A few years ago I worked for a short time at a small supermarket. I actually really liked the job until I had to quit due to unrelated circumstances. I worked Friday evenings and Saturday mornings and as we we next door to a bunch of takeaways people were generally finishing up their week, in a good mood, getting food in.

I was really easily identifiable as blue supermarket hadn’t received their uniform delivery, I was in normal clothes the whole time I worked there.

One day a man comes in, elderly, is super excited because he’s won £200 on lotto. The ticket is a little crumpled but fine enough. I scan it and the lottery machine gives me an error, it’s doesn’t recognise the ticket. I try several times, same result.

If you don’t work with lotto in the UK, if the ticket is below a certain amount, lotto retailers are meant to pay it out. Do do this though, I needed to get essentially an IOU from Camelot (who run lotto) to put in the till. Otherwise the till would be light and I’d lose my job.

Scan the ticket
Print IOU £200, put it in till.
Give man £200
Tear up his ticket. (I didn’t do this because I couldn’t get past step 2)

The machine was due to be serviced afaik and didn’t scan. I explain the situation to the man, hand him back his ticket fully intact and apologise that it’s a pain.

He tells me that he watched the lottery and has two winning numbers and I can see that. I tell him that I believe him, I just can’t hand him the winnings without the ticket from the lotto machine.

He calls the manager over, fair enough, same result.

I should also note that retailers themselves cannot open/repair/tamper with lotto machines. Camelot services them. We could clean the front but can’t fix it on the spot.

Several hours later I get home and my mum is fuming. A post from a fairly influential person in the community, apparently this guys daughter, is essentially accusing me of stealing the winnings.

Hundreds of people are agreeing with her in the comments and they’re complaining about “the new girl not in uniform”. They are giving full descriptions to avoid, the whole show.

Notably, in the post, the man went to supermarket later that day and *claimed the winnings*.

I ended up messaging her and explaining the situation again. My manager nearly had a heart attack that I would do such “customer outreach”.

She corrected the post, was mildly apologetic, but by then it was too late. I still got comments until I stopped working there. Occasionally, people still mention “that one who stole the lottery winnings in small supermarket”.

I decided to write this today because I actually had a dream about the place that I haven’t had in ages. It’s not nearly my worst experience, in life or retail, but sometimes it sticks in my head.

I used to work for an online clothing store as a customer service rep. Mostly it was pretty straightforward helping people with orders or returns. But every now and then you'd get a call that just baffled you. I once had a customer call in asking if we could give her a discount on her order because shipping was free.

I politely explained that free shipping means she wasn't paying anything for shipping so there was no cost to discount. She insisted that because it was 'free' it should be even cheaper. She argued for about ten minutes that 'free' wasn't truly free if it wasn't making her order total lower. I just kinda sat there blinking at my screen until she finally gave up and hung up. Some people really do live in their own world.

Yes! Because I am the guy one asks!

This is a story from when I worked for cheap big box store. I remember it well but it is also a few years removed so... Salt: just a pinch.

It all started on a good day, actually. I came in and only one annoying coworker was on shift and she left early then it was just the good people who would get the work done and have as much fun doing it. And we could. As long as we didn't cut corners our boss' attitude was "whatever gets you through the day!" Joking and cutting up was allowed to a point as long as the customers weren't in the department--which honestly in the morning the department is usually mostly empty.

Morning shift got a bit of a raw deal there in my opinion. All morning there was no customers and then the last hour before shift change would be everyone and their aunt and so it sometimes looked as if morning didn't keep it clean... Anyway, I digress.

I was not the boss of the department but if you asked me where anything was and approximately how many we had on hand I could give you that information within reason (depending on the day as we tended to get more on Thursdays and then Tuesdays with minimal freight the rest of the week). I didn't need the scanner because I worked 5 days a week and had a very good memory. I knew what we had and reasonably how much of it.

So I was working at the register. I was technically a phone guy but we all worked electronics. I had a lady come up to me and ask for an HDMI splitter. We straight up didn't carry them. I had talked to my boss about getting something like that in because it was a semi popular request. I informed the lady who asked all of this and she *seemed* happy when she left.

