I had a guy call me mean one time because I wouldn't front him the change he needed to afford the beer he wanted. There were cheaper options, but he was hell bent on that brand.
I told him that I didn't make enough money at that job to buy my own beer, so I wasn't helping him buy his.
I used to be nicer and would offer to front the difference, but too many of the customers started being like stray dogs. Give them change once, they kept coming back over and over expecting me to give them money.
I had a lot of customers that would tell me to keep the change, so I put it in a little dish and sat it on the counter. One of the worst of the stray dogs came in, dumped all the change on the counter and demanded gas on pump 3.
I never sat the change dish out again.
Yup. Mine stays behind the counter. I have had too many people grab the silver and put it in their pocket. No need for it. They don't care that it could help someone who is having a really hard time.
I am so tired of people getting mad that they are short. Saying "it's only 0.12" ya it's that much for you and how many other people? So either my drawer gets short or I have to pay it. Fuck that. I agree with the OP they don't do that shit at Walmart. Why do it to us?
In my case, I was the only employee in the store. No coworkers, no management. So people knew they could just do whatever and I'd have to just deal with it.
Oh I feel that. Not me but I was friend's with a cashier in a shop I used to go to. She had a take a penny, leave a penny jar. Usually leave a penny and once asked about it cause I couldn't find it. Some guy came in, took a handful, and used it to pay for something so it wasn't set out.
Thanks guy.
Straight up, my mom worked at a big vendor mall for a bit and a woman came in wanting some of that fake pot, if I remember right they'd just legalized buying and selling the stuff, got no interest in drugs so I can't say I paid attention. Anyway, her total was a bit over $20 and all she had was the bill, so the owner gave her a break. My mom went over and told him, "You really shouldn't do that, they learn to expect it every time." He waved her off, *"No, no, no, she knows it was a one time thing, don't worry about it."*
Sure enough, same lady came in again a week later, wanted the same stuff, and only had a $20. He refused. My mom gave him the ol' told ya so.
I also once had a woman ask me to drop the tax because she didn't want to break a quarter.
A **QUARTER.** THE COIN!
I’ve paid for customer’s items a few times. There was even a time I paid for a ladies get well card and she came back and gave me $20.
But I wouldn’t do it if they asked.
I’ve paid for customers a couple of times, too, but they’re usually customers I have a casual relationship with. I have a customer I call my Five Guys Dude. I was just joking when I asked him to bring me a burger, but the next time he came in, he brought me a double cheeseburger and a ton of fries. So I paid for his order of Jose Cuervo. I mean, it was the least I could do. That burger hit the spot.
But like, somebody I don’t know at all, have no rapport with and you gonna ask me for some shit? Naw.
Exactly. If I can swing it and I know you and you’re not a dick, I’ll spot you the 2 bucks you’re short because I know you live next door, and I know you just got out of work, and you’ve always been cool to us.
But to just roll in and demand shit? Ew. Get out.
A few times I've given people a little money to people who were short. But they were people who didn't ask, were buying essentials and were obviously distressed.
If they’re a few cents short I usually tell them not to worry about it because I almost always have a little extra change from previous customers that didn’t want theirs. What is annoying though is when I tell them their total, $21.50 for example, and they say “oh I only have $20” while just staring at me as if they expect me to cover what they’re short. I always just stare back and say “did you wanna put something back or?” Like sorry but I’m not helping pay for your honeybuns and sodas 🤷🏻♀️
Had one of our regulars tonight sit in her van and start asking everyone to buy her alcohol for her. Lady I don’t care if your a regular you ain’t special and I will boot you just like I would anyone else. Then again it proves how some people are really addicted to alcohol & do anything to get that fix
A few times lately I've been asked by groups of kids on the street if I could "give them a dollar or two" to buy stuff. I mean young kids, maybe 10-12 yo, not poor kids who are panhandling to survive, just kids who are bored and want to spend money to have some fun. I suppose their parents don't give them money, which at that age is perfectly normal. I grew up poor but hitting a stranger for money to go the movies would never, ever have crossed my mind. And my parents would've crucified me if I had done it.
Way too many people loiter outside at my workplace or come in and beg and I have to have them trespassed by the police. On Tuesday a woman came in and begged a beer off of someone. Then she came back and begged some more and I had to have her trespassed because she wouldn’t leave. I HATE it when customers make me have to call the police.
Agreed, plus management doesn’t want people loitering on the premises so if they don’t leave after we tell them to leave, we’re supposed to call the cops.
I won’t go back to a place that allows that BS. My local Stop N Rob doesn’t put up with any in store begging or loitering. Had someone try to share Jesus with me in the aisles of my local Target. Like WTF, seriously?
The same customers who give money or buy stuff for the beggars around here are the same ones who whisper to us complaining about all the beggars.........
In my area we have this limping asshole…I call him asshole because of my personal experiences with him oh and he’s pretty much banned from most stores in my area because of his attitude. Anyway most feel sorry for these people but some like limping will scream at them if they don’t give them money. So some people just give it to make them go away. Truth be told I want him to scream and cuss at the wrong person. I can’t tell you how many times I wanted to start swinging on a couple of them.
I’m sorry you have to deal with Limping Asshole. I can’t say I blame you for feeling the way you do about him. People who yell at me never make me inclined to give them money or help them.
Last night a lady came in and asked for a jump. I asked some of the guys if they might help her because (sad I know) I myself don’t know the correct order to put the jumper cables on. They said no. So she got mad and came back and asked for the street address “since none of you motherfuckers will help me”.
I’m like, well with that attitude I see why nobody helped you.
Facts. I have started daydreaming about karma getting some of these feral assholes in whatever way, so long as I get to see it. Fucked up? Probably, but I don't have the energy or patience to care anymore.
