continued-
The guy says 'oh you might need to type it in!'. i reminded him AGAIN, that ebt wasnt going through at all. his wife says 'oh well you should have put up a sign!' i tell them i did, and point at it. then the guy opens his wallet, and hands me like $80 in 20 dollar bills to pay for the stuff!
So you are ranting because someone was JUSTIFIABLY upset that their way of purchasing food was cut off without any explanation (not your fault but still justifiable) and then they had to use cash they GASP probably need to use on OTHER thing, since they shouldn't have needed it for food? How are YOU the aggrieved party here? Yes, they insisted on trying it multiple times, but no shit, they just spent probably over an hour grocery shopping, waited in that long line only to see one of the cashier leave and not be replaced. Seriously, I am SO not seeing how you have any business being so put out by this you needed to vent here.
I am venting, and angry, because the man was being rude for no reason, ignoring me having already told him it would not work, that he called me a child, and that he was in no hurry at all. Am I probably over reacting a little? Probably, but it was a very stressful moment, and these people were treating it like it was personally MY fault. And correction, the cashier had already left before the line had started. I wasn't even mad about that, just was stating why it was just me there to ring stuff up. Point is, they were being rude towards me throughout the whole thing, during a very stressful time, and it helps to vent a little.
Your version of "no reason" is vastly different from any reasonable person's. He was justifiably upset and desperate given he was now faced with not being able to pay for food he reasonably expected. And I wasn't referring to YOU caring about the other cashier, I was referring to how your customers felt, since YOU are paid to be there. People can get flustered and even testy when faced with serious problems, like being able to pay for FOOD. If you can't grasp that and let it roll off without showing a modicum of compassion you have no business in customer service in the first place. Unless he was screaming at you or calling you profanities he was acting within reasonable boundaries given extreme circumstances.
By that same logic, am I not allowed to also be irritated at anything? Yes I am paid to be there, but that doesn't mean I have to be ok with rudeness. After a certain point, it isn't ok. He literally was ignoring everything I said, until he himself saw that it would not work. I would feel some empathy, if it weren't for people treating me like I have no idea what I am doing behind a register. I literally explained it would not work and why, and I let him attempt, and I'm still treated like it's my fault. Yes, I'm honestly being harsh on this specific person, but like I said, I'm venting about the situation itself. I don't necessarily blame that guy, other than it was a part of why I was so stressed. This wasn't some big way to say he is in the wrong for having ebt, and could have been worded better, but honestly just, I was pissed. I was mad with everything around me, and it helps to talk about it with others. Thats what this is.
I've been there before and you could have a 2 million watt neon sign saying no ebt and people would still ignore it. The ebt machine at my work can sometimes be down for a week or better and we get rude often high people from the welfare slums two streets over that get grouchy because the can't get their 2 am munchie fix because the machine is down. I ejected three last week for being belligerent and called the cops on another for throwing a rock through the window of my car, bastard was lucky I didn't move him into the dumpster and lock the lid.
I also work retail at a gas station (a little different from your situation) and our ebt does NOT cover hot food, and we have a fairly regular customer base to the point I can tell you when someone is going to come in and what they're going to get, and I still have to remind the same people that ebt doesn't work on hot food. The consumer only hears what they want to hear I swear
My station is the same way, no coffee or hot food on ebt, most of these fools know that and still try to push the system or think I can 'do an override because I just happen to be the manager. A real gem was the tweaked out meth head that offered to buy me $20 in food on ebt in exchange for me buying her a pack of smokes. I reported her for fraud on top of denying the sale.
In my area almost 75% of people here have ebt, but don't need it/abuse it anyway. I know of people who do need it and can't get it. Regardless, the system is fucked up.
Exactly. And 80 could seriously mean the difference between making rent and ending up on the street. Or this could easily mean having to choose food over electricity.
'food' being a bunch of soda, candy, dessert from the deli, and such? This is what most use their ebt on, shit they dont even need. i could understand getting a few of those things, but when I have a transaction of just those??? Yes I understand they have the right to get what they want, but, it makes it harder for me to believe they actually need ebt.
