Customer questions that retail workers are tired of answering: 'I wanna speak to your manager then'

Author image for Remy Millisky
Remy Millisky • Writer and Editor
Sep 14, 2025 3:00 PM EDT

Retail workers past and present, you know exactly how confused the average customer tends to be. You can write something in size 600 font in bright red letters and put it outside the store, and that customer will still totally ignore it. You can literally put a "Closed" sign on the front door of the store, and then watch as a hoard of customers approach and knock on the door, begging to be let inside. I know that customers can techincally read, but trust me, a lot of them just won't.

Sometimes, you are the dimwitted customer, too. At least I am, from time to time. I recently searched all over a store searching for bubble wrap, only to then approach an employee and ask where this thing was. The guy looked at me with barely-concealed annoyance and… pointed to an entire wall of bubble wrap, unmissable, and only about 20 feet from me. I was in such a rush (and I hadn't eaten!) and that led to me somehow totally miss what was right in front of my eyes. I'm sad to say that I then did the exact same thing 2 days later, in the same store, while looking for tape. A different employee literally rolled his eyes at me while he pointed to the tape which was… in the same exact aisle I was standing in, about 15 feet away! I can never go back to that store, ok? We can't all be perfect customers!

I think what matters most is just being polite to retail workers, who have to answer these questions day in and day out. They don't get paid much, they don't care very much, and a lot of customers are just nasty to them. You can read all about it below, as these retail workers revealed the absolute dumbest questions they've ever had to answer. 

Next up, read about the hospitality workers who made huge mistakes while on the job, like one person who "spilt a whole tray of drinks over the same man twice."

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  • 01

    "What customer question has you reacting like this?"

    RECEPTION OUNDER MIFFLIN
    via u/soberonlife
  • 02

    This person wants a discount on an item priced at $.40!

    Seamen-Thrower "Can I get a discount? I know it's already 90% off but is there another discount I can get?" "No" "Oh okay, I wanna speak to your manager then". The item is literally worth $4
    via u/Seamen-Thrower
  • 03

    I just know that retail workers still hear this every single day

    Not QuiteNick "The card reader says remove card, what do I do?"
    via u/Not QuiteNick
  • 04
    A
    via Vitaly Gariev on Unsplash+

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • 05
    summerbeachlover What's my pin?
    via u/summerbeachlover
  • 06
    urbanorium Not a question, but that's me when they drop 10$ worth in nickels on my counter 5 minutes before closing while there's 10 other people in line.
    via u/urbanorium
  • 07
    aipat95 When I worked in tech sales and customers would want a gaming pc for their kid but has a hard budget of $200
    via u/aipat95
  • 08
    Ghost_of_the_141 "Can you put all of this mulch in my car until it's full and I pay for how many we put in after we're done?" No ma'am, you pay first then I put them in your car for you with no help whatsoever and no tip
    via u/Ghost_of_the_141
  • 09
    Ninapants97 Ooo! From two nights ago! "Can I have that buffalo salad?" "Yeah, do you want to keep the blue cheese dressing it comes with or swap for ranch?" "It doesn't come with blue cheese."
    via u/Ninapants97
  • 10
    "....it does come with blue cheese." "No, it doesn't. I've never been asked this question. before when I order it." "OKAY. DO YOU WANT IT OR DO YOU WANT RANCH?"
    via u/Ninapants97
  • 11
    "I'll just take the blue cheese" (It has always come with blue cheese since 2016)
    via u/Ninapants97
  • 12
    Imtifflish24 Today I asked a customer: "Can I get you a handle bag for that?" The customer: "Well do you have one?" Me: ... "um... yes." Like ?? Why would I offer something I don't have?
    via u/Imtifflish24
  • 13
    SirGamer247 "But it said online that you have it stock! Are you certain it isn't in the backroom on a shelf collecting dust?"
    via u/SirGamer247
  • 14
    Countblackula_6 Crusty at self checkout: Can I get my employee discount for doing your job?
    via u/Countblackula_6
  • 15
    EvilDarkCow More like when they keep asking me the same question I've answered two times now.
    via u/EvilDarkCow
  • 16

    Many people don't understand this

    waldeinsamkeit6... "do you have this in another size?" when we're a used clothing store
    via u/waldeinsamkeit666

    If it's a thrift or vintage store, there are no other sizes in the back, and unless they're super lucky, that customer isn't going to find the same shirt in another color. 

  • 17
    NocturnalSkysca... "Are you open?" Yeah, no, we just stand here in our uniforms for nOOOOOOO reason
    via u/NocturnalSkyscape
  • 18

