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Change Vultures
Someone who comes to the store with no intention of making a purchase, but expecting the clerk to make change like a bank. I generally refuse to open the drawer for any reason except customer purchases or safe drops. There is no other valid reason I can see for a store clerk to have the drawer open, and management does monitor the number of no sales registered per shift. So, I tell anyone who asks in plain English that I only give change for purchases. I will, however, allow an occasional exception for regulars or people wanting change for the air machine or payphone.
So, I get this guy in my line yesterday during one of the rushes. All he wants is to trade a $20 bill in for a $10 and two $5 bills or four $5 bills. I'd already shut the drawer since the customer in line before him, so I tell him that I'll see what I can do next time I open the drawer. He just stands there looking expectantly at me until I finally ask him to move aside so the next customer can come up. He grudgingly moves aside, just barely, sighing to let me know that he's put out because I won't just open the drawer for his change request. I really don't give a crap, though, as I ignore the hoofstamp dance he's doing.
The next customer steps up to the counter, and I ring her up without incident. I take her money, give her change, and she goes on her way. The change vulture barely give her time to get out of the line before he scoots back in front of the customer behind her, and demandingly blurts out his request again as he tossed his $20 bill on the counter. I quickly evaluate what's in my drawer, and notice I only have three $5 bills. I offer him two $10 bills for the $20.
He acts put out, and starts whining that he needs $5 bills more than he needs $10 bills. He even tries to lean forward to look into the drawer as if he has the right to second guess my offer. I push the drawer almost closed, and restate that two $10 bills is all I can offer, take it or leave it. He rolls his eyes, muttering, "Fine, but that doesn't help."
I just shrug and snatch up his $20 bill, throw two $10 bills on the counter, and shut the drawer without another word to him. He storms off almost shoving his way through the line of customers waiting at the other register. The customer behind him made a comment about the nerve of some people, and we both laughed about it. I just commented to her that jerks like him aren't important enough to ruin my day.
We're greedy because we don't give out plastic utensils
This is a complaint I'm hearing more frequently. Like most c-stores, we have a small grocery section with things like tuna salad kits, vienna sausages, canned soups and stews, etc. Of course, we also have the pre-packaged microwaveable sandwiches. We also have pints of ice cream in our freezer. The one thing these foods have in common is that you need utensils of some kind to eat them. We used to get courtesy plastic ice cream spoons, but we no longer even get those. All we have are the packages of plastic utensils for sale on the shelves.
Every so often, we get someone wanting plastic utensils for food they purchased. I used to direct them to the ice cream spoons when we had those since they were free. Now, all I can tell them is that we have the boxes of plastic utensils for sale on the shelves. The people who grumble that they don't want to have to pay for plastic utensils just grate on my nerves!!! First of all, I didn't ask what you want. I just offered the best suggestion at my disposal based on your request. Don't whine to me because you're too cheap to buy a set of utensils, or not smart enough to keep your own utensils handy. As for me, I usually bring my lunch (and my own utensils from home to eat it). I could grumble that we don't have any fresh brewed tea, which I much prefer over bottled tea, but instead I just buy tea bags and bring a ziploc baggie of them with my lunch to brew my own iced tea by the cup at work.
Even so, we get a few whiners who carry on about it like we're expected to furnish plastic utensils as a courtesy in the same way fast food restaurants do. Sometimes, if I or one of the other clerks decide to bring take out, we might leave the extra napkins, utensils, condiment packets, etc., in a box we keep in the supply cabinet for such odds and ends. However, it's hit or miss what's in there. I usually leave whatever can be reused like that in there for just in case, but others may take it, too. The point is that it just really drives me nuts that people whine about something so stupid rather than just buying a box of utensils, saving what they don't use then for later, and moving on with life. I guess because that's what I would do, I would think everyone else might also.
Here's what inspired this particular rant, the manager had a cup of yogurt she'd just finished yesterday. She'd brought her own spoon (her actual everyday silverware from home, not plastic), and a customer wanted to know if he could have it when she was done so he could eat a can of soup. She told him it was hers, and pointed him to the boxes of plastic utensils. He refused to buy the utensils, and left in a huff. A few days ago, I had a guy whining around for five minutes before he finally left (after I got tired of hearing him and told him to get a life) because he bought a pint of ice cream, and we had no ice cream spoons for him. I told him there were utensils on the shelf, but he didn't want to buy them.
