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Restaurant's "brutal" note divides customers

A restaurant has come under fire for their "brutal" note to difficult patrons, encouraging "privileged" customers who wish to "customise or modify" their menu, to stay home instead. A sign posted to the restaurant's front door urged customers with allergies to eat elsewhere as staff simply cannot "provide the service they require". While some applauded the restaurant's no-nonsense stance, others were shocked by the "rude and disgusting" message. "No means no. Are you one of the small group of people who have been living and entitled and privileged life?" The sign reads. "Maybe your mother has taken the onions out of your salad, put the dressing on the side, or substitute your vegetables. Here, however, all meals are served precisely the way we prepare them. We do not offer custom meals." "Remember, we are not your mother and we are definitely not genies that will make your every wish come true." Chef Jozef and restaurant owner Nathalie listed alternative choices for the "privileged" few including hiring a private chef, cooking for themselves "precisely the way you like", trying another establishment or accept their hospitality as it is offered. "We have been cooking for almost 50 years. We have many kind, friendly people, acquaintances and families that have been coming for many decades," they wrote. "So look around, it is a pleasure to see their happy smiles and provide them with our best food possible." The message also called out those with allergies and food sensitivities, encouraging them to take their business elsewhere. "It is simply not possible to guarantee each product used in this kitchen. Furthermore, we do not have the qualifications to provide you with the service you require," they said. The strongly worded sign caught the attention of many online, with some praising the restauranteurs as "honest" and "brilliant". "Amen, the public is not always right. And actually most of the time they're not. This establishment is well within their right to post this," one person commented. "You know from the very start how things are. It's one restaurant. If you don't like it, there are so many others you can go to instead... No need to have a sook. Just go elsewhere. Some of us would enjoy a restaurant like this," a second pointed out. Despite some support for the restaurant's honesty, others were taken aback with lots of people criticising the hard-line stance for being "snarky" and "rude". One disgruntled person commented, "If you are not able or willing to provide what your guests need or even give service, it might seem better to be honest but this message is rude and disgusting. Don't seek employment in service roles and then complain." Image credits: Getty Images / Facebook

Food & Wine

“What do I actually do?”: Woman’s costly chocolate-coated crisis

A woman in the United States has been left with quite the mess on her hands after her cake order took a questionable - and rather expensive - turn. In a video posted to TikTok, by user @libbycarlsonn, she revealed what had become of her $300 USD (~$443 AUD/NZD) request after it had been dropped off by the baker. The clip featured her with a hand covering her face and the text “guys I paid $300 for this and the lady just dropped it off what do I actually do” across the top of the screen. It continued on to show an image of a carefully constructed chocolate cake, the one that the TikToker had been hoping to receive, and concluded with what she’d actually been delivered: something best described as a sort of chocolate avalanche, with chocolate melting down haphazardly placed chunks of cake, and a dusting of sprinkles over it all. “TikTok, work your magic because I need advice right now," her caption read. The video gained over 3.7m views, and over 4,000 comments, though most weren’t offering advice so much as commiserating with her, or poking fun at the sillier side of her situation, and many were of the opinion that she should demand a refund immediately. “When you say dropped it off, did she literally drop it?” one user wanted to know. “Also how is that the same as the one in the photo??? HOW?” Another pressing concern came soon after, with someone asking “why are there sprinkles???” “Put it in the fridge probably just melted a bit,” one suggested. “No way that’s what they gave you!! I would’ve flip[ped] that cake onto their face. Wow!!” another said. “Tbf…. I prefer the disaster cake,” one shared, “it looks tastier but I’d definitely ask for a refund.” Another felt quite strongly about that, telling the TikToker “well obviously it's false advertising and that's illegal”. One, however, simply refused to accept that the story was true, writing “I’m sorry I literally do not believe you”. “Girl you made that. Quit playing! Lol,” another agreed. And as one said, “honestly, there’s no way this is true or you dropped it before posting.” Images: TikTok

