people. Story credit: Reddit / Barfignugen
Mart Mistake
Worked the seventh circle of hell for a few years, AKA the Walmart service desk. A woman tossed an armful of clothes on the desk, slammed down a receipt & said "I have a receipt for all of this, so don't try to worm out & give me the clearance price."
I pick up the receipt & after a quick look, I tell her I can't use it. She begins a tirade about how I WILL take the clothes back, I WILL give her every single penny she paid, & she WILL be telling corporate about how she was treated.
I wait for her to run out of steam, & when she finally stops I say "I would be more than happy to refund you, if I worked at KMart, which is where this receipt & merchandise is from."
She opened & closed her mouth, snatched the receipt from my hand, starts to say something, then stops. She snatches everything off the counter, calls me a witch, then storms off. As I'm helping the next customer in line, she flounces back in with a manager, complaining about me.
The guy I'm helping turns to the manager & says "If you give this woman any type of compensation for her horrible behavior towards your employee, I will be calling your district manager, who happens to be my brother."
The manager asked what happened, & the man told him. The manager had my back, for the first & only time in my whole career with them, & it was nice to see her flounce out. Story credit: Reddit / poohfan
Edutainment
Worked at a video game store in the late PS2/early 360 era; Older lady comes, looking kind of like a hippy/home school mom. She asks for...
A good game for kids? I offer Lego Star wars.
No, something with more reading? Before I could answer she followed up with, How about something educational?
I explained that I don't think there were many educational titles on PS2 and that would be more of a PC situation.
How about something that will teach them old world skills, like shoemaking? Story credit: Reddit / 2ByteTheDecker
That's Not A Therapist's Work
Had a very entitled husband of the CEO of the hospital I was contracted at as one of my patients once. He rambled off a list food/drinks he wanted brought to his room.
I looked him in the eye and said "I just introduced myself as a Respiratory Therapist, unfortunately I don't have the time to help you with that. I'll relay what you need to the STNA." Story credit: Reddit / Sorvick
Mirror Image
I worked at a retail clothing store many years ago. A guy came in and asked where our our mirrors for sale were. I apologized and explained that we didn’t sell mirrors, to which he replied angrily, “Well, what DO you sell, then?”
I gestured at the racks and racks of clothes surrounding him and said, “Clothes. We’re a clothing store.” He rolled his eyes and yelled, “What kind of a place is this?!” Then he left. It’s been about 15 years and I still think of that encounter frequently. Story credit: Reddit / ArethusaRay
Blame it on the Weatherman
Worked at a resort where the nearby mountain was so large that it had an issue with almost having its own weather system going on. It would be a clear day but the mountain wouldn't be visible and it would be surrounded by clouds. People would ask the staff when the mountain would come out.
I just work here dude. I wouldn't be working here if I could control the weather surrounding a mountain. Story credit: Reddit / [deleted]
Go Directly to Jail
Someone once tried to pay for their prescription meds with monopoly money and insisted it was actual cash. My pharmacy manager came in and said the same stuff. Customer starts tearing apart the store because we won't take his fake money. Retail is a blight. Story credit: Reddit / Drubble4
Plane to See
Was checking in for a flight from Dallas (Love Field) dude in line in front of me was going berserk yelling at the gal behind the counter because she couldn’t find his reservation. His ticket was for a flight at DFW and on another airline…. Story credit: Reddit / FreshKittyPowPow
Feeding Geoffrey?
If I had a nickel for everytime someone came into the Toys R Us I worked at, asking for pet food I'd have…two nickels, which isn't a lot, but it's weird it happened twice. Granted, there was a Petco a few stores down, so makes SOME sense, but how do you screw that up so badly with how vibrant TRU was? Story credit: Reddit / SSS_Tempest
The Power of a Text
People come to our pharmacy when the doctor sends their script to a different chain nearby. I've had several of them hold up the text message they received as if it's some sort of devil-contract that we have to abide by.
Even better because our system sends texts to patients when their meds are DUE for a refill and not yet filled yet, waiting for their response, and they don't actually read it. Some of them ask for store items that are carried at other chains or medical equipment that you'd find at a more specialized store.
