Archived Vomit and angry guests!

[starbucksgal90]

Ok so I have to share this story with you all, it happened on Saturday.
It was super busy at my store on Saturday. And my ETL-GE (who does the scheduling for my store), only scheduled 3 Barista's for the whole day, the opener, me (mid) and the closer. With lots of gaps. And oh yeah before I forget, we are also required to cover food ave breaks and lunches, it sucks. Anyways, my opener was covering food ave's lunch around 2pm. And I was alone in Sbux. I was busy with guests and I was just finishing one guest's drinks, and I turned to take the next guest order. When I did the lady who had her small child about 4-5yrs old said to me "My son threw up his lunch." So I replied, "Oh I'm sorry does he need a drink of water or anything?" thinking that it happened in the bathroom like a normal person. She replies, "No, he just threw up." So I looked down at him in the cart and vomit was EVERYWHERE! Not only on the floor but on the sides of the counter, in the cart, on him. EVERYWHERE! I didn't panic even though I wanted to, I went to the back to grab some wipe-all's so the mom could clean him and his vomit up. Or so I thought, she cleans him up and while I am trying to track down our CA, the mom proceeds to tell me that she had a bad experience last week and called. And that our manager told her to come in and get a free drink coupon. I told her okay and verified with my TL and she said okay. I gave her the coupon, she picked her son up and her stuff and walked out the door, leaving the vomit everywhere! I was so appalled and shocked that she would just leave her own kids puke for me and the CA to clean up. Then this was the best part of the day, there was a couple of guests who came in and clearly saw me cleaning up vomit and proceeds to tell me that they NEEDED their order taken and that they were in a hurry. So I politely informed them that I would help them in a minute because I was waiting for my CA to come help clean up the mess. And that I could not leave the vomit on the floor unattended 1) because it was a health hazard and 2) because it was a "spill" and it was unsafe. I also let her know that as soon as I could get someone else over there that I would be more than glad to take their order. I finally get a hold of my ETL and she comes over to help. And now the 2 guests are yelling at me. My ETL lets them know that SBUX will out of commission for the next couple of minutes due to a health hazard and that for their best interests we will not make their drinks for now. And we would be more than happy to make them in a few minutes after we cleaned up. They were not happy and left. I really didn't care at that point because I was knee deep in vomit!
All in all, it could have been worse.
I am just more appalled that...
1) a mother would not clean up her own kids vomit
2) that if you can clearly see that I am busy cleaning up puke, I probably won't be able to make drinks.
3) you would still want a drink after you are watching me clean up vomit

worst day ever. so far.

 

[AssetsProtection]

Ok so I have to share this story with you all, it happened on Saturday.
It was super busy at my store on Saturday. And my ETL-GE (who does the scheduling for my store), only scheduled 3 Barista's for the whole day, the opener, me (mid) and the closer. With lots of gaps. And oh yeah before I forget, we are also required to cover food ave breaks and lunches, it sucks. Anyways, my opener was covering food ave's lunch around 2pm. And I was alone in Sbux. I was busy with guests and I was just finishing one guest's drinks, and I turned to take the next guest order. When I did the lady who had her small child about 4-5yrs old said to me "My son threw up his lunch." So I replied, "Oh I'm sorry does he need a drink of water or anything?" thinking that it happened in the bathroom like a normal person. She replies, "No, he just threw up." So I looked down at him in the cart and vomit was EVERYWHERE! Not only on the floor but on the sides of the counter, in the cart, on him. EVERYWHERE! I didn't panic even though I wanted to, I went to the back to grab some wipe-all's so the mom could clean him and his vomit up. Or so I thought, she cleans him up and while I am trying to track down our CA, the mom proceeds to tell me that she had a bad experience last week and called. And that our manager told her to come in and get a free drink coupon. I told her okay and verified with my TL and she said okay. I gave her the coupon, she picked her son up and her stuff and walked out the door, leaving the vomit everywhere! I was so appalled and shocked that she would just leave her own kids puke for me and the CA to clean up. Then this was the best part of the day, there was a couple of guests who came in and clearly saw me cleaning up vomit and proceeds to tell me that they NEEDED their order taken and that they were in a hurry. So I politely informed them that I would help them in a minute because I was waiting for my CA to come help clean up the mess. And that I could not leave the vomit on the floor unattended 1) because it was a health hazard and 2) because it was a "spill" and it was unsafe. I also let her know that as soon as I could get someone else over there that I would be more than glad to take their order. I finally get a hold of my ETL and she comes over to help. And now the 2 guests are yelling at me. My ETL lets them know that SBUX will out of commission for the next couple of minutes due to a health hazard and that for their best interests we will not make their drinks for now. And we would be more than happy to make them in a few minutes after we cleaned up. They were not happy and left. I really didn't care at that point because I was knee deep in vomit!
All in all, it could have been worse.
I am just more appalled that...
1) a mother would not clean up her own kids vomit
2) that if you can clearly see that I am busy cleaning up puke, I probably won't be able to make drinks.
3) you would still want a drink after you are watching me clean up vomit

