Can you take our picture?!

[Jowy]

"Sure!"

(mentally: please die)

http://news.distractify.com/culture/craigslist-surveillance-restaurant/?v=1

What's the most irritating thing anyone asks during your day-to-day grind?

[Pike]

"Can you help me with ________" when I am obviously off the clock

[MissH]

Asking questions at a ridiculous time?

Eg "how's the food?"
Eixnehatvejtoxenws (speaking with mouthful)

Waiters always seem to wait until you have your mouth full to ask you this. So irritiating!

[Sephex]

"Can you help me with ________" when I am obviously off the clock

"Sorry, I get reprimanded if I work off the clock." [point customer in direction to help]

Most major companies actually do have rules against working off the clock. It's to prevent employees trying to stir up problems with an employer. "I should get paid for working then! It doesn't matter if I was off the clock BRB GETTING LAWYER!!"

Sound ridiculous, but I have worked for companies were supervisors freaked out if they saw me casually picking trash off the floor to throw it away off the clock. They were seriously worried I would try to fight for unpaid time since I "worked."

So that's another long winded advice-rant I threw at you two days in a row now. Sorry about that!

[Pike]

My company confuses me with their grounds on that because on the one hand they freak out about working off the clock, but on the other hand they're like "NEVER SAY NO TO THE CUSTOMER!" and "If a customer stops you while you're on lunch you can take a few minutes extra lunch to make up for it" and stuff like that and it's just like WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO

In general I'm more irritated by how if I'm, say, holding my coat in one hand, have a phone in the other, and am heading towards the door, people will still stop me. Really guys?

[Sephex]

My company confuses me with their grounds on that because on the one hand they freak out about working off the clock, but on the other hand they're like "NEVER SAY NO TO THE CUSTOMER!" and "If a customer stops you while you're on lunch you can take a few minutes extra lunch to make up for it" and stuff like that and it's just like WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO

In general I'm more irritated by how if I'm, say, holding my coat in one hand, have a phone in the other, and am heading towards the door, people will still stop me. Really guys?

Ask your supervisor if it is legal for you to work off the clock.

Okay, yes, I know that the situation isn't as black and white as that. And I know that would probably just land you in hot water. I guess I am trying to show you that I feel your pain. It's a constant mixed message employees get, especially in retail. They throw the book at your for stepping out of line selectively, but god forbid if you do that. All of a sudden they write you up or even get rid of you for something they have ignored many times because you dared to use the same strategy that they did to guide yourself out of a situation that you were in the right about.

[Christmas]

*bear hug Pike and Sephex* :hug:

[Cloudane]

I don't really mind the camera thing, it's one of those "friendly experiences" and it's nice when they like the result :) People sometimes offer the same for us. Though I'm sure one of these days the one offering will nick off with it!

+1 for requests while off the clock. Bonus hate if someone does it while I'm actually putting a sandwich in my mouth at the time, and so they don't even have the "oh sorry I didn't realise you were on your lunch" excuse.

"Can you please answer a few questions, it'll only take 4 minutes of your time" (massive lie, ends up taking an hour) is quite an irritating one as well. Exevo Market Research, I am looking at you.

[Shiny]

Waiters repeatedly checking in is annoying in general. I had a waiter check in and interrupt the conversation several times it was so annoying. I gave him a very bad tip because he needs to learn that it doesn't help his tip if he keeps doing that.

[StarCross1988]

When you're wearing a proper uniform, name badge, carrying equipment, etc. and a person walks up to you and says "Do you work here?"

Oh that always annoyed the hell out of me.

[sharkythesharkdogg]

Retail is horrible for double standards like that. So here's my story, since every one has a story.

I go to a new store that is infamous for customers stealing, complaining, scamming, and trying all those things in particular against the "new guy". Usually store theft is largely employee based, but this was one of those rare stores where it was indeed the customers who were really difficult to work with. They stole regularly in many different ways. I'm the new manager, so of course I'm getting tons of situations like this. I observe that when people have a complaint, they come to me specifically, and act very aggressive. I check our documented complaint log, and it is overwhelmingly obvious that most of the complaints come to me during my shift. The customers know better than to try stuff like this with the other employees.

90% of them I can easily prove that the person is lying, cheating, stealing, etc. So I refuse to refund them and move on with my life. The other 10% or so, I do take care of the refund.

My supervisor comes in a month or two later complaining to me that they've had a spike of customer complaints about me since I've come to the store. I remind him that they are the ones that warned me I would be targeted for this sort of thing because I'm the new manager so all the regular bad customers would be "testing the waters". Just trying to see what they can get away with.