Food & Wine

Subway falls a foot short for one customer

A woman has run into some trouble with her Subway sandwich after taking to it with a measuring tape. The irate customer had been suspicious about the supposed dimensions of her “6-inch sub”, and decided the only thing to do was to find out for herself if she was on to something or not. However, the woman didn’t succeed in putting her fears at rest, instead proving them to be right. The sandwich, advertised as being six inches long, measured up to be just over five. In her annoyance, she told the company that they should be doing better - in her words, “to up your game” - if they expected to be charging extra for what customers weren’t actually receiving. “Usually I wouldn't really care,” she noted, and then explained in some of the world’s most relatable terms, “but I was super hungry today.” To add insult to injury, she also revealed how she’d gotten "one less piece of salami and pepperoni” than usual, and noted that this was simply not up to standard, and that she had inside intel to prove it - her sister had been a Subway manager for years. This wasn’t the first time Subway had run into trouble over the size of their sandwiches - a customer in Australia once took their anger straight to court, going so far as to sue the company in 2013. His photo, posted to Facebook, showed that his footlong sandwich was not the promised 12 inches, but instead 11. That case was settled for a staggering $525,000 (approximately $798,042.00 AUD), and in 2015, Subway introduced new in-store regulations towards ensuring their products measured up, as well as additional disclosures for their consumers. At the time, Subway acknowledged that the media buzz surrounding the case had motivated its decision to settle the case, while the judge was firm in his belief that the smaller sandwiches actually contained no less food in terms of weight. “The settlement acknowledges as much when it says that uniformity in bread length is impossible,” he said, “due to the natural variability of the bread-baking process.” To many, however, this was not - and seemingly never will be - good enough. And to others, it’s a tale as old as time that they’d tired of hearing. “It's clearly a ‘SUBWAY 6 INCH’ and meant as a description rather than a measurement of length,” wrote one fed up individual on yet another related story, this time posted to Reddit. “In that case,” mused another, “there should be a new policy wherein every Subway employee should be required to do air quotes when using the term ‘Footlong’.” Images: Reddit

Food & Wine

“Very questionable”: Kmart mocked after customer's "ridiculous" delivery

A woman has taken to Facebook to mock Kmart over her recent delivery. The shopper shared on Facebook she had ordered a 20mm combination padlock from Kmart and was caught by surprise when it was delivered to her home on February 13. The woman had received a large cardboard box, and when she opened it, it was filled to the brim with plastic wrap to protect the item. However, once she dug out the plastic, she saw a small padlock at the bottom of the unnecessarily large box. “My delivery arrived today,” the woman said on Facebook. Other Kmart fans were shocked by the large box for such a small item, with many users deeming it “ridiculous.” “Omg! Seriously,” a user commented. "Ridiculous honestly yet a pair of jeans get scrunched up into a bag for delivery," another added. "It's absolutely rubbish that they waste like that," a third chimed in. Another comment read, ”How ironic ... how easy is it to break this lock that it needs to be so protected when shipped? Would you need it if it is so fragile? Very questionable Kmart ... What a waste,” Many other users joined in on the teasing, claiming they also received small items delivered in unnecessarily large boxes. "This happened to us recently with a car air freshener," one shopper said. "Yeah they keep sending me one item in a stupidly big box. I’d be much more appreciative of multiple items jammed into a big box to stop wastage or happy to wait for all items to be ready together," another claimed. "I thought my three bowls packed like this was bad!" another commented. Back in May 2021, another Kmart shopper complained that she received a small book in a “huge box.” Although some said it was “terrible”, other users claimed the size of the box shouldn’t matter because it’s recyclable. A Kmart spokesperson told Yahoo Lifestyle that the complaints have been forwarded to Kmart’s online team, and they will reassess how they manage and replenish packaging materials. "Regrettably, in this instance, it appears the team member who has packed this order did not have available or use the most appropriately sized packaging components," the spokesperson said. "While our team are trained and aim to minimise packaging use and waste, it is likely that they did not have access to appropriately sized packaging options so used what was available in an effort to pack and dispatch this order as quickly as possible." Image credit: Facebook

