Lunch Breaks

[DarthRetard]

Craziest lunch break moments anyone? I work at Radioshack, and I quite enjoy the job, and MOST of the customers. However, about once a week I get one that just....I can't think of an adjective that has more than four letters to describe it. Anyways, get this:

I was working 9-4 on saturday, and whenever we work more than a 5 hour shift, we're required by company policy to take a half hour, or so lunch break. Well, it was swamped all day, so I didn't get to take mine till about the last hour of my shift. So I'm heading back from subway, into the employee backroom in order to eat my 7.00 sub which is filled with bad nasty things, (I'm also a personal trainer, so ehh.) and this customer sees me.

He may have been no less than 50, no more than 60. Well, he demands that I help him. I softly explained to him that I was taking my lunch break, and I'd be done in about fifteen minutes, maybe less. He then proceeded to berate me in front of my manager and other customers, again demanding that as a customer, he must be treated as royalty himself. Well, I ignore the ignorant shmuck and walk to the breakroom, and start eating my sandwich.

He follows me. Apparently, this yutz can't read either? (Man, customers....ugh!) So, obviously breaking our rules, he opens the door and continues to harass me, while all I wanted to do was eat my sandwich. I wasn't sitting back there watching tv and stuff, I just wanted to EAT. I said to him, "Sir, I respectfully request that you wait, on the grounds that I myself have not eaten my entire shift and would like 15 minutes to just eat my food." He continues to demand service.

Seeing his impatience, i deduce it must be some complicated or special product he wants. So, I decide, against my better judgement to help the guy, seeing as I frigging have to. I ask him nicely what he needs. His reply? AA Batteries, and some AAA ones too.

Now, if any of you have been to Radioshack, you've noticed a nifty little creation we have: The Battery Center. It's a 4 1/2 foot tall tower of batteries, of all kinds: Digital camera, rechargeable, AA, AAA, C, D, 9V, 3V, watch batteries, calculator batteries, etc. (Note the boldened, italicized, and underlined types.) It also happens to be right there in the middle of the store.

Well, like a good little teenager, I lose it. I went ape****. I couldn't help it. I get cranky on an empty stomach, and this guy wants me to get him something he just couldn't look for in the store? Holy Cheese and Crackers man, I've had some jerks, but this guy takes the cake....

[Spiffy McMoron]

Aww, man, that's awful. I know I've worked some crazy days, and I get upstairs for lunch, and there's someone else in the lunch room. They look at me and go, "Oh, you're on your coffee break! Yay!"

Ugh. No, I wish. I just get my lunch break two and a half hours late.

Anyways, if your manager was there, why didn't he offer to help the customer? Or could you have asked him/her or another employee to give the customer a hand?

[tonydanza]

I snub people all the time when I'm on my break. Sometimes I'm not even clocked out yet and a customer will see me carrying my apron and they'll be like "excuse me." and I just say "I'm sorry I'm onbreak" and I keep walking.

Legally if you're off the clock, you have no obligation to help anybody. It's your time that you are free to do with whatever you like. Your work cannot get you in trouble for not helping somebody if you are on a break.

[AirHostess]

In the back galley, curtain closed hoping no nosy passenger sneaks in lol. Or on a jumpseat by the restroom, classy!

Ah, the glamour.

[Anakah]

In one store I worked in we would get into trouble if we worked off the clock. You need your private time away from the wackos. People don't understand that we're not robots...

[Kitten in the box]

you should have finished your lunch....its not good to go all day without eating....the guy can wait...I mean SO F*CKING WHAT if he wants his service....were you clocked out?? If so then you are not being paid to help the guy..I get that at times too so I just ignore them...pisses them off but who cares...if Im on lunch then oh well. I had one time this one lady followed me back and wanted me to do a carry out for her and I said I was eating lunch and she proceeded to tell me that "I don't care....if I miss out on lunch helping a customer...then oh well...customer service" I proceeded to get up and walk away from her to eat outside in the back....she got all pissy and wanted the manager and when the manager came over he said "Kitty is on lunch...she does not have to do anything right now." when I came back her basket of groceries were left on the floor. apparently she got pissed and decided not to get anything.

[Giggle Goose]

Anyways, if your manager was there, why didn't he offer to help the customer? Or could you have asked him/her or another employee to give the customer a hand?