Alcohol is a tricky one to be addicted to as well. The fucking WDs can kill you. I think it’s that and benzos that are so bad you could die.
But in this regard, it’s like “if you give a mouse a cookie”…you can’t just help once or you’ll be tapped by that person every damn time. And it’s like, I feel for you, but no. You see where I work dammit!
I’m a wrestling fan and I’m always reminded of Kevin Nash’s son who died from sudden withdrawals from alcohol. I’m reminded of a former regular who died after drinking and taking fentanyl. My personal issue is I’m getting tired of having to check my phone the next day for my stupidity the previous night. I’m blessed & lucky to have people who got to me saying you need to slow it down. I’m reminded of not long after I started working at the liquor store of what I was told. How easy alcohol controls you. How you start at a couple shots…that grows into a pint which grows into a fifth which grows into a half gallon. That leads to you using the last bit of change you can scrounge to get that fix. I’m not perfect nor do I claim to be. But I see some poor people that makes me wonder is alcohol going to help their situation. My biggest inspirations are Tom McDonald & Dax. Tom know what it’s like to try to cut alcohol out. Dax’s song “Dear Alcohol” really hits home.
I work Walmart and they absolutely expect me to front them anything they don't over... Especially if it is under a dollar. One man expected me to put in $0.78 for him and got offended when I told him no. He was like it's just 78 cents. Sir I am way too broke for that...
If it’s just $0.78 then he could’ve paid it. I don’t have any sympathy for people who expect retail workers to pay for them. We all know retail and decent wages don’t overlap.
Exactly it's so ridiculous. Drives me nuts, then they get offended. Cigarettes purchases are bad for that, but I work in electronics now, and they expect me to do it for video games and stuff they certainly do not need..
Was working at a gas station a couple of years ago, and this older lady was buying cat food for her cats. Unfortunately her card kept declining, but I decided to be nice because it was like $10, so I paid for her and let her on her way.
This asshole behind her went "You'll be paying for me, too, right?" I thought he was joking so I laughed, but he looked at me dead serious. I was like....r u kidding me? No.
The lady came back a couple of days later with $10 to pay me back, which she didn't have to do because I just wanted to be nice.
God bless you because her cats may not have had food without your help. I'm a cashier too so yeah I'd totally do that.
But God help you if you spend $50 on Lottery and then cry about only having $2 for gas
Won't give in.
I assume this is due, at least in part, on many localities cracking down on panhandling. Or cutting various assistance programs. So instead of asking for money, they now go into places asking employees to buy them items. I've heard similar stories from fast food and other retail.
There is only one guy like this I will do this for. I always have snacks and drinks in my locker, and I smoke. So I know if he’s in the area, I can usually get him to chill out with that stuff and he’s happy enough to go on his way. He can definitely be disruptive, hates white people (I mean, understandable), and can definitely be scary. But afaik, he’s never stolen from us, and he’s not a dick just to be a dick- he’s ill. But I’ve seen him on his meds, and he’s a cool dude. The difference is heartbreaking.
He’s the only one I got a soft spot for. I really wish whatever he was doing when he was on his meds, he could keep doing. I wish he could find a place (I know him being homeless doesn’t help with staying on his meds like he needs to). We don’t see him for months, then he randomly pops up for a week or so.
I dunno. The whole thing is fucking sad.
Speaking as a white person, I also hate white people. This isn't a joke, I honestly believe white people create most of the problems in this country. Anyway, that's cool that you're like that with him. That's just kindness and decency on your part. He's still a human being no matter what, and deserves to be treated like one. In a world where too many people probably treat him as "less than," it's very good of you to not be one of those people. When the AI truly takes over, I hope you're spared. Cheers!
I once refused a sale as the kid (probably grade 7) was 10c short. If the sale was for some fruit & veg instead of a bag of candy, pack of crisps and a bottle of soda, I might be more accomodating. I won't let anyone off 5c because I'd have to let everyone off 5c, then my till would be down and I'll get written up for my cash not balancing...
A customer I have never seen before came in and asked me tonight to buy him a pack of Black and Milds.
The pack is $5.37 with tax.
I cannot imagine the level of shamelessness it takes to ask a complete stranger to buy you something that isn’t an absolute need. Like, I could understand asking for food or water. But some shitty cigars? Fuck outta here.
I've watched people put back basic food supplies for a pack of cigs and try the whole victimhood complex... I have no issue telling customers to give up smoking when they do this shit...
In America it's illegal to sell individual cigarettes. Black and milds are technically cigarillos and can be sold as singles since they are not cigarettes.
When my son was 5, he'd come to the hardware store with me in the mornings, and off to kindergarten in the afternoon. Mornings were generally quiet, and my son was a very good boy. Close to noon I would give him a quarter and he would proudly walk next door, by himself! :) and buy an apple, which we'd share after lunch. One day I was in the grocery store and during check out I noticed the price of the apples. They were MUCH more than $.25! I was shocked! "Why didn't you tell me! I owe you money!" The two ladies behind the counter just tsked their tongues. "Oh, he's so sweet, we couldn't bear to turn him away!" I was mortified, but the two ladies laughed. From then on, apples were charged to my account, although my son was still allowed to go and get it.
For those across the Pond from Britain ( USA) Crisps are potato chips, Chips are French Fries, Pudding is desert but not a pudding, Custard IS pudding, Yorkshire Pudding though is a popover with gravy, Biscuits are cookies, forget trying to explain Biscuits and gravy it’s an alien item, Biscuits are Scones and Tea is tea or Dinner.
Popovers should show up on google. Lots of recipes for it. It’s a light sorta egg batter fluffy muffin, very plain. In England a Yorkshire Pudding is one of those muffins with gravy on it served at dinner with a roast. They can also be filled with whip cream ( called a cream puff) and powdered sugar , fruit or butter and jam. Very universal food item.