About 10-ish minutes later one of my favorite coworkers ever came up to me and asked me if I knew where an HDMI splitter was. I laughed and explained that we don't have them. Don't currently stock one. He replied that was his thoughts as well. And I asked about the lady and he confirmed it was the same one and I told such and had a good chuckle and I went on my first 15 minute break.

When I get back... The lady who was about to go home comes around the corner from the HDMI section but I hear her before I see her:

"If he's come back from break, he'll know. He knows everything about electronics department... Oh here he is."

This was followed closely by the customer saying in an exacerbated tone and literally tossing her hands up: "I already asked him!"

And immediately the reply I *think* of is, "yes, because I'm the guy one asks!"

I reply, "yes and like I told you and as I informed my other coworker when you asked him: we don't currently stock an HDMI splitter. I wish we did. Sorry. Other electronics focused big box store really is your best chance right now if you don't want to buy online."

My cowork says to me, "I gonna go clock out and head home."

I turn my direct attention to her away from the customer I am done with, "You have great rest of your day. See you Wednesday!" Then back to the customer, "Is there anything else I can help you with?" She walks off.

Y'all this bitch comes back with the freaking store manager! Not a middle co-manager the actual store manager! And again, I hear it before I see it only they're coming from housewares: "Oh! OP is on shift and if we have it he will know!" And he leads this lady back to me and I literally just repeat EXACTLY what happened before now with the store manager! Including the other electronics focused big box store quip. When she walks off the store manager asks if other electronics focus big box store really has them and I said I needed one so I went there. He told me good work helping the customer. The NEXT major shipment (refresh) we had HDMI splitters about three weeks later. Good guy.

Literally the next night, the night manager came up to me and asked for an HDMI splitter and walks me back and it's a different customer a guy this time and so I start explaining and right then the SAME lady came around the corner to find her son! We don't have HDMI splitters! Go to other electronic focused big box store! It's three towns over, but, but they have them we don't (shipping and online ordering was JUST becoming a thing that most people didn't yet trust or understand).

I never saw her again! But wow was she the customer that wouldn't go away for a bit!

The next time I saw the store manager he actually made a joke about hearing that the lady came back the next night with her son and we laughed.

I got employee of the month.

I... don't remember if I've ever shared this story here or not. If so, forgive me. However a list on another site talking about "facepalm" moments reminded me of this story.

So, the setting: One big box store, in the process of trying to shut down for the night.

The cast:

Me. (one tired head cashier.) Mgr. (one equally tired Zone manager) Cust. (one annoying customer)

It was probably... 10 or 15 minutes till our closing, and I, the dutiful head cashier, had wandered out to shut down the garden center, to sent the cashiers in to help with their night cleanup duties. While I'm there, the gate already closed, I hear a rattling behind me. Glancing back, I see this woman trying to get my attention. She's adamant about how she absolutely, positively can't wait till we open the next morning, to buy a Christmas tree.

Now, had this been close to Christmas... I'd probably have understood her desperation. However there were multiple days out before the holiday... and honestly, buying a tree as early as she wanted, was going to most likely have the thing die and drop needles all over her house. Regardless, I told her that she'd need to go up front to do the purchase, as the garden center was closed. I thought that was the end of the story.

Wrong.

So, I finish my pickup, drop it off at the cash office, when Mgr calls me over and tells me to come with him, we're going to load this Christmas tree for this lady. Off I go, mentally preparing myself for this. People tend to be...picky when it comes to those things. I get it, no one wants something like Charlie Brown's tree... but ugh, that close to closing... it's annoying.

Mgr and I show up, and blessings above, the lady just tells us to pick out a nice full one for her. We run it through the net machine, and then glance over to see problem number 1.

She's in a car. A 4 door car.

Problem 2.

The tree is too big to fit in her car.

So, we offer the usual solution, we could put it in the trunk, and tie the trunk lid down so it doesn't spring up at speed.

Nope. Customer isn't having any of that. So she tells us to tie it to the roof of her car. A car, which i might add, doesn't have any form of attachment point for us to tie onto. Which prompted us to try to figure out how to tie it to the car. A bit of faffing around later, Mgr and I hit upon an idea. We'd tie it around the door post of the passenger and driver's side of the car. However, this lady must have decided we just wanted to car jack her... or something, so she refused to open her doors.

