Short Changed at the Manchu Wok !

Well, now is the time to see how much power my social media really has. I don't usually eat lunch out at work (except for an occasional "sushi Friday"), but we got back into town late last night, and I didn't have time to make lunch this morning.

The small Chinese place closest to my office apparently closed today (anyone know what happened to the Canton Village in the Soo Line Building?), so I wandered over to the Gaviidae Commons, as they have a food court.

I was late for the lunch crowd anyway, so some of the usual steam table fare was already looking a little cold and dry, but I knew they had a small portion of sweet and sour chicken at the Manchu Wok that was real chicken, so I thought that would suffice for today.

I ordered my lunch, and handed the lady a $10.00 bill. She gave me change for a $5.00.

"I'm sorry, I handed you a $10.00," I said, nicely.
"No, it was a $5," she said, without blinking or looking in her drawer.

I took $20.00 out of the ATM this morning, bought a coffee, and received $16.01 in change. So I knew I had a 10, a 5 and a 1. I look in my pocket, to be sure I was not mistaken, and I show it to her. I tell her this story. She doesn't buy it. She just stares at me and says, "You gave me a $5.00."

So, I say, "Look, I am not trying to be rude, but it's $5.00. You can err on the side of customer service, and give me the correct change, or you can count your till, because I know I am right."

Now she just stops talking. This makes me extremely angry. I have been in the service industry for over 30 years, in restaurants, retail, call centers, banking, you name it. I know this is wrong. It is, after all, $5.00. I even say this ! "If I was asking for change for $100.00, I would understand, but really?"

Customers start to line up behind me. She says, "I have customers."

I say, "We're not done. I need you to count your till so you can give me my $5.00 back." I then apologize to the other people in line, explain that I probably seem like a bitch, but she short changed me. And now she is treating me like I am trying to steal $5.00 from her.

I go back to the "cashier"..."Certainly I don't look like someone who is trying to cheat you. I ordered a small item, and I gave you $10.00. Can't you even entertain the possibility that you might be mistaken?"

She has simply stopped talking again. I ask for a manager. She is the owner of the franchise....great !

I am on a very short lunch break, so now I have to cut my losses. But I can't resist...

"Well, I need to get back to my corporate desk job, and I am sure my $5.00 will make or break your profits for the day. I hope when your till is long at the end of the day, you remember me. Because this won't be the last you hear of this."

What do you do in a case like this ? I know it's $5.00, but the lunch was only $3.49. Contact corporate over $5.00, so they can send me a gift certificate to a restaurant I have no interest in ever setting foot in again? Or take to the social media air waves to air my grievance?