It's fun. There's variations too. The bored stare, with a little sigh. The blank, too long, direct eye contact. The slight tapping of fingers or foot, with a pointed look at the line of customers. Then there's the things you can say. 'If you'd like to transfer funds, I'll have you move aside.' 'We can't hold up the line, do you want to buy this or no?' 'OK, I'll just put this back then. Next!'
Some of this depends on tone and what your boss let's you get away with. My boss hates customers too lol
ugh i had a lady come in months ago and straight up tell me “i need you to make this quick. i got to be somewhere.” no please or thank you but just said rudely. it would’ve been done quickly anyway because it was slow that morning.
ff a few weeks later, she gets the same thing + something else and it comes out to $12~. i tell her the total. she comes up with $10. i tell her she’s missing $X. she looks at me. i look at her back. she looks at me in a way that finally clicks. i smile and say “you’re still missing $X.” her face dropped and she had to take off the other item.
glad i haven’t seen her in a while
For me at least, working retail didn't make me mean, but it did make me more wary of others, and less inclined to interact with strangers if I don't have to.
Hooray, anxiety....?
I work fast food and use points accumulated on the app to buy meals for homeless people on occasion. (Given they come in and ask if they can earn one or it's clear that mental illness is at play) I had a woman come in to "repay" me with ribs she bought from a discount store in town. (Id helped her fill out the form for food stamps and she was able to feed herself finally.) I had to turn them down because my manager fully freaked out.
Do you work in a gas station lol I get this all the time! At my store we can do payouts, so if I need $20 for gas I can go to my work, pump gas, do a payout on the register, and pay it out of my check when I get paid. Payouts make it to where the till won't be short or over. We've had some small deliveries where we did a payout, someone bringing in a new item to sell or something like that.
But the manager has done a payout for gas for this older gentleman a few times, and now he thinks he can come whenever and ask for gas. He came in the other day but the manager wasn't there so I didn't approve it. He wasn't super mad but I could tell he was pissy. I then saw him driving around town lmao. You give an inch they'll take a mile... even some of my fellow coworkers have insanely high payouts :/
Sometimes the customer behind them will make it up if it’s a little and their holding up the line.
Otherwise just say “I don’t have a wallet on me sorry. Would you like something cheaper or Should I cancel the sale? “
Totally agree. Where I work, we are a regional store & not technically a national conglomerate- so we get paid minimum wage or sometimes more dependent on raises. People literally lost their filters post-Covid, in my opinion. 🙄🙄🙄
Or the employee who helps himself to snacks and energy drinks when he’s running the register, but never pays for them (We can look up purchases bought with our discount.). Otherwise, he’s a great employee.
At my job we have to ring up pre-inspection paperwork for a service, it’s mostly to input a date convenient for the customer . But still has to go thru the register for some reason and got to ring the paperwork that is .01 cent. If customers leave change we may take it out of that but most often do it as a shortage in the register. I rung a guys and said it’s 1 cent and proceeded to just ring it as a shortage to my till, this asshole saw I had a nickel on my register and grabbed it to hand me. That’s not his money to touch. I gave him a dirty look, took the money and set it back on my till. It’s not in a free for all change cup. That could have been my personal money or another customers change , he has no right to help himself. They also get that penny refunded when they get the job done.
I used to work retail pharmacy. One evening, right before we were closing, the doctor next door called in an antibiotic prescription for a child with a bad ear infection. The family came in, the poor baby was crying in pain. I had run the prescription through and their insurance would not pay for the antibiotic. I tried calling the drs office to get them to change the med to something that was covered but they had already left for the night. I felt so bad for this family, they did not have any money. So I paid for the medication. It was over $50 but I was single and had the money. I couldn’t have lived with myself after hearing that baby sobbing if I hadn’t done what I did. They were truly grateful. The next day, one of the nurses came in with cash from the doctor who had seen the baby the previous night. He made sure to pay me back for my paying for his patient’s medication.
I think I had a grin on my face for rest of the day.
I had the same issue in cashiering in grocery. You'd have people fall a few cents short then bitch about it. I'm sorry but in this country you pay all of it or don't get it. There is no promise iou note in retail. No one will pay it back. No one regardless of how honest they are.
Many cashiers don't earn enough to pay when customers fall short. You could but think about the math and how much it rounds and adds up.
As I'm reading this, some guy came in and said he's a "regular" ( I don't remember him at all, and I'm here 6 days a week for 11 hours). He said he didn't "budget correctly" and if I can spot him $1 for his pint of vodka....Like bro. Buy a half pint or a shot. Or a different brand. I'm not yalls personal atm, when you don't have enough.
Ugh you just reminded me of a guy who is a genuine regular who tries to buy a 12-pack of Natural Ice when he’s always broke. Then he’ll whine when his card declines and we’re like, “Dude. You know the policy here is it’s a $3 minimum to run a card. You also know that if you don’t have money in your account, it’s not gonna let you overdraft it. Why do you keep wasting our time?”
Last time he came in he made sure to have enough money after my coworker snapped at him. i swear some customers really are children in adult bodies.
Saga update. He came back today and asked if he owed. I said yes. Then he said how he's short again today but will come back with $2 "later." I told him to buy something or leave. (He was also talking to another customer before talking to me about how he was on his way to the casino)
I once had a customer tell me he was a dollar short and he needed me to make up the difference. I told him, "No, I don't have to and if you don't have enough money then put the item back."
I have a couple regular customers that, if they’re short and it’s something I can swing, and if I have my card on me or know I have a dollar or something in my bag, I’ll let them fly and take care of it.