    He must've been nervous and meant to ask how much they get paid

    YOYOVILLERULE... "Do you get paid to work here?" Guy about 18 years old thinking about applying asking me this bulls question
    via u/YOYOVILLERULER9
  • 19
    ItsBlueJayne "Do you work here?" while i'm wearing a uniform with the company logo, a name badge, and have a box full of products in my hands
    via u/ItsBlueJayne
  • 20
    Tormented Toilet "Where's The BrEaD aT?¿?" They say as they're literally standing right next to the bread you could smell it
    via u/Tormented Toilet
  • 21
    Scary-Alternativ... I work in shipping. My first question is always, "Are you in a rush or just looking for your least expensive option today?" If their answer is least expensive, then I pull up the info, and then I tell them, for example, "OK, your LEAST EXPENSIVE option is $9.00 with USPS."
    via u/Scary-Alternative-11
  • 22
    At least 3 times a day, I'll have a customer go, "Is there anything cheaper?"...... It takes all of my willpower to not scream in their face.
    via u/Scary-Alternative-11
  • 23
    Sad-Laugh-6802 Generally people asking anything about discounts or taking money off for them like they have a god given right to pay less than anyone else. "I'll give you €8 for it" when buying a €15 item as if we're at a bidding market??
    via u/Sad-Laugh-6802
  • 24
    "go on will you throw in xyz items for free since I'm after spending so much?" We didn't force you to spend €200! That's all on you! "What's the best price you can give it to me for?" Well, the best price is the one on the gold in price sticker but since you asked so kindly I guess I can give you a free bag! (They're free anyways)
    via u/Sad-Laugh-6802
  • 25
    "You look like a sweet little girl, sure you'll give me a discount since we're friends now won't you?" Usually said by old men. Ew. Always just ew. I will charge you double if you open your mouth again.
    via u/Sad-Laugh-6802
  • 26
    Or my favourite "I can get in on [insert large worldwide company website] for way less, so you'll give it to me for that price right?" Big a worldwide corps order 1000s of units for stock. They get a large a discount because they order so much. When you're in a small shop, you only have
    via u/Sad-Laugh-6802
  • 27
    TWO units in stock max. We don't get a large a discount. Their retail price is less than it costs for us. Kindly, off and order online from them if you want it for that price.
    via u/Sad-Laugh-6802
  • 28
    PsychoBacon96 Cust: "I want this, but you don't have it cold" Me: "Yeah unfortunately we don't keep that cold." Cust: "Can you check the fridge out the back?" Me: "We don't have a fridge out the back, customers have access to any fridge we keep stock in."
    via u/PsychoBacon96
  • 29
    Cust: "But the cold stock out the back..." Me: "We don't have cold stock out the back." Cust: "So what should I do?" Me: "Take it home and put it in the fridge?" Cust: "Hmm...I guess I don't need it until tonight...I guess I'll have to figure this out on my own if you won't help me" walks away
    via u/PsychoBacon96
  • 30
    quantipede points at a standard ring donut "so what's in the middle of the donut?" Legit just stood there trying desperately to think of something to say that wouldn't sound like I was making fun of her. She finally shrugged and said "Oh, I guess there's nothing in the middle", to which I just said "yes"
    via u/quantipede
  • 31
    回
    via Christiann Koepke on Unsplash+

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • 32
    ferrycrosstheme... "Do you take American $?" Sir, you are at least an hour away from the US border. This is Canada. NO WE DO NOT TAKE US CURRENCY.
    via u/ferrycrosstheme
  • 33
    Even_Assumptio... Customer sees we have a gift with purchase if you spend $125 "Oh I've spent $125 dollars here in the past year. Can I get the free gift?" That's not how it works.
    via u/Even_Assumption_2909
  • 34

    OH NO

    Additional-Probl... "Why are there no toilets in your restrooms?" B those are the fitting rooms.
    via u/Additional-Problem99
  • 35
    Kind-Frosting-82... Hi yeah I pulled up to pump one and was gonna insert my card but then I saw that it already showed 10gallons on the screen and I just wanted to make sure I'm not paying for someone else's gas.
    via u/Kind-Frosting-8268
  • 36
    Seriously within the last month or 2 I've had so many people ask me this. And not like young obviously new drivers we're talking men and women between 30 and 60. How how does one make it that far in life without ever learning how gas pumps work?!?
    via u/Kind-Frosting-8268
  • 37
    ArborBee "Where do I find the capital numbers?" In response to me writing his password down for him with the proper writing of "1" so he didn't confuse it with an “I”. This was the third time in a week he came in because he forgot his password on some app. (Geek Squad)
    via u/ArborBee
  • 38
    bumblebee-baro... "Thank you for calling Dr. Benson's office. How can I help you?" "Is this Dr Benson's office?"
    via u/bumblebee-baroness
  • 39
    Cheezburger Image 10553562624
    via Getty Images For Unsplash+

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • 40
    1800partyon "I'm thinking about taking my daughter out on the whale watching cruise, will there be waves do you think? I don't want waves". I sh you not, that was a genuine question. Sir, you're going out on the ocean.
    via u/1800partyon
  • 41
    AsexualAdulting Answered a call about sanding belts and discs for a very old sander the gentleman owned. I ask him what sizes he needs "I don't know." I work in a very small store, so we don't have a huge wall
    via u/AsexualAdulting
  • 42
    of stuff to choose from. Also, why didn't you measure it first before asking questions? What were you planning on doing if you got to the store and still didn't know what size belt and discs you needed???
    via u/AsexualAdulting
  • 43
    Also the guy who called to ask about runners, and when i told him we didn't have those, then he asked about drop cloths, which we do have, then proceeded to say "If you have drop cloths, you guys have runners." why call to ask these questions if you weren't going to accept my answer anyways?
    via u/AsexualAdulting
  • 44
    jewiwee "How do I take care of this wild animal that I just caught in my yard?" ... we're a pet store and they're usually unwilling to spend money to take care of their "free" animal.
    via u/jewiwee
  • 45
    thelongestshot Any customer who asks a question doesn't like the answer and attempts to ask the same question 10 different ways to see if they can get a different answer
    via u/thelongestshot
  • 46
    sharkeebitez So, not retail, but still customer service. I work at an aquarium. The number one question I get is "Can we get in the tanks and swim with them?" No you cannot. I promise it would not be enjoyable anyway.
    via u/sharkeebitez
  • 47
    -_Melow_- Thatll be $10 please "Can you do any better on the price?" Sure. Thatll be $15 please
    via u/-_Melow_-
  • 48
    StructureCool83... Today someone was J about how I didn't know how to work her "afterpay" app... I was like, ...? Ma'am, we are not affiliated with afterpay... but I can help you with our app??"
    via u/StructureCool8338
  • 49
    Ok_Equipment24... "Are you open?" "Did I just pick up the _phone?",
    via u/Ok_Equipment2450

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question customer service shopping customers request cashier dumb questions questions store shoppers
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