I'm reminded that I have a certain cash limit that I can use with every customer complaint situation I experience, to help diffuse the situation. I'm told that if it's a complaint below that amount (20-25 dollars, by the way, which adds up fast) that I shouldn't attempt to prove or disprove anything. I should just refund the money. I mention that this seems like an easy way for people to learn they can take advantage of the new guy and get some easy money, but my concerns are dismissed.

So I adopt that as my new policy. If it's under that limit, unless it's incredibly obvious they are lying, I refund the money and wish them a good day. It's easier for me, and takes less time. Done and done.

Until a month or two later when the supervisor returns and complains to me that my refunded cash amount is way higher than anyone else in the store. I'm hemorrhaging money! Well duh, you smurfing moron. You just told me to basically refund everyone who has a complaint below a certain cash value with no questions asked. You also said they would be trying to test me because I'm new.

At this point I had to have a heart to heart with the guy. I said he could either accept losing cash, accept that he was going to get some customer complaints, or bring in another new manager that would have the exact same issues. Only they would be starting from scratch. He can't have no complaints and no cash loss. Customer behavior is out of our hands.

He knew the complaints were simply BS attempts to get me removed from the store so that customers could get another new guy in who wouldn't question their refunds. Surprise, surprise he chose to let me go back to checking scammers and deal with the complaints.

Basically, I was dealing with a stressful situation that they knew about and yet still decided to harass me over because my performance numbers weren't up to the expected level they have for stores in general. They knew this store had special issues, they knew what those issues were, and yet still acted surprised when my numbers reflected that. :Oo:

[Mo-Nercy]

Basically, I was dealing with a stressful situation that they knew about and yet still decided to harass me over because my performance numbers weren't up to the expected level they have for stores in general. They knew this store had special issues, they knew what those issues were, and yet still acted surprised when my numbers reflected that. :Oo:
Often supervisors/corporate like to come to you with some numbers for no other reason than to demonstrate that they are in a position of power.

When I was working in retail, we'd have corporate visitors come by every now and again to pretty much check off that things were set up as head office said they should be. I knew that even if I got everything perfect, they'd still find something wrong in the littlest way and I'd be stuck fixing something that didn't need fixing in the first place. Once I had to make a Caution: Stairs Ahead sign for two steps in the stock room that were already clearly identifiable with black + yellow tape on the ground. So after learning my lesson, I'd always just leave something deliberately out of place so they'd pick up on that straight away, have a little go at me, and then go back to the office feeling good about themselves.

[noxious.sunshine]

Waiters repeatedly checking in is annoying in general. I had a waiter check in and interrupt the conversation several times it was so annoying. I gave him a very bad tip because he needs to learn that it doesn't help his tip if he keeps doing that.

He's not gonna know that checking on you so often annoyed you just based off of a crap tip. Should've left a note at least. Plus management could've been telling him to do so. I had a boss that did that. If we were slow and all the side work and stuff was done, he'd yell at us to go check our tables even though we'd just been by there 5 minutes before.

[Shorty]

What's the most irritating thing anyone asks during your day-to-day grind?

"Are you having fun yet?"

People have been asking me this at work for years. Stop it. Don't ever ask me that ever again.

[Lone Wolf Leonhart]

"Can you take our picture?"

"Sure."

*Runs off with camera*

They won't be doing that again.


What's the most irritating thing anyone asks during your day-to-day grind?

"Well, at least it's a job, right?"

No. That's a horrible mindset to have.

[Jess]

"Would you like a bag?"

No, don't worry. I've only just given you a basket full of shopping, but I am going to carry it to my car/home on my head.

[Lone Wolf Leonhart]

"Would you like a bag?"

No, don't worry. I've only just given you a basket full of shopping, but I am going to carry it to my car/home on my head.

"Would you like lids?"


Nope. I just bought 5 orders of ice cream from you and I'm alone in this car right now. I'm either going to eat all of this on the drive home or spill it all over myself. That's my plan.

[noxious.sunshine]

Snapping fingers at me was one of the most annoying things ever working in a restaurant. I'm not a dog. Along with people not reading the menu and asking for sides we didn't even have.

"I'll take green beans with it."

"We don't have green beans, sir"

"Oh then I'll take corn."

"We don't have that either"

"Well what DO you have!?"

*Proceed with listing all 20 other sides we do have even though they're in bold print on the side of the menu*

[Bubba]

"Hi there, do you have a minute?"

I get asked this question pretty much every other day on my way to work by charity muggers. I have nothing against these people or the charities ( I actually already give to half of them) I just can't stand this approach. My responses to this question has changed a lot over the years. Here is a list of the phases I have been through.

