Customer: *looking at store times* “So you’re closed Christmas Day and Boxing Day?”

Me: “Yeah.”

Customer: “So your manager thinks it’s acceptable for you to close Christmas Day and Boxing Day? One day just isn’t enough for you greedy swines? What if I, say, need some milk?”

Me: “Don’t worry. I will leave my family and come serve you your milk.”

Customer: “So you should.”

This story is part of the Boxing Day roundup!

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Read the Boxing Day roundup!

Me: “Would you like me to gift wrap that for you?”

Customer: “Yes. But can you make it look a bit crap so my girlfriend thinks I did it?”

(I am working on a till in the run-up to Christmas. I’m 20, but I look a bit younger. A customer and I have been chatting about her plans for the day ahead.)

Customer: “Do you work here full-time?”

Me: “No. I’m actually only on contract for eight hours per week, but I’m doing about thirty at the moment, with Christmas coming up.”

Customer: “Oh. I don’t know about all that. I say to my children, they’re about your age, I think you’re old enough to know by now—” *drops into a stage whisper* “—there’s no Father Christmas. Thank you. Have a nice day!”

(When the customer is gone, my supervisor comes over.)

Supervisor: “You look like you’re in shock. What happened?”

Me: “She told me Santa’s not real…”

(A customer and his wife approach the service counter.)

Customer: “Hey. Can you get someone out to the Christmas trees? We want one cut.”

Me: “Sure! There actually should be someone out there, but he may have stepped inside or something. I’ll call him right up for you.”

Customer: “Well, he’s not out there!”

Me: “Okay. No problem. But I know they’re still closed out there. Do you want to go ahead and buy a tree, so you don’t have to come back in and buy it?”

Customer: “No! I just want a tree!”

Customer’s Wife: “Yes. Maybe about six feet.”

Me: “Oh, okay.”

Customer: “No. Just get someone out there to cut trees.”

Me: “Yes, sir.”

(As I call the manager who’s supposed to be cutting the trees, the customer walks away in a huff.)

Customer: *sarcastically* “Great customer service!”

(I talk to the manager on the phone and note that the customer’s wife is still there.)

Customer’s Wife: *to my coworker* “Can you call me a manager?”

Coworker: “Oh, of course.”

Customer’s Wife: “And YOU! That was very rude! I’ve worked years of retail, and I’ll have you know that rolling your eyes at a customer and back-talking is not acceptable!”

(I am stunned, but I know better than to argue with her.)

Me: “Apologies, then. I hadn’t realized I’d done either.”

Customer’s Wife: “Well, you’ve been very rude! This is not the attitude of someone working in retail!”

Me: “I’m very sorry. I meant no offence.”

(At this point, the manager arrives.)

Manager: “Hello. What’s the problem?”

Customer’s Wife: “I have a complaint about this little girl!”

Manager: *incredulously* “[My Name]?”

Customer’s Wife: “Yes. She rolled her eyes at me! And said ‘yes, sir’ to my husband! And was just very flippant!”

Manager: “Well, ma’am, I shall certainly do something to correct the problem. Sorry for the inconvenience.”

Customer’s Wife: “Thank you!”

(The customer’s wife walks away in a huff. The manager shakes her head. The manager turns to me, and I explain what happened. My manager turns to my coworker for verification.)

Manager: “Was she rude or something?”

Coworker: “No! She was very nice and polite, as always.”

Manager: *to me* “Normally, if this was anyone else, I’d say something, but I can’t really get onto you for saying ‘sir.’ Maybe next time she comes in, we should be like, ‘b****, there’s your tree!'”

(I work at a toy store. During the Christmas season, we take donations to ‘Toys for Tots,’ a program that helps kids in need get toys they otherwise couldn’t afford. A boy who has just turned 10 comes in with birthday money and buys some Pokémon toys. This happens at the end.)

Me: “Okay, hon. Your total is [total]. Would you like to donate to ‘Toys for Tots’ today?”

Boy: “Yes. I want to donate.”

(I assume he wants to donate a dollar or so, as most people do.)

Me: “Okay. How much would you like to donate?”

Boy: “$50.”

Me: “Are you sure? That’s a pretty big donation!”

Boy: *nods*

Me: “Okay. Thank you so much!”

(At this point a customer behind me speaks up.)

Customer: “He can’t give you that much! You’re just keeping it for yourself anyway. And besides, those people are just lazy! If they actually worked instead of mooching off the government then maybe their parents could get them s***!”

(My jaw drops. I am about to tell the customer off, when the boy steps in.)

Boy: “Don’t talk like that! Besides, I saved up this money for my birthday, and I can pick how I want to spend it! And they aren’t lazy. Sometimes people just need help. I hope if you needed help, someone would help you. Because that’s what God says to do!”

(The customer shut up after that. I was really proud of that little boy. He did donate the $50, an amount most adults won’t even pay!)

This story is part of our Customers Who Dislike Charity roundup!

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Read the Customers Who Dislike Charity roundup!