'Do I look like I set the prices?': 20+ Customer complaints that retail workers never want to hear again

Author image for Remy Millisky
Remy Millisky • Writer and Editor
Jun 14, 2024 11:00 AM EDT

Cashiers are really tired of hearing the same quips over and over from their customers. They're so bored by them that they don't even react anymore. For example, a cashier will be ringing up a customer's clothes, and one of the shirts doesn't scan. They have to walk out into the store to find that item and get the right price. All the while, the customer is joking around, saying that if the shirt doesn't have a price tag on it, it must be free! Hahahaha! Isn't that just so funny and original? 

Well, no, the cashier doesn't find that joke original because they've heard it three times already today. It starts to break them down after a while: instead of just laughing, it makes them want to scream. Of course, the customers just think they're being witty and clever (although some actually do get upset that the merchandise isn't free, strangely enough). And that's just one of the many complaints that retail workers have about their worst customers. You can check them all out below. 

Next up, these single folks are revealing the funniest and least cool meals they make for themselves, like one person who "bought a head of lettuce and ate it like an apple over the sink." 

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  • 01
    ''I want to return these jeans." Exasperated employee: "Ma'am, this is a grocery store."
    via Claire Abdo on Unsplash
  • 02
    Retail/service employees, what's your least favorite kind of customer?
    via u/Notasupervillan
  • 03
    dbrianmorgan The "tornado". They come through the store, handle everything, put nothing back where it was, probably damage something, almost certainly ruin product (leaving cold items on a shelf, etc).
    via u/dbrianmorgan
  • 04
    Livvylove Middle age women who never had to work a day in their lives. So glad I am not in retail anymore.
    via u/Livvylove
  • 05
    KittyChimera Mine are the ones that talk down to you, even when you're the one who is trying to help them. It is a really big problem in tech support especially- everyone always wants to scream when everything isn't going exactly their way.
    via u/KittyChimera
  • 06
    AvadaKadabraa Ones that straight up don't believe what I'm telling them, like when I say "oh sorry they're out of stock" it doesn't mean "They aren't on the shelves because I'm hoarding everything out back for the apocalypse Brenda"
    via u/AvadaKadabraa
  • 07
    MeetMelnAzabu Used to work as a cashier and the worst for me was "the money II Me: That'll be $11.85 sir Customer: tosses a crumpled up I of cash and coins on the counter
    via u/MeetMelnAzabu
  • 08
    coloradoconvict The kind who, when we close at 10 and they walk in at 9:55 wanting service, walk out afterwards without a tip or a thank you.
    via u/coloradoconvict
  • 09
    On the flip side, had a bunch of kids come in at 9:55 last week and they ended up tipping me $20, and for that, I am HAPPY to do a little extra cleaning up and clock out a few minutes later than expected.
    via u/coloradoconvict
  • 10
    bippybup The people who hold it personally against the employee when things don't go their way. I had a lady come in before I was a manager, whose coupon wasn't for the item variation she was getting. I began to explain that I couldn't override it but I'd be happy to get a manager, when she cut me off and started
    via u/bippybup
  • 11
    screaming about how DARE I not take her coupon. When I called the manager up, the lady was sweet as pie to her. I explained that the coupon wasn't scanning and tried to ask her to override it, when the lady cut me off again to say how I "refused to ring it up".
    via u/bippybup
  • 12
    Manager overrode it and at the end of the transaction she gave me a dirty look, turned to the manager, and said, "YOU!! have a nice day!!"
    via u/bippybup
  • 13
    Phatboi- All of them
    via u/Phatboi-
  • 14
    Killer-Barbie "The options you gave me aren't what I want. Give me a different answer." do you really think I'm just trying to be difficult and not give you the most simple solution? If I say I can't do it, I can't do it. Moving up the chain doesn't change that, it just shows more people that you're a
    via u/Killer-Barbie
  • 15
    Repeat complainers. Jfc if everything about being here. is horrible may I direct you to the thousands of other businesses in the area.
    via r/AskReddit
  • 16
    DorothyZbornakA... Customers that interrupt me when I'm clearly helping someone else. The person I'm helping has just as much a right to my time and attention. It's not fair, and I try to treat all customers. with kindness, but it's frustrating when someone who's spending $1,000s gets interrupted by someone spending $3.
    via u/DorothyZbornakAttack
  • 17
    Wait in line. Find someone else. The people that interrupt are always the kind of people that would flip out if someone interrupted them. I learned waiting in line in kindergarten but there's always some 55- year-old that can't handle that part of society.
    via u/DorothyZbornakAttack
  • 18
    bonster85 Ones who threaten us with 'lost business' if we dont give them a discount. Take your business elsewhere. I'm not paid enough to care if we get the sale or not. It doesn't matter to me, you need me more than I need you.
    via u/bonster85
  • 19
    Uncle Jay74 When I was working at a pizza place in my teens / early 20's...the ones who would say like, "I know the owner" or something like that. I had a lady tell me once that she knew the owner and I said, "So do I...I work for him and he signs my pay check. What's your point?" She got off her high horse pretty quick.
    via u/Uncle Jay74
  • 20
    scottiebass People who tell me our products are too expensive. Do I look like I set the prices, ?
    via u/scottiebass
  • 21
    ThornBd The ones that truly believe "the customer is always right." Dumbass: "I want to return these jeans." Exasperated employee: "Ma'am this is a grocery store."
    via u/ThornBd
  • 22
    Dumbass: blank stare into the void of growing confusion Exasperated employee: screwed on smile below dead eyes of disbelief Dumbass: "I demand a manAGER!"
    via u/ThornBd
  • 23
    NVRDNK I worked at a Best Buy for awhile and our lights would automatically turn off at closing time leaving just some dim auxiliary lights on throughout the store. People would be in there shopping and just not get the hint that we were closing. You'd think
    via u/NVRDNK
  • 24
    with the intercom announcement that we are closing and the lights turning off that people would realize it's time to leave but they just took their sweet time.
    via u/NVRDNK
  • 25
    finessingvalkyrie When the sign clearly says credit card only and after scanning all their items, customers asks if they can pay in cash.
    via u/finessingvalkyrie
  • 26
    ajax1306 Me: Hi! How are you today Customer:... Me: Oooook then
    via u/ajax1306
  • 27
    llahsirk The ones who believe that I'm the person who makes the rules. It's not my fault we don't have a customer toilet and it's not my fault we can't return your item that's 2 weeks past its return date.
    via u/llahsirk
  • 28
    [deleted] item doesn't scan right away Them: "Oh it must be free!” Me: silence cause you hear this several times a day Them: "You don't have any sense of humor!"
    via u/[deleted]
  • 29
    TequilaBeans When I worked in service, I really didn't like the parents who couldn't keep their kids in check. I hate hellian kids who destroy everything.
    via u/TequilaBeans
  • 30
    ChelseaMcKee02 The ones who tell employees to "smile more". Just don't. Most people have a neutral resting face, they aren't there to literally serve you and put on some sort of show. They're there to scan your items and make sure everyone gets through the line with as little hassle as possible.
    via u/ChelseaMcKee02

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