It’s not every day you head into a coffee shop with your child and come out with the knowledge that staff have been calling her ‘terrifying’ behind her back.
Unfortunately, that’s exactly what happened to a New Zealand mum back in 2019.
Four years ago, Kimberly Sze headed out to a coffee chain in Christchurch with her family in tow.
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Settling in at the spot on Welles Street, called Coffee Supreme, she went on to order breakfast items such as fried and scrambled eggs on sourdough toast.
After she and her tots - including her then two-year-old daughter - ordered their food, she received an itemised bill for $64.50 (£51.40).
However, instead of her table number being present on her receipt, a member of staff had described Ms Sze’s brood as ‘Fam w the terrifying kid.’
As per Daily Mail Australia, the mum took to her personal Facebook account and uploaded a snap of the cheque.
According to the publication, she began by calling out the coffee shop and asking them to ‘train their staff’ at the branch a ‘little better’.
“Writing ‘Family with the terrifying kid’ on our ticket and intentionally overcharging us... nice one,” she said in the Facebook post.
“We come almost every weekend and my daughter is nothing but polite and friendly and we've never left a mess. She's never been a terror, never had a meltdown, never caused any problems and the same people working today always comment on how cute and sweet she is, so what the actual F?”
Ms Sze added that she and her family ‘walked out’ before they received their food. She then slammed the eatery for exhibiting ‘disrespectful bulls**t.’
“We showed one of your staff the ticket and said we didn't appreciate it and he didn't say a word. You lost some regulars today,” the mum added.
At the time of the incident, the New Zealander told the aforementioned publication that the franchise had actually been ‘really great’ in response to her complaint.
“It’s more the concern for other families who may be struggling and get that type of reception and the damage that can do,” she added.
Coffee Supreme Food and Beverage Manager Tim Norris issued an apology to Ms Sza, and said that it was ‘totally below standard’.
“It’s not something we accept as a part of hospitality at Supreme,” he told the New Zealand Herald.
“It’s totally below the standard we set for anybody in the company, so we sincerely apologise to her family.”
Daily Mail Australia also claims that the person who wrote the message was ‘incredibly remorseful’ and that Norris flew down from Wellington to Christchurch to meet with the mum to apologise in person.
Following the complaint, the franchise also took to Facebook at the time and said: “We made a mistake over the weekend and offended a customer - a young family out trying to enjoy a moment of normality.
“We are incredibly sorry and wish to apologise publicly.
“If you're the parent of young children, we know how it is and would like to shout you and your wee one a coffee and fluffy at Customs or Coffee Supreme Welles Street - they’re on us from tomorrow through to the end of Sunday. We love fluffies too.”
Topics: World News, Food And Drink, Facebook, Social Media
Ella Scott