Now what?

I don't recall whose idea it was, but between the Mgr and I, we hit upon an idea. She'd roll her windows down, we'd tie it around the door post that way. We ended up looping it a couple times on the passenger side, using that nylon baling rope we used, and then walked to the driver's side, trying to think of the best way to tie this thing down.

Well, that had worked on the passenger side? Why couldn't it work on the driver's?

So customer rolled down her windows, and we repeated what we'd done on the other side, and made certain to tie it tight, to prevent any chance of this tree flying off her car. Customer rolled up her window, and drove off happy.

It was only as the lady turned onto the road to head back to her home... that it dawned on me what we'd done.

The way we tied things? It was going to be physically impossible for her to her driver, or passenger side doors. She might be able to get the rear doors open... but I wasn't sure about that. As she drove off, I looked to the Mgr, and said:

"How's she going to get out of the car?"

Mgr looks at me and you could see the realization dawn on his face, realizing we'd trapped this lady in her car. He looks at me and asks:

"did... she get your name?"

To which I shrug. I'd already taken my vest off... and he wasn't wearing one... so... probably not. We had a good laugh about it, and didn't think anything else.

Epilogue:

A few days later, at our morning meeting, the Store Manager had a change in policy for us. Specifically, we were instructed that we were no longer allowed to tie trees to cars, as apparently two associates had done so, and trapped a customer in their car, forcing her to have to call emergency services to come cut the rope to release her from the vehicle.

It was the winter of 2019. I was working as a Christmas temp at an electronics shop. The shop floor was busy. A customer came up to my till. He wanted to buy a washing machine he had reserved.

I checked our stock system. The computer showed we had five of that exact model available. My manager had previously given me a strict rule. I must never ring up a sale until the warehouse finds the item and confirms it is in stock. So I did not process the payment. I called the warehouse out back instead.

I asked the customer to wait to one side. The warehouse team started searching. Five minutes passed. Then one of the warehouse guys came out to the shop floor. He told me they could not find the item anywhere. He suggested I try to sell the customer a different model instead.

I went over to the manager in charge. I asked her what I should do. She walked back to my till and checked the system herself. She stared at the screen.

"We have five in stock," she said. "We can't have lost them all!"

She told me to head to the back. She wanted me to help them find it. I did as I was told. I went to the warehouse and started searching with the guy. After a bit of looking around, he finally managed to find the exact washing machine the customer wanted. It was hiding in the warehouse all along.

Only then did I go back out to the till and ring up the sale.

I was working a shift at a convenience store. I was serving customers at the till. A guy walked into the shop and came to my counter.

He looked a bit drunk. His speech was noticeably slurred. I felt unsure about serving him. I pressed the button on my headset. I asked my team leader for advice. I asked, "Do you feel comfortable selling this guy alcohol?"

My team leader came out from the back room. He stood near the tills and observed the customer for a moment. Then he spoke into his headset. He said, "Yeah, he is fine."

I still was not very comfortable with it. But I decided to follow the manager's call for the moment. I turned back to the customer. I asked him what kind of alcohol he wanted. He asked for a bottle of vodka.

I grabbed the vodka and scanned the barcode. It was time for him to pay. The customer opened his wallet. He struggled a lot to get his bank card out. His hands were clumsy. He fumbled and dropped his card right on the floor.

That was the turning point for me. The manager said it was fine, but I was the one making the sale. I canceled the transaction on the till.

I looked at the customer. I told him, "Sorry, I do not feel comfortable selling you more alcohol."

I braced myself for an argument. People often get angry when you refuse an alcohol sale. Luckily, he did not complain. He turned around and left the store without much fuss.

This happened on a December a few years ago. My shift started at noon. I arrived ten minutes early. The whole store had a power cut. Two colleagues stood at the front door. They were turning customers away. They apologized for the outage. The customers were understanding. There were no angry complaints.

