Not Too Chicken To Stand Up To Them

(I am working the hot meat counter at a supermarket. When it comes near to closing time, we reduce the hot meat down if we have a lot of it left to get rid of. A woman walks up to me about half an hour from closing time. There are three whole hot chickens left.)

Customer: “Why aren’t these chickens reduced?”

Me: “We only reduce them down if we have a lot left, or if it’s bang on closing time. We only have three left, so these may still go as there is still half an hour of trading time left.”

Customer: “But you always reduce them down; I want these chickens reduced!”

Me: “Well, today we do not have enough left to warrant a reduction.”

Customer: “But you are obliged to reduce them down. You reduce them down now so I can take one. Everywhere else does it; you’re out of order.”

Me: “I am not obliged to reduce them down. Obviously, ideally we want to sell them at full price.”

(The woman continues to rant, getting progressively ruder, about how out of order it is to sell these chickens at full price at this time of day. While she is doing this, a girl doing her shopping overhears and looks a bit annoyed at this woman, but then walks off.)

Me: *sigh* “If there are any left bang on closing time, I will then reduce them.”

Customer: “Fine, I will wait.”

(The woman proceeds to wait there for half an hour, giving me nasty looks as I clean the department. At closing time, the chickens are still there, so I make up the reduction stickers, bag up the chickens, and put them on top of the counter. The girl from earlier has reappeared.)

Girl: *to the woman* “You know, you really shouldn’t be so rude to people.”

(The girl proceeds to grab all three reduced chickens, and then runs off with her trolley to the checkout. The woman stares after her in shock.)

Me: *calling after girl* “Thank you for shopping at [Supermarket]!”