First two years
Chugger: "Hi there, do you have a minute?"
Me: "I'm sorry, I'm in a rush"

Third year
Chugger: "Hi there, do you have a minute?"
Me: "No, I'm sorry"

Fourth Year
Chugger: "Hi there, do you have a minute?"
Me: "No"

First week of fifth year
Chugger: "Hi there, do you have a minute?"
Me: "Samahani, mimi si kuzungumza mjinga"

Present day
Chugger: "Hi there, do you have a minute?"
Me: *Doesn't respond but stares creepily at them until I've gone past*

[Cloudane]

"Would you like a bag?"

No, don't worry. I've only just given you a basket full of shopping, but I am going to carry it to my car/home on my head.

XD

I know why they say that, it's policy in some places because they're trying to encourage customers to reuse bags. Asking whether you want one is meant to gently remind you that they'd prefer you had your own. Environmentalism and all that (because the squillions of tonnes of plastic used for just about every food packaging ever is okay, but those flimsy carriers where they manage to stretch out about 0.0001g of plastic are the root of all evil, apparently)

They've got the government behind them here as they're going to be forced to charge for bags soon..

I keep meaning to be all environmental and bring my own bags, but it's super hard. Who remembers to dig out some old bags and stuff them in their pockets before they go shopping.

If they charged something more substantial like £1/bag, we'd very quickly learn. But as the charge is going to be something like 2p, it's pretty obvious it's just a tax / government fund raising thing.

[Colonel Angus]

When you're wearing a proper uniform, name badge, carrying equipment, etc. and a person walks up to you and says "Do you work here?"

Oh that always annoyed the hell out of me.
Twice I've had the opposite happen to me. Both times it was @ Walgreen's on my break, & I think it's because I was wearing a blue polo & had my work ID hanging from my belt loop.

[Pumpkin]

You guise are just cranky pantses :colbert:

Its sweet helping a couple or some friends get a picture memory, we don't know if you're off the clock, some people carry their own bags, some people are socially awkward so they ask things like "do you work here" because they don't know another ice breaker, waiters sometimes have bad timing but it would probably be creepier if they stood there waiting for you to finish before asking, plus they have other tables and at least they are checking on you, and someone somewhere is complaining about something you do all the time!!!!!1!11!1!1

(I'm teasing in case that wasn't clear by all the !!!!s)

I hate when someone asks me if something is wrong and I say no and they proceed to ask me 20 more times. Either I'm not upset but you're making me upset, or I am upset but clearly don't want to talk about it and asking me repeatedly is only going to make me want to talk about it even less

[Sephex]

You guise are just cranky pantses :colbert:

Its sweet helping a couple or some friends get a picture memory, we don't know if you're off the clock, some people carry their own bags, some people are socially awkward so they ask things like "do you work here" because they don't know another ice breaker, waiters sometimes have bad timing but it would probably be creepier if they stood there waiting for you to finish before asking, plus they have other tables and at least they are checking on you, and someone somewhere is complaining about something you do all the time!!!!!1!11!1!1

(I'm teasing in case that wasn't clear by all the !!!!s)

I hate when someone asks me if something is wrong and I say no and they proceed to ask me 20 more times. Either I'm not upset but you're making me upset, or I am upset but clearly don't want to talk about it and asking me repeatedly is only going to make me want to talk about it even less

But what's wrong?

[Shiny]

I just realized this is meant for work, and not in general? When I think of grinding I think of just doing general shiz.

[Scotty_ffgamer]

*Lights in the mall shut off, warmer lights in the store shut off, clear lack of product in the warmer.*
Customer: Are you open yet?

Customer: Can I get change for the candy machines/stroller things/etc.
Me: Sorry, the registers are set up so I can't open them without a cash purchase.
*Customer proceeds to cuss me out, flip me off, threaten to beat me up, etc.*

Customer: What do you do with all the pretzels at night?
Me: We donate them to Salvation Army.
Customer: "Oh that's cool... I was just curious...." OR "Well why don't you donate them to my belly instead?"

Customer: What can I get for free?
Me: Nothing.
Customer: *Chuckles at his last question* I'll take a strawberry lemonade
Me: Here you go. Here's what you owe me.
Customer: Oh, you mean it wasn't free? Smurf that!

Customer: I'll take a frozen lemonade.
*pours them frozen lemonade*
Customer: I change my mind, I'll take the frozen strawberry.
*pours frozen strawberry*
Customer: Since you already made that last one, can you just give it to me for free.
Me: No, I'm sorry.
Customer: Man, you're just going to throw it away. There are starving people in this world. You personally are the reason for everything wrong in this world.

