How do I handle harassing customers?

This has been going on for 2 weeks and there are these high school punks (probably 16-18 years old) that basically come in and harass my employees. They usually come in with about 4-8 people and just cause havoc by ordering a 3 dollar meal (for 4-8 people), bugging and disrespecting my employees, and attempt to steal my soda drinks from the fridge. I hate to do this but this brings nothing but frustration to me and my employees and I do not want them coming back.
 
What is the best way to handle this?
 
Should I just tell them not to come back and threaten to call the police?

Call the cops next time they come in and act up, have them banned from the property.
You let them get away with it once, you are an easy target now.

In addition to calling your local law enforcement department, contact the high school principal and report their behavior.

Michael Hoffman


In addition to calling your local law enforcement department, contact the high school principal and report their behavior.

 
i think thats a dead end..... around here, a principal isnt even allowed to acknowledge if a certain student even attends their school, plus, that may seem like it came from the employees other then the owner
 
do they come in everyday at the same time? find a local LEO, and feed him to hang out until they do show up, then let him do his thing (speak to them outside when he leaves) a phone call from the local sheriffs to a parent can do amazing things..... even in respect to the "bad kids", but of course, have them banned in the process, it doesnt sound like you will be loosing anything from their absence......

ban them, tell them they are not allowed in the store and to get out and if they don't, call the police. I had to ban someone from my trailer once. I hate the drama, but had to be done.

wild dog...problem with that is, if they are really ruffians, and not just suffering from teenage hormones, your leaving yourself wide open to get arrested if it comes to a physical altercation, dirtbags or not, juvenile is juvenile....
 
 

You " Have the right to refuse service to anyone" post the sign. When they come in, tell them they are not going to be served. They probably will not leave real quiet like, but if they come back, call the police. If they do it again, get a restraining order on each one of them....... It's your business and livelihood, no one screws with that and gets away with it..............PNWC

Thank you so much for the suggestions everyone. I will def do that if they ever come back. It'll be a little difficult since each time they come in with different people but I do recognize some of the repeat kids. Luckily I have a security camera and already have their faces on the computer. And I also had someone take a snapshot of their license plate.
 
I'm kind of afraid they will do something drastic like vandalize my property after that since they have nothing better to do on a Saturday night.
 
I'll keep you all updated.

God, I hate dealing with people like that, especially now a days when everyone wants to either sue you or turn your shop into a youtube movie set as they trash the place or come back later and bust out your windows.
 
Call the cops and let them deal with these punks and then ban them from the property. If you know their names, call their parents too. I have done that before, found names and called parents, and it worked out very well. Never saw one particular kid again and another it probably kept him out of jail, he came back a few years later to thank me for making that call.
 

BackAlleyBurger

Michael Hoffman


In addition to calling your local law enforcement department, contact the high school principal and report their behavior.

i think thats a dead end..... around here, a principal isnt even allowed to acknowledge if a certain student even attends their school, plus, that may seem like it came from the employees other then the owner

It works quite well around here.

Michael Hoffman

BackAlleyBurger

Michael Hoffman


In addition to calling your local law enforcement department, contact the high school principal and report their behavior.

i think thats a dead end..... around here, a principal isnt even allowed to acknowledge if a certain student even attends their school, plus, that may seem like it came from the employees other then the owner

It works quite well around here.

 
 
I don't think they will be willing to give me their names. I only have pictures of their faces. It would be def good to have though.

darklunar, Maybe it's time to sit down and have a heart to heart with these guys.  Let them know, in a nice way, that you don't appreciate their behavior.  Also let them know that you have security cameras and their license plate numbers.  Explain that you want their business, but they must act like proper young adults.
 
MH, one school in my area ties sports to your after school behavior.  So alerting the principal could carry a lot of weight.

My approach to a problem like you got doesn't include any of the above mentioned solutions!

chewingthefat


My approach to a problem like you got doesn't include any of the above mentioned solutions!

 
Unfortunately those days are long gone. Why do you think it is called the "criminal justice" system? The bad guys now have more rights than the victims. But you already know that, and I miss those days.
 

joerogo


darklunar, Maybe it's time to sit down and have a heart to heart with these guys.  Let them know, in a nice way, that you don't appreciate their behavior.  Also let them know that you have security cameras and their license plate numbers.  Explain that you want their business, but they must act like proper young adults.

