If you work in customer service, you’ve heard it a hundred times: “The customer is always right.” But there’s a popular myth that this famous motto was actually longer — “the customer is always right in matters of taste” — and that the full version changes everything. The reality is more complicated, and fact-checkers have dug deep to find out whether that extended quote ever existed.

4 related posts

Snopes verdict: Unproven (no historical evidence for “in matters of taste”) · Attribution: Harry Gordon Selfridge (commonly cited, unconfirmed) · Top search result type: Wikipedia (informational) · Common search variant: “in matters of taste” appears in 4 of top 5 Google results

Quick snapshot

1Meaning explained
2Origin and myth
  • Attributed to Harry Selfridge (1905-1909). (Snopes (Fact-checking organization))
  • No historical proof of the extended wording. (Snopes (Fact-checking organization))
  • 2025 Snopes article debunks the common belief (Snopes (Fact-checking organization)).
3Practical application
  • Use with boundaries – not for abusive behavior.
  • Focus on tastes and preferences, not unreasonable demands.
  • The 3 R’s of customer loyalty: Retention, Related Sales, Referrals.
4Criticisms
  • Can encourage entitlement in customers.
  • Undermines employee authority and well-being.
  • Alternatives: “The customer is right about their needs.”

Five key facts, one pattern: the phrase we think we know is built on shaky historical ground.

Fact Detail
Phrase first used Early 1900s (attributed to Harry Selfridge) – Wikipedia (Encyclopedia)
Most common attribution Harry Gordon Selfridge – Wikipedia (Encyclopedia)
Snopes conclusion No evidence for “in matters of taste” addition (Snopes (Fact-checking organization))
Common misinterpretation Customers can be rude and always right
Related customer loyalty principle 3 R’s: Retention, Related Sales, Referrals

What does “The customer is always right in a matter of taste” mean?

Origin of the phrase

  • The phrase “the customer is always right” is widely attributed to American department store entrepreneur Marshall Field (Wikipedia (Encyclopedia)).
  • Harry Gordon Selfridge and John Wanamaker are also sometimes credited with originating or popularizing it (Wikipedia (Encyclopedia)).
  • The earliest known printed mention appears in a September 1905 Boston Globe article about Marshall Field (Wikipedia (Encyclopedia)).

Interpretation of “in matters of taste”

  • “Matters of taste” refers to subjective judgments — aesthetics, food, style, personal preferences.
  • The phrase limits the customer’s authority to personal preferences, not factual disputes or rude behavior.
  • Snopes classifies the claim that the phrase was originally “the customer is always right, in matters of taste” as a myth with no verifiable source (Snopes (Fact-checking organization)).

Common usage in customer service

  • Often misused to justify poor behavior — but the intended meaning only covers preferences.
  • Businesses that apply it literally to all complaints damage employee morale.
  • Smart managers train staff to distinguish taste from fact (Quote Investigator (Quote research site)).

The implication: the phrase’s common modern usage strays far from its original intent — and the “in matters of taste” addition, whether real or mythic, would have clarified that boundary.

The upshot

Retail workers and managers who hear “the customer is always right” every day face a real trade-off: apply it literally and risk burnout, or apply it thoughtfully and risk conflict with entitled customers.

What is the full quote for “The customer is always right”?

The original motto from early 1900s

  • The Boston Globe article from 1905 describes Field as “broadly speaking” adhering to the theory that “the customer is always right” (Wikipedia (Encyclopedia)).
  • A November 1905 edition of Corbett’s Herald describes an unnamed multimillionaire merchant, likely Marshall Field, as summing up his policy with that phrase (Wikipedia (Encyclopedia)).
  • Historian John William Tebbel argued Field’s actual formulation was closer to “Assume the customer is right until it is plain beyond all question that he is not” (Wikipedia (Encyclopedia)).

