Podcast Summary: Travis Makes Money

Episode: CO-HOST | Make Money by Leading with Empathy (Even When Customers Lose Their Cool)
Host: Travis Chappell (with producer Eric)
Date: February 19, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode centers around how empathy – both for customers and employees – plays a critical role in building a positive business environment and making more money. Travis and Eric riff on a viral story of a customer throwing a Chipotle bowl at an employee, using it as a launchpad to discuss customer service, the “customer is always right” myth, business boundaries, and the value of empathy in work and money-making.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Viral Chipotle Bowl Throwing Incident

• [01:06] - [02:20]
  • Eric introduces a viral video: a disgruntled Chipotle customer throws a food bowl in a worker's face after multiple remakes of her order.
  • Travis describes it vividly:

    “That was like watching an animated show where somebody throws a pie in somebody’s face. Except it wasn’t. It was real and it was a full Chipotle bowl…” (Travis, 02:20)

2. On Firing Customers & Employee Protection

• [02:32] - [03:25]
  • Travis challenges the “customer is always right” mentality, pressing the importance of firing abusive customers:

    “Bottom line, you have to be willing to fire some of your customers sometimes... I am not going to allow my team members to be berated by a crazy who is clearly never going to be happy with the final product.” (Travis, 02:32)

  • Emphasizes refunding as a dignified exit over tolerating abuse, even in face of possible bad reviews.

3. The Legal Fallout & Creative Sentencing

• [05:30] - [06:42]
  • Eric recaps the legal consequence: the customer (Rosemary Hayne) was sentenced to work 20 hours a week in fast food for two months.
  • Travis lauds the judge’s creativity:

    “That is the perfect punishment. That judge needs to be awarded something…send him a bottle of whiskey…or Chipotle…” (Travis, 05:49)

4. Should Everyone Work in Food Service Once?

• [06:32] - [09:59]
  • Discussion spurred by op-eds suggesting mandated food service work for empathy.
  • Travis’s take:

    “Requiring it by law is crazy…my thought was always, you should do something that forces you to interact with a high volume of people…But I personally don’t think it needs to be food service in particular. I just think…you should not have to be forced to work at a place like that to be a kind human being.” (Travis, 08:10, 08:19)

  • Both agree empathy should be innate rather than externally forced.

5. Navigating Ambiguous Restaurant Service Models

• [09:59] - [11:44]
  • Tangent about restaurants with unclear self-service expectations (Panera, Skinny Fats), leading to confusion and “awkward moments” for customers.
  • “You need to have a clear station that’s like, put your plates over here.” (Eric, 11:01)
  • Lighthearted banter with live Instagram audience about restaurant quirks.

6. Jobs That Build Empathy

• [12:42] - [13:44]
  • Travis reflects that door-to-door sales gave him genuine empathy—for anyone in high-interaction roles, not just food service.

    “It sort of was customer service sales—basically any job where you have to interact with a high volume of people is what it gave me empathy for. Just to know that there’s a lot of stuff going on. It’s not the easiest thing in the world.” (Travis, 15:44)

7. Empathy Goes Both Ways: Customer to Worker, and Vice Versa

• [15:44] - [17:29]
  • Travis notes that difficult employees can test customer empathy as well.
  • Strategy: disarm with friendliness—“having a bad day? Hope your day goes better.”

    “I as the customer shouldn’t have to lead the way to make you treat me like a kind human being. We should be kind to each other.” (Travis, 17:27)

8. Tipping Culture Frustrations

• [17:43] - [18:52]
  • Frustration over having to tip before service quality is known, particularly with delivery apps like DoorDash.

    “Anywhere we have to tip beforehand drives me [crazy].” (Travis, 18:07)

9. The Core Takeaway: Empathy, Humanity, and Boundaries

• [19:04] - [20:08]
  • Eric closes with a quote from the Food & Wine op-ed:

    “We’re all in this world together, and no matter how angry we might get about some perceived misdeed, no one deserves to have a burrito bowl thrown at them. And even though Hain will only have the job for two months, the lesson will stay with her for much, much longer.” (Eric, 19:05)

  • Travis reinforces:

    “If you’re a business owner, don’t let your employees also get treated like this. Step in before that happens. Or at least after assault…step in before the assault happens on your employees.” (Travis, 19:58, 20:07)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• The “customer is always right” myth:

  “Bottom line, you have to be willing to fire some of your customers… I am not going to allow my team members to be berated by a crazy…” (Travis, 02:32)

• On the viral punishment:

  “That is the perfect punishment. That judge needs to be awarded something…” (Travis, 05:49)

• On empathy and growth:

  “You shouldn’t have to be taught empathy by working in a bad position.” (Eric, 09:33)

  “That should just be something you should have as a human being is just to be kind toward people…” (Travis, 09:38)

• Funny banter about ambiguous restaurant expectations:

  “You need to have a clear station that’s like, put your plates over here.” (Eric, 11:01)

• Business takeaway:

  “Step in before the assault happens on your employees.” (Travis, 20:07)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [01:06] – Chipotle bowl-throwing story introduction
• [02:32] – Travis on firing customers and employee protection
• [05:30] – The creative sentencing for the Chipotle incident
• [06:32] – Should everyone work in food service?
• [09:59] – Confusion about restaurant service expectations
• [12:42] – Jobs that teach empathy
• [15:44] – Empathy for and from service workers
• [17:43] – Tipping culture discussion
• [19:04] – Closing thoughts on empathy, humanity, and business boundaries

Tone & Style

The episode features laid-back, humorous, and candid banter, peppered with real-life examples and a clear call for empathy toward service workers—balanced by pragmatic advice for business owners. The mood is conversational and relatable, with bits of playful sarcasm and listener interaction.

Useful for Listeners If You Didn't Tune In

This episode not only entertains with a viral moment and witty banter but offers actionable business wisdom: lead with empathy, protect your team, know when to draw the line with customers, and nurture your own capacity for understanding—without needing to walk in every pair of work shoes. The episode’s stories and lessons will empower you to approach both customer and personnel management with more clarity and compassion.