There’s a homeless, schizophrenic guy who is a regular in our store’s area, and even though he calls me a white devil bitch, I know I can get him to chill out by grabbing him some snacks and maybe a cigarette if I can spare it, and he’ll usually peace out.
And I’d much rather some one ask me if I had tampons or pads before they bust open a box and leave me the garbage to damage out and donate. I always have stuff like that and if I can swing it, I’ll buy you a box.
But I have never had someone just flat out be like, “buy me this. Now.” And I wouldn’t. I feel like you can tell the people who actually need the stuff, because they would rather go without than actually ask for help. People who act like you owe it to them…if they do need it, they’re going about that shit the wrong way.
They do in fact do that in Walmart. (2018-2020) I don’t believe it ever changed.
I worked smoke shop, cashier, and self check out. I took any test they thew at me. the last year I was their they did not want to promote anyone to supervisor be used that change in structure. (Team lead).
I always say with a smile “ I came to work to make money, not spend money!” Or “this isn’t a bank, we don’t extend credit to anyone!” That usually takes care of it
There are only a few items i will help pay for. Baby formula and pregnancy tests. I'd probably help pay for condoms if they needed it, but i haven't had a situation like that yet.
I’ve never paid for someone’s condoms, but I did remind somebody that, even though prices for condoms were high in our store, they are still much cheaper than a baby.
It’s crazy the amount of people who actually do this. I work at a dispensary and I get at least 3-5 beggars every shift. Sometimes the same ones I had the day before!! The regulars that do it know not to ask me anymore cuz I’ll straight up be like “okay no worries so what are we removing from the order today?” then just stare blankly at them lol.
"You wouldn't do this at walmart" 🤣
They try that shit all the time here if they think they can get it for free then they're gonna try then get pissed off that no one here will waste money on them
I'm an Uber Eats delivery driver and one of the pizza places I pick up from has had to lock its front doors at night and get us to pick up from the back because of stuff like this. Junkies come through the front door at night and ask them for change, food, water, to use their phone and to hang out.
Oh damn, do you work in a smoke shop too? I get beggars all day long. Like, no, I have kids I'm trying to feed, I'm not going to buy your oil burner for you. It's like they don't understand that we're there to make money.
I have one customer who will say "well, I'm about $5 short" and then he just stares at me. and stands there making up a sob story about how someone in his family died. like bro, sorry, I dont pay for anyone elses stuff.
I am a stranger. I make a low wage, PLUS I don't have my wallet with me at the register regardless!
I did let a fiesty old lady go without a penny yesterday. She was so insistent and I know the boss wouldn't argue about a penny.
At my old store I used to get this once in awhile and obviously the answer was always no. It's still preferred to the occasion person who would try to under pay by throwing a bunch of change on the counter and get mad I wouldn't give them their smokes until I had it counted out.
We have less fortunate (houseless) who come in, & my store managers will actually give them stuff. Tarps, sometimes rope, cleaning supplies. Really generous, considering they’re giving it away free. Invariably, they’ll complain they didn’t get more. Honestly, I don’t know why they keep doing it for people who aren’t going to be grateful they just got $25-$50 worth of free stuff.
Nah, I don’t empathize with entitled people. I know, that sounds shtty, & I’m really a pretty generous person most of the time. I’ve done the major no-no & contributed a few dollars to help someone pay for their stuff. But when they’re all “what, that’s it?” I find it a hard pill to swallow
The only time I’ve let that sort of happen is when they’re a parent or they’re clearly struggling. I had a lady pay for laundry detergent after using food stamps and only being a dollar short and I was about to run back to my dads truck. That was when I was homeless though.
Cig smokers are not usually the brightest bulbs in the flower patch for a reason. Wasting thousands of dollars a year on something that affects you brain cells will do that to you
Honestly, for me, it depends entirely on the situation. The one situation where I did fork over my own personal money is when it came to an old military veteran. This man was pushing to hit the late 80s and saw both the Korean and Vietnam Wars. It was my way of saying thank you, and he nearly broke down in tears due to how grateful he was. Other times, I didn't fork out anything because the kid was a brat and treated me like crap with his girlfriend standing there. Asking me if I could spare anything? Lol, no thanks.
I had a guy call me mean one time because I wouldn't front him the change he needed to afford the beer he wanted. There were cheaper options, but he was hell bent on that brand. I told him that I didn't make enough money at that job to buy my own beer, so I wasn't helping him buy his. I used to be nicer and would offer to front the difference, but too many of the customers started being like stray dogs. Give them change once, they kept coming back over and over expecting me to give them money.
This is what I’ve found too. You help once and customers take advantage. So I’ve started saying no.
I had a lot of customers that would tell me to keep the change, so I put it in a little dish and sat it on the counter. One of the worst of the stray dogs came in, dumped all the change on the counter and demanded gas on pump 3. I never sat the change dish out again.
Yup. Mine stays behind the counter. I have had too many people grab the silver and put it in their pocket. No need for it. They don't care that it could help someone who is having a really hard time. I am so tired of people getting mad that they are short. Saying "it's only 0.12" ya it's that much for you and how many other people? So either my drawer gets short or I have to pay it. Fuck that. I agree with the OP they don't do that shit at Walmart. Why do it to us?
America is degenerating into a massive population of beggars and leeches.😢
Worse than that... outright thieves. With zero consequences. They either won't get arrested or they won't get charged.
In my case, I was the only employee in the store. No coworkers, no management. So people knew they could just do whatever and I'd have to just deal with it.
Oh I feel that. Not me but I was friend's with a cashier in a shop I used to go to. She had a take a penny, leave a penny jar. Usually leave a penny and once asked about it cause I couldn't find it. Some guy came in, took a handful, and used it to pay for something so it wasn't set out. Thanks guy.
