Coupon Contamination

I am a teenager working at a craft store, manning the till. We no longer take paper coupons due to potential contamination issues. Most customers have their coupons on their phones, and while people have paper coupons with them and we occasionally have one behind the register, we aren’t allowed to give out coupons unless we are unable to scan the ones they bring or we are authorized to.

[Customer #1] comes up to buy a handful of items.

Me: “Hi! Welcome to [Store]; how are you?”

I ring her few items up. She takes out her phone and scrolls through it, looking for coupons. She has five items, one that is 80% off and the other four being full-priced items under $3. She keeps looking before leaning on another register. The line gets longer, so I call for backup. Two coworkers come up, and [Customer #1] moves back to my register as the one she is leaning on is now in use.

Customer #1: “Do you have any coupons?”

Me: “We do have a coupon for [Discount] on [Store Website].”

Customer #1: “You don’t have any back there that you can give me?”

Me: “Unfortunately, no. Customers have to have their coupons with them.”

As I say this, my coworker rings up [Customer #2] and uses a discount coupon on one item, which would not have done much for a [Customer #1]. I did not see where that coupon came from.

Customer #1: “You really don’t have any back there?”

I have one but it isn’t scanning, nor would it help.

Me: “No, sorry.”

[Customer #1] gets irritated at this point.

Customer #1: “Fine, I’ll just buy it, then.”

Me: “…”

Customer #1: “I guess I’m just not the right customer to get coupons, huh.”

[Customer #1] is quiet for the rest of the transaction, snatching the bag and the receipt from me when I hand it to her and not responding when I tell her to have a nice day. She stomps out.

Me: *Thinking* “You think I’m biased against you and won’t give you coupons when you… don’t have them?”

Thank God we wear masks. I don’t think I would’ve been able to keep a fake smile for all of that!