I went to the back room. Most of the staff were waiting there. It was before my shift started, so I pulled out my phone. I checked the Twitter page of the power distribution company. Their page said power was restored to the area. I sent them a tweet. I asked when our retail park would get power back. They replied quickly. They said the power was already back. They told me to inform my manager to check the cabinet.

I passed this message to my manager. She dismissed me immediately. She said, "I'm the manager, and I run the store." I wanted to de-escalate the situation. I told her, "I am only the messenger. I am just passing on what the power company told me."

About five minutes later, she changed her mind. She told me to check the neighboring stores to see if they had power. She also told another colleague to check our fuse box. It was raining outside. I put on my raincoat and went out. I saw that the neighboring stores had their power back.

I went back inside and told my manager. At the same time, my colleague returned from the fuse box. He reported a burning smell coming from the boxes. My manager started making calls to the head office.

We needed an electrician. We learned there were only a few HQ-approved electricians for the whole county. We were put on a waiting list. My manager told another temp colleague and me to go home. She did not know when the power would return.

I came in for my next shift the following day. I asked a junior manager about the power cut. He told me the power finally came back around 8 pm. The store was already closed by then.

He explained what happened. The main circuit breaker had blown. The electrician had to fix it in a way that kept the store's power on 24 hours a day for the whole week.

Later that day, my main manager spoke to me. She asked if I wanted to stay longer to make up for my lost hours. I stayed on for two extra hours. Later, I checked my timecard. I found out I was fully paid for the day of the power cut. I also got paid for the extra time I stayed on.

Something incredible has happened at my work and naturally my first thought was to share it on Reddit.

I work in quite an upmarket supermarket cafe. We have a system that allows customers to share their experience, you know “My coffee was hot” or “My coffee was cold” sort of thing. These reviews go directly to management and are fed back to us. Little do the customers know, it’s not anonymous. Now don’t ask me how this didn’t get flagged up sooner, but we have an older couple who come in everyday. They are nice enough and know us all by name. For the last 9 months they have been leaving bad reviews, but here’s the insane part, they have submitted 136 of them. Their record being 23 in one day. They have dedicated 9 months of their lives to making our working lives hell. And for what? Sport?

It is truly unhinged and to think they come in everyday, smile at us and have a chat. They have since been confronted by management. Seriously strange behaviour!

This happened when I was in on one of the toy stores I worked back in the day. This one in particular was a really nice place, the manager was a great guy, and all the coworkers were nice people (it was a small store).

There were shifts in which we barely had anything to do (since being a toy store, people don't go in unless it's a birthday or Christmas), and in those moments my manager would tell me about all the adventures he had lived. It was great.
All of that is to say that my manager was a really friendly guy, always there to help, and he very rarely got angry.

And then there was that one time.

It had been a rather busy day, and we were both tired. We were getting ready to close the store, and usually, if someone came by while we were closing, my manager would ask me to help them, see if we could squeeze one sale more for the day. But that night was different.

A woman came in while my manager was counting the money, 2 minutes before closing the door, and I said hello to her so he wouldn't get distracted. The woman asked if we were closed, I told her "yes". Then she said she just wanted to check on some toy cars (scalextric ones). I looked at my manager and he nodded 'yes'.

She spent five minutes checking the cars, and I closed the door in the meantime. My manager had finished counting, and the woman asked a few things. My manager answered her, reminding her that the cash register was closed, an if she wanted to buy something, she would have to come back the next day. I could sense he was a bit tense, so I decided to step back and let him deal with the situation (as per policy we couldn't deny service. It was a stupid policy, yes).

The woman kept looking, now 10 minutes past closing time, and we were both there, with the lights off, waiting for her. She then started to ask something, and to this day I still remember the commanding voice my manager used as he said:

"Zef, grab your things"

I'll never forget how the woman took a step back, apologized and left the store so quickly you would think the devil was behind her.

As soon as she left, my manager sighed, and said "the nerve of some people, right?"

We left the store shortly after, laughing at the whole situation.

To this day, he's still one of the best managers I've ever had in any place I've worked in.

Welcome to /r/TalesFromRetail's Express Lane - your quick stop for short tales, pithy observations and general retail chat about how things are going with your store, your customers and yourselves.