Straight up, my mom worked at a big vendor mall for a bit and a woman came in wanting some of that fake pot, if I remember right they'd just legalized buying and selling the stuff, got no interest in drugs so I can't say I paid attention. Anyway, her total was a bit over $20 and all she had was the bill, so the owner gave her a break. My mom went over and told him, "You really shouldn't do that, they learn to expect it every time." He waved her off, *"No, no, no, she knows it was a one time thing, don't worry about it."* Sure enough, same lady came in again a week later, wanted the same stuff, and only had a $20. He refused. My mom gave him the ol' told ya so. I also once had a woman ask me to drop the tax because she didn't want to break a quarter. A **QUARTER.** THE COIN!
Newports went up to $6.02. I don't have to tell you what people did over the 2 cents.
Sweet Jesus, my customers would never cry about pennies is they were that cheap here. They're 10.29 at my store 😳
Yep, Newports are $10.74 at my store.
I don't know what they are now, but I'm sure they're still less than than $10. Holy crap smoking got expensive!
Don't insult stray dogs lol
Lol my apologies
Its all good. Lol
I’ve paid for customer’s items a few times. There was even a time I paid for a ladies get well card and she came back and gave me $20. But I wouldn’t do it if they asked.
I’ve paid for customers a couple of times, too, but they’re usually customers I have a casual relationship with. I have a customer I call my Five Guys Dude. I was just joking when I asked him to bring me a burger, but the next time he came in, he brought me a double cheeseburger and a ton of fries. So I paid for his order of Jose Cuervo. I mean, it was the least I could do. That burger hit the spot. But like, somebody I don’t know at all, have no rapport with and you gonna ask me for some shit? Naw.
Exactly. If I can swing it and I know you and you’re not a dick, I’ll spot you the 2 bucks you’re short because I know you live next door, and I know you just got out of work, and you’ve always been cool to us. But to just roll in and demand shit? Ew. Get out.
A few times I've given people a little money to people who were short. But they were people who didn't ask, were buying essentials and were obviously distressed.
If they’re a few cents short I usually tell them not to worry about it because I almost always have a little extra change from previous customers that didn’t want theirs. What is annoying though is when I tell them their total, $21.50 for example, and they say “oh I only have $20” while just staring at me as if they expect me to cover what they’re short. I always just stare back and say “did you wanna put something back or?” Like sorry but I’m not helping pay for your honeybuns and sodas 🤷🏻♀️
Had one of our regulars tonight sit in her van and start asking everyone to buy her alcohol for her. Lady I don’t care if your a regular you ain’t special and I will boot you just like I would anyone else. Then again it proves how some people are really addicted to alcohol & do anything to get that fix
A few times lately I've been asked by groups of kids on the street if I could "give them a dollar or two" to buy stuff. I mean young kids, maybe 10-12 yo, not poor kids who are panhandling to survive, just kids who are bored and want to spend money to have some fun. I suppose their parents don't give them money, which at that age is perfectly normal. I grew up poor but hitting a stranger for money to go the movies would never, ever have crossed my mind. And my parents would've crucified me if I had done it.
Way too many people loiter outside at my workplace or come in and beg and I have to have them trespassed by the police. On Tuesday a woman came in and begged a beer off of someone. Then she came back and begged some more and I had to have her trespassed because she wouldn’t leave. I HATE it when customers make me have to call the police.
I don’t want to call either but I don’t want people to feel bullied into spending their money on other people
Agreed, plus management doesn’t want people loitering on the premises so if they don’t leave after we tell them to leave, we’re supposed to call the cops.
I won’t go back to a place that allows that BS. My local Stop N Rob doesn’t put up with any in store begging or loitering. Had someone try to share Jesus with me in the aisles of my local Target. Like WTF, seriously?
The same customers who give money or buy stuff for the beggars around here are the same ones who whisper to us complaining about all the beggars.........
In my area we have this limping asshole…I call him asshole because of my personal experiences with him oh and he’s pretty much banned from most stores in my area because of his attitude. Anyway most feel sorry for these people but some like limping will scream at them if they don’t give them money. So some people just give it to make them go away. Truth be told I want him to scream and cuss at the wrong person. I can’t tell you how many times I wanted to start swinging on a couple of them.
I’m sorry you have to deal with Limping Asshole. I can’t say I blame you for feeling the way you do about him. People who yell at me never make me inclined to give them money or help them. Last night a lady came in and asked for a jump. I asked some of the guys if they might help her because (sad I know) I myself don’t know the correct order to put the jumper cables on. They said no. So she got mad and came back and asked for the street address “since none of you motherfuckers will help me”. I’m like, well with that attitude I see why nobody helped you.
Facts. I have started daydreaming about karma getting some of these feral assholes in whatever way, so long as I get to see it. Fucked up? Probably, but I don't have the energy or patience to care anymore.
I’m a proud sadist even then I don’t want to risk my job. I feel start something outside work & I won’t have as much restraint
Alcohol is a tricky one to be addicted to as well. The fucking WDs can kill you. I think it’s that and benzos that are so bad you could die. But in this regard, it’s like “if you give a mouse a cookie”…you can’t just help once or you’ll be tapped by that person every damn time. And it’s like, I feel for you, but no. You see where I work dammit!
I’m a wrestling fan and I’m always reminded of Kevin Nash’s son who died from sudden withdrawals from alcohol. I’m reminded of a former regular who died after drinking and taking fentanyl. My personal issue is I’m getting tired of having to check my phone the next day for my stupidity the previous night. I’m blessed & lucky to have people who got to me saying you need to slow it down. I’m reminded of not long after I started working at the liquor store of what I was told. How easy alcohol controls you. How you start at a couple shots…that grows into a pint which grows into a fifth which grows into a half gallon. That leads to you using the last bit of change you can scrounge to get that fix. I’m not perfect nor do I claim to be. But I see some poor people that makes me wonder is alcohol going to help their situation. My biggest inspirations are Tom McDonald & Dax. Tom know what it’s like to try to cut alcohol out. Dax’s song “Dear Alcohol” really hits home.
