Father Tries To Educate His Son About His Future, At One Dumbfounded Employee’s Expense
BlueSkyImages/Shutterstock
“I work retail. One day, I was behind the counter ringing people up and this kid came in with his dad. The kid had to be about 7-years-old. He was complaining the entire time about how he did not want to go to school. As they were leaving, the father says to the kid, ‘You have to go to school. Otherwise, you’ll end up working here like that guy.’
I didn’t believe that he had actually said that until the next customer in line said, ‘Dang, that was messed up.’
I was just kinda shocked speechless, to be honest. I mean, it’s a bit prickish to assume that I work retail because of my education. One of the main reasons I do it is I do a lot of volunteer work and help organize a non-profit and retail gives me a flexible schedule and as management, the pay isn’t terrible.”
What This Grocery Store Worker Does To Her Hair Is No One’s Business But Her Own
Artush/Shutterstock
“I was working in a grocery store and had just shaved my head to donate my hair to Locks of Love the day before. I was fully aware that it is unconventional for a woman to have a shaved head.
An older man in his late 60s or early 70s promptly told me that it made me look like a man and for me to maintain even an ounce of my femininity, I needed to grow it back out and never cut it again. Like, what if I had lost my hair to chemo?
I assumed he was just jealous, as he didn’t look like the type of guy who would look good bald. Since then I’ve maintained a shaved head, and I’ve been told by multiple other men that I look great with it.”
In The Lunch Rush, Employees Never Pick Favorites
CREATISTA/Shutterstock
“My first job was at a Subway sandwich shop. I was 15. The manager had scheduled me for a day shift that I had to cover alone. (Illegal?) Of course, there was a big rush, and I did everything I could to make the sandwiches, run the register, and keep the place somewhat clean and functional.
One of the rush customers was this woman who ordered five sandwiches to go, all with very different, very precise requirements. I honestly did my best to serve her. I imagine I was probably pretty silent because I was so focused on getting the job done quickly as there was literally a line out the door.
Reminder: I was 15 and covering the shift totally alone.
I finished the five special sandwiches, bagged everything, rang it all up, and then gave her change. As she was gathering it all up, she looked me dead in the eye and said, ‘This was the worst customer service I’ve ever had. You must be a miserable human being.'”
Her Privilege To Use A Shopping Cart Should Be Revoked After That
Stokkete/Shutterstock
“When I was 20 years old, I worked for a drink distributor in Wisconsin. I was making a delivery to an upscale grocery store just west of the city of Milwaukee.
It was very early in the morning and I was on one leg kneeling, stocking a lower shelf. This woman, approximately 30 years old, intentionally rammed into me from behind with her shopping cart, knocking me off my feet, yelling, ‘You’re in my way!’
Before I could get up from the floor and respond, she rammed into me again, repeating ‘You’re in my way!’
I looked at her in disbelief and told her to eff off. By noon that day, my supervisor was in contact with me, stating that somebody had made a formal complaint about me. I used to be a people person. People ruined that for me.”
Overbearing Mother Puts A Rookie Waitress On A Race Against Time
J+Walters/Shutterstock
“I just started my first waitressing job at a place known for free pie on Wednesdays. It was my third night and my coworker’s second as a supervisor. It was just the two of us and the cook on a Sunday night. Well, the cook left to take the dishwasher home on his 30-minute break and never came back.
The first half of a group of ten walked in for a late dinner after a high school graduation. I politely explained that our cook went on break and had not returned. I added that, at that point, we did not think he was coming back. I told them that they were more than welcome to stay, but that it was going to take longer than usual since we were completely understaffed. I added that their drinks would be free, but they would have to pay for their food.
The mother of the graduate was being difficult, complaining about how this was ridiculous and what not. I apologized, telling her that we were doing the best we could, but that it was out of my control and that my supervisor could not get ahold of any other cooks so she was going to be cooking. I, again, gave them the option to go elsewhere or to the other location that was about two miles away. They said, ‘No, it’s fine,’ and sat down.
