A Ballooning Sense Of Entitlement

(It’s about 3:00 pm on a busy Saturday at the grocery store where I work. We have every check stand open and there is a line at each of them. A woman and her child, maybe around two or three, are at my register and I’ve got a line of four people behind her.)

Customer: “Oh, by the way, can I get a balloon for her? She loves coming here since the last checker gave her a balloon!”

(We don’t usually give out balloons; they are decorations that sit on top of our display cases for sales, new products, etc.)

Me: “Oh, sorry, but we are unable to give out balloons right now.” *looks at the little girl* “But I can give you some stickers! Do you want to pick some out?” *hands her our sheet of stickers*

Woman: “UGH, no.” *snatches the stickers from her daughter who just looks confused* “The last time they gave us a balloon! If she leaves here without one, she will be disappointed!”

Me: “I’m sorry, but I cannot give out balloons right now.”

(To give her a balloon would require me to leave my check stand with a line, get a ladder, and climb to the top of the closest soda display and take one down. I’m not going to make everyone else wait because she wants a balloon.)

Customer: *talks to her daughter, ignores me* “Guess we will just need to shop at [Competitor] from here on out, since they give you balloons there!”

(She shoots me a dirty look.)

Me: *holding eye contact* “Yeah, maybe you should do that. Sounds like it would be for the best.”