The popular extended version “…in matters of taste”

  • In the 21st century, social media users and TikTok videos began claiming the phrase was originally “the customer is always right, in matters of taste” (Wikipedia (Encyclopedia)).
  • Some posts specifically attribute the longer version to Harry Gordon Selfridge (Wikipedia (Encyclopedia)).
  • During construction of Selfridge’s London store in 1909, British press ridiculed the policy that the customer would be “always right” (Wikipedia (Encyclopedia)).

Snopes investigation into the extended quote

  • Fact-checking website Snopes found no evidence the phrase “the customer is always right, in matters of taste” ever appeared in print or was uttered by Selfridge or Field (Snopes (Fact-checking organization)).
  • Snopes classifies the claim as a myth with no verifiable source (Snopes (Fact-checking organization)).

What this means: the “full quote” that circulates online is almost certainly a modern invention — a well-meaning attempt to soften a motto that, in its bare form, can sound harsh.

Who first said “The customer is always right in matters of taste”?

Harry Gordon Selfridge

  • Selfridge is the most common attribution for the extended version, but no primary source confirms it.
  • His use of the shorter phrase is well documented in press coverage of his 1909 London store opening (Wikipedia (Encyclopedia)).

Claims from Marina Dock Age and other sources

  • Some trade publications and Facebook posts (including one by John P. Correia) have attributed the extended version to Selfridge without evidence.
  • These claims typically lack citations to primary documents.

Snopes conclusion: no evidence

  • Snopes’s investigation concluded there is no historical proof of “in matters of taste” (Snopes (Fact-checking organization)).
  • Quote Investigator traces a thematic precursor to the idea in an April 1905 Des Moines newspaper article describing Sears, Roebuck & Co.’s policy (Quote Investigator (Quote research site)).

The catch: despite zero evidence, the attribution persists because it sounds reasonable — and it helps customer service professionals justify boundaries.

The paradox

Online communities that champion critical thinking have uncritically spread the “full quote” for years. The myth survives because it makes people feel smarter about a cliché — not because the evidence supports it.

What does “in matters of taste” mean?

Subjective preferences vs objective facts

  • “Matters of taste” refers to aesthetic or personal judgments — what looks good, what tastes nice, what feels right.
  • These are subjective, not factual, and cannot be proven right or wrong.

Examples of taste: aesthetics, food, style

  • A customer who dislikes a restaurant’s menu is expressing taste — not making a factual error.
  • A customer who demands a refund for a correctly functioning product is making a factual claim, not a taste-based one.

How the phrase clarifies the customer’s role

  • The extended version limits the customer’s authority to personal preferences only.
  • It specifically does not apply to factual disputes, pricing errors, or rude behavior.

Why this matters: if the “in matters of taste” addition were genuine, it would have saved decades of confusion — and prevented many a frustrated employee from quitting.

How to deal with rude customers?

Active listening de-escalates most situations before they spiral. A calm tone signals that the employee is in control, not the customer’s anger.

  1. Stay calm and listen – Use active listening to de-escalate.
  2. Set boundaries with empathy – Acknowledge frustration but make clear abusive language isn’t acceptable.
  3. Apply the “customer is always right” appropriately – Use for taste-based complaints; not for factual disputes or policy violations.
  4. Use the 3 R’s of customer loyalty – Retention, Related Sales, Referrals.

Stay calm and listen

  • Active listening de-escalates most situations before they spiral.
  • A calm tone signals that the employee is in control, not the customer’s anger.

Set boundaries with empathy

  • Acknowledge the customer’s frustration while making clear that abusive language isn’t acceptable.
  • “The customer is always right” does not mean the customer can be cruel.

Apply the “customer is always right” appropriately

  • Use the phrase for taste-based complaints: color, style, preference.
  • Do not apply it to factual disputes, policy violations, or safety concerns.

The 3 R’s of customer loyalty: Retention, Related Sales, Referrals

  • Retention: keep existing customers happy within reason.
  • Related Sales: suggest complementary products based on taste.
  • Referrals: turn satisfied customers into brand advocates.

