This happened a few days ago.
Elderly woman was trying to pay for her groceries. Card wouldn't go through. I have no idea whether she didn't have the money, couldn't remember her PIN, couldn't figure out how to USE her card, or what. She made several attempts and was getting nowhere. There were three other people in line behind her. I was about to call up a supervisor to move the whole order to another till when one of the customers behind her stepped quietly around the next till (which was unstaffed), came up behind the old woman, and tapped *her* card, which went through, no problems. Then she slipped quickly back into her place.
Elderly woman: "What happened??"
I looked at Second Customer and had the distinct impression she didn't want me to *say* what happened, so I just said "It's gone through. You're all set."
She continued to be rather discombobulated and ask "But what happened??" for a few minutes but then took her stuff ($75 worth, might I add) and left.
Helpful Customer said no, she had not wanted the elderly lady to know what she had done, so I read that right, thank goodness. I gave Helpful Customer her grapes for free. Left to my own devices I'd have given her the whole damn order for free but I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have gotten away with that.
Elderly woman was trying to pay for her groceries. Card wouldn't go through. I have no idea whether she didn't have the money, couldn't remember her PIN, couldn't figure out how to USE her card, or what. She made several attempts and was getting nowhere. There were three other people in line behind her. I was about to call up a supervisor to move the whole order to another till when one of the customers behind her stepped quietly around the next till (which was unstaffed), came up behind the old woman, and tapped *her* card, which went through, no problems. Then she slipped quickly back into her place.
Elderly woman: "What happened??"
I looked at Second Customer and had the distinct impression she didn't want me to *say* what happened, so I just said "It's gone through. You're all set."
She continued to be rather discombobulated and ask "But what happened??" for a few minutes but then took her stuff ($75 worth, might I add) and left.
Helpful Customer said no, she had not wanted the elderly lady to know what she had done, so I read that right, thank goodness. I gave Helpful Customer her grapes for free. Left to my own devices I'd have given her the whole damn order for free but I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have gotten away with that.