I work for a big box retailer. I am on the electronics counter.
Customer: “This ad says buy-one-get-one-free on memory cards. Here’s my receipt from [Competitor] for the one I bought; let me have the free one.”
Me: “I mean… obviously, you need to have purchased the one from us—”
Customer: “SHOW ME IN THE AD WHERE IT SAYS THAT!”
Me: “It won’t say it because it is safe to assume a person would underst—”
Customer: “SHOW ME IN THE AD!”
I work at a movie theater. This mom comes up to me with her four kids wanting to buy five tickets with vouchers.
Me: “Ma’am, these vouchers are all expired.”
Customer: “Well, just bring me new ones.”
I just stand there for a second, dumbfounded.
Me: “Ma’am… expired means expired. It doesn’t mean they’re replaceable once the date has gone out.”
Customer: “I didn’t look at any expiration dates when I got them. It’s not my fault! You should give me new ones!”
Me: “I can’t do that, ma’am.”
Cue her screaming at me, which is rare here. Thankfully, I live in Sweden where we’re allowed to tell people off.
Me: “Ma’am, use common sense. These vouchers are of no use. Either pay for the tickets or leave.”
Since her four children would be upset if they left, she ended up paying.
I was in line during my lunch break at the craft store. This chain is known for the tons and tons of coupons they send out basically daily. This particular location is also perpetually understaffed. When I joined the line, I was about four people back, and three or four more joined after me as the lone cashier argued with a customer at the front over a coupon. I gathered from context that she has already argued over MULTIPLE coupons on this transaction, meaning she’d been there for quite a while.
Customer: “But I don’t understand why it’s not taking anything else off!”
Cashier: “This coupon states right here that ‘Sale, clearance, and [Brand] items are excluded.’ The only items you haven’t used a coupon on yet are all sale, clearance, and [Brand] items. I’m really sorry, but you can’t use this coupon. Do you want to take any of these items off?”
Customer: “No! Stop trying to rob me, and just do whatever you need to do to apply this coupon for me!”
I felt like I saw the cashier’s soul leave his body as he geared up for round fifty-seven of this argument. Before he said anything, the elderly lady who had been waiting patiently to be served next shuffled up to the counter and set something down.
Customer #2: “Ma’am, while I was waiting for you to finish yelling at this poor young man, I looked up the item you want to buy here on my phone. It’s $9.00, and [Brand], so as this young man explained, you can’t use the 15% off coupon on it. But I’ve done the math, so here’s $1.35 to cover your hardship. Can you please pay so I can buy my [expletive] yarn and run along?”
There was a split second where I could see the Coupon Lady consider going full psycho, but instead, she handed over her credit card and finally paid for her order. The whole line did not applaud, but I definitely wanted to hug [Customer #2]. And the cashier gave her his employee discount for her basket of yarn.
Related:
The Couponator 38: The Sandwich Of Frustration
The Couponator 37: The Year Of Reckoning
The Couponator 36: The Counter-Coupon Cashier
The Couponator 35: Dog Food Day Afternoon
The Couponator 34: Blast From The Past
Way back when we were still in high school my coworker is getting fed up with the grocery store we work in. After 2020-2021 did its thing, he is just fed up with the constant stream of entitled customers.
He is going away to college and hates management. On his last day, a woman walks up to his line and tries to browbeat him into taking a bunch of expired coupons.
Coworker: “I need to check with my supervisor.”
He slowly pulls out a Jack in the Box from under his till and methodically places it on the scanner and just starts cranking the thing. When it finally pops, he looks her in the eye and just says:
Coworker: “Yeah, he said no.”
She flipped out and screamed for a manager while he just cracks up, takes off his smock, and walks out.
I’ve heard he is now in college and thriving!
My job is to stand in front of the store and greet people and hand them coupons. A guy walks up and I say hello to him while handing him a coupon. He looks at me like I have a booger coming out of my nose.
Customer: “Get a real job.”
It turns out that while he is paying, he realizes it was a good coupon and that he wants it. He comes back up to me just as I have finished my shift.
Customer: “Give me a coupon.”
Me: “Sorry, I’m off to go get a real job.”
I walked away, clearly holding a stack of coupons but not giving him one. He complained, but my manager is awesome and backed me up.
