Funny Supermarket Cashier Incident!

? I can imagine doing that. Then again, I once stood outside my front door for about thirty seconds holding up my Oyster card, so I am no stranger to the complete brainfart ?

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Actually thinking about it, I'm asked more often than not how would I like to pay?

Ikea today cashier asked

Waitrose tonight also.

So I don't think it's that odd to reply with the method your paying with. I would say it's good manners & being polite.It's no different to booking tickets over the phone when your asked which card will you be using.

Hmm I often just wave my card and ask if I can put it in yet and have little laugh to myself that it sounds a bit rude ? I'm always worried about putting it in early ? in case they need to press a button or something first.

Having worked at John Lewis I too had to ask customers how they wanted to pay as you had to put a special piece of paper to print the receipt if a card not cash. So quite a normal thing to hear to me.

But then I probably wouldn't notice if the cashier told me their tits were blue. Usually too busy trying to stop my son from eating something, he eats anything and everything!

Depending on the sort of day I'd had so far, my response to "switch please" would range from a silent "no sh*t Sherlock" to something similar to what the OP got. What bugs me the most though is when people pass you a note and say "that's a ten". Like I can't tell or something. again depending on the sort of day the usual response to that is to tell them exactly what the coins are in their change.

The customer is always right is a lie, the customer is usually wrong but thinks they are right. Its our job to keep them sweet.

Normally I am sweetness and light to customers but there are a small minority who really get on your nerves.

Waaaah! ?

I've swiped my security card at work and punched in my PIN, only to be baffled by the turnstile not budging an inch. It took several attempts before I realised I was entering my bank card PIN. ?

Similarly, I've swiped to get out of the building at the end of the shift, only for the light to remain resolutely red. Maestro cards don't work the same way as security cards, apparently. ?

I used to work in a petrol station and we had to check notes with one of those detector pens and a UV light. THe number of people who said "the ink's still wet on that one love" or similar. Grrrrrrrrrr.

Our local Co-op (I'm too common for Waitrose) has a cashier who has been affected by her visit to Disneyland a few years ago. She always tells you to "have a great day now". Mind you she also says "over to you" with a sort of hand gesture when she's pressed the button after you've put your debit card in the machine. She's weird though.

Couldnt've said it better myself!! ?

My biggest personal teethnashing moment when working behind the till, is when people ignore you and put the money they are using to pay for their goods on the counter in front of them, or when counting it out 'throw' it on to the counter ? When aked to pick it up for you, they then look at you as if you have suddenly sprouted a second head!. There's lots I could rant about, most of it down to basic manners (and that would be a looong post! ?)

?[rofl] at this thread

'Thats a ten' really bugs me, even though I know the reason for doing it, I have never seen it said without the person appearing really pompous.

Still at least the OP's conversation making attempt did result in a conversation albeit not a pleasant one ? Next time you could enquire about their P&C parking space policy?

working the other way around, years ago when I worked in a very busy pub, we were trained to acknowledge the note were were given by saying what it was - ten, twenty, etc. I think that was part of getting it fixed in our heads so we didn't short-change anyone (or, horror or horrors, overchange someone). But as a customer I'd never hand over cash whilst stating how much it is. That would be pretty random ?

On the subject of cash, can I go all Points of View for a moment? Why, oh why, oh why do cashiers dump your combined change of cash and coins straight into your hand in one blob? It's damn near impossible to remove the note from underneath without dropping coins on the floor - it's akin to the old trick of trying to pull a tablecloth off a table without disturbing the chinaware. It's SO much easier to put the coins in someone's palm, and then hand the note(s) into their fingers, so they can put it away in their purse whilst holding the coins secure in their hand. Is this just me? I'm particularly bothered by this ?

I usually say something like "There you go" or "Thanks" - which results in odd conversations where each person is saying "Thanks" to the other for passing them things.

Often if I'm paying by cash and it's so many pounds and a few pence, I often hand over a note and ask if they want the pence - to save them using up all their change and to make sure I get some pound coins or a smaller note back. That has confused some people, as they look at me like I'm mad and say "No - £10 should cover it..."

When I worked in retail often the 'senior' customers used to give me £20 for example and say "£20 thank-you", which I used to think it was patronising and unneccessary. As if i didnt know what it was.

I just say thanks or nothing at all if the cashier is busy chatting to her mate ?

I do this too. Although i had a really weird one yesterday when buying my lunch. I often by a sandwich from the same lady in the deli by my office. It's become so routine to me now that i can perform the transaction without even engaging my brain. Yesterday though, i was handed my sandwich and made my way to the till. Usually i announce what i have 'BLT please' and she tells me the cost '£3.20 please' and i hand over my cash. However, because i knew how much my tuna salad roll cost, i was 'anticipating' her usual comment and said to her without thinking '£2.50 please' when i arrived at the till. This threw our whole repertoire out of sync, with her saying my lines and there being a fumble with money ending with us both saying 'enjoy your lunch'. We both looked thoroughly confused.

I do do a similar thing occasionally when answering my phone. I glance at the clock when it's ringing, to check if it's morning or afternoon usually if i know it's around noon, and then pick up the phone with a cheery 'Ten past twelve!' instead of 'Good afternoon!'. What a complete nutter i sound...

? I once shouted after someone (after having a full conversation with them) "how are you?" ? H's friend got served in a cafe and instead of saying "Thank you" for his change he said "Love you" to the woman at the till much to everyone's amusement. On leaving the church after our wedding when people were coming up and saying congratulations, H started saying congratualtions to people but only realised afterwards ?

I don't think saying "Switch please" is bizarre or strange, it's just a way of being polite and engaging with the staff.

Flailing wildly, it really annoys me when cashiers hand all your change in one lump so I know how you feel. I end up deliberately taking my time sorting out all the change in to my purse. When I was a cashier I used to give the change separately.

Ha, I have been known to say Happy Birthday back to people that say it to me ?

"switch please" would easily confuse me (not that I checkout girl so maybe they get some training in it) and it wouldn't occur to me to say it unless they asked how I was paying. My local store won't even touch your card they just point at the machine

I hate it when they talk to you at checkouts, One saturday night I bought a bar of chocolate, bottle of wine, crispy duck and a pregnancy test and the boy on the counter asked "what were my plans for the evening?"

I hardly dare post this after the mocking i got yesterday for posting about the boring details of my life ?

However, I am pleased to report that after paying by, yes, Switch, in three shops this morning, i omitted my usual 'Switch please' comment.

I have now learned the lesson that attempting to engage politely with cashiers shouldn't necessitate fruitloop comments and general twittery. Hitched, are you proud of me? ?

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Hickory and jaz, I'm crying with laughter here. ?

I've also replied with Happy Birthday before too when people have wished me Happy Birthday. And once when leaving an answer phone message I was imagining it as if it was written down and finished it 'love Helen'.

Well done Ruby2 on breaking your habit!

I also just remembered the time we were in McD's and H reeally wanted a strawberry milkshake (he's classy my H) and they had run out and he stamped his foot and said oh ffs really loud. He didn't mean to bless him and was mortified after. The poor girl looked horrified.

When we worked in a supermarket (H and I) someone asked him how much the large oranges were and pointed to the pumpkins ? I can't remember if it was H or his friend but they were serving someone who was buying sanitary towels amongst other things and instead of saying £43.52 (for example) they said something like "F@nny pads 52 please"

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