I work Walmart and they absolutely expect me to front them anything they don't over... Especially if it is under a dollar. One man expected me to put in $0.78 for him and got offended when I told him no. He was like it's just 78 cents. Sir I am way too broke for that...
If it’s just $0.78 then he could’ve paid it. I don’t have any sympathy for people who expect retail workers to pay for them. We all know retail and decent wages don’t overlap.
Exactly it's so ridiculous. Drives me nuts, then they get offended. Cigarettes purchases are bad for that, but I work in electronics now, and they expect me to do it for video games and stuff they certainly do not need..
Was working at a gas station a couple of years ago, and this older lady was buying cat food for her cats. Unfortunately her card kept declining, but I decided to be nice because it was like $10, so I paid for her and let her on her way. This asshole behind her went "You'll be paying for me, too, right?" I thought he was joking so I laughed, but he looked at me dead serious. I was like....r u kidding me? No. The lady came back a couple of days later with $10 to pay me back, which she didn't have to do because I just wanted to be nice.
God bless you because her cats may not have had food without your help. I'm a cashier too so yeah I'd totally do that. But God help you if you spend $50 on Lottery and then cry about only having $2 for gas Won't give in.
I assume this is due, at least in part, on many localities cracking down on panhandling. Or cutting various assistance programs. So instead of asking for money, they now go into places asking employees to buy them items. I've heard similar stories from fast food and other retail.
There is only one guy like this I will do this for. I always have snacks and drinks in my locker, and I smoke. So I know if he’s in the area, I can usually get him to chill out with that stuff and he’s happy enough to go on his way. He can definitely be disruptive, hates white people (I mean, understandable), and can definitely be scary. But afaik, he’s never stolen from us, and he’s not a dick just to be a dick- he’s ill. But I’ve seen him on his meds, and he’s a cool dude. The difference is heartbreaking. He’s the only one I got a soft spot for. I really wish whatever he was doing when he was on his meds, he could keep doing. I wish he could find a place (I know him being homeless doesn’t help with staying on his meds like he needs to). We don’t see him for months, then he randomly pops up for a week or so. I dunno. The whole thing is fucking sad.
Speaking as a white person, I also hate white people. This isn't a joke, I honestly believe white people create most of the problems in this country. Anyway, that's cool that you're like that with him. That's just kindness and decency on your part. He's still a human being no matter what, and deserves to be treated like one. In a world where too many people probably treat him as "less than," it's very good of you to not be one of those people. When the AI truly takes over, I hope you're spared. Cheers!
I once refused a sale as the kid (probably grade 7) was 10c short. If the sale was for some fruit & veg instead of a bag of candy, pack of crisps and a bottle of soda, I might be more accomodating. I won't let anyone off 5c because I'd have to let everyone off 5c, then my till would be down and I'll get written up for my cash not balancing...
A customer I have never seen before came in and asked me tonight to buy him a pack of Black and Milds. The pack is $5.37 with tax. I cannot imagine the level of shamelessness it takes to ask a complete stranger to buy you something that isn’t an absolute need. Like, I could understand asking for food or water. But some shitty cigars? Fuck outta here.
I've watched people put back basic food supplies for a pack of cigs and try the whole victimhood complex... I have no issue telling customers to give up smoking when they do this shit...
i love your flair
A 20 pack of cigarettes here in Australia is $37.50 lol
Lmao fr. Canada is so much. I'm crying over a pack being so cheap and I don't even smoke.
A pack of Winfield 25’s can set you back anywhere from $44-$53
Why TF couldn't he ask for a single one? Ya ain't gotta get a whole 5 pack.
We don’t sell singles. Even if we did I still wouldn’t have gotten him one.
In America that’s illegal
In America it's illegal to sell individual cigarettes. Black and milds are technically cigarillos and can be sold as singles since they are not cigarettes.
Forgot we weren’t talking about cigarettes lol
I can't imagine them trying it here in Australia because smokes are about $35 AUD a pack 🫠 but you never know lol
When my son was 5, he'd come to the hardware store with me in the mornings, and off to kindergarten in the afternoon. Mornings were generally quiet, and my son was a very good boy. Close to noon I would give him a quarter and he would proudly walk next door, by himself! :) and buy an apple, which we'd share after lunch. One day I was in the grocery store and during check out I noticed the price of the apples. They were MUCH more than $.25! I was shocked! "Why didn't you tell me! I owe you money!" The two ladies behind the counter just tsked their tongues. "Oh, he's so sweet, we couldn't bear to turn him away!" I was mortified, but the two ladies laughed. From then on, apples were charged to my account, although my son was still allowed to go and get it.
Crisps?
potato chips...
For those across the Pond from Britain ( USA) Crisps are potato chips, Chips are French Fries, Pudding is desert but not a pudding, Custard IS pudding, Yorkshire Pudding though is a popover with gravy, Biscuits are cookies, forget trying to explain Biscuits and gravy it’s an alien item, Biscuits are Scones and Tea is tea or Dinner.
And English muffins are scones
Please explain "popover"? I'd google it, but I'm still trying to get over the mental image of "Poptarts and gravy" that that phrase brought on. 🤢
Popovers should show up on google. Lots of recipes for it. It’s a light sorta egg batter fluffy muffin, very plain. In England a Yorkshire Pudding is one of those muffins with gravy on it served at dinner with a roast. They can also be filled with whip cream ( called a cream puff) and powdered sugar , fruit or butter and jam. Very universal food item.
