Those totally awesome customers you get

[Zell]

Tell us about the good customers you get; you know, the ones that are hysterical or give you good tips on things.

I love talking to the educated ones. You know, the ones that you can say, "Ah, so you've read Tradition and the Individual Talent by T.S. Eliot. I personally think the most interesting part is on page 41...etc." It's great to not have to talk to a dumbass.

Sometimes people will ask if we give teacher discounts, to which I unfortunately have to say no but also always seem to ask what they teach. If it's a math teacher I always ask them if they can help me really fast on a math test for that week

Really funny people are great, too. They don't seem to care how you specifically ring up their order, they just want it done and don't complain. Then they always joke with you and are great to talk to.

What're your favorites?

[JustADude]

My all-time favorite would be the couple that made their living selling used games on E-Bay, at flea markets, etc. I worked at Blockbuster when they unveiled the whole trade-in thing, before they thought up the rule about limiting transaction sizes and not doing trade-ins for resellers.

Because there was no policy against it, and they asked first, the DM let them trade in all their older stock. They spread it out over the various stores in the area, and over a period of several weeks, so everybody got a little love and, apparently, my store (specifically ME, since I always seemed to get them) was the only one where they could competently handle trade transactions. Because of that, I actually got 'tipped' a couple free games.

They were trading in like 150-200 titles and just said the above about the stores and told me to grab a couple out of the stack for my trouble. Nobody ever told me I couldn't accept tips, so I made sure the MoD knew what was happening and grabbed a couple quirky PS2 games that looked cool but I'd never heard of. Mad Maestro was unexpectedly good, by the way.

[PizzaBoy]

I had this one guy who came into Domino's every Saturday and ordered the same thing every week. It was two large pizzas, both thin crust, pepperoni, TRIPLE sauce, and no cut. It was a weird order, but he always ordered it. He had been a customer for years and always ordered the same thing, had exact change, and talked to everyone like we were friends. It was a pleasure having him as a customer.

[Marxfan]

One time, at my McDonald's job, a woman complained the coffee wasn't hot. Actually, it wasn't spoken like a complaint, more like a simple comment (that's right, no whining or ranting or the like). I apologized and told her that we had some pots brewing in the back, and asked her if she'd like a hot cup. She said, in the warmest, sweetest voice,
"I'd love a hot cup!"

So I gave her a head of hot coffee, handed it to her, and she (ready for this?) thanked me. A sincere "thank you", too. That sweet customer made my day like you wouldn't believe.

[bigjimaz]

The grocery store I used to work at is in a small (1,800 people) town. You see the same people all the time and quickly learn which ones are sucky and which ones aren't. It was Christmas time, 2004. Our store was busy as the elves. I was working express. A regular customer whom I had waited on earlier in the day, walks up to the checkout at about 5 minutes until closing with flour, pecans and chocolate chips. I joked with her that I knew what she was doing with what she bought and asked her if she forgot these when she was in the store earlier of if she just didn't know she was going to need them. In the short time it took to check her out she told me that she was making pecan-raisin-chocolate chip cookies as a late request from her grandson who was coming to her house after changing his plans to go somewhere else. I simply told her that I could already taste them just from the description and she reminded me of my grandma because she would have done the same thing.

Whan I got to work on Christmas eve there was a giftwrapped box with about 2½ dozen pecan-raisin-chocolate chip cookies and a note that said Thank you, Merry Christmas.

[Zinjadu]

i still remember him

About 15 years ago, there was a widowed old guy that used to bake stuff and bring it in to the store for us every Sunday morning. Most of the time it was still warm, too. He was such a sweet old guy. We were all really sad when he passed away. And not just cuz we missed the goodies.

[FuzzyKitten99]

When I worked at McDonalds, there was this elderly couple (Ward & June) that would come in every Sunday, which I also worked. We all knew them, and they always ordered ice cream cones and coffee.

Through the 6 years that I worked at McD's (thru high school & after as a 2nd job), I got to know them very well, and sadly watched over the few short years as Ward was robbed of his life from Alzheimer's, and June calling us to tell us he had passed away. The ones who were able to make it (about 7 of us), went to his funeral. We gave her free coffee for about 3 months (with manager approval) until she insisted on paying for it and would not leave the counter until we took the money (in the "firm but loving" grandma style).

I haven't worked there since 2001, so I don't know what has become of June. Maybe I will stop in one Sunday and see if she comes. My step-mom is still general manager there, but she doesn't work sundays (unless she's called in).

[ShinyGreenApple]

I had several favorites that I enjoyed waiting on at the evil smiley face place. One of them was Gene, an elderly man that came in nearly every day, bought a bag of Wint-O-Green Lifesaver candies, and then walked the store handing them out to employees and asking them how they were doing. His favorite stint with cashiers was to come up behind us (only after he knew we knew who he was), make a 'gun' with his hand and poke us in the back whilst saying "Gimmie all your money!" then he'd laugh and give us the candy. Recently he walked into the store I'm now working at and recognized me As far as I know, he's still roaming Wallyworld as well.

Another was a guy I always referred to as Midnight. Saw him mostly when I worked the tobacco register; he always came in and bought two packs of Midnight Special rolling tobacco. He wasn't the cleanliest, most well-kept of people, but he never smelled and was never rude outside the weird way of flirting that older men have. One time he observed a man at my register asking me "Do you date married men?" and got extremely peeved at the guy and got onto him for being so disrespectful.

[k66]

I worked as a red shirter in the Music, Movies, and Games department and had a few regulars. The two I can remember was a middle aged man who would stroll up to my department while getting his car worked on to chat about kung fu movies. He raved about watching "Godzilla" being played live at a concert. He hardly every bought any movies but was really pleasant to chat with. Especially with all the SCs we got.

Another guy we helped out joked that he would bring us candy the next time he shopped. We all just laughed. The next week he showed up with three boxes of chocolate covered macadamia nuts for the workers that helped him.

Now that I work in a restaurant, there's so much more regulars. I have a family who would dine at the previous restaurant I worked at come in and request me as their server [even if I'm bartending]. And of course all the awesome guests who work in the office building we're located in.

[JustaCashier]

On a recent day, I had a senior Gentleman come through my line with a small purchase. We were wrapping the transaction up, when his wife walked up and complained to him "...they don't have the brush I need!"

She wasn't really loud or obnoxious, just po'd that we didn't have the exact item she wanted. In some instsances like that, I'll ask the customer if they asked someone in the department, but for whatever reason, I didn't in this case. Most people will answer "yes" anyway, maybe I was afraid she'd bite my head off.

Neither the husband or I said much of anything to her, we just watched her do her little rant. After she was finished, she headed towards the door. At that point, the husband turns back to me, and winks and smiles, then heads for the door himself.

I laughed, and thought "you poor old fart, you have to live with that!

Mike

[HellPuppi]

My favorite customer was a lady that would come in every few weeks when I worked as a cashier at Savers (a thrift store). She was a very sweet old lady. She even said "You're such a smart girl! Why are you working here?", and actually MEANT it! She'd occasionally bug me about getting into college as well. She almost made up for the 4,000 other idiot regulars we had.