Food & Wine

Top tips for avoiding scams

Falling victim to a clever scam artist is something we all fear! With these top tips we show you how to avoid getting ripped off. Statistics show that unfortunately older Australians are often the target of scam artists looking to make a quick buck off someone else’s hard-earned cash. They’ve had help. With technology evolving and more people going online to pay bills, communicate with friends and family, and to find love, there have been a number of reported cases of people sending money overseas or elsewhere never to see it again. However, there are ways to outsmart those who would try to trick you out of your retirement savings. What to look out for Financial fraud can come in any form. It can be an email from a stranger asking for a donation to a charitable cause or a phone call promising a once-in-a-lifetime investment opportunity. However, as the saying goes, if it sounds too good to be true, it’s because it probably is. According to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s (ACCC) SCAMwatch site, a one-stop information shop on how to recognise, avoid and report scams, almost everyone will be approached by a scammer at some stage in their life. That’s a scary pronouncement, but one that’s very much evident in the growing number of stories of people who have fallen victim to a scam. While some scams are easy to spot, others appear to be genuine offers or bargains. There’s a number of different types of scams too, from investment and superannuation scams to ones involving your bank or credit card. It can even look as innocent as a supermarket customer satisfaction survey. At the end of last year, the ACCC spread the news of a fake Woolworths’ customer satisfaction survey, which asked shoppers for their bank account details in exchange for a $150 gift voucher. Scammers sent the survey out mostly via social media or email, and asked people to complete all of the questions before saying they could claim their voucher. However, when people did try and claim the voucher, they found it was fake. “Scammers impersonate well-known businesses to get their hands on your personal details,” ACCC deputy chair Delia Rickard said at the time. “Once you have unknowingly sent your details to a scammer, they can steal your money – and possibly even your identity.” Warning signs Scams can target people of all backgrounds, ages and income levels. The reason many people fall victim to a scam is because they look like the real thing. They could look like a legitimate business email or letter, with logos, contact details and genuine information that could be targeting a specific need or desire. It’s not until you dig a little deeper that you find something is not right. Scammers can also manipulate you by “pushing your buttons”, according to the ACCC, to get an automatic response. This is not based on you personally but on how society works as a whole. It’s not until after you have acted in the way they want that you find something is wrong. The best way to spot a scam is to be vigilant and cautious, especially when it comes to giving out personal details over the internet or the phone. Most scams will need you to do something before they can work. It may ask for your bank or credit card details, or for you to send money based on a promise of significant financial reward that turns out to be false. Some scams also rely on you to agree to deals without getting advice first or to buy a product without properly looking into it. Don’t be a victim The first step in protecting yourself against scams and other forms of financial fraud is to be aware that it can happen. Some people hold certain perceptions that make them more susceptible to being scammed, such as the belief that all companies or organisations are legitimate or that all internet sites are legitimate. Both are myths. Consumer protection agencies try to weed out dodgy operators before they have an impact, but sometimes one can slip through the net. Most of these fake sites will be taken down after a few days, but that is still long enough for someone to have bought into a dodgy deal or to have provided their bank details to a scammer. The second step is to be cautious and protective of your personal details. This includes your contact details and bank or credit card details. Always seek independent advice before agreeing to any sort of money commitment and remember there are no get-rich-quick schemes. Check your bank statements regularly and if you see a transaction that you’re not sure about or cannot explain, contact your bank or credit union. Also, keep your bank cards and personal identity number safe and secure. Be cautious and question everything. It’s the best approach to make sure you don’t become a scam victim. Image: Getty Images

Money & Banking

Bunnings forced to recall electric blower

Bunnings has recalled a popular gardening tool that poses a risk of electric shock and injury. Some models of Ozito's portable electric blower are being taken off the shelves due to a defect with the impeller that can break during use and rupture the casing, releasing sharp objects at high speed and showing live parts. "Bunnings is promoting the recall of a Ozito portable Electrical Blower, model number OZBL1800WA and is green in colour, which customers were first advised about in 2015," Adrian Pearce, Bunnings general manager of merchandise, said. "Bunnings supported our supplier Ozito with their initial voluntarily recall and since then the recall has been advertised many times including on radio, print, and emails to our customers, with the current advertising designed to address any outstanding purchases made between 2009 and 2015. "Bunnings takes the safety of its customers very seriously and we encourage any remaining owners of this model to return the product to their nearest Bunnings." People who have purchased the product have been asked to stop using the blower immediately. They are encouraged to return it to their nearest Bunnings store for a full refund. For further information, customers are urged to contact Bunnings' customer relations team on 1800 811 436. Image: Bunnings

News

“Smooth” barista writes secret message to customer

A woman joked that she would not go back to Starbucks after the barista left her a compliment on her coffee cup. Captioning her <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@chance_twins/video/7072141664227200261?is_copy_url=1&is_from_webapp=v1&lang=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">TikTok</a> video “AHAHAHA never going back there” the woman shared with her followers the barista’s message. On her coffee cup, the words “secret message” were written on the cup with an arrow for her to turn and follow. There the barista had crossed out some words from the warning message so instead it read, “Careful you’re extremely hot.” The video has already been viewed more than 10 million times and received almost two million likes, with many supporting the barista’s “smooth” move. “That was smooth though not gonna lie,” one person wrote. “Be glad someone made their shot. It’s rare these days!” another commented. “Be careful, coffee, she’s too hot,” another joked. “Spill it on yourself and sue Starbucks because the safety info was blocked. Use the money for your honeymoon,” someone else suggested. Images: TikTok

