Customer: “Can I use this coupon?”

Cashier: “No, it’s expired.”

Customer: “That was a rhetorical question. I’d like to use this coupon.”

Cashier: “It’s expired.”

Customer: “Well, what does that mean?”

Cashier: “It means I can’t accept this coupon.”

Customer: “And why not?”

Cashier: “Well, for one thing, we don’t have the item it’s discounting anymore.”

Customer: “What?”

Cashier: “It’s not on the menu.”

Customer: “But you could still make it.”

Cashier: “No.”

Customer: “Well, can I use this for something else?”

Cashier: “No.”

Customer: “Ask your manager.”

Cashier: “It’s expired.”

Customer: “You don’t know that. Ask your manager.”

Cashier: “There’s an expiration date printed in the corner.”

Customer: “You haven’t even asked.”

Cashier: *to the manager* “Got a second?”

Manager: *to the cashier* “I don’t. Hang on.”

Customer: *to both* “I’ll wait.”

(He waits. The cashier waits. Everyone in line waits.)

Manager: “Okay, how can I help?”

Customer: “What can I use this coupon for?”

Manager: “Nothing. That coupon is expired.”

Customer: “But you don’t have this item.”

Manager: “Good point. It’s expired and we don’t have that item.”

Customer: “So, can I use it for something else?”

Manager: “No.”

Customer: “Why not?”

Manager: “The coupon’s for that. And it’s no good anymore.”

Customer: “Can I use it for this menu item?”

Manager: “You can’t use it at all.”

Customer: “Well, what about this one?”

Manager: “You can’t use an expired coupon.”

Customer: “Call the owner.”

Manager: “I am the owner.”

Customer: “Call the real owner.”

Manager: “Excuse me?”

Customer: “The corporate owner. Call the CEO.”

(If this case doesn’t make it to the Supreme Court, I’m going to be severely disappointed.)

(I just got off work where my uniform is a blue polo shirt and black dress pants. I walk into a drug store there the uniform definitely isn’t.)

Customer: “Sir, can you help me find the hair dye?”

Me: “Sure.” *looking down at my large logo on my shirt that says, “[Company] Gas Station”* “Come with me.”

Customer: “Oh, thank you so much. I wish more employees were as attentive and helpful as you.”

Me: *confused and amused look* “Sure, no problem. Have a good night.”

(The customer went over to the manager at the checkout and pointed to me, talking and smiling. The manager looked confused at me, and I just shrugged my shoulders.)

(I work in a little information booth on a university campus, distributing information on everything from buses to professor’s office phone numbers. It’s a very early Monday morning, which means my brain hasn’t been fully engaged yet.)

Customer: “Hey, I need to get to the corner of [Street #1] and [Street #2]. Which bus should I take and when does it leave?”

Me: “Well, you can take the A or the P; both leave every half hour, so the next one would be at 10:30. They pretty much take the same route up until those streets so either one would work.”

Customer: “Okay, so if I take the A at 10:30, will it get there before the one leaving at 11:00?”

Me: *thinking I’ve just misheard or am still a bit dull from getting up so early* “Um… Well, as I said, both buses take about the same route to get to those streets, so either will work.”

Customer: *in a patronizing tone* “Just listen to me, okay? I just want to know if the A leaving at 10:30 will get there before the one leaving at 11:00?”

Me: “Yes, the one leaving earlier will get there earlier.”

Customer: *happily* “Thanks!”

(I’m female and a frequent customer at a local video game store. I know the manager well between my constant trips in and having worked over the holidays a couple of years back. He uses me as a training customer for new hires since I know the system and am known for being patient. I get a text from him one day.)

Manager: “Hey, we have a new hire and it’s been slow. Wanna swing by?”

(I’m not busy, so I head out. When I walk in, the new guy gives me a bad look.)

New Hire: “Oh, hi.”

Me: “Hi there! Do you have [New Game]?”

New Hire: “We have it for [System #1]. Do you know what your boyfriend has?”

Me: “My… what? I own a [System #1]. It’s for me.”

New Hire: “Sure, whatever. We don’t do returns on opened or used games.”

Me: “I’ll just look around for a minute.”

(I end up finding a couple of other games I want. I bring them up to the register, where the new hire is still glaring at me.)

New Hire: “You know these games are for [System #2], right? They won’t work on [System #1].”

Me: “Yes, I know. I own both.”

New Hire: “Do you want to call your boyfriend to make sure?”

Me: “No, because these are for me. I don’t have a boyfriend.”

New Hire: “I can’t return them–”

(At this point, I’m done with his attitude. I know the manager tends to watch the cameras in the back room.)

Me: “[MANAGER]! I’m gonna need your help!”

(He comes out with a MASSIVE grin.)

Manager: “Oh, [My Name]! What’s the issue?”

Me: “I apparently need to call my non-existent boyfriend before buying video games.”

New Hire: “I’m just trying to help her! I told her she can’t return them!”

Manager: “All right, that’s three complaints in one week. First of all, while it’s nice to let them know about our policy, you don’t have to keep repeating yourself. Second, not every girl who comes in here is shopping for their boyfriend. Third, I know she owns the consoles for those. I sold them to her. Actually, when it’s busy, I sometimes pay her to test consoles we get in for repairs or to sell. You trying to talk down to her is both useless and embarrassing.”

(He ended up being let go.)

This story is part of our Awesome Girl Gamer roundup!

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(I work footwear in a large sporting goods store. An older gentleman comes in:)

Customer: “I have bought three pairs of the same [Shoe Model]s from one of your competitors that have all been ‘defective’ on me.”

Me: “The shoe might not be right for your foot.”

Customer: “Why don’t you call [Major Brand] and figure out what the problem is?”

(I chuckle, thinking he is joking, but he looks at me dead serious.)

Me: “You want me to call [Brand] and ask them what is wrong with a pair of shoes that you didn’t even buy at our store?”

Customer: “No, you can just get them on the phone and I will talk to them.”

Me: “Sorry, sir, I can’t just ‘call’ [Brand], but if you have a problem with a pair of their shoes they have customer service, and since you didn’t buy the shoes at our store there isn’t much else I can do.”

Customer: “Why can’t you just get them on the phone for me?”

Me: “Sorry, sir, I just can’t.”

Customer: “I don’t understand why not; you have their stuff all over your store.”

(I apologize five more times, yet he still persists that I get [Brand] on the phone.)

Me: “You know what? On second thought, I think I have the CEO of [Brand] on speed dial on my personal cell.”

(After that, I called over a manager to talk to him and he left unsatisfied. It’s one of the more interesting experiences I have had at that job.)