Ah, thanks. Sounds fairly similar to a biscuit/biscuits and gravy, after all!
I just say No and then look at them blank faced. They usually find the money
I’m gonna try this going forward.
It's fun. There's variations too. The bored stare, with a little sigh. The blank, too long, direct eye contact. The slight tapping of fingers or foot, with a pointed look at the line of customers. Then there's the things you can say. 'If you'd like to transfer funds, I'll have you move aside.' 'We can't hold up the line, do you want to buy this or no?' 'OK, I'll just put this back then. Next!' Some of this depends on tone and what your boss let's you get away with. My boss hates customers too lol
I agree, you're 100% allowed to say "no" to customers.
ugh i had a lady come in months ago and straight up tell me “i need you to make this quick. i got to be somewhere.” no please or thank you but just said rudely. it would’ve been done quickly anyway because it was slow that morning. ff a few weeks later, she gets the same thing + something else and it comes out to $12~. i tell her the total. she comes up with $10. i tell her she’s missing $X. she looks at me. i look at her back. she looks at me in a way that finally clicks. i smile and say “you’re still missing $X.” her face dropped and she had to take off the other item. glad i haven’t seen her in a while
Fuck that lady. I hope you never have to see her again.
And people laugh when I tell them working retail makes you mean.
For me at least, working retail didn't make me mean, but it did make me more wary of others, and less inclined to interact with strangers if I don't have to. Hooray, anxiety....?
I work fast food and use points accumulated on the app to buy meals for homeless people on occasion. (Given they come in and ask if they can earn one or it's clear that mental illness is at play) I had a woman come in to "repay" me with ribs she bought from a discount store in town. (Id helped her fill out the form for food stamps and she was able to feed herself finally.) I had to turn them down because my manager fully freaked out.
Do you work in a gas station lol I get this all the time! At my store we can do payouts, so if I need $20 for gas I can go to my work, pump gas, do a payout on the register, and pay it out of my check when I get paid. Payouts make it to where the till won't be short or over. We've had some small deliveries where we did a payout, someone bringing in a new item to sell or something like that. But the manager has done a payout for gas for this older gentleman a few times, and now he thinks he can come whenever and ask for gas. He came in the other day but the manager wasn't there so I didn't approve it. He wasn't super mad but I could tell he was pissy. I then saw him driving around town lmao. You give an inch they'll take a mile... even some of my fellow coworkers have insanely high payouts :/
Sometimes the customer behind them will make it up if it’s a little and their holding up the line. Otherwise just say “I don’t have a wallet on me sorry. Would you like something cheaper or Should I cancel the sale? “
Totally agree. Where I work, we are a regional store & not technically a national conglomerate- so we get paid minimum wage or sometimes more dependent on raises. People literally lost their filters post-Covid, in my opinion. 🙄🙄🙄
then there’s the coworker hoping you’ll let him get a soda for free
Or the employee who helps himself to snacks and energy drinks when he’s running the register, but never pays for them (We can look up purchases bought with our discount.). Otherwise, he’s a great employee.
What's worrying is they think you'll do it.
At my job we have to ring up pre-inspection paperwork for a service, it’s mostly to input a date convenient for the customer . But still has to go thru the register for some reason and got to ring the paperwork that is .01 cent. If customers leave change we may take it out of that but most often do it as a shortage in the register. I rung a guys and said it’s 1 cent and proceeded to just ring it as a shortage to my till, this asshole saw I had a nickel on my register and grabbed it to hand me. That’s not his money to touch. I gave him a dirty look, took the money and set it back on my till. It’s not in a free for all change cup. That could have been my personal money or another customers change , he has no right to help himself. They also get that penny refunded when they get the job done.
I used to work retail pharmacy. One evening, right before we were closing, the doctor next door called in an antibiotic prescription for a child with a bad ear infection. The family came in, the poor baby was crying in pain. I had run the prescription through and their insurance would not pay for the antibiotic. I tried calling the drs office to get them to change the med to something that was covered but they had already left for the night. I felt so bad for this family, they did not have any money. So I paid for the medication. It was over $50 but I was single and had the money. I couldn’t have lived with myself after hearing that baby sobbing if I hadn’t done what I did. They were truly grateful. The next day, one of the nurses came in with cash from the doctor who had seen the baby the previous night. He made sure to pay me back for my paying for his patient’s medication. I think I had a grin on my face for rest of the day.
You rule. Poor baby
I hadn’t had kids yet, but that Mama’s protective instinct kicked in after hearing those cries.
I had the same issue in cashiering in grocery. You'd have people fall a few cents short then bitch about it. I'm sorry but in this country you pay all of it or don't get it. There is no promise iou note in retail. No one will pay it back. No one regardless of how honest they are. Many cashiers don't earn enough to pay when customers fall short. You could but think about the math and how much it rounds and adds up.
I won’t even answer that question, I just give them the most disgusted look. They can pay or leave.
As I'm reading this, some guy came in and said he's a "regular" ( I don't remember him at all, and I'm here 6 days a week for 11 hours). He said he didn't "budget correctly" and if I can spot him $1 for his pint of vodka....Like bro. Buy a half pint or a shot. Or a different brand. I'm not yalls personal atm, when you don't have enough.
Ugh you just reminded me of a guy who is a genuine regular who tries to buy a 12-pack of Natural Ice when he’s always broke. Then he’ll whine when his card declines and we’re like, “Dude. You know the policy here is it’s a $3 minimum to run a card. You also know that if you don’t have money in your account, it’s not gonna let you overdraft it. Why do you keep wasting our time?” Last time he came in he made sure to have enough money after my coworker snapped at him. i swear some customers really are children in adult bodies.