Relationships

Intense debate sparked among fiercely loyal Aldi customers

A new feature on Aldi bread has sparked intense debate among the supermarket’s loyal customers. The retail giant is currently trialling cardboard recyclable tags on many of its loaves of bread, replacing plastic tags. ALDI said it’s made the step as part of its commitment to become more sustainable. “ALDI Australia has a number of commitments to improve the sustainability of our product packaging, including a goal to reduce the amount of plastic packaging across our own-label range by a quarter by 2025,” an ALDI Australia spokesperson has told 7NEWS.com.au. “We have started trialling recyclable cardboard bread tags on a select range of our bread products, and we continue to work closely with our business partners to identify opportunities to transition to cardboard tags on more of our products. “The next few years will see us continue to remove plastics from our range or replace it with sustainable alternatives and by 2025 all remaining packaging will be either recyclable, reusable or compostable.” Since being shared on social media, ALDI’s new cardboard bread tags have sparked intense debate. Many agree that the new sustainable tags are “a brilliant idea”. “Every bit of plastic that we can easily replace with a recyclable version is so much better for our environment,” said one. Added another: “This makes me very happy. Hopefully we can lose the vegetables in plastic wrap next. Good direction.” Said a third: “I was impressed by this too!!! And I found the plastic ones would sometimes pierce the bag.” Wrote one more: “ALDI has a commitment to recycling, I think it’s great, use the reuse-able clips, save our environment.” Others have said they were disappointed in the cardboard tags, saying that they don’t work as well. “These really are the worst thing since sliced bread,” said one Facebook user. Another wrote: “I absolutely hate them… they break or become flimsy the first time you open the bread! So I’ve saved a whole heap of plastic ones and swap them as soon as I get home!” Added a third: “My bread ended up through the boot of my car these clips are useless.” Said another: “I love that it’s not plastic but the cardboard isn’t working well. I got a loaf of bread and it was raining, all open by the time I got to the car.” One more wrote: “It’s a great sustainability initiative however they’re so crap that they fall off after the second time getting bread out. Same for other stores too, not just an Aldi issue.” Another added: “Can’t stand them. They break so easily. I’m glad I kept my old plastic ones.” However, other Facebook users urged ALDI users to rise above the various issues. “Tip to anyone that is complaining. You can buy reusable metal pegs or even reuse other plastic tags,” one wrote. “You just need to think outside the box. Man we are living in an interesting time of convenience and self entitlement. These tags are the worst thing for our ocean.” A few others pointed out a very Australian problem with the new cardboard tags. “You can never really fix a thong blow-out with it though,” said one. Another joked: “Won’t last long when I use it to fix my flip flops! Seriously though, good on ya ALDI.” Image: 7News

Food & Wine

Aldi customer gets trapped inside store

Image: TikTok A customer has revealed how he became trapped inside his local Aldi store and had to be rescued by police. Sharing on Tiktok, the shopper said he and another person were perusing the aisles of a store in the US when staff accidentally locked them inside. In the video, the man claimed the store was meant to close at 9pm. However at 8.45pm, he was stunned to see that the doors had been deadbolted with no warning. “During the pandemic, ALDI closed early and the cashier neglected to make sure no customers were left in the store,” he said, adding the hashtag #youhadonejob. In the video, the TikTok user said he was forced to call police for help. “Oh my gosh, this is no s***,” he said in the video. “Check this out - I just got locked inside ALDI. It doesn’t close till 9pm. OMG. “Can anyone hear me? I’m locked in an ALDI. So I had to call 911 because the alarm was activated and I can’t get out.” He went on to say that he’d helped himself to a six-pack of beer and wine to pass the time. “I don’t have to worry about starving to death because there’s plenty of food and there’s also a bunch of alcohol on that rack,” he said. After enjoying some beer, he said: “Still waiting to be let out. Upgrading to wine since I feel like I own the place.” After a 30 minute wait, the shopper said police eventually arrived and arranged for a manager to open the door. “Thirty minutes and a bottle of wine later, help arrives.” The shopper’s video has since gone viral, attracting 4.5 million views more than 300,000 likes and comments. Most TikTok users were amused by the shopper’s experience. “Party at ALDI!” said one. Added another: “All the food and alcohol. And ALDI usually has blankets. I would have camped out and surprised the opener the next day!”

Travel Trouble

Young HERO with autism jumps out Maccas drive-thru window to save choking customer

Image: Kare11 A 15-year-old McDonald’s worker potentially saved a customer’s life by jumping through the drive-thru window after she noticed the woman choking on a chicken nugget. Sydney Raley was working a shift at McDonald’s in Eden Prairie, Minnesota, handing customers their orders in the drive-thru when she realised something was wrong with the person she was serving. “I noticed that she was coughing profusely, and her daughter just had this look on her face like sheer terror,” she told the local news station KARE11. “I could tell, oh crap, she’s choking!’ Just seeing that visceral reaction I knew I had to act fast.” Sydney had done first-aid training when she was 11 years old, so she immediately jumped out the drive-thru window and told the customer to get out of the car and instructed her daughter to call for help. The Heimlich manoeuvre didn't work the first few times, so she called upon another customer who was waiting for his food to come and help. The other customer was able to dislodge the chicken nugget stuck in the woman's throat. “It could’ve ended a lot worst but I am super thankful for that bystander who helped so much,” she said. Police officers from Edina Police Department arrived at the scene to assist the woman and rewarded Sydney with $100 – from the fund police use to give back to those who do good in the community. Just after emergency services had arrived at the McDonald's, Sydney's parents arrived to pick her up. Her father Tom told CNN they saw the ambulance and police car out the front and for a moment were worried they were there for something to do with Sydney. He told the station he is extremely proud of her. "I always tell her she has a gift, because she's autistic," said Tom. "She can remember anything – do anything." The police Sergeant was also proud of the 15-year-old. "We’re very proud of Sydney. She’s a great example of how all of us – no matter our age or position – can make a difference in our communities," Sergeant Scott Mittelstadt said, according to the department's Facebook post.

