"Throw in some plates will ya?"

Here is the policy at Umbria regarding plates. Our delivery charge is a meager $2 no matter how large the order is. Some people think that plates and forks and stuff are automatically included with orders. Sometimes that is the case, and other times it isn't. You need to be aware of how that works when you order, it's easy to ask about. So at Umbria for a "set" (plate and a packet that includes a knife, fork, napkins, salt and peppers) we charge thirty-five cents. It's not unreasonable. For just plates and napkins we charge fifteen cents.

Many times companies have a budget, say $150. They call and they ask us to work with them jamming as much food into the budget as possible usually this ends up with us giving them some kind of discount. We are fine with that for the most part. But when they set up the whole order, and hey are already getting 10-30$ off, the next day, they call and say "Oh yeah, throw in some plates and forks and stuff too will you?"

After explaining that those cost extra they get angry with me. They think they should be part of the deal "Other places throw them in." Well other places have a 10$ "catering fee" which we don't. You know you really can't win. If we charge a catering fee, then we got people bargaining with us to lower it if they only need napkins but not plates, or forks but not knives. I think our system is fine. The particular case, that ruined my morning today. The guy had 25 people and wanted just plates and napkins. That is an extra $3.75 to get it. Fifty foam/paper plates cost about $4 at the grocery store just to give you a scope of our profit margin on it. This guy decided to be a hardass and tell me how appalled he is that we would charge him for that when it should be included. Where the fuck does he get off? That's fine if he thinks that, but that isn't the case, it's not personal. I am already giving this guy 10$ off the order, so now I am just going to eat the cost of plates too? Why not "throw in" some deserts? is there some strange understanding that non-food items don't cost any money? Like we just have infinite plates and we don't care about them? So this guy has the fucking BALLS to threaten me with "I'm not in the mood to argue about it, but I am just going to have to take that into consideration next time I am ordering."

Yeah you take that $3.75 into fucking consideration. Fucking prick. We aren't even looking to make a profit on these plates, it's not like we are killing you with them. We just want to recoup our costs and maybe squeak out a TINY extra for our trouble. Officially ruined my morning.