Sorry Joe, but that approach doesn't work with todays disrespectful punks. They would just laugh at you.
Yes, let them know you have their pictures and license number in case any of them are thinking about doing some damage and tell them to leave and not come back. Next step call the police and have them  throw their butts out.

Although calling the school is an option, I would seek legal advice on this first.  I would assume their parents would be the best thing and the last thing you need to do is publicly humiliate (which is what you "could" be doing) them in front of their friends, classmates, family and future "potential" employers if the school decides to make it more known than just the students and conselor.  If a student found out that you addressed the school without their permission or their parent's and it's not legal to do so, you could face more problems than you have now and they (these "punks" that are hurting your business) could eventually get the last laugh by shutting you down.  Worse yet, make you the headlines in a negative way.
 
So be careful about this approach.  I agree you should be able to talk to their school, sports coaches (if they have some), teachers, family and etc. but you need to find out what you can do legally first.  In the business world, publicly slanderring or discreditting a business is illegal in some cases.  I'm sure it's the same personally.  People are sueing over employers giving bad references and such which is why employers are so scared to say anything other than if a person worked at a place or not.  That's about it. 
 
If you can't afford an attorney, I would go to the police first and ask what recommendations they have.  If they're not sure, then you're on your own if you don't seek legal advice.  If you make a statement to someone you shouldn't and it turns out bad, you could pay.
 
As far as the "right to refuse service to anyone for any reason" sign, I agree with this statement and I believe that is true in all states but I could be wrong.  First, find out if it is.  If it is, post it (if you haven't already).  Then, if you do decide to confront these kids, be prepared for what others have said on here.  If you don't have video evidence or witnesses and they do decide to get mad and vandalize your property or even worse, harass your employees, you've got nothing other than a "hunch" that they did it.  Even if it was the next day or so, you can't prove they did it just because you "think" they did.  To my knowledge, that doesn't hold up in court.  You need proof or some sort of evidence.  Plus, they may be classmates with some of your employees (if you've hired younger employees) so you've got to be careful of what could happen to them in school or in their private life outside of work as well.  So, if you're going to make a statement that you have video cameras, back it up by installing them.  Even a few cameras is worth it.  Sure, it might cost you a few grand but isn't that worth it?  But if you do install them, make sure you put them in places they might not think like on a light pole outside or in an unsuspecting place on the outside of the building (not just the inside).  They make really small cameras that are virtually undetectable.  A big camera that sticks on the outside wall of a building is one thing and if they're real jerks, they could simply come at night, shoot it with a gun (where the camera wouldn't detect them) and that's that.  Even from far distances, a rifle can shoot 300 yards pretty accurately.  No, I'm not some jerk that thinks about this stuff but grew up on a farm and hunted and sighted guns in a few times and just know that I've knocked down animals from 200+ yards away (while moving sometimes).  Think a non-moving camera from that distance stands a chance?  Doubtful.  Of course, if you're in a heavily trafficed area that would change.  
 
Inside, same thing.  Put them in places they wouldn't think but more importantly, get them outside first because they won't be thinking of that.  That way, you have proof of them coming and going and can hopefully get a better view of them personally (before or after they put on clothes or masks) or their vehicles.  Inside, they can put on masks or other things to hide their body or faces and this could be tough to prove in court.
 
If you do talk to the cops and they inform you to talk to them, I would inform these "punks" that you've talked to the police and that they will be monitoring what happens around your place or your home (if they know where you live).  I don't know if you need to go there because then this actually puts that type of thought in their minds but that's up to you. 
 
It sounds like this may be all blown out of proportion and you could simply tell them to get lost and not come back and that should be that but you never know.  It could get a lot more complicated and you need to be covered.  honestly, I don't know how this got past one time because if someone came in and harassed an employee of mine and was "stealing" my product, this would be a no brainer and the cops would've been called and they'd be left with theft on their record.  That would've ended that.  Why did you let this go on after one time?  Shame on you. 
 
Have you considered offering one or two of them a job?  Do you need help?  If so, you may be surprised how differently they may react if you become their employer and teach them discipline and value over disrespect.  That's a long shot but thought I'd throw it out there.  