Caring

Apple customers worried about safety of new AirTag technology

Tech giant Apple has copped global criticism after their new gadget held crucial security concerns. The AirTag is the latest accessory from Apple, which is a button-sized electronic device that can be attached like a keychain to valuables such as a wallet or keys, and can be linked to your Apple device to help locate the items when lost. <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2021/05/05/apple-airtags-stalking/">The Washington Post</a>, among other sceptics of the new tech, pointed out the design flaw of the device after its release in early 2021, warning users it could be “frighteningly easy” for stalkers to take advantage. A series of tests conducted by online tech reviewers pointed out how easy it could be for stalkers to place the AirTag on someone without their knowledge and then track their whereabouts. “AirTags are a new means of inexpensive, effective stalking. I know because I tested AirTags by letting a Washington Post colleague pretend to stalk me,” the review said. Eva Galperin, cybersecurity director at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, has long advocated for more awareness on the dangers of tracking technology. “I don’t expect products to be perfect the moment they hit the market, but I don’t think they would have made the choices that they did if they had consulted even a single expert in intimate partner abuse,” she said. After an influx of global criticism against the AirTag, Apple’s new iOS 15.2 update has made moves to remedy the possibility of stalking, by giving users access to detect “items that can track me” from their chosen Apple devices. Within the Find My app, there is a new “unknown items” option that can scan for rogue devices the user may be unaware of in their vicinity, alerting people to suspicious activity. “These are an industry-first, strong set of proactive deterrents,” Kaiann Drance, Apple’s vice president of iPhone marketing, said in an interview. “It’s a smart and tuneable system, and we can continue improving the logic and timing so that we can improve the set of deterrents.” Image credits: Getty Images

Technology

Customer shocked by exorbitant service fee

One customer was taken by surprise after dining at Salt Bae’s new London restaurant, when they were presented with the bill for $60,000 worth of food as well as a $9000 service fee. Salt Bae, whose real name is Nusret Gökçe, recently opened a new restaurant in the ritzy London neighbourhood of Knightsbridge. Diners at the establishment can expect to spend a pretty penny, including $1500 for a tomahawk steak and $55 for fries, but one diner wasn’t expecting a 15% service fee when they were presented with the bill. In addition to the exxy food and drinks, including $18,000 wine, the bill came with a 15% service charge, working out to £4829.10 on top of the £32,194 bill. That’s a charge of about $8933 on top of a $59,327 meal. <img style="width: 434.5156889495225px; height: 500px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7844861/https___prodstatic9net.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/47ad6063eed94bab9aaef210baf96b52" /> The customer shared a photo of the cheque on Snapchat with the caption, “That’s just taking the p*ss”, and the image quickly went viral online, with many wondering how any meal could be worth those kinds of prices. Many critics say Salt Bae is overstepping his markups, which include charging $33 for asparagus and $20 for Red Bull, while others believe the prices, including the service fee, are justified considering the quality of the food and the potential to see Salt Bae do his thing. <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CUTA32OsX6x/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CUTA32OsX6x/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Nusr_et#Saltbae (@nusr_et)</a> </div> </blockquote> Gökçe originally went viral in 2017 with a video of him sprinkling salt onto a meal getting over 10 million views. He now has almost 40 million followers on Instagram, and his videos of him doing his thing in the kitchen regularly get over 5 million views. With the opening of his London restaurant, Gökçe now owns luxury steakhouses in Miami, New York, Boston, Dallas, and Beverly Hills in the United States; Abu Dhabi and Dubai in the United Arab Emirates; Ankara, Bodrum, Istanbul and Marmaris in Turkey; and Mykonos, Doha, London and Jeddah. Image: Laurent Koffel/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images

