Unintentional(?) Insult

[TattooedMommie]

(BG: cashier at grocery store)
So a woman comes to my register the other day, and as I am ringing her out, she leans in and asks conspiratorily "When you start off as a cashier, how much do they pay you?"
I answered "Oh, minumum wage" in a friendly "wouldn't you know it?" kind of way, with a smile, and continued ringing.
She goes on to tell me "Well, I work in the <totally unrelated to retail> industry, and I only make <many more dollars than I> per hour, and I'll tell ya, it's just so stressful, I figured maybe I'd try a place like this. I mean, how stressful can THIS job be?"

I just chuckled and said "Oh, there are some days...har har"

but she went on, "No, really, I mean, you get to just stand here all day and ring people out. How hard can THAT be?"

I just smiled and finished her transaction. But REALLY? I just stand there all day?
And get yelled at, barked at, ordered around, talked down to, blamed for every issue in the store, insulted, hit-on by scuzzballs, I've had people throw things at me, hand me drippy, snotty tissues to throw away...all with a smile on my face, and "have a nice day!"

Yeah, lady, this job is a breeze. You'd be wise to take a huge pay-cut to come stand here with me all day, no stress at all in the retail world! *smh*

[Evannah]

I hate that! People think we have it sooo easy! I've had people tell me, when I complain about work, "But you work in a shop, it can't be THAT hard!"

Er... okay.

[Jay 2K Winger]

The appropriate response to that "You have it so easy!" is to tell them, "Then feel free to pick up an application at the front desk!"

Let them get the job and then see what they say.

[drjonah]

I HATE that 'stereotype' that cashiers are just mindless sheep who stand around all day. This morning I had THREE different people come up to the register and immediately yell out 'HELLO?????'

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

Nah, give her my job. It pays slightly better (but not by much) and all you do is pick stuff up and put it down again. Easy.

[notalwaysright]

I'd bet this was an intentional insult, some kind of passive aggressive way of lording it over you about her higher pay. Although I guess the stereotype that minimum wage jobs are easy, la de da snoozefests, still holds strong. Like on You've Got Mail when Tom Hanks character yells at the cashier in the cash only line until she took the credit card. Hate hate hate.

[Bright_Star]

People who've never worked a day in their life as a cashier have no idea what it takes. There's more to it than just ringing stuff up. You also have to keep your mouth shut when people start yelling at you & you can't defend yourself like you normally would.

[MoonCat]

It's just like in a call center job where people that have never done this sort of job assume that it's easy. At the end of the day I am just as exhausted as I was when I was managing a Way of the Sub but with my feet less sore.

"But you just talk on the phone all day!"

Yep. Been told that.

[DGoddessChardonnay]

The appropriate response to that "You have it so easy!" is to tell them, "Then feel free to pick up an application at the front desk!"

Let them get the job and then see what they say.

They wouldn't last a full shift, most of 'em. I've told more than one over the years who made comments along those lines or wanted to complain about the long lines that we are accepting applications if they (or anyone they know of) would like a job.

Perfect response without coming across as rude.

[MelindaJoy77]

I really, really need to tell people we're hiring now....because we are! Especially for cashiers!

For me, it is mentally exhausting to have to talk to people and put up with their rude and/or stupid ways all day. Sure, I get some awesome customers (actually a regular couple that I like came through my line today so that made me smile to talk to them), but the awesome ones are few and far between. I've done work on my feet for several hours a day before, more physical stuff than being a cashier, so I knew that part going in. It's still not as easy as it looks. Especially after lifting cases of water/bags of dog food/giant jugs of laundry detergent/etc. all day long.

Oh there are a million little things I could list out for any customer if they REALLY wanted to know

[simplyanother]

She must be blind, not to see all the abuse that cashier's get. Which they aren't evenly remotely compensated well for.
WTF is up with people asking how much you make in retail? It's so fucking rude.

We'd get the "oh, this would be sooo much fun" people at the craft store. Then, they'd actually get a job there and find out that we had to do actual work. And that craft supplies come in heavy boxes. Oh, and that you could "spend [your] whole paycheck" there, but not because it was so awesome, but because you would get so few hours, that you could blow it all on a stick of gum...

AT the grocery store, I know that the cashiers start out at just above minimum wage, and that the people who work in the fresh departments start out making slightly more, but hell if I know how much, and hell if it's any of my business to ask the cashiers.

[MoonCat]

We'd get the "oh, this would be sooo much fun" people at the craft store.

I imagine that's true at bookstores, too. I used to fantasize about owning one, but it's very likely so much work that I'd never have time to read any of the damn books...

[Kaibutsu]

She must be blind, not to see all the abuse that cashiers get.

She's too busy heaping abuse on the 'lesser people' to wonder if they ever have feelings. Her question was brought up only to brag about her pay. You could bet your entire check she'd crumble into a heap by the end of a full shift.

My best friend and I started working as dishwashers in a busy Baltimore restaurant. Nasty, hot work. A very privileged friend [never worked, Mom bought him everything, all the new clothes/shoes] got hired there... and was in literal tears less than halfway through the night. My bud had to take over his shift so he could leave.

[workerbee222]

My best friend and I started working as dishwashers in a busy Baltimore restaurant. Nasty, hot work. A very privileged friend [never worked, Mom bought him everything, all the new clothes/shoes] got hired there... and was in literal tears less than halfway through the night. My bud had to take over his shift so he could leave.

A sometime customer "auditioned" for a dishwasher spot at the nicest restaurant in town...and didn't get the job. I've never worked at a restaurant so I don't know (literally no idea) what's involved. A pal of mine works at the same place. He helps the management vet some of the potential employees. It's a nice enough restaurant that if you have some experience waiting tables, you may start by bussing them at this place. One bus person quit after one night. "All I do is clean up after other people" she exclaimed. Well, I've eaten at enough restaurants so even I know...that's what the bus people do.

I cashiered at the Wall of Mart on Christmas season. I wished I could write, because the title would have been Christmas at ___: One hundred Days at America's Most Reviled Retailer. I was hired as a cashier, and could not for the life of me handle anything out of the ordinary at the terminal. EBT cards with not enough money on them, terminal acting funky, progress at my line would grind to a halt...while the 19-year-old customer service rep was called over to resolve the issue. Hauling gallons of milk and sacks of dog food across the scanner were doing a job on my wrists and elbows. I have to say I was treated okay, though, by the company. The customers...that's another story.

[taxguykarl]

Brings to mind the interviewee in the first (last panel)
Retail.