Apparently, I can't serve someone from staff.

[GroceryGIrl]

I was filling out a rain check for a coworker who wanted cases of bottled water which were out of stock. She was still in her work uniform but off-duty and doing some shopping after her shift. Then this guy shows up at the service desk asking if I was open for business. I politely told him that I would be right with him once I was done writing out the rain check for my coworker, to which he replied,

"But isn't that staff?"

So my coworker looked at him and said,

"Well, right now I'm a customer."

The guy tosses his items aside and says,

"You're gonna see someone walk out the door," and left. To which I told my coworker under my breath, "Yeah, you do that!".

[cashierbex]

Yeah, because you work their you can't shop during off time. Hell, I'd be on the clock and still get a small snack in between breaks.

[EricKei]

Dun be silly. HE is the only customer, or, at least, the only one that matters.

Oh wait, he didn't buy anything. Therefore, NOT a customer.

Carry on. ^_^

[Merriweather]

But staff aren't people, and therefore can never be customers, anywhere. They shouldn't be allowed out of their recharging cupboards anyway.

[telecom_goddess]

But staff aren't people, and therefore can never be customers, anywhere. They shouldn't be allowed out of their recharging cupboards anyway.

Like the borg drones....

[emax4]

On his way out I'd remind him, "first come = first served" while waiving, "Bye bye and don't come back!"

[Lachrymose]

If they actually thought this through, they'd realize it'd probably be a *bad* thing to never see an employee shop there as well, for a variety of reasons.

[Food Lady]

We run into that. And management will straight-out say, "She's a customer right now" and just walk off. To the SC, "Is that a threat or a promise?"

[MoonCat]

Another mental/emotional two year old throws a tantrum because he can't be first. I feel sorry for his family.

[Jester]

I can't tell you how often I run into bar customers on the street, and they say something to the effect of, "Hey, aren't you supposed to be at The Bar?"

No, I actually have a life outside my job, and am not there from open to close every day just to serve you.

To be fair, the people who say this are always friendly, always have a good impression of me and the bar, and are trying to be amusing. Still drives me a little batty.

They also will sometimes come in after I've gotten off work and see me at the bar, sitting down, drinking and/or eating, clearly off the clock. "Aren't you supposed to be serving drinks?" Same idea, different location. To reiterate the OP's post, apparently we aren't allow to partake in the wares of our employers; we are merely there to serve our Customer Overlords.

[BroSCFischer]

Somewhat like when you're school age, and you see your teacher out in public, and it strikes you as odd, because you could never picture them outside of school.

SC

[PepperElf]

you mean the employees actually have a right to shop and be customers?

they're not servants when they're not on the clock?

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

you mean the employees actually have a right to shop and be customers?

they're not servants when they're not on the clock?

I KNOW!!

Blasphemy, isn't it?

[SkullBash]

I would always love this, too. When I was punched out, had my purse and jacket on, and needed to do a minute of shopping before going home - and continue to get stopped by customers. Then endure the pissed reactions when all I could do was fetch an on-the-clock employee. I quickly learned my lesson and only shopped when I was on closing shift.

I also had a coworker tell me that they were once shopping at a completely different business before going home to change out of their uniform, and STILL they were interrupted by people looking for help. I'm sure it would be a terrific psychology experiment to see how many morons are out there who will stop you if you are in a uniform of any kind, in a store of any kind. Argh

[Jay 2K Winger]

Somewhat like when you're school age, and you see your teacher out in public, and it strikes you as odd, because you could never picture them outside of school.

SC

So very much this. I remember a Calvin & Hobbes comic that addressed this too, when Calvin's Mom mentions she'd run into Mrs. Wormwood, his teacher, at the store. Calvin was shocked. "I thought she slept in a coffin until September."