Nice language

[greensinestro]

I guess it's a common thing these days for co-workers in any place of business to curse in the presence of customers. It's common because the employee that do it do not seem to have any disciplinary action taken or whatever. When I worked for Publix in the late 1980's and early 1990's, anyone that spoke like this in the presence of customer was punished, normally by losing their job if it was severe enough.

On Friday night, I took the kids to Wendy's, dealing with a cashier with an attitude. After I paid for my meal, he started to walk off while another customer was behind me. His manager began yelling at him and this altercation began:

Manager: Where are you going? There are other customers you need to attend to.
Cashier: I'm just fucking taking a break, man. Fuck! What the hell's the problem?

At this point, because this happened right there at the counter, I spoke up and said, "You know, that's nice language for a place of business like this. It's also great for my kids to hear that here. Maybe we need to take our business elsewhere."

He said nothing, just ignored me and took the next cusotmer. A moment later, after we had sat down, another cashier came over and apologized for what just happened, to which I told him I appreciated that.

What got me about this is this guy did not lose his job over it, let alone have anything happen to him, nor did his boss actually come out to do the apologizing.

It's a real shame these days how there are others out there looking for any kind of work, and these low lifes are the ones occupying them.

[mariamousie1]

That's just shocking. In my mixology course we had a practical exam where the teacher was the customer and we had to mix a drink. If we messed up, we would only lose minor points, but if we swore because of our messing up, the teacher would take your score and divided it by half. I failed- although I didn't swear, I just forgot how to make the drink and made a total mess of it. I am willing to bet that this isn't the Wendy's Company attitude, that boss is just spineless and his employees know they can get away with it.

[Zoom]

but if we swore because of our messing up, the teacher would take your score and divided it by half

Which means anyone who used profanity would have his/her score doubled!

[Mr Hero]

Let me throw this possibility out there. Maybe the cashier was disciplined later on in his shift when there was a lull in business.

[Mystic]

I think it's becoming normal. I'm hearing it more and more in the workplace when I'm shopping and no one thinks the wiser. I have no kids yet and I work in an environment where swearing is common language, but in a place where you're dealing with people who are giving you their business and have kids, it's very inappropriate. When I do have kids, I will do the same and bring it up with managers and possibly even send letters to corporate.

You speak loudest to these people with your pocketbook. Show them you mean business and take yours elsewhere.

[zzapp the witch]

My kids are 10, 8 and 6 and probably know every bad word in the book. But they also know that they can't say them until they are 18 and that curse words are the lazy man's way out. To make my point we watch Monty Python and studied the Art of the British Insult. They've gotten quite good. I don't worry about my kids picking anything up, I'm worried about them getting someone pissed off when they point out that the person cursing is too stupid to come up with anything good.

I'd never dare curse when a customer was present...its just unprofessional. Matter of personal pride and all that.

[Zellie Crescent]

I always try to watch my language around customers, especially kids. If I were to say that in front of a kid I would be fired the very next second, I hope he gets punished somehow.

[greensinestro]

Let me throw this possibility out there. Maybe the cashier was disciplined later on in his shift when there was a lull in business.

It's a possibility, but I'll never know. I'm not reporting this to corporate being I just don't do that sort of thing, not unless I was treated this way personally by this guy, something like him saying "Fuck you" to me. I'm sure it will catch up to him sooner or later, or someone else who has an intolerance for it will report it.

[Merriweather]

Which means anyone who used profanity would have his/her score doubled!

Am I missing something here?

[pacman]

Divide by half equals multiplying by two.

[XCashier]

if we swore because of our messing up, the teacher would take your score and divided it by half.

Which means anyone who used profanity would have his/her score doubled!

Am I missing something here?

Dividing something by half means you divide it by .5, so for example 12 ÷ .5 = 24.

What Mariamousie meant, of course, was that the score was divided in half, which is a different concept. Don't mean to be a know-it-all, but Zoom started it!

[mariamousie1]

Dividing something by half means you divide it by .5, so for example 12 ÷ .5 = 24.

What Mariamousie meant, of course, was that the score was divided in half, which is a different concept. Don't mean to be a know-it-all, but Zoom started it!

Yes, that's what I meant. Well, I probably would have pointed that out if someone else noticed.

[Broomjockey]

Which means anyone who used profanity would have his/her score doubled!

For the record, the mods treat grammar corrections and math corrections in the same manner.

[Mamadrae]

Only time I ever swore in front of customers was usually when I hurt myself. Like once at McDonald's with a fry light. I let out 1 choice word due to pain and then kinda ground the teeth and got the customer his food going "Sorry for my language here's your meal sir..." while trying not to scream bloody murder about my skin starting to look like someone was boiling it.

The guy assured me it was ok and told me to get that looked at. Of course it would have been better had we had an actual first aid kit in the place...

[Astrokitty]

IMHO I don't think the kids have anything to do with it, and I resent people who tell me I need to watch my language just because there are kids around. I didn't have the kids, and it's not my responsibility to make sure they don't hear a dirty word. Vulgarity has become all too common place in business despite the age of the customers or offenders. I don't think anyone in customer service should be using profanity, but out of respect for their customers.

Being in maintenance most of my life, where in my situation my colleagues swore like crazy, profanity doesn't generally bother me. Sometimes, "Gosh Golly Darn," doesn't cut it. But if every other word out of your mouth has four letters, it tends to be annoying.