I’m a self-checkout attendant in a grocery store. A customer needs an ID check for a $20 bottle of gin, and we make small talk as I do the check.

Customer: “I know I shouldn’t be spending this much; my wife is going to be mad…”

Me: “If cost is an issue, there’s a mini-bar display right behind you. Every bottle is only one dollar, so it’s a lot easier to fit into a budget.”

He turns around and just about lights up upon seeing the display: a rolling cart with about twelve different bins for different kinds of tiny bottles of alcohol, plus tiny cardboard carriers in case a customer wants to make their own $6 six-pack.

Customer: “That’s amazing! How long has that been there?”

Me: “A few months now. They put it up in an attempt to entice the college crowd but, well, half of them can’t drink.”

He didn’t buy any mini-bottles, but he swore that he would next time. I’m not sure if I saved his finances or enabled an alcoholic.

I work for a big bank that has locations all over New York City and a few other areas across the country. This call happened several years ago when I was working overnights. Usually, the calls came from international account holders or people on the far west coast. This call was from an ATM at a New York branch.

Me: “Thank you for calling [Bank]. My name is [My Name]; how can I help you today?”

Customer: “I just withdrew $40.00 from the ATM, but the receipt shows that $80.00 was taken out. What is going on?”

Me: “I’m very sorry to hear about that issue. Let me bring up your account and see if I can figure out what is going on.”

I got the client’s account information and identified the caller per normal

Me: “So, I am looking at today’s activity and I do see the ATM withdrawal that you just completed a few minutes ago. According to the computer, a withdrawal of $40.00 was taken out.”

Customer: “But the receipt I have shows $80.00 was taken out. What is going on?”

Me: “Just to make sure I am following everything fully, you went to the ATM and requested $40.00, and the ATM gave you $40.00 as you requested, but the receipt you received shows $80.00 being debited. Do I have that right?”

Customer: “Yes, exactly. What is wrong with your system? Why would it withdraw $80.00 from my account when I only requested $40.00? How stupid is your system?”

Me: “Well, I can only go by what I am looking at now, and it does show that only $40.00 was debited from your account and that is the only transaction you did today. Nothing else is coming out of your account.”

Customer: “When I had a problem last time, they did some sort of investigation. Why can’t you do that now?”

Me: “If there was a difference in the amount received versus the amount requested, then we could submit an investigation. But you requested $40.00 and received $40.00, so there is nothing to investigate.”

Customer: “But why does this receipt show that you withdrew $80.00 from my account? I just don’t understand why you can’t send someone out to fix this issue.”

Me: “Let me check one final thing with you. Do you still have the receipt in your hand?”

Customer: “Yes, why? I already told you the receipt shows $80.00 was taken out but I only got $40.00. You still owe me $40.00 more.”

Me: “If you requested $40.00, you received $40.00, and your account was only debited $40.00, there is no discrepancy. But the reason I asked if you have the receipt is that on the receipt, it should show the last four digits of the ATM/debit card used for the withdrawal. Do those numbers match the last four digits on your card?”

Customer: *Click*

I guess not…

Client: “About that illustration — cancel it.”

Me: “Cancel it?”

Client: “Yes, I want it canceled.”

Me: “I can’t cancel it; it’s already done. You can ask for changes, though. What didn’t you like about it? What do you wish to change?”

Client: “I’m simply not going to use it, so I’m not going to pay.”

Me: “You may choose not to use it, but you signed a contract, so you must pay.”

Client: “Cancel the contract, then.”

Related:
“Cancel Culture” Is Getting Out Of Control

I work for a store that sells most items at seventy-five percent off and has large price tickets showing the original price and the discounted price, which we always place at the right hand top corner on the front of the product.

A customer asks me the price of one item.

Me: *Looking at the price tag* “It’s $19.99.”

Customer: “No, that’s not right. It’s too much.”

Me: “It’s discounted from $79.99.”

Customer: “No, that’s not the right price. Look, it says the price here.”

The customer points to a small white sticker on the back that has the product description and a product number.  

Me: “Sorry, but that’s the product number.”

Customer: “No, it’s the price. It says three eighty-five right there, and that’s all I am paying.”

She will not listen to a word I say, arguing back until I get fed up.

Me: “Okay, you can have it for that price.”

A smug “I win” smile comes to her face until I continue with:

Me: “That will be $385, thanks.”

Customer: “WHAT? No, it’s $3.85! How did you come up with that price?”

Me: “The number is written right there. As you can see, there’s no decimal point between any of the numbers, so it’s three hundred and eighty-five. Come to think about it, there’s no dollar sign before the number, which indicates that’s not the price, but you said that was the only price you were going to pay.”

The customer called me a b**** before storming off.

This happened a few months ago on a very busy night. I was absolutely SLAMMED by the point of the night when my three-top turned into a seven-top and managed to find a second table to add to their initial table in my already full section.

I had so much food to run at that point, so when I noticed this table had added people, I told them I’d be right there. It took a while, maybe five or ten minutes; I’m not sure. My frazzled a** ran over, and everybody placed their order. One guy, while placing his drink order, handed me five bucks. I continued the order, and then his friend handed me a twenty. Good start!

I brought them their drinks. The dude handed me five bucks. I came back with their salads. Five bucks. Dropped off salt and pepper. Five bucks.

I mentioned to the hostess at one point that every time I went to this table, the guy handed me five bucks. I went on with my night.

I brought them their food. He handed me five bucks. At that point, I finally said something.

Me: “Do you just walk around with $5 in your pocket at all times?! How many $5 bills do you have?!”

Customer: “I’m a continuous tipper.” *Hands me five bucks*

I left it at that and continued my night. His friend came up to me at some point away from the table.

Customer’s Friend: “His health is deteriorating, and he wants to use his money to make others smile.”

Well, I was the lucky one who got to serve him that night. Eventually, one of the hostesses came up to me.

Hostess: “I see what you mean about five bucks.” *Flashes a five-dollar bill* “I was cleaning tables around yours, and he gave me five bucks!”

I high-fived her, and the night continued.

More and more people came to me to tell me that this guy had handed them five bucks. If they were working in his vicinity, five bucks. He asked me what time it was at one point, and I pulled out my phone to check. His friend stopped me and said:

Customer’s Friend: “You’re supposed to say, ‘It’s tip time.'”

And he handed me five bucks!

One coworker caught wind of the five bucks phenomenon, and he walked in the customer’s vicinity to see if he’d hand him five bucks. He didn’t, so we thought, “Maybe just the girls get five bucks?”

So, we sent the new guy out in that vicinity to test that theory. He came back with $20.

Anyway, I cashed the table out. The customer tipped $30 on their $80 tab. His friend came up to me while I was taking another table’s order and handed me a twenty.

I ran outside to thank them again, and I saw the guy talking to some coworkers. He asked one of them what time it was.

Coworker: “Oh… I know this one! Tip time!”

He handed her ten bucks since he had run out of fives. He went on about how great of a night he’d had.

I responded by talking about how great of a night WE’D had.

At this point, I was standing at a distance, though. I couldn’t accept any more money. They had already given me a ridiculous amount.

Me: “Sir, you made everybody’s night. You are the reason we love what we do.”

Customer: “Remember me.”

I will.

Customer: “And look for me when [Band that’s playing tonight] plays.”

I do. They’ve played maybe four times since, and I haven’t seen him.

I hope that guy is doing okay. My favorite part of that day, aside from everybody being overjoyed at work, was the joy in his eyes. He seemed genuinely happy to see our reactions. I aspire to be like him one day.