The rest of the party showed up and everyone was super chill and understanding of the situation. I started taking orders and the mom took out her phone, started a stopwatch, and waved it in my face, yelling at me while I was trying to take orders about how she was timing me. She said that if it took more than how long she had the watch set for, that she was not paying for anything.
The rest of the time I was there, the mom yelled at me about how horrible the service was, how she could not believe how incompetent I was, and, overall, was just a jerk. No one else at the table was even remotely upset. By the time they got up to pay, my manager was back in front checking people out. The mom decided that getting free drinks AND a 25% discount was not good enough and decided that she was not going to pay for her daughter’s (the graduate’s) food. The last person in line was a boy about 16 years-old who ended up paying for the daughter’s food when he realized what happened. He was the only one to tip.
I’ve been waiting tables for over a year since this happened. While I no longer work there, I have never had an experience since in which a customer was even half as rude as that lady was. She realized how much we were struggling and thought she was going to be able to get free food out of it and was angry when she did not. Honestly though, to have started serving with such a crappy experience was good in the end since nothing shakes me now.”
Fast Food Worker Proved To Be A Tough Crowd For Her Jokester Customer
Lisa F. Young/Shutterstock
“I work in fast food. I once had an elderly man try to joke with me while he was ordering. I did not realize he was joking and did not laugh. He got mad that I didn’t laugh and retaliated by being misogynistic.
He glared at me and said, ‘You need to laugh when men tell you jokes. Men will like you if you do that.’
I was really tempted to tell him, ‘You need to be funny when you tell jokes. People will laugh then.'”
And This, Children, Is Why You Always Hang Up Your Phone At The Checkout Lane
pathdoc/Shutterstock
“I worked at a craft store at the time. We got all sorts of rude people. Elderly ladies who expect you to just apply the coupon because they either do not own a computer or phone, or just outright do not know how to use it and do not care to learn. Mothers who insist ‘They let me do this last time!!!’ when I had to inform them they couldn’t use the same coupon multiple times or use 5 of the same coupon at once. No one would have let you do that last time. It was not that type of store.
But the one that stuck with me was a sweet old woman and, I’m assuming, her middle age daughter. The lady came up and laid her stuff (a tiny flower bundle and some super glue) on the counter. Her daughter stood off to the side on her phone, not paying any attention. I had a nice little chat with the old woman. I asked her if she was a part of our rewards program. She turned around to ask her daughter if she was and was completely ignored.
We finished the transaction. I handed her the change and go to bag her things. All of a sudden, the daughter stormed up. Without looking away from her phone, she said, ‘I have a coupon. Let me look it up.’
She had ignored both of us the whole time, did not even have the coupon pulled up, and the transaction had already been completed. The old woman told her that she was not worried about it and that she wanted to leave. We also were 13 minutes past closing time. My manager, who was standing by the door, overheard this and, since he could not leave the door, just made a no gesture.
I apologized multiple times and explained that the transaction had ended already, but if she had something she knew she wanted to purchase, she could go grab it quickly and use the coupon, or she could come back tomorrow since we are closed now. Well, at that point, she was looking up from her phone and she was livid.
She was screaming and yelling how I was worthless, would not amount to anything, that I was going to the bad place, and that I had better give her a gift card for her trouble. She wasn’t telling me to give the older woman a card. She kept saying ‘MY trouble’ and ‘You owe ME a card.’ I attempted to explain how I couldn’t do that, while also fighting back tears, as I am a wimp and was going through a lot at the time. She continued to berate me, then ripped the cash register hand scanner out of my hand, unplugged it, and threw it into a candy stand. Then, she spat on the counter and stormed out.
I cried a lot. Retail taught me a true appreciation for other retail workers and true disgust for everyone else.”
A Day As Wonderful As This Woman Was Would Have To Be Apocalyptic
Volodymyr Baleha/Shutterstock
“I do inventories. I was counting in a grocery store when a woman in her mid-50s turned the corner and bumps her cart on the ladder I was on and just said, ‘Where’s the apple cider vinegar?’ No apologies for almost knocking me off my ladder. I told her that I did not work there and that I was from a private firm and did not know where the items were. I almost had the time to tell her that I could get her someone to help her when she just told me, ‘Yeah, yeah, go eff yourself,’ and rolled away.
