I go to pick up some food on my way to work. I have a coupon for a free order of nuggets and I show the cashier. She puts in two orders of nuggets.

Me: “Excuse me, I only ordered one.”

Cashier: “Yeah, but you have to get two to use the coupon.”

Me: “No, it’s a free nugget with any purchase. I’m also getting [item].”

Cashier: “The system won’t let it work, otherwise. Your total is [amount].”

I don’t want to cause a scene, so I pay. When I get to work, I write a complaint online. I include screenshots of the coupon, where it states nothing about having to buy two orders of nuggets. I get a call later on.

Caller: “Hi, this is [Manager] at [Fast Food Restaurant]. I read that you had an issue with a visit earlier?”

Me: “Yeah, your cashier said I had to buy two orders of nuggets to get one free when the coupon is for one free with any purchase. I checked after I left, and there is no mention of the purchase having to have another order of nuggets. I paid for the second, only because she didn’t seem like she’d want to back down.”

Manager: “Let me look… Okay, is it the coupon on the [Company] app?”

Me: “Yes.”

Manager: “Okay, it does clearly say, ‘Any purchase.’ I don’t know why she’d think it had to be another order of nuggets. If you still have your receipt, I can refund you for your order. I could also offer a couple of coupons for free meals.”

Me: “I’ll take the coupons. I can pick them up after work today.”

I’ve only seen that cashier making food now, not at the register.

I’m a cashier at a very cheap retail chain. Despite the prices, we do take coupons, but we are very strict about them and any bad coupons are counted as a till shortage. A customer comes up to my register with peas, detergent, toothpaste, soap, chocolate milk, and a stack of coupons. I ring her up and she picks up her bag of items and holds them away from me.

Me: “Okay, it’s going to be [price].”

Customer: “No, it’s not; I have coupons!”

Me: “Okay, then, I’m going to need to see your coupons and your items.”

Customer: “What? Why? Can’t you just scan them?”

Me: “No, sorry, we have to check the coupons and make sure they apply to the items.”

Customer: “I don’t have time for this. Fine, just check them.”

She hands me back the bag. I start to check the items against the coupons.

Me: “Right, this one isn’t going to work—”

Customer: “That’s not true!”

Me: “It is; the coupon says right here that it’s for a six-pack of chocolate milk and you have just one.”

Customer: “Fine, I don’t want it, then.”

Me: “Okay, then. This coupon isn’t going to work, either; this is for a bigger soap than we carry.”

Customer: “Ugh!”

Me: “And this one isn’t going to work because this is for a bigger detergent than we carry.”

Customer: “This is ridiculous!”

Me: “This last coupon isn’t going to work, either.”

Customer: “Seriously? Why?”

Me: “Because this is for [Unaffiliated Retail Chain].”

Customer: “This is absurd! You always take these coupons! Can’t you just take them and let me have my items?”

Me: “Sorry, no. It’s store policy and they’re strict about coupons.”

Customer: “But it’s only four items and I need them! Just take them!”

Me: “With all due respect, ma’am, this many bad coupons is enough to get me fired and I’m not willing to lose my job over this. Sorry.”

Customer: “Then just give me the peas!”

She threw the money at me and stormed off in a huff.

I work at a bulk membership club. The club is taking extra steps to ensure the health and safety of employees and customers during the current health crisis.

One of these steps is making all coupons digital-only: use the membership app and load them onto the card. However, some customers are so entrenched in the old way of physically clipping coupons that every day we get some variation of, “Well, I wasn’t informed…”

Me: “All right, that will be [amount].”

Customer: “Oh, wait. I have all these coupons.”

Me: “Ma’am, due to the outbreak, all of our coupons are done digitally now.”

Customer: “What? Since f****** when?”

Me: “Since the beginning of March, ma’am.”

Customer: “Well, nobody ever told me that.”

Me: “Ma’am, it says so on the first page of the coupon book, on the large sign at the front of the store, on the TVs that you passed by on your way in, and on the PA system every half-hour.”

Customer: “Well, I didn’t see or hear any of that, so you have to take my coupons.”

As I’m about to call a manager, the PA system starts the prerecorded spiel about digital coupons. I watch as the customer claps her hands over her ears.

Customer: *Very loudly* “This is age discrimination, you know. I’m too old to know how to use these app things and if you keep this s*** up, I’m going to complain to the State about this!”

My manager arrives and she says the following:

Manager: “Ma’am, first of all, I won’t have you swear at my cashier. He has tried to help you. And in reference to your last statement, I see you’re not carrying a flip phone, so your [Expensive Smartphone] should be able to handle our app.”

Customer: “No! This policy is f****** stupid, and I won’t download your stupid app just to use my coupons!”

Manager: *To me* “Void her transaction and ring up the next person in line.”

Customer: “How dare you?! I’m a f****** paying customer!”

Manager: “You’re verbally abusing my cashier because you’re unwilling to learn new things, so he’s going to ring the next person in line while I show you how to use the app. Then, you’re going to apologize to him for swearing at him for something that is out of his hands. Then, and only then, will he ring you out, and then you will be a ‘paying customer.’ Do I make myself clear?”

The customer was at least five inches taller than the manager, but the sternness in her voice made the customer back down and move out of the line. Ten minutes later, she very meekly apologized and checked out, not making eye contact with me. A small victory for essential workers, but it felt good.

Related:
The Couponator 17: Attack Of The “Programmer”
The Couponator 16: Enter The Entree
The Couponator 15: The Transaction Void
The Couponator 14: Multiple Attack
The Couponator 13: Coupons Of Purchases Past

This story is part of our July 2020 Roundup – the best stories of the month!

Read the next July 2020 Roundup story!

Read the July 2020 Roundup!

My store has recently had a three-day promotion on womenswear; we have been giving out vouchers that give a customer £10 off if they spend £50 or more on womenswear. The promotion has now ended. A customer comes to my till.

Me: “That’ll be [price], please.”

The customer hands over a £10 voucher.

Me: “Sorry, madam, this offer has finished.”

Customer: “But I want my £10 off!”

Me: “It wouldn’t be valid anyway.”

Customer: “Why not?”

Me: “Well, for a start, your total is less than £50, and you’ve bought menswear.”

Customer: “So?”

Me: “The voucher was for £50 spent on womenswear between [dates].”

Customer: “Where does it say that?”

I point out the details — in big, clear letters — on the voucher.

Customer: “That’s disgraceful! You should make it more obvious!” *Leaves*

I work customer service in a store where coupons are common and almost always used. They’re always off “one single item,” but there are the rare “off entire purchase” coupons. If customers forget their coupons, we always try to get them to come back and do an adjustment to their receipt.

Me: “Hello, what can I help you with today?”

Customer: “I was in here a few days ago and I forgot my coupon.”

Me: “Ah, coupon adjustment.”

Customer: “Yes.”

She hands me the long receipt with the coupon and I look and see it’s only off one single item.

Me: “I assume you want it off the highest-priced item?”

Customer: “No, I want it off the entire order.”

Me: “This coupon is only for one single item.”

I point to where it says that on the coupon.

Customer: “Unbelievable! Your store always does this to me! Why can’t you guys just hold coupons behind the counter like [Competitive Store]? Or better yet, just drop the prices 20% and get rid of the coupons! Your store always complicates things!”

She grabs her receipt and coupon and walks out the door. I then turn to my coworker.

Coworker: “They don’t realize you’re doing exactly what you were trained to do.”

Me: “They act like I have control over pricing and coupons.”

Related:
There Is No Escape From The Terms And Conditions