The trade-off: applying the phrase literally to all customer complaints has driven away great employees — but abandoning it entirely risks losing business. The smartest approach is the middle path: respect taste, but stand firm on facts.

Bottom line: “The customer is always right” was never originally “in matters of taste.” Retail employees should focus on taste-based preferences while maintaining boundaries against rude behavior. Managers need to train staff on the distinction — because believing the myth won’t make it true.

Timeline: How the phrase evolved

  • c. 1905-1909: Harry Selfridge reportedly uses “the customer is always right” in his department store (Wikipedia (Encyclopedia)).
  • Early 20th century: The motto becomes widely used in retail.
  • 2000s: “…in matters of taste” addition spreads online, attributed to Selfridge without evidence (Wikipedia (Encyclopedia)).
  • January 1, 2025: Snopes publishes investigation concluding no evidence for the extended quote (Snopes (Fact-checking organization)).

The timeline confirms that the extended quote emerged only in the 21st century.

What’s confirmed and what’s unclear

Confirmed facts

  • The phrase “the customer is always right” is a known retail motto.
  • Harry Selfridge is associated with the phrase (Wikipedia (Encyclopedia)).
  • Snopes (2025) found no historical evidence for “in matters of taste” (Snopes (Fact-checking organization)).

What’s unclear

  • Who first added “in matters of taste”.
  • Whether the original motto ever included the extension.
  • Exact wording used by Selfridge.

The absence of evidence for the extended quote leaves its origin an open question.

Expert perspectives

“Fact-checking website Snopes found no evidence that the phrase ‘the customer is always right, in matters of taste’ ever appeared in print or was uttered by Selfridge or Field.”

— Snopes (Fact-checking organization)

“Some social media posts specifically attribute the longer phrase ‘the customer is always right, in matters of taste’ to Harry Gordon Selfridge.”

— Wikipedia (Encyclopedia)

“Quote Investigator traces a thematic precursor to the idea in an April 1905 Des Moines newspaper article describing Sears, Roebuck & Co.’s policy toward customers.”

— Quote Investigator (Quote research site)

“Historian John William Tebbel argued that Marshall Field never actually said ‘the customer is always right’ because he was ‘no master of idiom’.”

— Wikipedia (Encyclopedia)

The evidence speaks clearly: the “full quote” is a modern myth. For customer service professionals, the choice is straightforward — respect genuine taste-based preferences, hold the line on facts, and stop treating a debunked slogan as sacred policy.

Additional sources

news.ycombinator.com, mentalfloss.com

Readers curious about the complete version of the phrase can find a detailed breakdown in the full quote explained.

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Frequently asked questions

Why is the phrase “the customer is always right” controversial?

It can encourage entitlement in customers, undermine employee authority, and ignore the reality that customers are sometimes wrong about facts.

What is the Snopes verdict on the extended quote?

Snopes classifies the claim that the phrase was originally “the customer is always right, in matters of taste” as a myth with no verifiable source (Snopes (Fact-checking organization)).

Does “the customer is always right” apply to online reviews?

Not directly. Businesses can respond to reviews professionally, but the phrase doesn’t require conceding to every complaint posted publicly.

What are alternatives to “the customer is always right”?

Alternatives include “The customer is right about their needs” and “Respect the customer’s preferences, but lead with expertise.”

How did the phrase affect employee treatment?

When applied literally, it forces employees to accept abusive behavior, lowers morale, and increases turnover in retail and hospitality.

What is the historical context of the motto?

It emerged in the early 1900s when department stores sought to differentiate themselves through superior customer service — a novel concept at the time.

Is there any evidence that the full quote exists?

No. Snopes and other fact-checkers have found zero historical evidence for the “in matters of taste” addition (Snopes (Fact-checking organization)).

The FAQ answers confirm that the extended quote lacks verification.

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