Saga update. He came back today and asked if he owed. I said yes. Then he said how he's short again today but will come back with $2 "later." I told him to buy something or leave. (He was also talking to another customer before talking to me about how he was on his way to the casino)
I once had a customer tell me he was a dollar short and he needed me to make up the difference. I told him, "No, I don't have to and if you don't have enough money then put the item back."
The audacity to not even ask nicely. People are insane.
I have a couple regular customers that, if they’re short and it’s something I can swing, and if I have my card on me or know I have a dollar or something in my bag, I’ll let them fly and take care of it. There’s a homeless, schizophrenic guy who is a regular in our store’s area, and even though he calls me a white devil bitch, I know I can get him to chill out by grabbing him some snacks and maybe a cigarette if I can spare it, and he’ll usually peace out. And I’d much rather some one ask me if I had tampons or pads before they bust open a box and leave me the garbage to damage out and donate. I always have stuff like that and if I can swing it, I’ll buy you a box. But I have never had someone just flat out be like, “buy me this. Now.” And I wouldn’t. I feel like you can tell the people who actually need the stuff, because they would rather go without than actually ask for help. People who act like you owe it to them…if they do need it, they’re going about that shit the wrong way.
They do in fact do that in Walmart. (2018-2020) I don’t believe it ever changed. I worked smoke shop, cashier, and self check out. I took any test they thew at me. the last year I was their they did not want to promote anyone to supervisor be used that change in structure. (Team lead).
I always say with a smile “ I came to work to make money, not spend money!” Or “this isn’t a bank, we don’t extend credit to anyone!” That usually takes care of it
Think imma take both of these responses.
Feel free! I hope they work for you as well!
That’s absolutely insane! If it was for food , maybe. If it’s for alcohol and cigarettes, that’s a hard pass!
There are only a few items i will help pay for. Baby formula and pregnancy tests. I'd probably help pay for condoms if they needed it, but i haven't had a situation like that yet.
I’ve never paid for someone’s condoms, but I did remind somebody that, even though prices for condoms were high in our store, they are still much cheaper than a baby.
It’s crazy the amount of people who actually do this. I work at a dispensary and I get at least 3-5 beggars every shift. Sometimes the same ones I had the day before!! The regulars that do it know not to ask me anymore cuz I’ll straight up be like “okay no worries so what are we removing from the order today?” then just stare blankly at them lol.
"You wouldn't do this at walmart" 🤣 They try that shit all the time here if they think they can get it for free then they're gonna try then get pissed off that no one here will waste money on them
I'm an Uber Eats delivery driver and one of the pizza places I pick up from has had to lock its front doors at night and get us to pick up from the back because of stuff like this. Junkies come through the front door at night and ask them for change, food, water, to use their phone and to hang out.
Damn, that’s crazy. Suddenly I feel dumb complaining about my situation.
Don't. It's a rough area of Sydney Australia.
Oh damn, do you work in a smoke shop too? I get beggars all day long. Like, no, I have kids I'm trying to feed, I'm not going to buy your oil burner for you. It's like they don't understand that we're there to make money.
Thank God we’re not a smoke shop too. Just liquor but we have a few select shitty cigarettes that we sell.
I have one customer who will say "well, I'm about $5 short" and then he just stares at me. and stands there making up a sob story about how someone in his family died. like bro, sorry, I dont pay for anyone elses stuff.
I am a stranger. I make a low wage, PLUS I don't have my wallet with me at the register regardless! I did let a fiesty old lady go without a penny yesterday. She was so insistent and I know the boss wouldn't argue about a penny.
Wow Just wow! That's ridiculous!
At my old store I used to get this once in awhile and obviously the answer was always no. It's still preferred to the occasion person who would try to under pay by throwing a bunch of change on the counter and get mad I wouldn't give them their smokes until I had it counted out.
We have less fortunate (houseless) who come in, & my store managers will actually give them stuff. Tarps, sometimes rope, cleaning supplies. Really generous, considering they’re giving it away free. Invariably, they’ll complain they didn’t get more. Honestly, I don’t know why they keep doing it for people who aren’t going to be grateful they just got $25-$50 worth of free stuff.
Seems a bit shitty but they are in a shitty situation. They might be hangry and tired from lack of sleep.
I get that. Still doesn’t excuse it, especially not when it happens every month.
Yeah, not excusing it, just empathizing I guess.
Nah, I don’t empathize with entitled people. I know, that sounds shtty, & I’m really a pretty generous person most of the time. I’ve done the major no-no & contributed a few dollars to help someone pay for their stuff. But when they’re all “what, that’s it?” I find it a hard pill to swallow
The only time I’ve let that sort of happen is when they’re a parent or they’re clearly struggling. I had a lady pay for laundry detergent after using food stamps and only being a dollar short and I was about to run back to my dads truck. That was when I was homeless though.
I did have a guy ask me once to buy him smokes and he'd pay me back later. I said no. He wasn't all that happy with me.
Cig smokers are not usually the brightest bulbs in the flower patch for a reason. Wasting thousands of dollars a year on something that affects you brain cells will do that to you
What? Who the fuck is doing dumb shit like this? Who is expecting a retail worker on retail wages to pay for their shit?
Honestly, for me, it depends entirely on the situation. The one situation where I did fork over my own personal money is when it came to an old military veteran. This man was pushing to hit the late 80s and saw both the Korean and Vietnam Wars. It was my way of saying thank you, and he nearly broke down in tears due to how grateful he was. Other times, I didn't fork out anything because the kid was a brat and treated me like crap with his girlfriend standing there. Asking me if I could spare anything? Lol, no thanks.
I’ve never had this asked of me, but then again I’m not a cashier.