Wish You Could Be Real With The Customers

Grocery Store | Right | December 24, 2016

(It’s December 23, and we are completely slammed. I’m at the tail end of a 9 am to 7 pm shift, and am looking forward to having the next week off from school and work. An older, professional-looking lady comes through my line with a huge cartful of groceries.)

Me: “Hello! How are you today?”

Customer: “Oh, just getting my Christmas dinner shopping done! I think I’ve bought too much. It’s quite busy in here tonight, isn’t it?”

Me: “The week of Christmas always gets a little crazy in here!”

Customer: “So, do you guys have special holiday hours this week?”

Me: “Today we are open normal hours, 7 am to 10 pm. We close at 7 pm tomorrow, because it’s Christmas Eve, and are closed all day on Christmas.”

Customer: “No extended hours for Christmas?”

Me: “No, ma’am. Your total is [total], and it looks like your credit card has been approved. I just need you to sign the receipt for me, please. Is there anything else I can help you with today?”

Customer: “Well, I think you should be open longer this week. You know, for those of us who have REAL jobs and are unable to get here earlier.” *tosses the receipt at me, smirks, and marches out of the store with her overflowing cart*

(The bagger, who is working an 11-hour shift, and I stare at each other.)

Bagger: “Did she just…”

Me: “Yep. Merry Christmas to us!”

(Thankfully, management didn’t take her suggestion. Seven years and two post-college jobs later, and I’d still never think of talking to a retail worker like that. Note to Customer: RETAIL JOBS ARE REAL JOBS!)

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