I just yelled, ‘I hope your day is as wonderful as you are,’ and she gave me the dirtiest look. I made the most condescending smug face I could and waved at her.
She had the nerve to complain to the store owner!!! I asked her if she took it as an insult and she said yes. Then, I just told her that just meant she was a jerk then, because a nice person would have taken it as a compliment. She went nuts and stormed out of the store, knocking off an entire display of glass jars on purpose when she left the store.
Guess who made my day by calling the police?”
Oh, What A Hostile Time It Was Before The Dawn Of GPS
Lisa F. Young/Shutterstock
“When I was 16, I was at work at an ice cream shop when a woman in her 40s came in asking directions to a place that happened to be right by my house. After giving her detailed directions, she just stopped, shook her head, and said, ‘I think these are wrong.’
I tried again. At that point, she was giving me a dirty look. Finally, she said, ‘I knew I shouldn’t have wasted my time with someone who worked in a freaking ice cream store,’ and stormed out the door.
The directions were right, they were clear, and she was arguing with me about an exit number that I checked on the way home and was correct about. I hope to God she drove around forever looking for the place.”
“You Should Never Ask Anybody Questions Like That!”
DenisProduction.com/Shutterstock
“I work in a used retail clothing store that is not Goodwill. It was senior day and a lady was complaining about the cost. I asked politely if she was eligible for any discounts. It could have been a student discount, senior, or a donation coupon.
She lost her crap because she automatically assumed I was asking if she was old enough for the senior discount. I was not. However, she could have been a VERY young looking 55, which is the age at which you become eligible. I apologized (twice, because she didn’t hear my first one).
It had been about a month since the last time I saw her when she came in again. I wound up having to ring her up, and she was still angry. I apologized again for any misunderstanding at our previous encounter and she, again, lost her temper, telling me that I ‘should never ask anybody questions like that,’ never mind that I did not actually ask her if she was a senior at all.
At this point, I just pray I run into her outside of work because I have a couple things to say to her about crapping on cashiers who are just trying to do their freaking jobs. I was only trying to help. Plus, who the heck gets bent out of shape that bad over a vaguely worded question like that? I’m pushing 40, but I’m pretty sure I look older with close to 50% gray and don’t give two craps.”
Employee At Wit’s End Wishes She Could Give This Rude Customer The ‘Bird’
Caftor/Shutterstock
“There is an older lady who comes into the store I work at. She is notoriously rude. We honestly think she may have dementia since she can never seem to remember what happened last time she was in. She will often ask for the same stuff but doesn’t buy it, among other things.
One day, she asked me to grab something off of the shelf behind the counter. They were harnesses for pet birds, so, naturally, they come in different sizes. I asked her what size she needed. She asked me what my dominant hand was. I told her left.
She said, ‘Take your left hand, grab one of the boxes, and put it on the counter.’
‘OK,’ I replied, ‘but what size?’ She informed me that she wanted one large enough to fit her cockatiel. I put it on the counter for her.
Later, in the same hour she was there, she started talking about our other stores and asking what birds they have. She asked me if I can call them for her.
‘You want me to call them for you?’ I asked in confirmation.
She said, I kid you not, ‘Yes. C-A-L-L. Call them. Are you capable of doing that?’
At that point, I was a little irritated.
‘Well, yeah,’ I replied, ‘but I don’t see why YOU can’t call them.’
We have the numbers for the other stores on our cards next to the counter and online. She went on a rant about how she was an attorney and she had been coming to the store for years, bought many birds here, etc. etc., and about how she was not phone or internet savvy. I didn’t end up having to call them. She found our cards, finally (in clear sight, mind you), put about five birds on a 24-hour hold, and left, saying she would be back later.
She never came back that day.”
Librarian Meets Her ‘Favorite’ Customer: Mr. Know-It-All
Phovoir/Shutterstock
“There is a guy who is a semi-regular at the library I work at. I had been there a few weeks when he came in one day. I nicely introduced myself as the new librarian. I was about to ask if I can be of any assistance, and he just straight up just told me, ‘Yeah, no,’ and proceeded to talk to the other person at the desk.
