'HERE'S THE CARD SINCE YOU'RE THE GENIUS HERE!': Grouchy customer gets put in his place after berating his cashier, getting a step-by-step tutorial on how to use a credit card

Author image for Jesse Kessenheimer
Jesse Kessenheimer • Writer and Editor
Nov 20, 2023 10:00 AM EST

When contactless payment first came out (you know, the tap credit cards), retail workers had a field day trying to teach every customer how to use their new credit card. In American, that was back in 2014– almost a decade ago –yet there are still countless folks who have resisted learning how to use this "emerging" technology. Something that was invented to make things easier for everybody has actually overcomplicated every transaction and nearly every interaction a retail employee endures on a daily basis. As if retail employees didn't have enough nonsense to deal with in the workplace…

Add as a preferred
source on Google
Advertisement
  • 01
    "It really isn't that difficult"
    via u/canva

  • Learning about the changes in technology can be frustrating, but when it comes to the tech required to make purchases at the store, that's one thing that everyone's obligated to figure out right away. But according to those resistant to change, it's the responsibility of your minimum wage cashier to teach you how to use your own dang credit card. 

  • Right now, we all know that retail workers everywhere are already doomed to listen to the same Christmas playlist on loop for the next two months, but according to a cashier called u/NoPie420, it gets far worse than that. What could be worse than Mariah Carey on loop? Teaching grouchy Boomers how to use a tap credit card. Scroll for this cashier's lament on the absurdities endured from behind the counter. 

  • 02
    r/retailhell. Posted by u/NoPie420 Please learn to use your cards. A couple days ago I had a grumpy old guy come through my line. I ring up his items and he goes to pay with his debit card. He puts the
    via u/NoPie420
  • 03
    card into the machine, and his chip malfunctions. The pinpad tells him to remove it. "Insert card...remove card....which one is it?" He asks me. "What does it say on your end?" I ask.
    via u/NoPie420
  • 04
    "Insert." "Then you'll want to insert it." *card error sound* "It says to remove it." "Yeah, it's not working. Go ahead and take it out."
    via u/NoPie420
  • 05
    The old guy grumbles something under his breath. "Does your card have a tap function?" I ask. The old guy raises his voice at me. "I DON'T KNOW!" He shoves the card at me. "HERE'S THE CARD, SINCE YOU'RE THE GENIUS HERE!"
    via u/NoPie420
  • 06
    I take the card from him, irritated. I look for the tap symbol (it has it), and hold it on the corner of the pinpad. It goes through successfully. "TA-DA!" I exclaim, shoving the card back at him. He looks embarrassed.
    via u/NoPie420
  • 07
    Please learn to use your cards, folks. It really isn't that difficult. And if you're going to choose to remain ignorant, don't take it out on someone who's just doing their job.
    via u/NoPie420
  • 08
    Hannerlore 2 days ago I saw a guy once try to do the tap feature, but was just quickly pressing his card to the reader and pulling it back several times. More like tap dancing with the card.
    via u/Hannerlore
  • 09
    I was behind him in line and the cashier was helping him (which I get, I would really care either on that side of the counter), so I spoke up and told him he had to hold it there for it to work. In true guy fashion he was like "yeah, I know"
    via u/Hannerlore
  • 10
    claudemoon 2 days ago Customers really hear the word tap and think it means the card reader will work after one millisecond of contact. I usually have to tell them tap and hold for like two seconds and it'll go through
    via u/claudemoon
  • 11
    Jujubeesknees 1 day ago "but all the readers are so difficult! why cant they all just be the same?!" /s i have had some old man customers say "oh i meed to be patient??" in a disbelief/sarcastic tone of im sorry, i need to just be patient
    via u/Jujubeesknees
  • 12
    Sudden Bid_1776 - 2 days ago Bro the amount of frustration I feel every time I see a customer just tap tap tap the card and just look dumbfounded that it didn't take. LIKE JUST HOLD IT THERE FOR 2 SECONDS i. It's worse when they just do it all over the place even though there's a light that pops up where you're supposed to put it just jshdjejdv
    via u/Sudden_Bid_1776
  • 13
    Vixen242 1 day ago i don't understand because it's like they've never used their cards before...?
    via u/Vixen420
  • 14
    mspuscifer 1 day ago I was just complaining about this the other day! I got my first debit card when I was 18 and now I'm 42. They're not new, but older people act like the card is some alien object that fell out of the sky 5 minutes ago. Its not a rubics cube ffs, figure it out!
    via u/Mspuscifer
  • 15
    imgdsgrl 2 days ago And then I the ones that hold it there until after the I had them the receipt.... how is this so difficult 6 Reply Share InevitableRhubarb232 2 days ago Because we grew up and did young adulthood with cash and writing checks. I'm 40something and I hate tap
    via u/imgdsgrl
  • 16
    imgdsgrl 2 days ago That is fair, but I'm still annoyed that some people just don't even seem to hear me try to help 8 Reply Share InevitableRhubarb232. 2 days ago That also is fair.
    via u/imgdsgrl
  • 17
    aniibanani 2 days ago when the old people come up to the register and immediately slap their card down as if im the one who's supposed to be doing it for them 65 Reply Share foldingsawhorse - 2 days ago sometimes I prefer this because then I can do it right the first time
    via u/aniibananai
  • 18
    InevitableRhubarb232 2 days ago Because for the majority of their life that's how you did it. for the majority of MY life that's how you did it. You hand the card to the cashier or set it on the counter for them. I mean, these old people may have been doing that for 60+ years before the whole "the customer swipes the card" change happened.
    via u/InevitableRhubardb232
  • 19
    ununrealrealman - 21 hr. ago Not an excuse anymore. Stores have been doing customer-side card readers for the better part of my life and I'm 22. That's 10-15 years to learn it.
    via u/ununrealrealman
  • 20
    PR sxdcapricorn 2 days ago my favorite is, "it's saying to take it out!" * continues to stare at machine while it angrily beeps at them* ...THEN TAKE IT OUT. i stg some people act like it's their first time being let out of the house
    via u/sxdcapricorn

Want More? Follow Us and Add Us as a Preferred Source on Google.

Scroll Down For The Next Article