Food & Wine

Aldi customer shocked by "babushka" ice cream

A stunned Aldi customer has revealed the strange thing that happened when she was unwrapping one of the store’s ice cream cones. Sharing her unusual find on Facebook, the woman from Victoria said she had settled down for some “me time” when she opened the Chocolate Crowns ice cream box which she purchased from Aldi. But what she unwrapped in the four-pack box from ice cream company Monarc was far from normal. Surprisingly, the ice cream was seemingly double wrapped with a wrapped cone inside another fully wrapped ice cream. “Dear Aldi, what the…. Is that?” she she wrote alongside a picture of her weirdly wrapped ice cream. “I don’t know if the whole box is like that.” Her bonus cone find delighted and perplexed fellow shoppers who were seriously stunned by the unusually wrapped cone. “I don’t understand what I’m looking at?” one baffled person said. “It’s an ice cream babushka?” another asked. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7844307/new-project-3.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/58f5e70d144142be8eae847ca6ab108c" /> Image: Facebook “A cone…. In a cone, what’s inside the wrapper,” questioned a third person. Simply put, one Aldi fan called the mishap “Cone-ception” while others thought the strange “bonus cone” find was extremely lucky. “Buy a lotto ticket….that’s some luck!!” one person said. “Probably the best thing I have ever seen,” added another. This isn’t the first time a shopper has spotted a packaging mishap in a supermarket product. Surprising find in tin of tomatoes This isn’t the first time a shopper has spotted a packaging mishap in the supermarket. Melbourne shopper Shell McKenzie told Yahoo News Australia she was shocked when she opened a tin of tomatoes that contained no tomatoes at all. Instead, the sealed tin was full of water. Shell said she had purchased the Woolworths Essentials brand diced Italian tomatoes as part of her online order. “It was delivered to my workplace,” she explained. “My cook opened it and was shocked it was filled with water….we bought others that were fine.” A Woolworths representative quickly responded to Shell’s odd fine on Facebook. “We’re sorry to see you’ve received a can of diced tomatoes filled with water. We can imagine the surprise this would’ve caused when you opened it,” the spokesperson says. “I spoke with them on the phone and they were shocked and offered a refund and a $10 goodwill credit,” she said. “They have no idea how it happened.”

Food & Wine

Restaurant staff blown away by enormous tip left by generous customer

A group of restaurant workers was left shocked and amazed when a regular diner left them a hefty tip, then disappeared before they could say thank you. The employees at Eggs Up Grill in South Carolina, USA, said this particular diner always tips well and has been generous even during the pandemic. But they were certainly not expecting his generosity after a meal. After dining at the restaurant, the man left an envelope containing the tip for his $10 meal (AUD $13). Inside was a note, and over $2,000 cash (AUD $2,575), which he wrote should be split among all the staff working. "The gentleman that left the tip is a regular who comes in at least 6 days a week," Eggs Up Grill Managing Partner Adam Bair told <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.foxnews.com/food-drink/south-carolina-restaurant-staff-2k-cash-tip-note-regular-customer" target="_blank">Fox News</a> via email. "The gentleman paid for his $10 meal and left the envelope with the money and the note without waiting around for his server to open the envelope. We tried to catch him in the parking lot to thank him, but he had already left." The note revealed four servers at the restaurant received $400 (AUD $515), with the rest of the cash split between other staff based on the hours worked. While staff considered him a generous customer, no one was expecting the enormous tip he had left. "It was very surprising. It made a huge impact on all of us above the monetary value," Bair wrote. "It made the servers feel appreciated during a very turbulent time with COVID. Their tips have gone down tremendously and I know the money was very much needed. It was perfect timing." The tip was allegedly left as part of the 'Just Be Nice Challenge' which encourages diners to leave large tips for their servers. Now, staff are keen to see the man again to say thank you. Waitress Selene Montalvo told WYFF4: "He paid most of my bills this month, and that's why I can't wait to see him to really thank him."

Money & Banking

Man takes back tip from rude waitress

One man's dining experience has ended in an altercation, with a waitress not providing good customer service as promised. Taking to Reddit, an anonymous man wrote about his experience of dining at a local Chinese restaurant with a friend. He explained that while the food was "great", he and his friend had "almost no interactions" with wait staff during the evening due to coronavirus precautions. "The bill came out to be just about $30, and I tipped just a little above 15 per cent, giving $5," he said. The waitress took the bill from the table, but she returned just before the man and his friend left to question their tip. "She returned with the $5 bill we left to cover the tip and in a passive-aggressive tone [said] 'Was something wrong with the food? Where's the rest of the tip?'" he said. He says the interaction left him feeling "shocked and confused". "I recall it being the very first time I was confronted for not tipping enough, as my usual 15 per cent tip suffices in past restaurant experiences," he explained. He decided to take back the $5 tip without speaking to the waitress, and walked out of the restaurant with his friend, even though she attempted to call them out as they did. "In the moment, we both agreed that it was an insane thing for the waitress to do, acting as if we didn't tip at all," he said. "The waitress that had confronted us had been someone we had close to almost no contact with the entire time, as she had only been to our table once to give our food." He asked other Redditors to share what they would have done in the situation. "Ignore her request to tip more and leave the $5 bill as it was, or give a larger tip as she asked just to get the situation over with?" he asked. Commenters widely sided with the man. "Fifteen per cent is enough and you gave more. Taking the tip away from an entitled waitress is totally justified," one wrote. Another said they were "glad" he took the $5 note back, adding, "She's lucky you didn't get her fired, which she deserved."

