Someone explain this to me

[Food Lady]

and I don't mean that in a critical manner. It really perplexes me. I'm in cafe tonight, which I do often throughout the year, and I just had a customer be surprised that every time she's come in I have been in the cafe, or at least the last few times. I'm not sure why that would be of concern to someone. I mean, when I go to my fave store, I usually do get waited on by the same girl, most every time. It's....her job. If she's a cashier, she's going to be cashiering, I expect. I don't get why it's significant that a front-end employee would be....on the front end. ???

[XCashier]

I think the problem is that most people with this mindset have never, ever worked in a customer service position. They don't consider it a "real job" (ie white-collar office worker) and don't understand that we do, indeed, get paid for working at the store, therefore, we are there several days a week.

Or perhaps they're just thick as bricks.

[sms001]

Maybe it's a back-handed compliment - she's surprised because she thinks someone as on-the-ball as you will be called on to work all over the store? Or, the first time or two she came in you were in Department X, and that's where you should be? Or, damn it, you've got me trying to parse sucktomer logic, in clear violation of Rule 3, and now my head hurts and I don't have enough whiskey and I'm starting to wonder what you're doing in Cafe and why is that any of my business and it's my business because <return to start>

[MoonCat]

I think you have to chalk that one up to "weird customer thinking." I dunno. I got nothin'.

[Food Lady]

If anything, y'all are making me I'm thinking maybe they like me and have seen me several times, and were just trying, and failing, to say "Glad you're here when we come in because we like you."

[cindybubbles]

Because high turnover and shift work ensures that you don't see the same cashier every time you shop. She's surprised because she must have thought that you would have quit, be at home or be fired by now.

[Ghel]

Huh. I get the exact opposite thing, pretty frequently. A customer who rarely comes into the bank comes up to me and says, "I don't remember you. You must be new."

Yeah, I'm totally new. I've only been working here 14 years!

[Joyius]

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=LXfM7SPNRe8 reminded me of the first part warning:language.

[Evannah]

I've had this plenty of times. Customers, both at the charity shop and the discount store, have been amazed that I'm working a lot. Some ask me, joking I assume, if I have my own bed in the stockroom.

[BrenDAnn]

I get this all the time. I just take it as a sign that I work a lot. Either that, or the customer is having one of their rare almost-completely-awake moments.

[bainsidhe]

I occasionally have that reaction as a customer. For example I frequent a local Chinese restaurant and without fail, one woman is always always there (she's at least part owner). Doesn't matter what day of the week or what time of day, she is there from open to close, including holidays.

Perhaps your customers are wondering if you sleep in a cot in the back or if you ever go home.

[Chromatix]

It used to be that a shopkeeper's house *was* built on top of and/or around his actual shop.

Of course, that was back in the days when supermarkets didn't exist and people tended to stay in the same job for life, even passing it down to their descendants.

[Dentarthurdent]

I work second shift. People are actually dismayed and horrified to see me in the evening. They'll be like "Oh my god, you're still here? When do they let you go home?"
"...At...the end of my shift? In 20 minutes?"
"But you checked us in, and that was, like, 2 o'clock!"
"...Yes? I work 8 hours, with an hour off for lunch?"
"Oh my god, that's a lot!"
No...no it isn't.
Or they'll be shocked seeing me two days in a row.

I just...I can't. I am as baffled as you are. I guess in my job I have a higher percentage of rich people (ie I live at a tourist destination that not everyone can afford to go to), but I was fairly certain an 8-hour workday was...standard...?

[pinky]

that happens to me a lot too. I've had customers ask me and my boss if we ever get days off because they always see us friday through monday. go figure.

[Air_Stewardess]

I get this on flights sometimes, with business passengers! Even they are flying too much or I am!