worst day ever. so far.

Sorry you had to go through that. I was just waiting on you to say that your ETL said something to you about going to clean up the spill and not taking orders but glad that didnt happen.

 

[kou]

Sounds like a nightmare. People are just very inconsiderate...something to do with our philosophy of "the customer is always right." It makes people not only selfish, but they forget that we're actually human beings, and the rules of being considerate to your fellow human are just out the window!

 

[DMNDZ bruhh]

i hate those a**hole guests, but its expected that all guests will be like that. the worst is when you have a**hole team members and have to see them everyday

 

[redeye58]

During my training at SB, I really see the drama guests. Because they're paying $4-5 for a drink they think that they're entitled to behave like prissy little prigs.
Kudos to you, SBgal for not going postal in the midst of all that & that your ETL backed you up.
The only way it could've been worse is if Steritech showed up.

 

[mrknownothing]

something to do with our philosophy of "the customer is always right."

This philosophy needs to be termed!

 

[mxrbook]

I'm fairly sure leaving is the best thing the guest could have done. I had a child puking over the side of the cart from the front door all the way to the restroom while the Mom is saying, "oh, should I do something?" Uh, yeah, take your puking kid out the door and into your car - he really doesn't need to be in Target, does he?

 

[commiecorvus]

Sorry you had to go through that.

 

[TargetOldTimer]

Poor thing!

 

[TheWanderer]

I'm fairly sure leaving is the best thing the guest could have done. I had a child puking over the side of the cart from the front door all the way to the restroom while the Mom is saying, "oh, should I do something?" Uh, yeah, take your puking kid out the door and into your car - he really doesn't need to be in Target, does he?

It doesn't sound like she was concerned about the mess at all, though...just her coupon.

 

[redeye58]

Had a mom come through my checklane long ago to buy a shirt for her toddler (sitting in the kiddie seat) because he'd puked down the front of it. As I was ringing it up, I could hear calls from the floor for the CA to do a "barf clean-up" in XX aisle. She smiled & said "Oops, that was me." before attempting to hand me the soiled shirt to put in a bag. I drew back & simply offered her the bag to drop it in. She dropped it in & snatched the bag out of my hands. As she was pushing her cart out to leave, her toddler threw up again down the front of his fresh shirt & her dress. She jumped back & looked at me so I handed her an empty bag & said "You might want to hold this under his chin." The GSTL then called the CA to my lane for "Barf II: the sequel".

 

[TheWanderer]

Why was grabbing an empty bag to hold up for the kid not Step 1? With young children, you can't always tell when they're going to throw up again.

 

[redeye58]

Better still, why did his mom KEEP SHOPPING after the kid barfed the first time?

 

[starbucksgal90]

Had a mom come through my checklane long ago to buy a shirt for her toddler (sitting in the kiddie seat) because he'd puked down the front of it. As I was ringing it up, I could hear calls from the floor for the CA to do a "barf clean-up" in XX aisle. She smiled & said "Oops, that was me." before attempting to hand me the soiled shirt to put in a bag. I drew back & simply offered her the bag to drop it in. She dropped it in & snatched the bag out of my hands. As she was pushing her cart out to leave, her toddler threw up again down the front of his fresh shirt & her dress. She jumped back & looked at me so I handed her an empty bag & said "You might want to hold this under his chin." The GSTL then called the CA to my lane for "Barf II: the sequel".

