(My store got an ATM installed and a sign is put outside advertising this. Unfortunately, it says “FREE CASH HERE” rather than “free cash withdrawal” and we get customers thinking it’s funny to ask for their free cash on a daily basis. But this guy was the worst.)

Customer: “So where is my free cash?”

Coworker: *laughs awkwardly*

Customer: “Why are you laughing? Your sign says free cash. I want it.”

Coworker: “Oh, sorry, I thought you were joking. The sign is about our ATM at the back of the store; it doesn’t charge for withdrawals.”

Customer: “So, if I use it, I get free cash? It won’t take anything from my account?”

Coworker: “No, sir, it will. But you won’t be charged extra just for using it. If you take out £10 your account will be charged £10, instead of £12.50 because of a fee for using the machine.”

Customer: “But the sign says free cash. That’s not free!”

(I’ve been working within earshot and decide to step in even though my coworker didn’t call for me.)

Me: “Is everything okay, sir?”

Customer: “No. You have a sign saying I can get free cash here, but she says it’ll still go out of my account. That’s false advertising.”

Me: “I agree, sir. Unfortunately, we have no control over the machine or the sign; we just house it. Our manager has spoken to the people who provided both about it and they won’t change it.”

Customer: “Well, you should give me something out of your tills.”

Me: “I can’t do that. As I explained, we are not responsible for the ATM or the sign. If you like I can find the name of the company who provided them and you could contact them?”

Customer: “Well, that’s a start. I still think you should give me some free cash, though.”

(He continues trying to pressure my coworker to give him money while I go and get the name and contact number of the company. He snatches it from my hand and storms out. I realise one of our regulars has heard the whole thing and us shaking her head, looking bemused.)

Regular: “Did he genuinely think he was going to get free cash? I thought he was joking at first but now I’m not sure. What company makes money by giving it away?”

(We never saw that guy again, and the sign never changed.)

Related:

This Is Why We’re In A Recession, Part 80
This Is Why We’re In A Recession, Part 79

I work as a cashier at a grocery store, and one of our goals is to have fresh meats, so if they are getting less fresh, the manager marks them down. There were some expensive cuts of pork, normally $20 or more for a package, marked down to less than ten, so all day I had enthusiastic customers telling me how excited they were.

One woman wanted hers on a separate order, because she was going to throw away her receipt, pick the label off, and tell her husband it was venison — deer meat — because he didn’t want pork in the house. He was Muslim, and it was against his religious beliefs to eat pork.

I actually have a great work environment, and want to keep my job, so I continued to treat her as I would any other customer, but her disrespect of her husband’s religion disturbed me.

(I work at a local grocery store as a cashier. We sell frozen breakfast corndogs. They’re delicious; they are pancakes wrapped around breakfast sausages. The ends of the box are taped down. But a customer thinks that the box was tampered with when they see the tape.)

Customer: *stares at breakfast corndog box*

Me: “Is something wrong?”

Customer: “Yes. This box was tampered with.”

Me: “I see. Let me get you a new one.”

(I return from the frozen aisle.)

Me: “I just realised, after looking at all the boxes, that all of those have tape on the ends. I still got you a new box since the other one was dented.”

Customer: “That one was tampered with also; that one is taped, too!”

Me: “Ma’am, the box wasn’t tampered with. All the boxes are taped like that.”

Customer: “No, food boxes can’t be taped! I want you to get me an untaped one right now!”

Me: “You don’t understand. That’s just how that company packaged them.”

(A manager hears this back and forth, and comes to my register.)

Manager: “Is something wrong here?”

Customer: “This box of breakfast corndogs was tampered with, and your employee says that it wasn’t, even though it clearly was!”

(I explain the situation that all of the boxes are taped like that.)

Manager: “I’ll check the ones we have in the back, just to be sure.”

(The manager leaves for the back room, and comes back within two minutes.)

Manager: “[My Name] was right. That’s just how they’re packaged.”

Customer: “But food boxes can’t be taped, and the customer is always right! I expect a discount for all of this!”

Manager: “I’m afraid we can’t do that. If you’re so concerned about them, then you don’t have to buy the corndogs.”

(The customer quietly paid for the rest of her groceries, but then started ranting about how she should have been given a discount since we tried to sell damaged goods to her. She kept it up until she walked out the door.)

(My daughter was born with a large red birthmark on her face. As a result, rather than telling her she is pretty, a lot of people tell her she is clever, instead. When she is three, we are waiting in line at the grocery checkout. My daughter decides to sing a little song she’s made up about being a “clever girl.”)

Daughter: *singing* “I’m clever, clever, clever. I’m such a clever girl…”

(The man ahead of us in line, waiting with a boy of about seven years old, starts speaking in a mocking tone, which confuses me.)

Man: “Oooh, there’s a clever girl! Everyone, this one’s actually clever!”

(His son looks uncomfortable, which seems to inspire the dad to try harder.)

Man: “Come on, it’s a clever girl! Bet you’ve never met one of those before! So much cleverer than all the rest of us!”

(As I am trying to figure out if this guy is seriously trying to bully a preschooler, he turns around with a sneer.)

Man: “Oh, we should all be so impressed by the clever girl…”

(Then he sees my daughter, his face goes pale, and, grabbing his own kid, he leaves the line without another word to us. I guess because, apparently, he thinks it’s okay to mock most small children… but not the ones with visible birthmarks?)

Daughter: *happily oblivious* “I’m clever!”

Cashier: *smiling* “Yes, you are! Would you like a cookie?”

(I overhear this between a customer an employee at the return desk)

Customer: “I’d like to return this and get a refund. I didn’t like the flavour”

*The customer shoves a opened, half eaten chuppa chup to the employee”

Employee: “I am sorry ma’am, I cannot refund this. You have already opened it and half eaten it”

Customer: “WHAT?! You WILL give me a refund this. I DONOT like the flavour!. Give me my  refund of 35cents back!”

Employee: “I am sorry. But because you have already opened and half eaten this, I cannot refund it.”

*The customer stormed off*