Break The Law, Break You, Or Take A Break?

It’s a busy day at the grocery store, and I am running super late for my break. My manager has come over to force my line to end at the last current customer, and I am finally free to walk to the break room and have something to eat.

I get no more than a few feet away from my checkout when a woman in another line grabs my arm.

Customer: “Stop wandering around and get on a checkout! Look how busy you are!”

Me: “Ma’am, please don’t touch me. Also, I literally just clocked out for my break.”

Customer: “A break? A break?! Look how busy it is! They shouldn’t let you take a break until all the customers have been served!”

Me: “Please take any staffing issues you have up with my manager. Now, if you’ll excuse me—”

Customer: “Don’t walk away from me! Serve me right now!”

Me: “Ma’am, I am clocked out. It would actually be against the law for me to serve you right now.”

Customer: “I don’t care! Break the law, or I’ll break you!”

Me: “Wow, first you touch me, and then you threaten violence? Yeah, that’s enough to get you kicked out.”

I see a line of shocked faces from several nearby customers.

Me: “You all heard that, right?”

Customers: “We did!”

Me: “You’re taking up my valuable break time, but I will be more than happy to spend it watching security escorting your entitled rude a** out of the store. So… am I going or am I staying?”

The customer, obviously not expecting my confidence — not to mention the support of nearby customers — backs down, steps back in line, and looks at the floor.

Me: “Wise choice.” 

I took my break. I still reported the incident to my manager, who looked at the CCTV later and took an image of the customer in case we have an issue with them again.