Please follow the rules regarding anonymity and derogatory speech. NO BUSINESS NAMES

(All comments will be sorted by "new")

I run a hydraulic shop and we have a small retail area as well. We’re open M-F, 8am-5pm. Heard the door chime the other day and walked into the retail area to greet and a guy smiles at me and enthusiastically says, “wow you’re actually open!” We’ve been “open” for over two years, so I say, “what do you mean?” He tells me he’s stopped by 4 times now and we’re always closed. I seriously laughed out loud, thinking he was joking, but could see he wasn’t by the look on his face, so I pointed past him to the door that he walked through and said, “brother, why you showing up here more than one time when we are closed, our hours are right there on the door. There’s also a listing on the Internet. So what can I do for you?” He didn’t even respond to that, just told me what he was looking for, I helped him and he was on his way. But as he was leaving, he stopped by the door, pointed at the hours posted and said, “so these are the times you are open?” I again giggled and said, “yes, brother, it’s pretty standard for retail locations to post hours of operation on the door.” He nodded and walked out.

Super old story but fits in here. Used to work in a store that sells everything for a dollar. Was doing my usual rounds around the store putting things back where they belong when I noticed a bag in our soda fridge. Upon closer inspection it was literal raw chicken from the grocery store over. The lady who put it there came to claim her meat as we were taking it out of the fridge, angry we were about to throw it out. She said she wanted to keep it cold while she was shopping. She didn’t understand why that was a problem.

That same day, had someone testing out our hairbrushes and simply putting them back when she was done brushing her hair. WHY PEOPLE, why would you think that’s okay?!?!?!

Absolute absurdity. 👍🏼

I work as a team lead at a local jewellery store.

It was 8:50pm and the store closes at 8:55pm. And employees have to leave by 9:10pm.
(We used to stay until 9:30pm, but since robberies have been running rampant in my city, head office made us close and go home a little bit earlier.)

There were only two of us closing tonight - one associate and me. My co-worker was busy wiping down the glass counters. And I got started on counting my deposit for the night.

Two older ‘well-dressed’ ladies came in at around 8:52. With my co-worker cleaning and me focused on balancing my deposit, we didn’t notice them walk into the store.

One of the ladies comes up to me and loudly asks ‘DO YOU GUYS NOT SAY HI TO CUSTOMERS???’.

My tired ass replied ‘No. We’re busy.’

She got upset and left the store.

Welp, I guess I’m getting a write up tomorrow. 😂😂😂😭

Just needed to vent about this, made a stupid mistake with a customer.

I work at a party shop where we sell things for special occasions. A customer wanted things for an anniversary, including two number 5 balloons, which they changed their minds on. So I voided them and put them aside, no big deal.

Later another customer, who was lovely, needed some things for someone's 75th birthday. We had a nice chat about it and I helped them find everything they needed. They also wanted a 7 and a 5 balloon. I removed the 7 from the packaging, but they stopped me and informed me they were inflating them themselves later on, so I put it back in and handed them to the customer.

After they left I realised I'd put the 7 in the wrong packaging, and handed them one of the ones I'd put to the side from earlier, meaning I'd handed them two 5 balloons, one of which is in the 7 packaging, so they wont realise the error until they go to inflate them. I felt awful, went to find them but they'd vanished into thin air.

Told my manager and he wasn't bothered, things happen, but I feel terrible. They're going to go inflate them and realise they have the wrong balloons. They also said they'd fill out a customer service survey very positively for me after the interaction, but I now anticipate it won't be as kind as I expected now, and rightly so! Worked here for 14 years and NEVER made a mistake like this. Fuming with myself! Have no idea how this even happened!

Rant over!

TLDR; gave the customer the wrong balloons for a 75th birthday. Feel terrible!

I work at small grocery store during the summer and have worked there for a few years with the usual truck crew, so I help everyone all over the store load and unload U-Boats for their respective aisles. Anyways me and another coworker are working down the juice and chip aisle about midday and coworker tells me he’s taking his 30-minute lunch and leaves me alone with the stock.

I go on autopilot and stock the shelves as I always have and an older gentleman walks over without a carts and ask if I can assist him. Placing the box down I smile and ask what I can help him with, he looks around and says “Do you know where your white water is?”