In particular, there's often that one customer that holds up some sort of specialized bandage that they got at a hospital or something and we never have something equivalent. And the insurances... I'll stop there. There's definitely these moments in the pharmacy. Story credit: Reddit / Tewddit
Gaming the System
Worked at GameStop for a couple years. One day I answer the phone and the guy on the other end goes "Hi, do y'all have video gaming?"
I pause for a moment, baffled, and reply "Y-yes...we're GameStop. We sell video games." The dude goes "No, I mean video gaming." I pause again and hesitantly tell him yes again. I can then hear the excitement in his voice as he goes "Really?! Like slots?!"
I finally realize he's talking about freaking gambling and say "Oh! Sorry, no...we're a video game store. Like games you play on your TV" and he angrily goes "Oh. Well that's misleading" and hangs up. Man actually thought GameStop was some sort of casino. Story credit: Reddit / makenziiko
Sign of the Beast
I use to work drive through at a Starbucks and I shall never forget Karen Target: Me: “Hello! Welcome to Starbucks, your total is $6.66.”
Karen: “WHAT?! Target should not be giving out devil numbers to people! I thought this was a family store!”
Me: “…ma’am, it’s your drink plus tax.” Karen: “well it goes against my Christian beliefs! I need to speak to target about this!”
Me: “Ma’am, this Starbucks is not associated with—.” I tried. But she kept yelling at me. My shift supervisor was amazing. Story credit: Reddit / throwaway58586368743
Blood Bank
A lady came in to the bank where I work and demanded a blood test. Story credit: Reddit / WolfmanCM
Back to the Future
My wife worked at Future Shop when that was a thing. There was a Canadian Tire that shared the parking lot. One day, a person came in and up to the customer service desk where my wife was working. She put down her Canadian Tire credit card bill and said she was there to pay it.
My wife looked at it and said "Ma'am you can't pay this here. This is a Future Shop" The woman looked around, bewildered and said "Future... Shop...?" Before picking up her bill and wandering outside again. Story credit: Reddit / JCRiotz
Patriotic Duty
I work in a pet store. One of my coworkers got a call one day from someone who found a wild bird and wanted us to take it. Being a pet store, we can't take in wild animals, especially not birds due to the migratory bird act, and we don't sell birds so we don't even have anywhere to keep it.
So she tells the woman this and gives the name of a wild bird rehab center nearby, and the woman just loses it, saying it's "our duty as Americans" (yes, seriously) to take this bird from her because she is a customer. My coworker just says "I am very sorry but as a pet store we cannot take wild animals" and hangs up.
Moral of today's story: Take wild animals to a wildlife rehab center!!!!! Story credit: Reddit / furiousfran
Don't Fear the Reaper
I play in a band that hovers around like indie jam rock. Lots of original stuff. Guy comes up to us at a bar gig and asks if we know any Slayer. We kind of chuckle because that sort of thing is typically a joke like the whole 'play free bird" thing. Nope.
Dude was dead serious. Had to actually tell him, no, sir we do not know any Slayer. Sorry. No disrespect to Slayer at all, just worlds away from the two hours of music he just heard us play. We do have a Blue Oyster Cult cover we pull out to mess with people but that's about as heavy as we get. Story credit: Reddit / Sweags
Doctor Who?
Physician at a competing hospital somehow called our IT help desk and was very cranky with me about needed some software installed on his computer. Unfortunately, it wasn't our computer, he wasn't our employee, and it wasn't our facility.
"Doctor? You said you're at City General? This is Catholic Health System." Story credit: Reddit / deadthylacine
Spudnik
I had a lady come up to me just today at my job at the grocery store and say “I don’t think you should be selling those Russian potatoes with all that’s going on in the world!”
And I had to not laugh at her and simply said “Ma’am, we sell russet potatoes.” Story credit: Reddit / Bazrum
Military Insurance
I had a checking account at a big bank downtown when I was in school. Joined the army and spent a few years out of the country. Came back and decided to see if the account still existed, so I walked in and told my story to the guy there. He said, "Sir, this is an insurance company." (Apparently the bank moved.) Story credit: Reddit / axnu
H is for Hospital
I was tired and looking for a room in the Netherlands, saw a big H on a building, went inside and asked for acommodation… "Sir, this is a hospital". Story credit: Reddit / Monicreque
Elevate Your Spanish Education
I had someone try to ask me a question in Spanish through the elevator phone. It was literally “Sir, this is an elevator.” Story credit: Reddit / talibob