Days Where You Wish You Could Cash Out Early

I am a closing cashier on one side of the store. It’s been a rather slow night, which I generally enjoy. It means either cleaning and organizing around the register or writing out silly little stories on spare paper I have up there. This customer comes out, and I quickly stand at attention, smiling. She doesn’t return it, but that’s something I’m used to.

Customer: “I’d like to pay on my store card.”

Me: “No problem! Let me get that up for you.”

You only pay on your charge card by cash or check while in the store. Credit and debit cards are accepted online. This isn’t usually a problem since many regulars know that by now. I pull up the menu for her to pay on her card. I scan her charge card and then get to the payment screen. She pulls out a credit card and goes to swipe. Before she can, I speak out.

Me: “Ma’am, we can’t accept any credit or debit cards to pay on your charge card with. In store, we can only accept cash or check.”

Customer: *Glares and huffs* “Why not? I don’t have either of those on me! All I have is my credit card!”

Mentally, I count to three before responding.

Me: “The store cannot process a credit paying on a credit. Online, you are free to do so; however, to pay in store, we can only accept cash or check.”

Customer: “Well, is there an ATM in the store?”

Me: “We do not have an ATM. [Large Chain Store] is across the street and would have one.”

Customer: “They’d charge me for it!”

She grumbles to herself about how late it is and her bank is closed, etc. I merely wish her a good night as she storms off. I hope that is the end of it. Half an hour later, here she comes again, coming to me instead of the other cashier. She still looks as huffy as before.

Realizing who she is, I pull up the menu for her to pay on her charge card. She tells me how she had to drive all the way to her bank to use their ATM to get cash to pay on her charge card, making it seem like it was the end of the world. But, lo and behold, what does she pull out? Her credit card, again.

Me: “Ma’am, we still cannot accept credit cards to pay on your charge card.”

Customer: “Haven’t you been listening to me? I said I got cash at the ATM!”

Eventually, from another section of her wallet, not anywhere close to the credit card she had just pulled out, she pulled out cash. I just quickly went through the payment and bid her a good night as she left.