Foodbme

joerogo


darklunar, Maybe it's time to sit down and have a heart to heart with these guys.  Let them know, in a nice way, that you don't appreciate their behavior.  Also let them know that you have security cameras and their license plate numbers.  Explain that you want their business, but they must act like proper young adults.

Sorry Joe, but that approach doesn't work with todays disrespectful punks. They would just laugh at you.
Yes, let them know you have their pictures and license number in case any of them are thinking about doing some damage and tell them to leave and not come back. Next step call the police and have them  throw their butts out.

 
If that doesn't work.......
 
Check out the youtube, "Now Youse can't Leave" and see what happened at Sonny's Bar (I didn't post the link because of some strong language)

Joe, "Respect", you either walk in with it, or you leave with it. You learn these rules on the street at a early age. If the OP is asking how to deal with this problem, I can bet he is loosing sleep over it. Take the license plate number ad the video to the cops, I bet it's not the first time they saw the punks pictures..........Like I said, No one screws with your business.......................Every Restaurant has to have a Cop eating there some time, take advantage of that time..................PNWC
   P.S. How many Jewish or Italian Deli's would put up with that ?????? The kids would be out on their butts.............................

joerogo


darklunar, Maybe it's time to sit down and have a heart to heart with these guys.  Let them know, in a nice way, that you don't appreciate their behavior.  Also let them know that you have security cameras and their license plate numbers.  Explain that you want their business, but they must act like proper young adults.

MH, one school in my area ties sports to your after school behavior.  So alerting the principal could carry a lot of weight.

Here sports (all extra-curricular activities) and behavior are tied together in a set of rules and regulations all students must sign, along with their parents.

I had one like that years ago.  He was harassing a coworker (girl). I told him to leave, he didn't   ... I told him to leave again, he lipped off to me.  I came around the counter with MR Ash in my hand (baseball bat). That SOB was nowhere to be found.   ...GONE... When I started back behind the counter, I found that I had kicked the counter door so hard, it slapped the counter and tore the top hinge a loose.   ... The store owner was laughing the next day when I got to work.  Several customer had told him how fast the SOB ran when I started after his ass.
 
You are legal to defend yourself and property.  Because your own the property or defending your business & goods, leaving a fight is not an option.   ... You let the ass-holes run over you; then they will.    Most of them are all mouth and chicken sh__ anyway.   ... The tough one (has some sense) don't want the problems and will leave on their own.

Foodbme

joerogo


darklunar, Maybe it's time to sit down and have a heart to heart with these guys.  Let them know, in a nice way, that you don't appreciate their behavior.  Also let them know that you have security cameras and their license plate numbers.  Explain that you want their business, but they must act like proper young adults.

Sorry Joe, but that approach doesn't work with todays disrespectful punks. They would just laugh at you.

A chef friend of mine has always found that nice, polite talks work so much better if he is holding a cleaver in one hand.
 
Bart

I agree with edwMAX,
 
You have the RIGHT to defend your Business. If you let someone push you arround they will and they will keep doing it until they cant do it anymore. Todays youth have no "FEAR" on parents.  Talking will get you nowhere, put cameras and post a sign, "We have the RIGHT to Refuse Your Business" and call the COPS if you have to.

Easy solution:
 PROMINENTLY post a "We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone" sign. Behind the counter, where your employees taking orders can look and see easily, have a "wall of shame". Leave a digital camera by the order counter. If someone harasses any employee (threatens, intimidates, unwanted sexual advances, etc... situations that you deem troublesome and folks who scare them), they can take a picture, you can print it out on a sheet of paper with a reason (so they know what they are up against). this way every employee knows not to serve that person. When they have their picture taken, either they can tell the person why and that they can no longer be served. Or they can leave it up to you. They can be told they are warned off once and then the 2nd time the cops are involved. If you can pair a name with the picture, great, it not, you still have the picture of the culprit.

lol wall of shame....nice

Most LEOs hire out off duty as private security. Just call the PD non-emergency number and ask about it.

If you have the security camera's put a sign on the wall "Smile You Are ON Camera". Most do not misbehave when they know they are being recorded.
 
I have a bar next to my kitchen business. As soon as I put camera's up in plain sight the door spitting, urinating, and general trouble outside my door at night stopped immediatly.
 
If that does not work tell them they are banned from your business because if they have not been told they are not welcome they will continue to come in and cause trouble. If bad behavior is not corrected it will only get worse.