"I would like the card PASSED to me properly!" and other sandwich shop nonsense

[Jay 2K Winger]

I prefer Spider Jerusalem's take on weapons.

Remember to set it to "prolapse"!

One of my favorite Spider Jerusalem quotes:

Did you ever want to set someone's head on fire, just to see what it looked like? Did you ever stand in the street and think to yourself, I could make that nun go blind just by giving her a kiss? Did you ever lay out plans for stitching babies and stray cats into a Perfect New Human? Did you ever stand naked surrounded by people who want your gleaming sperm, squirting frankincense, soma and testosterone from every pore? If so, then you're the bastard who stole my drugs Friday night. And I'll find you. Oh, yes.

[Caractacus_Potts]

Anyway, re: sliding the card back. I always give the card,change, whatever back the way it was handed to me. If the customer slid it across the counter, then I slide it across the counter too. It's completely passive aggressive of me.

I did this when I was in retail and I never considered it passive aggressive; on the contrary I always considered it exemplary service.

I know there are people with phobias about germs and touching people and just because I do not have this fear does not invalidate it for other people. When someone put money or a card on the counter I would always assume that they would prefer to receive the change and receipt sent back to them in the same manner.

Just being a good employee and considerate human being.

Me: Sorry, I wasn't trying to be rude about it.
SC: Well you were. I prefer having my card placed back in my hand.
Me: Ok
(at this point there is a pause. His card is still sitting on the counter)
SC: I said I prefer to have the card PLACED IN MY HAND. <makes a motion towards card>
Me: (I suddenly realized what he wanted...and begrudgingly handed him the card)
SC: There, now was that so hard? Just start doing that for everybody and maybe you'll be treated a little better.

Do you think his head would have exploded if you had responded, "Actually some people prefer to have the card handed to them like you, some people prefer not to have the card handed to them and the majority do not care. If I were to do what you suggest it would make you and people who feel like you happy but then the people who DON'T want the card handed to them would be upset. It would really help me out if people who feel very strongly about this issue would wear a sign around their neck expressing their specific desire in this matter. Unlike customers I actually read signs."

Also to the people who try pay me with $100s when I can clearly see you have smaller bills in your fold:

I loathe you...deeply

I occasionally have a hundred. I never assume that a place will break it. I always ask, "Can you break a hundred?" before I hand it to them and, yes, I will use a hundred even if I have smaller bills in some situations. If I am in a supermarket I figure the odds are better that they have enough cash to break the bill so I will ask even if I have smaller bills in my wallet. I do this so that I don't wind up in a situation where I am in a little mom&pop store with only a $100 bill left in my wallet.

[Bright_Star]

IF they want their damn card back then what's so hard about picking it up themselves? I had an issue similar to that one a while back at Wal-Mart when I was a cashier there. Customer told me to give it back to him the way he gave it to me & I basically said..."No, you can pick it up there on the counter. I'm not your slave" So he went & complained to an assistant manager & I got read the riot act over that one. Maybe I could have handled that situation different but he was being snotty about it.

[Dave1982]

OK, we get it. Some of us prefer to have the card handed back. Let's move past that and focus on the SC aspects of the tale, which are plentiful.

[ShootMePlease]

I find it very rude when someone slides my card back to me. Then again, I put my card or cash in their hand, because I'm not an asshole. If he handed you the card, he deserved the same in return.

As far as $100 bills go, you need to have signage that clearly states you will not accept bills larger than whatever denomination you choose. Yes, I know customers won't read it, but no one can argue with you when you point out said sign to them.

[Andara Bledin]

Spider Robinson - Disgusting weapons

Spider Robinson? Or Spider Jerusalem?

Both awesome in their own ways, but very, very different.

^-.-^

[emax4]

BTW, I'm not fully against having a card slid to me if I were a regular customer. It would make me feel like I was "in" enough that the business or staff would know me (almost as if I pop in and hear, "hey Eric! Your usual today?"). Some customers just feel entitled though. It's one thing to let a customer know that your place and the attitude is casual, but it's wrong for the customer to take it way out of line .