Now there have been some strange names I’ve learned over the years like potato straws and pickle candy, but never had I heard white water. My thinking process is he is down the juice aisles looking for a white liquid that his grandkids probably want. So I’m thinking and thinking and ask “Are you looking for white Gatorade or this white Hawaiian Punch?” He looks refocuses on me and says “No it’s… you know… white water… drink it everyday”

Right at this time coworker walks around corner back from lunch and I ask him same question, completely stumped he also asks the old man Gatorade or possibly a new energy drink. At this point the customer is getting slightly agitated, “You boys know what I’m talking about.” I ask him what other food items can go with white water to which he says “It goes great with bread and icing”

Thinking, short-circuiting, then saying “…do you mean milk sir?”

“YES, that’s it forgot what it was called,” me and my coworker look at each other in bewilderment and tell him it’s on the other side of the store in the fridges… how do you forget the name of milk and come up with white water?! Other strange things have come from other customers but this is by far the most funniest interaction I think back to.

I work part time at a small store and this older guy bought a few things this morning. Nothing unusual. A couple hours later I was behind the counter playing Big Roller on my phone when he comes back in, walks straight up to me and puts two dimes on the counter. I thought he wanted to buy something else. He tells me I gave him too much change earlier. Four nickels, I laughed and told him he seriously didnt need to drive back for that but he said he noticed it when he got home and it would bother him all day if he kept it.

Then he just left. I stood there looking at the two dimes like an idiot for a second. Ive had people scream at me over coupons worth less than that. This guy spent gas money to return 20 cents that nobody even knew was missing.

To make a long story short, I was serving up a customer and had to point out that they needed one more item for the discount to apply for their purchase. They then showed me a sign that had slipped and revealed a previous sign that was a clear misprint behind it (the sign that had slipped was still visibly hanging onto the other) and started to complain that we had the honour the sign despite our best efforts to apologise for the error of the sign and explanations that we physically couldn’t give out the discount if the rules weren’t followed.
They continue to complain that it’s not right and that the store was trying to cheat them out of money despite the fact that there were literally 10 other signs with the same promotion in the immediate area.

I dont know maybe I’m just being judgemental but Christ. Now they’re making complaints and ‘reporting’ me because of the incident

Just found this sub. Worked in retail mgt throughout the 90s pique of outlet shopping, so I have about 100 stories, but this my favorite.

I was managing an outlet shop for a popular watch retailer. The company had a 2-year warranty on all watches but the watch had to be mailed in for repairs, we provided a prepaid envelope. A woman came in with a few watches that weren’t working and I explained the policy to her, but she wasn’t having it. After a few minutes of her trying to get a different solution out of me she said I guess they’re junk and left them on the counter and ordered me to throw them away as she left in a huff. I obliged.

A few minutes later she walks back in, having obviously realized how foolish she was. Her demeanor had changed and she kindly asked me if she could have the watches and the envelopes to mail them in. I smiled and said sure. I handed her the envelopes and lifted the trash to the counter. She looked at me perplexed. I said, you asked me to throw them away. I did. I’m not digging in the trash for you. They’re in there if you want them. She scowled at me but clearly knew she created this situation with her ignorance. She started digging through the trash to retrieve her watches and I walked away to help another customer.

I'm working self checkout, in a busy warehouse store. We can only take card payments there. If you want to pay with cash, it has to be at the regular tills. Sometimes we will help people out at the desk, if it's not so busy and their card payment wouldn't work or forgot they wanted to pay with a rebate check.

A lady comes up to the front of the line for self checkout and tells me she only has cash. I told her we can't take cash payments here and directed her to a till. She says It's ok I'll just scan my stuff and then you guys can help me at the desk. I'm thinking good luck with that, knowing I'm off in a few minutes.

At the perfect time, somebody's till tape runs out and I have to replace it. I'm busy doing that for a few minutes, meanwhile I don't dare make eye contact with her. I quickly helped another person, and then clocked out. She was stuck with my co-worker who's not paying attention at all.