Money & Banking

Starbucks worker under fire for writing 'ISIS' on Muslim customer's coffee order

A Muslim advocacy group is demanding an employee of Starbuck’s he fired after they were caught writing “ISIS” on a customer’s coffee cup. The incident took place at a store in St Paul, Minneapolis in early July. According to a Muslim customer, she told the employee her name when first asked but the employee chose to label the cup “ISIS” before she was finished. ISIS is a commonly-known acronym for terrorist organisation Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. The employee has claimed they misheard the woman’s name, which is Aishah. <img style="width: 0px; height: 0px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7836845/isis-starbucks.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/e5f19eff67ae4c23b3452d0a9f7f65a3" /> The Council on American-Islamic Relations, however, believe the incident is a result of Islamophobia and is demanding the worker be fired. “After noticing the writing on the cup, she asked the employee why ‘ISIS’ was written on the cup,” it said in a statement. “The employee claimed that she had not heard her name correctly. “Later, a supervisor told the Muslim customer that ‘mistakes’ sometimes happen with customers’ names, suggesting that this is not the first incident.” The Starbucks, which is operated by a Target store in Minneapolis, have since apologised for the incident. According to local outlet Pioneer Press, it says the incident was “not a deliberate act but an unfortunate mistake”. “We are very sorry for this guest’s experience at our store and immediately apologised to her when she made our store leaders aware of the situation,” a spokesperson told the publication.

Travel Trouble

"Think before you lash out": Bunnings worker breaks down over cruel customers

An overworked and exhausted Bunnings worker broke down in tears on air while describing the abuse and entitlement caused by customers during the COVID-19 pandemic. The employee, only identified as Luke, spoke with GOLD104.3’s Breakfast Show host Christian O’Connell and begged for customers to be respectful. “I work at Bunnings and the amount of disrespectful, impatient people coming through is disgusting. We are run off our feet, we are trying our best – understand that everyone, and for those that are giving us respect and are being patient we can’t thank you enough,” he said before being overcome with emotion. “It’s a struggle … we are trying, we are definitely trying 100 per cent … trying not to have a breakdown is impossible. Woolworths, Coles any retail worker, we are doing our best.” O’Connell asked how Luke and his team are getting through the challenging period. “We just lean on each other at work, we just get together and support each other,” Luke replied. “I don’t know how people can go home and feel good about themselves making others feel like rubbish and sending them home in tears or making me feel as little as anything. “I understand people are losing their jobs but there’s no excuse to come in and be rude or think you’re the one that should be served first. There are lines, there is self-distancing put in place, and you’ve got people that won’t respect that. And if you’re not going to respect it, then we won’t serve you.” Luke said he hoped his call would prompt people to “think about their actions before they lash at someone”. O’Connell then thanked him and other “frontline” workers for their “bravery and courage”.

Home & Garden

Supermarket customer meets violent fate for “taking too long”

A 69-year-old man has been charged after he punched a customer at a supermarket in Florida for taking too long. Henry Harvey was waiting in line with his wife at American store, Walmart, when he became angry at the customers in front of him on December 4, around 7.15 pm. <img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7833201/walmart-3.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/0c11b8ebf4a44f91a7f27d97003d87b2" /> According to Cape Coral Police Department, Harvey became involved in an argument with the customer ahead of him about how long they were taking. The argument resulted in Harvey punching the victim in the head. CNN reported. Later, Harvey was arrested at his home for battery. Police said the victim was not seriously injured after the assault. Image credit: Lee County’s Sheriff's Office.

