Had an elderly couple come into the store today. I opened the door for them and politely chatted before helping them order their food. They wander off to continue shopping while I go to help others.
After a few minutes, I hear over the radio, "[Seifer], please tell the [elderly woman] that those salad dressing packages are NOT free."
I turn around and see the elderly woman in the middle of a free-for-all with our salad dressing packets (which are $0.29 each). She has stuffed several of them into her purse and is just finishing her attack on our condiment rack when I walk over. I'm already irritated, because I don't want to get into a confrontation over $3 worth of salad dressing.
I try to politely inform the woman that the dressing is not free, but she just nods and (I assume) plays dumb. I was at a loss, so my manager stepped in and "politely" told the woman to cough up the salad dressing in her purse and either pay for it or leave it. She ended up buying one and returning the rest, and simply said she, "didn't know."
Okay. I hate the fact that the salad dressing isn't free. I also hate that there isn't a sign stating such (I've already told management about it). However, I HATE when people put me in the position of theft referee either due to their own incompetence or behavior.
Bonus:
Had a lady try to steal a $0.49 banana today. She only caught my attention because I saw her start eating the banana the moment she picked it up. I figured she might try to dump the peel and play dumb, so I informed the cashier that they needed to charge her for the banana, too. (I'm glad I did, because she was trying to nonchalantly hide the peel behind her back/under the counter. Real subtle, lady.)
Funny thing is, if she had just picked up the banana and walked off, I wouldn't have watched her so closely.
After a few minutes, I hear over the radio, "[Seifer], please tell the [elderly woman] that those salad dressing packages are NOT free."
I turn around and see the elderly woman in the middle of a free-for-all with our salad dressing packets (which are $0.29 each). She has stuffed several of them into her purse and is just finishing her attack on our condiment rack when I walk over. I'm already irritated, because I don't want to get into a confrontation over $3 worth of salad dressing.
I try to politely inform the woman that the dressing is not free, but she just nods and (I assume) plays dumb. I was at a loss, so my manager stepped in and "politely" told the woman to cough up the salad dressing in her purse and either pay for it or leave it. She ended up buying one and returning the rest, and simply said she, "didn't know."
Okay. I hate the fact that the salad dressing isn't free. I also hate that there isn't a sign stating such (I've already told management about it). However, I HATE when people put me in the position of theft referee either due to their own incompetence or behavior.
Bonus:
Had a lady try to steal a $0.49 banana today. She only caught my attention because I saw her start eating the banana the moment she picked it up. I figured she might try to dump the peel and play dumb, so I informed the cashier that they needed to charge her for the banana, too. (I'm glad I did, because she was trying to nonchalantly hide the peel behind her back/under the counter. Real subtle, lady.)
Funny thing is, if she had just picked up the banana and walked off, I wouldn't have watched her so closely.
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