It's funny, I think "The customer is always right" was originally coined in reference to the idea that in order for a business to survive, it has to offer what the customers want. Whatever the consumer chooses is the right choice, because that's where the money flows.

Sadly, it's morphed into today's idea, which is that simply paying for a product or service, the consumer has complete control over the business.

This need for power and control for the consumer is likely rooted in two things:

The transition from a product/manufacturing economy into a service economy - no longer does the customer have to have control over the products, they have to have control over the service. The original meaning of the phrase I think works well for products, but not so much for service.

The shift in wealth over the last few decades to and the growing power of corporations compared to the stagnation of peoples wages and increasing economic obstacles like higher education, healthcare, and housing costs.

While I certainly don't condone customers who think they're entitled to this power just because they're parting with a few dollars, it helps me to try to understand where they're coming from.