Customers Reach Breaking Point Very Quickly

(I work at a large national chain craft store at the cutting counter, which is at the back of the store. I’m cutting some fabric for a customer when another woman storms up to the counter.)

Customer: “Excuse me!”

Me: “Can I—”

Customer: “Is there anyone else who can ring?! There’s a huge line and one cashier!”

(I’m well aware that two of our three cashiers are up front at the registers. One is on break, for which she was about an hour overdue. Our manager, who would have jumped on, is helping a very needy customer elsewhere. I call over the radio anyway, and, as suspected, they’re both currently at their tills.)

Me: “Ma’am, two of our cashiers are up there right now.”

Customer: “No! There’s only one!”

Me: *sighing and reaching for my radio* “I have a lady back here who’s adamant that there’s only one of you.”

Coworker: “No, [Coworker] and I are both up here. I’m looking at her.”

Me: “Ma’am, they’re saying they’re both—”

Customer: “THERE. IS. ONLY. ONE. CASHIER.”

Me: “Be that as it may, they’re both saying that they’re there, and our only other cashier is on her break at the moment, so no one else is available.”

Customer: *yelling* “Then take her off break!”

Me: “Ma’am, that’s illegal.”

(She stormed back towards the front and apparently out of the store, according to one of the TWO cashiers. I know it’s not necessarily illegal to work through a mandated 15-minute break, but it’s certainly rude to demand someone leave theirs when the line isn’t even all that long!)