A Chip And Pin Off The Old Block

(I’m working as a cashier in a store that utilizes the new chip readers. A young woman comes through with a few clothes, and I ring her up. Her card refuses to work, so I hold her purchases so she can call her mom to come pay until she can figure out her card. This is what happens when the woman comes back with her mom.)

Customer: “Hi, I’m back for those clothes!”

Me: “Oh, no problem! Let me ring them back through for you.”

(I start ringing the clothing back through.)

Customer: *to her mom* “Yeah, Mom, my card just didn’t work. I think the chip quit working, and the machine won’t take it unless you use the chip reader.”

Customer’s Mom: “Oh, well, I’m sure you just did it wrong.”

Customer: “Uh… no, I promise, I did it right. I even tried doing a few different things; I’m sure it’s just broken.”

Customer’s Mom: “Whatever, I know you did it wrong.”

Me: “Uh… Well, your total is [total] today. Would you like to try [Customer]’s card one more time?”

Customer’s Mom: “Yes, I would; I’m sure she just did it wrong!”

(Pause.)

Customer’s Mom: “So… Do you swipe it?”

(The young customer and I go through the steps of explaining the chip reader to her after she tries to swipe it. She refuses to believe that the chip is NOT the holographic on the back of the card, inserted it backwards anyway, and after she finally inserts it correctly, it still won’t work, so she tries to swipe it one last time.)

Customer’s Mom: “Oh, I guess it really is broken… but honestly, I still think you might have just done it wrong… I’ll buy it and my things today, but you’ll owe me your [total].”

Customer: “All right, Mom, I knew I would owe you. I’ll call the bank first thing tomorrow.”

(I ring up the mom’s items along with the clothing.)

Me: “All right, your total is now [total]; thank you for shopping with us and have a good night!”

Customer’s Mom: “You, too! These chip cards are so dumb! Thank you for being patient.”

Me: *internally* “I’m not sure the chip cards are the issue, but…”

(I felt so bad for the young customer! Being talked down to like that just because you’re young sucks, especially if it’s your own mom doing it to you.)