[thansal]

But a slingshit would be so much more fun... Or a snotgun...

Spider Robinson - Disgusting weapons

I prefer Spider Jerusalem's take on weapons.

I never had the Benjamin problem. My old retail joints were electronics ($100s are normal), and a small ice cream place in a college town where EVERYTHING was payed for with $20s. It did mean that I would periodically have to go buy smaller bills with a massive wad of $20s.

[Catwoman2965]

I have 1000's not very often, and the only time I will use them is at the grocery store, BUT I will ask first if its ok, if not, I pay by debit, and then...wait for it....GO to the bank myself and deposit the 100's in my account!!! (I dog and house sit and they always pay me in 50's and 100's)

[dalesys]

*hands crazedclerk a slingshot*

But a slingshit would be so much more fun... Or a snotgun...

Spider Robinson - Disgusting weapons

[chainedbarista]

SC: Well you were. I prefer having my card placed back in my hand.

*hands crazedclerk a slingshot*

don't get me started on the $100's.

[ArcticChicken]

One day I was working the customer service counter, by myself, I had a line a billion people long, and I was doing this woman's Western Union. I'm running about as fast as I can, so when she pays for it I put the change infront of her on the counter, cause she wasn't really paying much attention to me, and run of to send the damn thing. Bitch made me pick up her change and hand it to her. I didn't know I could make "Thank you, have a nice day!" mean "Fuck off and die" before.

[TowelKing]

OP: In the customers defense, I find it rude when I hand a CSR my card/cash etc (or ID for CC verification), as it strikes me as common courtesy. However, how he responded to it was out of line and childish.
Re: the customer with $100 bills: I try not to pay with them, but oftentimes I get paid with them, and if I don't have enough money in the bank to cover the purchase I'm forced to use one. But I don't buy small shit with them, and I usually ask first.

[emax4]

I kinda get where the guy with the credit card was coming from, considering some of the complaints I've read here about customers putting payment on the counter instead of just handing it to the cashier. And sliding the card could damage the magnetic strip of the card if there is dirt or other debris on the counter top.

But the customer did NOT have to be an absolute asshat about it. There was no call for him to be snide about it. A "in the future, I would prefer you to hand me the card" would have been sufficient, and the "maybe you'll be treated better comment" was completely uncalled for.

I agree on this one too. I've never had a card slid back to me, nor have a slid my card to a cashier. What if it falls in a crack and can't be retrieved? If the majority of regular customers are ok with sliding cards that's one thing, but new customers may want regular (non-casual) treatment.

[simplyanother]

The other day my mother was checking out at Wally World and her total came to $101 plus change. My mother handed the woman a hundred dollar bill and two ones. The woman hands the hundred back and says " I'm sorry I can't break this" My mom and I just kind of gave her the WTF face and she took a minute to figure it out.

I've had those days, where it takes a bit for things to click... and it becomes an "oooh duh" sort of moment.

Anyway, re: sliding the card back. I always give the card,change, whatever back the way it was handed to me. If the customer slid it across the counter, then I slide it across the counter too. It's completely passive aggressive of me. "Ha! You ignored my hand that was waiting for your tender? Then I shall ignore your hand that is waiting for your change and your receipt!"

it's the only little bit of power I have.

regarding pronunciations: Cricut is ...pronounced Cricket. Vellum is not pronounced valium. Mod Podge is not pronounced Hodge Podge.
But, if you say any of those things to me, I'll show you where they are and wont mock you until you're out of ear shot. And regarding pronouncing things the way they are said by people who've been screwing up the word for years, vs the way they are pronounced in their country of origin, again...eh. So long as I can figure it out, I don't care. Hopefully, people understand.


I just want everyone to only mock me out of ear shot too. heh