*I hold the money up to the light to find watermark*
Customer: Yeah, I just made that bill this morning
*Customer laughs thinking he made the greatest joke in the world. Every customer after him whose bill I check proceeds to make the same joke*

*I'm rolling pretzels while my only other coworker is on register. A large line forms*
Customer: HEY YOU! WHY DON'T YOU GET OVER AND HELP US OUT OVER HERE? WE DON'T WANT TO WAIT THIS LONG! HEY ARE YOU STUPID? GET OVER HERE! ARE YOU EVEN WORKING?
Coworker: He's rolling pretzels right now so we can make sure we have product ready to give you.
Customer: I don't give a smurf. Get him over here.

Customer: Do you have any raisin pretzels?
Me: No, we haven't had those for about 4 years now.
Customer: I was just in here last week and got one. You're lying.
Me: Sorry, we don't have them.

Customer: *said sarcastically or in a belittling tone* Don't work too hard.

Customer: *arm reaching over the little trash can we have on our counter right in front of them* Can you throw this away for me?

Ok, I'm just going to stop this here. I could go on and on.

That being said, I love my coworkers, and the people who work in the stores around me are all wonderful people. I also get enough customers that are just generally pleasant or a little kid will say something like "You're a really nice guy!" Those are always nice moments in between the annoying stuff.

[escobert]

Every single morning my boss walks in and says "what kind of shampoo is this?" He will then proceed to tell you 5 minutes later how he has been running this company for 30 years and knows everything. Yet and he can't figure out what shampoo I'm cutting by looking at it. While opening a mold last friday he tried to tell em it did not smell correctly and it took everyone in the shop saying "No Jim, that's how they smell when we open them"

A lady asked on Facebook if any of our shampoo contain tree nut oils since she is very allergic to them and of course he completely leaves out our Virgin Coconut bars that contain Argan oil which states on the bottle "Argan Nut Oil. Contains Tree Nuts" And then I clarified that saying it did contain a nut oil to which she responded "Coconut isn't a tree nut" Gee thanks, I wasn't aware of that or even talking about coconut oil which is in every one of our recipes...

[Alive-Cat]

"Well, at least it's a job, right?"

This.

[Mo-Nercy]

"Well, at least it's a job, right?"

This.
Or even "If you don't like your job, why don't you just quit?"

Because literally everyone else in the world is working their dream job and are so so happy to be going to work everyday. I'm working here because I like to be unhappy, not because there's bills to pay.

[Old Manus]

"I'm gonna have to ask you to come into the office Saturday"

[Christmas]

"I'm gonna have to ask you to come into the office Saturday"

http://justifiedjerk.com/middle-finger.jpg

[Quindiana Jones]

It's a rare job in which overtime is mandatory. :colbert:

I used to work in retail and was notorious for two things: being really friendly with customers and being really mean to customers. And slapping my supervisor on the ass a lot. Stupid requests would be met with contempt. Pike's "Would you mind...?" as I'm obviously leaving would result in a "No, obviously I'm leaving. Pay attention."

I'm glad the bosses I've had have not been willing to sacrifice their dignity or the humanity of their staff for an extra £20.

Having said that, now teaching in China. Useless fucks, the lot of them! :jess:

[Cloudane]

One that has irked me recently is
"When are you going to stop dieting? There'll be nothing left of you!" / "Live a little!"

1. When I'm at BMI 22, I will stop losing weight
2. One does not simply "diet" or "stop dieting" when making a permanent eating and lifestyle change.
3. If I said to a person of a visually higher BMI "when are you going to stop eating? You're starting to eclipse the sun", it'd generally be considered unacceptable. So why is it perfectly ok at the other end of the scale :mad:
4. I do live a little. Once upon a time treats were treats, not habits.

[Quindiana Jones]

It might be a change of wardrobe you need to compensate for a change in body. Also, I wouldn't measure yourself using BMI, if I were you. xD

[Cloudane]

I think it's more people trying to throw a misguided compliment. I'm not going around wearing old clothes any more, as I'd have to pleat the waistline underneath a belt to make it work :lol:

It is fashionable to slag off BMI on the internet at the moment but there's nothing wrong with BMI as an indicator if you're not massively muscular or an ethnic minority (http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Obesity/Pages/Diagnosis.aspx) (I'm neither). Of course, never use just one tool - working out your body fat percentage with calipers and keeping an eye on your waistline are important as well. But BMI is perfectly fine as an indication.