Caring

Restaurant sign asking customers to “not presume the gender of our staff” goes viral

A restaurant has urged customers to “please not presume the gender of our staff” and instead use gender-neutral terms, such as “they” or “them” until “you know the person’s pronouns”. A photo posted to social media shows a sign in the restaurant’s window to avoid saying “she is already helping me” as well as avoiding saying “thanks miss” or “hey man”. “Please use neutral terms, so you aren’t mistakenly referring to someone as a gender they are not,” the sign says. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en-gb"> When snowflakes run a restaurant and get triggered by customers. Yeah, no thanks. <a href="https://t.co/QwE4v9bLcN">pic.twitter.com/QwE4v9bLcN</a> — Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) <a href="https://twitter.com/stillgray/status/1191266779810545664?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">4 November 2019</a></blockquote> “Folks, pals, buds, champ, friend are all great ways to address others without presuming their gender. Greetings and goodbyes can be as simple as saying ‘hello everyone’ or ‘thanks buddy’.” The sign concludes by reminding customers that “it’s okay to ask people which pronouns they use” and that “it is always helpful when you share yours, in an Instagram bio, or when asking someone else”. “Little things like this can go a long way to make people feel seen and safe to be themselves. Thank you for helping us build a positive environment for our staff and our patrons alike!” Many were quick to slam the sign, even though it’s not clear where the photo of the sign was taken. One person replied, “I remember an old phrase from my days working in retail, ‘The customer is always right.’ Apparently, in 2019, that is no longer the case. Wonder how this is gonna work out for this place.” Another asked, “Is being misgendered really worse than being called ‘champ’ or ‘buddy’ by another adult?” “Life isn’t safe, reality is always a shock, from the moment we exit the womb. Inner security comes through going out there and knowing the real word,” they wrote. However, others were more than happy to go by the new rules, saying that they don’t see a problem with the sign. “Just one more example of why right-wingers don’t give a f**k about the wellbeing of workers,” one person wrote. Another said that the initial response to the tweet was “legitimately disgusting”. “The fact that people actually think like this hurt me. Respect other people, please,” they wrote.

Travel Trouble

Aussie baker hits back at customer's negative review: "$6 croissant is a joke"

An Aussie bakery has defended its AU$6 (NZ$6.3) croissants against a negative review. When a customer took to social media to complain about the croissants from bakery Flour and Stone, founder Nadine Ingram responded with a thorough explanation. On Sunday, a customer wrote on the business’s Facebook page about her less than impressive experience. "Not the best croissants I have eaten. They're too buttery. 6 dollars [for] the croissant is a joke." Ingram replied with a long statement, which she shared on Facebook and Instagram, to justify why the item is priced so high. "It's true $6 is a lot for a croissant and you're not the only one to raise an eyebrow or two at the price increase," Ingram wrote. "The $6 croissant pays for the training, the ingredients, the purpose." <iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fpermalink.php%3Fstory_fbid%3D2127585853988397%26id%3D191275080952827&width=500" width="500" height="664" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allow="encrypted-media"></iframe> She explained that the price increase was to facilitate pay rises and training for her staff. "I allocate 3 training shifts a week just on croissant for the bakers in my team because they said that’s what they want to learn," she wrote. “In addition I have a career mentor program where my staff go and spend the day with one of my peers making coffee, cheese, bread or chocolates. Flour and Stone pays for this and I add, this type of scheme is almost unheard of in hospitality. It’s my purpose.” She also said the use of quality materials for the baked goods, such as Pepe Saya butter and Country Valley milk, also influences the price. She also mentioned her refusal to reduce the number of employees on her payroll. "Did you know there are manufacturers out there getting creative about avoiding payroll tax (a privilege I will have for the first time this year) by investing in machines and reducing their workforce? I’m not going to do this! Because I don't believe this is a sustainable way for Australia to move forward." Many of the bakery’s fans have applauded Ingram’s response. "Excellent response. I would rather pay $6 for a great croissant than $2-$5 for a crap one," commented one user on Instagram. "It's a tough gig running a bakery and people just don't understand the price of ingredients from paddock to plate, adding on wages, electricity... and so many more," another chimed in. However, some customers also came in defense of the reviewer. "It's totally out of line to berate a customer personally with feedback in this condescending manner. [The reviewer] is entitled to leave an honest review of their experience with your product," a Facebook user replied. "I don't think it's reasonable to expect everyone to know what goes in to making the highest quality croissants (or what Pepe Saya butter is)," another customer wrote on Instagram. "A lot of people don’t grow up being able to access high quality produce. So it's great to teach people about what does go into producing your amazing and high quality products, but I don't think it's a good idea to undermine people who don't know." Ingram told <a rel="noopener" href="https://kitchen.nine.com.au/2019/02/11/15/41/six-dollar-croissant-bakery-flour-and-stone-outrage" target="_blank">9Honey Kitchen</a> she did not expect her posts to stir up an outrage. "I went to a hospitality symposium before Christmas and listened to a lot of people in the industry who are hurting every day. People who are trying to keep prices low but maintain their integrity,” she said. "I made this flippant remark at the end that there should be a revolution to change the way people perceive food to be produced." What do you think of the baker's explanation on her $6 croissants? Share your thoughts in the comments.

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