Entitled customer expects cashier to cover for what she can’t afford: ‘The EL says “I’m a little short.” But in the most bizarre, matter of fact way, like as if this is fine and the dollar store’s/cashier’s responsibility to pay for it’

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Olivia Arocena • Writer and Editor
Aug 17, 2026 4:00 PM EDT

Some people think cents are not money, and I think that's OK

To be fair, in this story, I think the lady was just trying her luck, and I stand by that. The person writing the story is just too angry over something only mildly infuriating, or even not infuriating at all. I don't think the line has been held for half an hour for this or anything; I mean, come on.

Either way, the person writing this has a really strong sense of morality; she could try being a judge in Court, lol. In the end, the lady did what she had to do; maybe in some other store they had covered cents for her before. The lady's greatest sin was making people wait in line for an extra 10 seconds.

I mean, I wouldn't do it, and maybe she was, after all, entitled, but who's to say? If the cashier were able to cover that for her, she wouldn't have paid that extra money out of her own pocket, but from the company's pocket, so… Are we defending companies now?

Honestly, what interests me most about this story is that the person who witnessed this episode was so angry she had to go home and write about it on some subreddit as a rant, but well, I guess you never know who's watching.

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  • The shocked cashier

    cashier with surprised face
    via Wonderlane

    The cashier looking surprised

    Image for illustrative purposes

  • Entitled lady expected cashier to pay for her items.

    I went into some well known dollar store chain this morning. I needed one item and I had a lot of time before work to do so. The context being, I am not in a rush.
    via EyeThinkEyeCan
  • I find my single item and get in line to the only register open. Six people in front of me, slow cashier, a lot of people with 15+ items, slow progress. The lady in front of me with only a small amount of
    via EyeThinkEyeCan
  • items. No problem, I have lots of time this morning and I am unfazed, happy, chillin in line, seeing how I can pair the new headphones I am purchasing to my phone. The line behind me
    via EyeThinkEyeCan
  • continues to grow. The pairing of the headphones eats up the time waiting. What transpired next, I was just like a fly on the wall observing, silent. Just Kermit sipping my tea if
    via EyeThinkEyeCan
  • you will. Anyway just as headphones are paired, the entitled lady (EL) in front of me, maybe college age, is finishing up her transaction, the cashier says "the total is $7." The EL says "I'm a little short."
    via EyeThinkEyeCan
  • But in the most bizarre, matter of fact way, like as if this is fine and the dollar store's/cashier's responsibility to pay for it. The cashier nonchalantly replies "no problem, how much?" EL says "fifty cents." Again as if she
    via EyeThinkEyeCan
  • expects the cashier to cover this. The cashier says "oh sorry that's a lot on my register for me to come up short." The EL stares blankly at the cashier, continues to hold up the line, which again I am just unfazed but
    via EyeThinkEyeCan

  • Ok let's be real she wasn't buying food

    grocery items being scanned
    via Enkhjin photography

    The girl buying her stuff

    Photo is a representation of scenes

  • cannot say the same for the patrons behind me. After a few more moments pass, they are at a stale mate but then EL brain clicks on and she says "I guess I can put this item back," and puts back a nail polish set. She huffily
    via EyeThinkEyeCan
  • finished her transaction and left. I paid for mine and left after, bewildered because I would never expect a cashier to cover my transaction.
    via EyeThinkEyeCan
  • Also before anyone comes for me: there were no food items/health care items in the EL's transaction. She had a relatively small order of 5 items and it was all little luxuries like the one I was getting.
    via EyeThinkEyeCan

  • The cents she is trying to save

    pink pig coin bank
    via Andre Taissin

    The missing cents

    Licensed media provided as editorial context

  • MD7001 Those stores are on tight margins as it is. To expect them to "eat" that much of a loss is unbelievable. As they say it takes all kinds!
    via MD7001
  • figleaf02184 "I'm a little short." "Well,, stand straight and put your shoulders back. Now, how would you like to pay?"
    via figleaf02184

  • After all, the ‘entitled lady’ didn’t make a fuss about the cashier not covering for her; she just paused for a second and returned an item. Is that so terrible?

    After all is said and done, my verdict is: I don’t consider this lady an Entitled customer; she lacks the anger, the performative tendencies, and the audacity. That being said, I do consider the one sharing the story a bit too angry. Should we revert to being more chill?

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entitled people karma entitled r-entitled entitled people
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