I was wondering the same thing. I think your manager was being a total jerk-off not only because he didn't stick up for you and get the guy off your back but he also let him go into an employees-only area.

Why can't these people understand that yes, while we are paid to serve you while we are ON THE CLOCK that we are human beings, just like you, and need to have food and drink and a period of rest? It's usually store policy and the LAW in most cases. I'd like to go to wherever he works and start bugging the hell out of him when he's just trying to get something to eat.

[lordlundar]

Am I the only person that noticed that he followed you into an area that is OFF-LIMITS to him?

I would have told him once to leave the staff room as he's not supposed to be there, then phone a manager to toss him out the store if he refused.

[Rapscallion]

I always found that telling people they weren't insured in those areas worked a treat.

Rapscallion

[blas]

Find out where the old arsehole works and then go in right at noon or noon-thirty and demand his complete attention for the same amount of time that he took away from you. That's what I'd do.

If it wasn't considered harrassment, I'd love for it to be allowable for employees to search down SCs who have ruined their lunch breaks, and then go waste the SCs lunchbreaks.

It kinda works like Mr. Hand in "Fast Times at Ridgemont High". Sean Penn wasted his classtime, so Mr. Hand wasted his Friday night.

Surely these fine people don't want us barging in on THEIR lunch breaks and wasting their time, heaven forbid!

The only thing, if that was allowable, I would be disgusted if I tracked down an SC and found out that they worked at a retail store similar to mine! *gasp*

[greensinestro]

Am I the only person that noticed that he followed you into an area that is OFF-LIMITS to him?

I would have told him once to leave the staff room as he's not supposed to be there, then phone a manager to toss him out the store if he refused.

I was wondering the same thing earlier. When I worked for Publix, customers were not permitted into the customer service office. They even had this huge white sign with red letters stating this to the customers. Yet, you always had that one that would supercede someone's authority and try to get back there to see the manager. I even noticed a woman that tried that at the bakery because her cake was not to her liking. Not only that, but she had once tried to go into the breakroom to find the cashier that rung up her order.

I would like to know where on these signs does it say "Customers are not permitted past this point, except for the most important ones"? Or, in fine print "This rule applies to everyone except (customer's name)."

[MadMike]

I actually had a manager page me to help a customer while I was on my lunch break. I called him and told him, and he didn't care, I was supposed to help the customer anyway.

It only happened to me that one time, but one of the other guys told me that it got so bad one time, that he started going offsite to eat lunch, even if it meant taking his lunch out to his car and eating it there.


Another time, I got yelled at by a customer for being on my lunch. I was actually about to page someone for him, until he called me an asshole. No way I was going to lift a finger for him after that, when I was on my own time. Fortunately, he didn't try to follow me into the breakroom.

[dawntazz]

I was on my lunch break one night (my lunch is at 2 am) so i wasn't the happiest person around. As soon as i clocked out there it went "dawn please go to crafts for customer assistance." I just looked at the time clock and said I'll be d*amned.

Called manager and made point to tell them i was off clock. I got but your the only one who knows how to do it. Ok fine. So i told them I'm clocking back in and I'm still takin my hour lunch when i get done.

So i punched back in went to the floor and OMG there was five people standing there wanting stuff. I just shook my head and went to "work". Big smile the whole eat sh*t look. took and hour and a half for everyone to go away.

By now I'm 2 hours past lunch, actually time for my 15 minute break. Manager comes up and says"To late for lunch we need to go fix your time before the store manager shows"

I told him he wasn't touchin my time that I would skipp lunch but I'm takin a break. Store manager shows and calls me into the office because I'm now on overtime and extra sunday premium. Wants to know how it happened I explained the whole thing again. And returned to work with all my pay and overtime.

That was one of the worst nights I had worked in awhile. Well worth it for that two hours I made right at $50.

[Mr. Rude]

I have asked customers that stop me on my way to lunch,

"Do you stop to help people when your on your lunch break?"...

And of course...You guessed it...They always answer...No ...& get really sheepish.

[Cyanocobalamin]

The solution at my store: If someone is leaving the building for break/lunch, he or she will put on their coat/sweater/something else to cover their work shirt. They will also NOT make eye contact with customers.