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The original was posted on /r/talesfromretail by /u/GoblinQueenForever on 2025-07-24 21:26:16+00:00.

I work in a discount store, a fairly large store that sells a variety of items with five checkout lanes. Today, there were only two of us on the tills, and it was BUSY! Long queues for us both, no time for breaks, 'cause we didn’t have anyone who could step in and help, customers were grouchy and (understandably) impatient; the usual. So, I’m serving, trying to get as many people through the line as possible, and my gaze lands on a guy whose just kinda… lingering along the fringes of the queue. Not joining it, just standing in a place like he’s looking to jump the line or something. He sees me looking, then calls over really loudly,

“Can’t you open another till?”

And I’m just like… WTF man? If we HAD anyone else who could be on the tills, they would BE ON THE TILLS! We’re not hiding able-bodied employees up our arses to inconvenience you!

And I don’t know why specifically this guy - I get asked this so many times when it gets busy, and normally I can control myself and just smile and apologise politely no matter how much I HATE that question - but this time I just snapped.

I look at him and I’m like “Wow, that’s SUCH a great idea, why didn’t I think of that! Hey Collin (supervisor’s name, he was working on the till right in front of mine), why don’t we just get someone else on the till?”

He doesn’t look back at me, just answers all serious, “We don’t have anyone.”

So I look back at the guy, sarcastic smile gone, and deadpan, “We don’t have anyone.”

He looks incredulous for a moment, then replies, “This long line and there’s only two of you?”

I smile again and just say, “Welcome to retail!” All chipper like, before returning my attention to my customer, whose items I had not stopped scanning during this momentary bout of pettiness, I assure you. The next time I look over, he’s walking out of the shop, just dropped his items on the floor and everything.

Could I have been nicer? Yes. More respectful? Certainly. Do I regret it? No.