A few weeks later, he came back. He asked me what I knew about a specific niche film industry subject. Then, he dragged me to the stacks to give me a copy of a book that he wrote. He told me to educate myself and proceeded to tell me that all young people (like me) were imbeciles who don’t appreciate said specific subject. He essentially implied that my employers have crappy standards for hiring me.
According to my coworkers, this was normal and not the worst thing this guy had done. My boss said if he does it to me again, we can kick him out. He hasn’t come in since and I’m not complaining.”
The Look On The Customer’s Face When She Realized Her Rude Assumption
Asier Romero/Shutterstock
“I was working at a soap store in a major city. This was my after 9-5 job because I just loved the place so much and the employee discounts were nice.
A woman came in with her daughter. I rang her up, chatting with her about why she was visiting. It turned out that she went to look at schools for her daughter, including my alma mater, which I mention to her.
‘And you work here?!’ she gasped, suddenly horrified that her princess may end up at a crap school. Here I was, a shining example of why not to attend.
I smiled and said, ‘Yes, and I’m also on the trading desk of a small financial firm, but I love this store so I work here too.’
I enjoyed seeing her face fall as she realized what a complete jerk she had been.”
You’d Think She Would Remember A Coupon For Buying A Car
sirtravelalot/Shutterstock
“I was 19 and working at a car dealership’s checkout counter. A woman with a huge sunhat and her son came up, paid her bill, and left. Ten minutes later, she came back saying she had found a coupon in her car and asked if it could be applied.
‘I’m sorry, I can’t reopen the ticket,’ I politely explained. ‘You’ve already paid, so it’s closed.’
Suddenly, her face twisted up.
‘Well you don’t have to be so RUDE about it,’ she snapped. She snatched her kid’s hand and stormed out. I stood there, totally bewildered.
The young girl behind her in line came up to the counter and said, ‘Wow, what a jerk. You weren’t rude at all.’
It was an emotional roller coaster of an afternoon.”
Birthday Drink Wish Denied
Pressmaster/Shutterstock
“Once, when I worked in a pub, a regular came up to the bar pretty wasted.
REGULAR: ‘It’s my birthday. Can I get a Sambuca and a pint of Fosters?’
I proceeded to pour the drinks.
ME: ‘That’s £4.45.’
REGULAR: ‘What?! I ain’t paying. It’s my freaking birthday.’
ME: ‘It’s either £4.45 or you don’t get a drink.’
ME: ‘You’re a jerk. It’s my freaking birthday. I used to work here. Give me a freaking drink. You freaking jerk. You’re such a pillock. Give me a freaking drink.’
The landlord came over and threw him out. That was in 2006. He has been my archenemy ever since.”
This Department Store Cashier Had Never Been Spoken To That Way Before
A.Song Tailor/Shutterstock
“I was 16 and working as a cashier in a department store in Singapore. My register was located right next to the changing rooms, so I had to help count the clothing pieces customers took in to try out, put them back on their hangers, and so on.
There was once this Caucasian woman who tried on multiple pieces of clothing, way more than the allowed number of pieces that any customer could bring into the changing rooms. The sales attendant her told me to let her in because it could have meant a large sale for her, so I complied.
When the woman went in, she just skipped the queue and took the first available room she saw. Then she came out and took even more pieces to try on and attempted to skip the queue again. I politely told her that there is a queue and asked if she could kindly wait for a few minutes or try another changing room across the hall. She just looked at me bewildered.
‘Do you speak English?!’ the woman yelled at me.
I am Chinese. In Singapore, English is considered a first language. Everyone in the queue was shocked that she said that when everyone understood what I meant.
That was also the first time I had interacted with a white person. I didn’t even realize at that time that I had experienced some form of racial prejudice. I just thought I was being vague or something.
I told her, ‘Yes ma’am, I do, and there is a queue in front of you, could you kindly wait your turn?’
She took her bags and left, not buying anything.”