I’m a self-checkout attendant in a grocery store. I can’t tell you how often this happens.

Customer: *Flagging me down* “Ma’am? Miss?”

Me: “Hello! Do you need any help?”

Customer: “It said to take my card out and I’m ready to pay, but nothing’s happening!”

I reach towards the screen and hit the big, glowing, animated PAY button, and the machine immediately starts to process the payment.

Customer: “…”

Me: “Do you need any more help today?”

Customer: *Sheepish* “No, I’m okay. Thank you.”

Sometimes I’ll give a short spiel about how many people make that mistake and how the register and card reader don’t communicate until they hit the pay button to try to make them feel better, but sometimes I don’t have time. It’s always a little funny to see their mild embarrassment.

Our store is the only real full-sized grocery store in a little town. We have just had a tornado warning. It thankfully passed without incident, but it was enough to cause a slight panic attack in one of my coworkers who has some tornado-related PTSD.

A customer is emerging from the shelter with the rest of us and notices the coworker gaining control of her breathing.

Customer: “What’s wrong with her? She was helping me before we had to waste our time! I need her back on her feet.”

Me: “Sorry, sir, she just needs a moment. I’ll be happy to take over your transaction for you.”

Customer: “But what is wrong with her?”

Me: “Nothing, sir, she’s just a bit shaken from the tornado warning.”

Customer: “Ugh… all these people have something these days! Everyone has ADHD because they’re too lazy to concentrate! Everyone is autistic because they’re too scared to talk to people! Everyone has depression this and is triggered by that! If all these people are too weak to actually live, then let them all kill themselves and we can filter them out of the gene pool!”

Me: “Sir… first of all… wow. Secondly, if you genuinely believe even one word of what you just said, then we’re done here. Leave, now. I won’t ask again. You’re banned.”

Customer: “But this is the only store in town! You can’t ban me!”

Me: “I can, and I have. If it makes you sad, well then boo-hoo. Go and be depressed about it.”

He gave me a middle finger and stormed out. He’s tried to sneak back in twice, but we all know him — little town, remember — and tell him to leave.

A local grocery store has been having trouble with cart thefts. They bought a new cart-lock system that automatically locks the tires of the carts if the carts get too far from the store.

They didn’t tell any of the customers, though. I was one of those customers.

You know how you can stand on the bottom platform of a cart and hold onto the handlebars while someone else pushes the cart?

My daughter was standing on the cart like that, and I was pushing it. We were inside the store, but the tires abruptly locked. My daughter was thrown into the basket, and I went a**e-over-tea-kettle face first into the basket myself.

Both of us were mostly fine! We did go to the doctor, and my daughter was unharmed, whereas I picked up a scratch on my cheek that needed three stitches.

The employees then told me about the locking wheel system. They didn’t know why, but at that part of the store, carts have been regularly and unexpectedly locking… and the way the system is set up, they don’t unlock easily. The employees have to bring them to a back room to unlock them.

They’re hoping my accident — and the resulting payout by the store’s insurance — will convince the owner to scrap the cart-locking program, because it’s apparently very inconvenient.

I am checking out an older lady at my grocery store. A younger man comes up behind her, carrying a basket but also engrossed in his phone. He looks up and the two customers spot each other. Suddenly, I can feel the tension in the air.

Older Lady Customer: “Oh… hello.”

Younger Male Customer: “…hello.”

Older Lady Customer: “You look well.”

Younger Male Customer: “As do you.”

Older Lady Customer: “So… how is…”

Younger Male Customer: “…he’s fine.”

Older Lady Customer: “Which means…”

Younger Male Customer: “…yes. Five years next month.”

Older Lady Customer: “Then I guess we have nothing more to discuss.”

I ring her up and she pays and leaves. I start scanning the younger male customer’s items, but he looks visibly shaken. He can see me noticing.

Younger Male Customer: “That was my mother. She dissolved our relationship because I came out as gay and declared love for my partner — now husband.”

Me: “Oh. I’m sorry to hear that.”

Younger Male Customer: “It’s okay. I am very much in love, so I am lucky. You can’t have everything.”

I’m thinking, “I could do something… anything.”

Me: “Would you like to use my staff discount?”

Younger Male Customer: “That’s very kind of you, but I’m fine. I don’t need you to do that.”

I take note that I have no other customers.

Me: “Would… would you like a hug?

The man considers this for a moment.

Younger Male Customer: “Yes, I would.”

We hugged for about thirty seconds, and he broke down and cried silently. He thanked me, and with a sniff, he paid for his items. He’s become a new favorite regular.

This story is part of our Highest-Voted-Inspirational-Stories-Of-2023-(so far!) roundup!

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I’m a manager at a grocery store, and I was called to the front to deal with a customer.

Customer: “I didn’t get the correct change back. Your employee shorted me twenty bucks!”

I called another cashier up while we counted the drawer, but it came up even.

Me: “Sir, the drawer wasn’t off, so you must have been given the correct amount.”

He was LIVID. He started screaming and swearing at me.

Customer: “I was supposed to get $40 back and they only gave me $20! Do you see another $20 here?!”

I happened to look over at his box of groceries.

Me: *Calmly* “Well, there’s a twenty in that box.”

He turned bright red.

Customer: *Muttering* “I’m so sorry…”

And he ran out of the store with his groceries and change.