My god, get over yourself. You sound like such a self righteous judgmental tool its not funny. Here's a news flash, healthy food cost MORE. Junk food is cheaper and faster. If you get stuff that is healthier but more economical, it means you are going to have to have the time to prepare it, do probably not something someone who is working or struggling had the time to do every single day. And for all you know they have already gotten their main staples earlier in the month. Not that it is ANY of your business, as you admitted. I have to agree with the customer, you definitely sound like a child.
So, it's okay to buy an assload of pudding and cheesecake, with candy bars on ebt because its 'cheaper'? hell i can understand freezer dinners, or whatever the fuck, but if you're literally getting desserts only, theres a fuckin problem there.
@famousone fast food places. Healthy food, or just buying ingredients and making it yourself is usually cheaper at base cost, but then if you factor in time and energy it might not be; depending on what you'd use time and energy saved for. Not just the energy of doing it, but the electricity or gas for the grill, keeping the food fresh in the refrigerator... etc.
In any case.... vending machines? lol.
Also, "junk" food is less likely to expire before you can eat it, especially if you have unreliable electricity or even no fridge or freezer at all.
Plus those times that you see people buying a bunch of sweet "junk"? Go ahead and rail at them about it. I'm sure it's not someone buying stuff for a kids birthday party or something. Because poor people aren't allowed to have birthdays.
junk food in a grocery store/box store is NOT cheaper than buying the ingredients to make the food yourself. The point where unhealthy food is cheaper is when you go OUT of the store and buy dinner for 6 for 2 days for super fucking cheap at a fast food place.
Fun fact about the poor: on average they have the most disposable income out of everyone below the very high end of middle class because the money they have left over isnt enough to put into anything super useful after getting everything required and there isnt much money left over for middle class people comparatively after they paid for their better houses they really shouldnt have bought yet.
it doesnt matter why you are being rude to employees. If you are being rude to employees you are wrong. that simple. They are just doing their job. The fact he was persistent in not listening to the fact the system was down and constantly acting like he knew better than the person who worked there just makes him more wrong.
In Michigan, a drug addict can get a "free" uber/lyft ride from home to the methadone clinic and home again. Paid for by Medicaid. No time limits either, year after year after year. $197 and some change per person on their EBT card. The people that fucked up, had paid taxes before,and want to fix their life, I don't mind. The ones that linger in the programs, milk every beninfit while trying to exploit their other beninfits ,fuck them. I have seen a lot of EBT money sold for 50 cents on the dollar. I wish it were at least going to the kids in the way of toilet paper, school supplies ect. Sickening .
@dogscruff I owe you an apology, I'm not doing well right now and I overreacted in my response. I stand by the fact I can sympathize with the customers, but I'm personally touchy about a few specific subjects and people constantly coming down on everyone on assistants because of the idiotic but more visible minority is one right now, and given the fact my head is REALLY not working right right now it got away with me. I'm sorry, and as someone who has spent the better part of two decades dealing with customer service, I will also share a little mantra that helped me on occasion "Happy Smiles, Violent Thoughts" No matter how much they make you want to strangle them, just keep the smile plastered and kill them with politeness, that way nothing comes back on you. Again, I'm sorry for my reaction and I do hope you ended up having a better day.
The guy says 'oh you might need to type it in!'. i reminded him AGAIN, that ebt wasnt going through at all. his wife says 'oh well you should have put up a sign!' i tell them i did, and point at it. then the guy opens his wallet, and hands me like $80 in 20 dollar bills to pay for the stuff!
In any case.... vending machines? lol.
Plus those times that you see people buying a bunch of sweet "junk"? Go ahead and rail at them about it. I'm sure it's not someone buying stuff for a kids birthday party or something. Because poor people aren't allowed to have birthdays.
Fun fact about the poor: on average they have the most disposable income out of everyone below the very high end of middle class because the money they have left over isnt enough to put into anything super useful after getting everything required and there isnt much money left over for middle class people comparatively after they paid for their better houses they really shouldnt have bought yet.
it doesnt matter why you are being rude to employees. If you are being rude to employees you are wrong. that simple. They are just doing their job. The fact he was persistent in not listening to the fact the system was down and constantly acting like he knew better than the person who worked there just makes him more wrong.