[sharkythesharkdogg]

Basically, I was dealing with a stressful situation that they knew about and yet still decided to harass me over because my performance numbers weren't up to the expected level they have for stores in general. They knew this store had special issues, they knew what those issues were, and yet still acted surprised when my numbers reflected that. :Oo:
Often supervisors/corporate like to come to you with some numbers for no other reason than to demonstrate that they are in a position of power.

When I was working in retail, we'd have corporate visitors come by every now and again to pretty much check off that things were set up as head office said they should be. I knew that even if I got everything perfect, they'd still find something wrong in the littlest way and I'd be stuck fixing something that didn't need fixing in the first place. Once I had to make a Caution: Stairs Ahead sign for two steps in the stock room that were already clearly identifiable with black + yellow tape on the ground. So after learning my lesson, I'd always just leave something deliberately out of place so they'd pick up on that straight away, have a little go at me, and then go back to the office feeling good about themselves.

Indeed they do. That's why I had to have a heart to heart with this guy. Basically my point was that he was going to either accept some customer complaints until they learned I wasn't easy to fool and not worth their time, or he could accept losing money constantly because they learned that they could get money out of me.

I'm used to playing the numbers game, but when I'm already stressed at a difficult store, that they know is difficult, I'm done playing their game. I'm concentrating on not getting robbed.

[escobert]

Every single morning my boss walks in and says "what kind of shampoo is this?" He will then proceed to tell you 5 minutes later how he has been running this company for 30 years and knows everything. Yet and he can't figure out what shampoo I'm cutting by looking at it. While opening a mold last friday he tried to tell em it did not smell correctly and it took everyone in the shop saying "No Jim, that's how they smell when we open them"

A lady asked on Facebook if any of our shampoo contain tree nut oils since she is very allergic to them and of course he completely leaves out our Virgin Coconut bars that contain Argan oil which states on the bottle "Argan Nut Oil. Contains Tree Nuts" And then I clarified that saying it did contain a nut oil to which she responded "Coconut isn't a tree nut" Gee thanks, I wasn't aware of that or even talking about coconut oil which is in every one of our recipes...

He pulled some more stupid trout today since he can't friggen hear, accused me of ignoring him and such. Anyways. I quit so I'm now one of those unemployed people. For a couple days at least!

[leader of mortals]

It is fashionable to slag off BMI on the internet at the moment but there's nothing wrong with BMI as an indicator if you're not massively muscular or an ethnic minority (http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Obesity/Pages/Diagnosis.aspx) (I'm neither)..

Well, I wouldn't say that I'm massively muscular, but I am obese by BMI, and well below average body fat %(average for males is about 20%, I'm at 12%, 5% is considered possibly dangerous). But, to get back on topic...

I work at McDonald's, and McDonald's has a lot of seasonal products, or we get rid of a lot of products that stop selling so well. For example, we are no longer serving the Cherry Pies all year round, they will be a seasonal product from now on, but I always seem to have someone come through and ask for them and, when I say we no longer have them, give me a flurry of questions ranging from "Why!?" to "When will they be back!?". It's as if people think that I personally made the decision to get rid of the Cherry Pies.

Another great one is that we used to have all size fountain drinks be $1, but now the small is $1, the medium is $1.19, and the large is $1.29. So many people, like, SO MANY PEOPLE complained their asses off about the pops going up 30 cents. People cussed me out because of it, people told me that they just lost my business, people asked to speak to my manager and complained to them when it was a decision by our owner, and, even above that, all of the owners in my city. They are literally cussing me out, who is under my hourly manager, who is under their department manager, who is under the general manager, who is under the store supervisor, who is under the owner, who is part of a group that made this decision. I'm 5 degrees out from having a say in the matter, and they're gonna cuss me out.

[Pike]

I think it's more people trying to throw a misguided compliment. I'm not going around wearing old clothes any more, as I'd have to pleat the waistline underneath a belt to make it work :lol:

It is fashionable to slag off BMI on the internet at the moment but there's nothing wrong with BMI as an indicator if you're not massively muscular or an ethnic minority (http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Obesity/Pages/Diagnosis.aspx) (I'm neither). Of course, never use just one tool - working out your body fat percentage with calipers and keeping an eye on your waistline are important as well. But BMI is perfectly fine as an indication.

I went to try that chart but a.) have no idea how much I weigh, and b.) even if I did I have no idea what a "stone" is. http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a109/Pikestaff/smiley/emot-britain_zps8397c9a5.gif

[Cloudane]

1 stone = 14 pounds :)

1 foot = 12 inches

Imperial logic, I know..