Thanks for the "Help"

[Misty]

It's ironic that some of my most annoying customers are the ones who are just trying to "help." For example, there are two spoon wells built into the counter in front of the register, so that customers can help themselves to our plastic spoons. Both are labeled Spoons - No Garbage Please. Of course, that doesn't always stop people from throwing their used napkins and sampler cups in there, but hey, we gotta try, right? Right.

The other day a woman came up to the counter to pay and said, "oops, it looks like someone threw some trash in here with the spoons. I'll just get rid of them for you." She then grabbed about 15-20 spoons (all of which looked clean) and dumped them in the trash on their way out. I didn't notice her taking any trash out of the spoon well, so I assumed she'd generously saved the best part for me. I walked around the counter and looked into the well. Want to know what was in there?

A freakin' receipt. That's all. It wasn't stained or even crumpled into a ball. And the rest of the well was clean and dry.

I never got your name, good samaritan, but if you're reading this I just want to thank you for your good deed. I was worried that our little yogurt shop wasn't producing nearly enough garbage and that all of those poor people who work at the town dump would lose their jobs. But that will never happen as long as people like you keep up the good work. Kudos!

[cashierbex]

Its the thought that counts? Oh people need to let the people who are paid to do it just do it.

I've had people "help" me carry heavy things when they were making it worse for me. Thanks, but no thanks. I can handle it. I'm stronger than I look.

[camjuniper]

We get the "I'll just reshelve this for you" people. Some are fine; they know how the alphabet & dewey decimal system work. Others? Must be by memory or color or height or who knows what. Very helpful. Keeps our page in shelf reading instead of shelving.

[EricKei]

I have found one too many packages of raw meat or formerly-cold dairy products that customers have helpfully reshelved in amongst the canned foods or soft drinks, respectively. It's even better when they HIDE (often partially- or fully-consumed) packages of food behind other items...Fruits and chips got this treatment quite often.

[Lovecats]

I found a cold wrapped and uneaten McD's hamburger in a plastic container in Home Storage once. I jokingly said that if they were going to leave me a hamburger next time I wanted it hot!

[sms001]

At the c-store the worst "helpers" were the coffee spillers. Hey, it happens. Thousands of cups go through there every day, one or two are gonna go awry. D. and I even had a little routine for it. But without fail, the first thing a spiller did was grab for the paper napkins - by the fist full. I realize they're not thinking about it, but very wasteful, and not all that helpful.