OMG! That's horrendous! It sounds like the same mom haha! I know that one time my youngest brother threw up in the dollar store when he was little. And guess what? My mom cleaned up his puke, she wouldn't let the employees touch it because it was not their puke. I guess I am pretty naive to think that as a mom you should clean up your own kids puke lol

 

[starbucksgal90]

Sorry you had to go through that. I was just waiting on you to say that your ETL said something to you about going to clean up the spill and not taking orders but glad that didnt happen.

I was kinda surprised to, but I think she was just as appalled that someone would still want a drink after seeing me busy cleaning up vomit. After the end of my shift she came up to me and thanked me for not going postal on the guests, then gave me a free SBUX drink.

 

[starbucksgal90]

I'm fairly sure leaving is the best thing the guest could have done. I had a child puking over the side of the cart from the front door all the way to the restroom while the Mom is saying, "oh, should I do something?" Uh, yeah, take your puking kid out the door and into your car - he really doesn't need to be in Target, does he?

Ok, yes I didn't want the kid puking again, but she didn't even offer to clean it up. I'm sorry vomit cleaning is not one of my core roles at Target, and they don't pay me enough to clean it up.

 

[TargetOldTimer]

Was chatting with a mom with 3 adorable kids and the little boy suddenly started barfing all over. She started to act like it was a surprise, until the little girls told me he had been throwing up all morning. Mom said, "But, HE wanted to go to Target...." Come on. If your child is sick, stay home and take care of him/her. They don't need to be out and infecting everyone.

Question. I opened the spill station door, and read that googles are to be worn when cleaning up bodily fluids. Does anyone follow that when cleaning vomit? We didn't have any on hand for the CA to use.

 

[starbucksgal90]

Was chatting with a mom with 3 adorable kids and the little boy suddenly started barfing all over. She started to act like it was a surprise, until the little girls told me he had been throwing up all morning. Mom said, "But, HE wanted to go to Target...." Come on. If your child is sick, stay home and take care of him/her. They don't need to be out and infecting everyone.

Question. I opened the spill station door, and read that googles are to be worn when cleaning up bodily fluids. Does anyone follow that when cleaning vomit? We didn't have any on hand for the CA to use.

I believe it is best practice to use goggles while cleaning up bodily fluids, I don't always believe that it is always used. I know that my CA who helped me clean up didn't wear goggles but did wear gloves and a garment protector, like the one that they use in photo.

 

[Prime]

Ok, yes I didn't want the kid puking again, but she didn't even offer to clean it up. I'm sorry vomit cleaning is not one of my core roles at Target, and they don't pay me enough to clean it up.

I'm sure it is within your job description in some manner. I do not think the mother should clean it up at all... what if she slips and falls in the vomit, injures herself and now there is a lawsuit? Too many "what ifs" on someone not covered under a general liability umbrella such as an employee.

 

[stupid rules]

I'm sure it is within your job description in some manner. I do not think the mother should clean it up at all... what if she slips and falls in the vomit, injures herself and now there is a lawsuit? Too many "what ifs" on someone not covered under a general liability umbrella such as an employee.

It is not in her job description to clean up vomit as a SB barista. That would fall under the ETL's, TL's and CA's (and whoever else has had that training). You need to revisit your training, start with the bodily fluids clean up procedures.

 

[buliSBI]

I'm sure it is within your job description in some manner. I do not think the mother should clean it up at all... what if she slips and falls in the vomit, injures herself and now there is a lawsuit? Too many "what ifs" on someone not covered under a general liability umbrella such as an employee.

You have to have bio-hazard/body fluid spill training in order to clean up blood, vomit, urine, and feces. ETLs and only a few store TMs are supposed to have this training. TMs working in food service areas are not allowed to clean up or handle these spills. All this TM can do is block off the area and call for a spill clean up.

 

[SuzyTarget]

You have to have bio-hazard/body fluid spill training in order to clean up blood, vomit, urine, and feces. ETLs and only a few store TMs are supposed to have this training. TMs working in food service areas are not allowed to clean up or handle these spills. All this TM can do is block off the area and call for a spill clean up.

Everyone in my store takes the hazardous spill training (which includes the bodily fluids factor) which leaves us without an excuse to avoid these situations.