My friends have always told me that my job as an ice cream scooper on Cape Cod sounds like something out of a movie. While the perks are certainly all there (who wouldn't love being surrounded by homemade ice cream ALL DAY?), there are many, many, aspects of working in the tourist industry that are less than sweet. From rude customers to obnoxious orders, here are 5 of every ice cream scooper's pet peeves.
1. When Customers Expect you to Read Their Mind
When it comes to an ice cream scooper's pet peeves, nothing tops any time when a customer orders "a chocolate" and then moves aside to let the rest of their group order. Do you want a cup? A cone? Just the candy? What size? We are college students, not psychics so please tell us what you want to eat. If you don't specify, don't get upset if we bring you a default small cup when you really wanted a large sundae.
2. When 75% of Cones in the Box are Cracked
Other than a kid sobbing because they've dropped their ice cream, there's no sadder noise than the sound of your perfect cone, your magnum opus of ice cream, shattering as you load up the final scoop. I've been on orders where I've broken 4 cones in a row, directly in front of the customer. The worst thing about this ice cream scooper's pet peeve isn't even seeing the disappointment in the customer's eyes, it's knowing that you have to spend the next 10 minutes excavating the ice cream tub for cone shards.
3. When Customers Put the Free Sample Spoon in the Tip Jar/Counter/Anywhere That Isn't the Garbage
This pet peeve is just downright gross and happens way too often all things considering. Instead of putting their absurd amount of free sample spoons into the trash can a few steps away, many customers elect to drop them in the jar clearly marked, "Tips, Thank You." As if that wasn't bad enough, others simply leave them piled up on the counter. If we're kind enough to honor your request to try every flavor on the menu, please do us a favor and throw out your own spoons.
#SpoonTip: Free samples are there to help you decide between flavors, so please try to stick to three or less and don't even ask to try the vanilla.
4. When Customers Don't Put Anything in the Tip Jar
Working in a tourist town, it's not abnormal to serve groups of 10+ on their family vacations. Large orders like this are always either a blessing or a curse. Sometimes, you flawlessly remember every single sundae with extra fudge and get rewarded with a fat tip. Other times, you ring up over $80 of ice cream and watch the customer pocket the $1.50 in change. Few things annoy ice cream scoopers more than having to endure 15 minutes of "wait no, I don't want a caramel sundae anymore, I want hot fudge," or "he's getting whipped cream so I want whipped cream," and not receiving any tip money.
5. When Anyone Orders a Shake. Ever.
Shakes are like small children -- the moment you take your eye off of them to go scoop another cone, the entire thing will explode. Not to mention after 5 minutes of gouging out at least 3 scoops of hardpacked ice cream, your arm is toast. It doesn't matter if it's a crazy night or a slow day shift, having a shake (or, god forbid multiple shakes) on an order is one of an ice cream scooper's biggest pet peeves.
#SpoonTip: In Massachusetts, order a "frappe" unless you literally want a cup of shaken chocolate milk.
Working as an ice cream scooper has both its pitfalls and rewards. But at the end of the day, you can't go wrong with a job that satisfies your bank account and your sweet-tooth.