People usually notice pretty quickly when customer service starts to decline.

So, what would you think if you walked into a restaurant and all the workers were too busy to notice you or care if your order was correct? Would you think it was a one-off and just a bad day for them? Or would you start to feel like it’s part of a bigger pattern?

In the following story, one customer finds herself in this predicament and can’t help but feel the latter. Here’s her story.

What happened to customer service?

I hear your answers already. Customers are ********. Pay is bad. Overworked. Understaffed. I totally get it.

But as an elder millennial who would have gotten fired back in the day for even a fraction of what I see in customer service now, it truly baffles the mind.

I walked into Panera Bread for lunch today, and there were multiple employees behind the counter, but no one even acknowledged my existence.

The service was terrible from start to finish.

A girl walks right by me and doesn’t even look at me. Finally, after about three minutes, another employee walks over and stands in front of the register, looking at me expectantly without saying anything.

I say hi and ask a few questions, and she mumbles some answers back. Then, once my order is placed, I sit in the waiting area, and they just set the bag down on the counter and walk away without even calling out the order name or so much as looking at me.

And they forgot my bread/chip side! I decided not to bother them about it.

I’m sure I’m going to get torn to shreds for asking this, but ***?

She’s no longer in the industry, but still tries to be patient.

I was written up just for not greeting customers when I was working at the registers. The only reason I’m not in the industry anymore is that I have to stay home with my toddler, as the cost of childcare would eat up my entire paycheck.

We are far from wealthy, and I always do my best to be extra friendly/patient/understanding with employees, because I’ve been there and I know how ruthless customers can be. But my goodness, this has gotten bad.

You might suggest that I eat elsewhere, but if I boycotted every place doing this now, my only option left would be to eat at home, which, with the price of eating out and the demand for higher and higher tips for less service, is looking more appealing than ever.

Wow! That does sound like some pretty bad service.

Let’s see what the fine folks over at Reddit think about her question.

For this person, it’s the bank that upsets them.

This reader won’t spend their money if they’re ignored.

Yet another person who won’t stand for being ignored.

According to this comment, bad customers made it this way.

This is a problem everywhere, and it’ll take everyone coming together to make it better.

If you enjoyed this post, check out this story about a customer who physically dragged a cashier up to the register.