Customer asks for ice in their wine and gets a frosty response

In this modern world where everyone and their mum is armed with a camera, there’s no end of petty grievances getting airtime and attention online.

Where exchanges in bars and restaurants are concerned, it’s open season.

Anyone who’s worked in hospitality will know that some customers are nicer than others, and that some shifts really feel like they’ll last forever. When time’s moving slowly and you’ve got an us-and-them dynamic between you and your customers, it’s only natural that you’ll do a bit of silent judging.

Or, better yet, a little shared judging with an understanding colleague.

The offending note on a receipt via Reddit

Every so often, those silent judgments can spill over into overt ones, breaching professionalism for a brief satisfaction at finally telling a customer what you think of them.

It’s rarely worth it, especially when you’ll inevitably get a chewing-out for it on social media in the following days.

This was the case for a pub worker in Brunswick, Melbourne when their frustration made its way onto a customer’s receipt. Whoops.

Their unwanted commentary wasn’t meant for the customer’s eyes, but it found them anyway.

A guest at The Cornish Arms asked for ice in their wine whilst chowing down on some dinner, and the server was unimpressed to say the least.

The resultant note said: "Terre Forte Pinot Grigio - ice in it f**king bogans."

‘Bogan’ is Australian slang that equates to ‘chav’ or ‘hillbilly’ depending on which side of the pond you’re from. A pejorative and not particularly nice thing to call someone, not least a customer.

Whether the note was appropriate or not has been a hotly contested topic on Reddit.

"It's actually meant to be drunk around 10-13 degrees, not the sweltering 25-35+ degrees we get,” said one commenter who sided with the ice-ordering patron.

They continued: "The temperature of the wine affects flavours in a similar way to cheese.

"At the end of the day, doesn't matter what's 'expected' or 'appropriate'. The customer has paid for it and can drink it however they like."

Another unimpressed commenter said: "If you can't do your job without showing basic human respect, you need to find an industry that limits your contact with the public."

For others, the note was fair enough. Getting caught, however, was a rookie error.

"This is absolutely hilarious but also very amateur to leave the notes on the receipt for the customer," said one such Redditor.

It was nevertheless a fine enough action for one user to brand the bar worker a “legend”. It’s fair to say the bar for such accolades has dropped somewhat since the Classical Era.

A glass of rosé with some ice - Valentina Mancini via Getty Images

The Cornish Arms told 7News that it had indeed received a complaint over the note.

“Staff were spoken to and reminded of their workplace responsibilities and the junior staff member then came forward to management and was very apologetic, not realising it would print on the customer’s receipt,” it said.

“She has been spoken to and placed on a three-month probation.

“Her comment in no way reflects the values of The Cornish Arms and we will continue to educate and train staff to ensure the business evolves.

“The customer has since been spoken with and will be returning for a meal on us soon.”

If you’re going to have a go at customers behind their backs, it’s best not to leave a paper trail.

And make sure you’re out of earshot, while you’re at it.