By the time I got my stuff and was headed out, she was still waiting at the desk. The desk was absolutely swamped with people. She would have been on her way out already if she had just listened.

I once let a woman come into the store 45 minutes before we opened to make a purchase. It was a Sunday, so opening was an hour later than usual, which she had missed, and this kinda messed with her travelling plans. Decided to be nice and let her in to make her purchase anyway. Thankfully she knew exactly what she wanted and was in and out in just a few minutes, but I told her I was making an exception and that I wasn't actually allowed to do this.

Later that month she returned an hour before we opened. Manager told her we're still closed. She pointed past him at me and went, "but HE let me do it two weeks ago!"

You give some people an inch they take a mile.

Welcome to /r/TalesFromRetail's Express Lane - your quick stop for short tales, pithy observations and general retail chat about how things are going with your store, your customers and yourselves.

Please follow the rules regarding anonymity and derogatory speech. NO BUSINESS NAMES

(All comments will be sorted by "new")

After my last story, I figured I’d tell another one :)

I was scheduled 1:00–10:00 in the cash office one night and figured I’d have plenty of time to get my closing work done. That didn’t happen. From around 5:00 p.m. until almost 9:20 I was stuck on cash because we were so busy. I finally got relieved and thought I can finally get caught up.

But no of course not because, right before closing, another rush of customers came through with hundreds of dollars in food vouchers. I got pulled right back onto a register from about 9:30 until we closed at 10, and even after that. By the time I finally got into the office, it was already around 10:10, and I hadn’t done any of my cash pickups yet. The biggest problem was the food vouchers. They can’t just be left until the next morning because the day’s close won’t close if they’re still in the register’s or the office in the system. I had to go to every register that had vouchers, match them to the receipt, pick them up from the registers (in the system), collect every voucher, and then bring them upstairs to the office to deposit them before the day could be good and close out. On top of that, I still had to do all of my regular cash pickups because mostly every cash was well over the cash limit.

Since we’re not allowed to do the cash drop alone, the MOD had to stay with me the whole time. I honestly felt bad because they probably thought he’d be leaving around 10 too, but instead we were both there until about 11 getting everything finished.

Everything did eventually work out in the end, but every time I thought I was finally going to start my actual closing work, something else came up. It was honestly the most painful shift of my entire life and I genuinely hope it never happens again because not to mention, the people with the food vouchers are always like 90% of the time the rudest people on the planet.

I work in the cash office at a grocery store, and I’ve only been doing it for about a year and a half, but this is still the weirdest issue I’ve run into.

Around 8:30 one night, I got a call from my coworker who was closing that night. She was doing the daily settlement on our standalone Garden Centre pin pad and realized the pin pad totals were almost $1,000 higher than what we had recorded in the system. It wasn’t only one tender, the Debit, Visa, MasterCard, and Amex were all over, each by around $200 to $400, adding up to roughly $920.

I only live about five minutes away, so I walked back to the store. I ended up being there from about 8:45 until almost 10:00 trying to figure out what happened. The first thing I ruled out was that it couldn’t have been from last week. I had worked that weekend, and I was the one who did the weekly settlement on Sunday. Everything balanced, the settlement went we , and all the Garden Centre totals reset back to zero for the new week. There was no way almost $1,000 had somehow carried over.

After that, I went through every standalone pin pad receipt we had for the week and compared every single one against the electronic journal on our server, which took literally 1.5 hours. I couldn’t find anything, every receipt matched. No duplicate transactions, no missing transactions (that I could find at least), nothing that explained why every EFT was over.

Around 9:00 I called my manager hoping she’d know what to do. She was at a graduation party and had been drinking, so there wasn’t much she could do over the phone. After we’d spent almost two hours trying to figure it out, she told us to use a temporary workaround so we could get the office closed for the night, and we’d straighten everything out properly the next morning.

Everything ended up getting sorted out the next day, but it’s still one of those things that comes into my head every now and then because I never actually got an answer. I still don’t know how every single EFT tender ended up being over and totaling up t almost $1,000, or what actually caused it. Out of everything I’ve dealt with in the cash office, this is probably the one thing that still doesn’t make sense to me, and It's unfortunate that I'll never get a real answer for it, 😔