Someone who comes to the store with no intention of making a purchase, but expecting the clerk to make change like a bank. I generally refuse to open the drawer for any reason except customer purchases or safe drops. There is no other valid reason I can see for a store clerk to have the drawer open, and management does monitor the number of no sales registered per shift. So, I tell anyone who asks in plain English that I only give change for purchases. I will, however, allow an occasional exception for regulars or people wanting change for the air machine or payphone.
So, I get this guy in my line yesterday during one of the rushes. All he wants is to trade a $20 bill in for a $10 and two $5 bills or four $5 bills. I'd already shut the drawer since the customer in line before him, so I tell him that I'll see what I can do next time I open the drawer. He just stands there looking expectantly at me until I finally ask him to move aside so the next customer can come up. He grudgingly moves aside, just barely, sighing to let me know that he's put out because I won't just open the drawer for his change request. I really don't give a crap, though, as I ignore the hoofstamp dance he's doing.
The next customer steps up to the counter, and I ring her up without incident. I take her money, give her change, and she goes on her way. The change vulture barely give her time to get out of the line before he scoots back in front of the customer behind her, and demandingly blurts out his request again as he tossed his $20 bill on the counter. I quickly evaluate what's in my drawer, and notice I only have three $5 bills. I offer him two $10 bills for the $20.
He acts put out, and starts whining that he needs $5 bills more than he needs $10 bills. He even tries to lean forward to look into the drawer as if he has the right to second guess my offer. I push the drawer almost closed, and restate that two $10 bills is all I can offer, take it or leave it. He rolls his eyes, muttering, "Fine, but that doesn't help."
I just shrug and snatch up his $20 bill, throw two $10 bills on the counter, and shut the drawer without another word to him. He storms off almost shoving his way through the line of customers waiting at the other register. The customer behind him made a comment about the nerve of some people, and we both laughed about it. I just commented to her that jerks like him aren't important enough to ruin my day.
We're greedy because we don't give out plastic utensils
This is a complaint I'm hearing more frequently. Like most c-stores, we have a small grocery section with things like tuna salad kits, vienna sausages, canned soups and stews, etc. Of course, we also have the pre-packaged microwaveable sandwiches. We also have pints of ice cream in our freezer. The one thing these foods have in common is that you need utensils of some kind to eat them. We used to get courtesy plastic ice cream spoons, but we no longer even get those. All we have are the packages of plastic utensils for sale on the shelves.
Every so often, we get someone wanting plastic utensils for food they purchased. I used to direct them to the ice cream spoons when we had those since they were free. Now, all I can tell them is that we have the boxes of plastic utensils for sale on the shelves. The people who grumble that they don't want to have to pay for plastic utensils just grate on my nerves!!! First of all, I didn't ask what you want. I just offered the best suggestion at my disposal based on your request. Don't whine to me because you're too cheap to buy a set of utensils, or not smart enough to keep your own utensils handy. As for me, I usually bring my lunch (and my own utensils from home to eat it). I could grumble that we don't have any fresh brewed tea, which I much prefer over bottled tea, but instead I just buy tea bags and bring a ziploc baggie of them with my lunch to brew my own iced tea by the cup at work.
Even so, we get a few whiners who carry on about it like we're expected to furnish plastic utensils as a courtesy in the same way fast food restaurants do. Sometimes, if I or one of the other clerks decide to bring take out, we might leave the extra napkins, utensils, condiment packets, etc., in a box we keep in the supply cabinet for such odds and ends. However, it's hit or miss what's in there. I usually leave whatever can be reused like that in there for just in case, but others may take it, too. The point is that it just really drives me nuts that people whine about something so stupid rather than just buying a box of utensils, saving what they don't use then for later, and moving on with life. I guess because that's what I would do, I would think everyone else might also.
Here's what inspired this particular rant, the manager had a cup of yogurt she'd just finished yesterday. She'd brought her own spoon (her actual everyday silverware from home, not plastic), and a customer wanted to know if he could have it when she was done so he could eat a can of soup. She told him it was hers, and pointed him to the boxes of plastic utensils. He refused to buy the utensils, and left in a huff. A few days ago, I had a guy whining around for five minutes before he finally left (after I got tired of hearing him and told him to get a life) because he bought a pint of ice cream, and we had no ice cream spoons for him. I told him there were utensils on the shelf, but he didn't want to buy them.
Thats just over the top rude!
It's good to be prepared.
"You'd feel a Hell of a lot better if you'd just rip into the occasional customer." 
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