Choose Your Battles, Part 13

Grocery Store, Stupid, USA | Right | July 23, 2024

It is 1991 and our store just released its store brand “organic” range. A whole bunch of customers are drawn to the green packaging and higher prices, but with that comes a few interesting returns:

Customer: “I want a refund on this celery and lettuce! I spent so much on them but they’re horrible!”

Me: “I’m sorry to hear that! Can I ask what your issue with them was?”

Customer: “Can’t you see?! They have dirt on them!”

Me: “You mean the soil?”

Customer: “Soil is dirt! These things shouldn’t have any dirt on them!”

My manager took over once he saw the look on my face, giving her the refund and apologizing. After she’s gone.

Me: “Aren’t we just perpetuating her ignorance?”

Manager: “I’ve had to try to explain to these people that burger patties don’t come out of the animal that way; I’m not about to waste time getting their head around the concept of “plants grow from the dirt”.”

After years of dealing with customers with a very lonely brain cell, I began to take his advice and not bother arguing.