They’re Not In The Upper Percentile, Part 8

Coupon, Math & Science, Retail, USA | Right | July 31, 2026

Our store has a ‘bargain bin’ near the checkouts with most items labelled as a dollar or under. The customer takes a fifty-cent item, and I scan it for him.

Customer: “I have this 50% off coupon.”

The coupon is good for sales up to $50, so it’s weird he wants to use it for such a small purchase, but whatever.

Me: “Okay, so that’s $0.25.”

Customer: “No, it’s free!”

Me: “No, 50% of $0.50 is $0.25.”

Customer: “No, fifty percent! Per… cent! Fifty cent! Fifty cents off of fifty cents is free!”

Me: “No, sir. 50% means half. 50% off means half off of the total. Half of $0.50 is $0.25.”

Customer: “No! That’s not how it works!”

Me: “So if you had an item for $20.50, and you used the 50% off coupon for that, you think the total payable amount is $20?”

Customer: *Thinking.* “Yes!”

Me: “No, sir, it would be half off. The $20.50 item would be $10.25.”

Customer: “No, it wouldn’t! Just give me my d*** stuff!”

He refused to believe me no matter how simply I explained it, so I called my manager over, who also had no luck explaining it. In the end, he let the customer take it and just put $0.25 of his own money into my cash drawer, because:

Manager: “I have far too much to be doing today to explain basic percentages to a grown man over a quarter.”