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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsI walked out of a convenience store last night (UPDATED)
Last edited Sun May 3, 2020, 02:52 PM - Edit history (2)
I ran in to get some pop after buying gas. I was wearing a mask.
The cashier was wearing neither mask nor gloves. He gave me a condescending look.
As I approached him, I noticed a sign taped to the wall behind him saying, "NO MASKS REQUIRED. THIS IS A NO-FEAR ZONE." This despite the fact that both the state governor and local city council have issued mask orders. I put the pop down and walked out.
I'm thinking of contacting the national chain office to let them know what one of their franchises is doing.
Additional note: this was in Illinois. Strictly speaking, the governor's order doesn't specifically require wearing masks in stores. It requires wearing them if maintaining social distance is not possible. Which would be true for pretty much any convenience store.
UPDATE: This particular store isn't very close to where I am in Illinois. (I'm not a full-time IL resident, but for a couple of reasons, I've been here for most of the pandemic.) But I thought that if I were to contact someone about this, photographic evidence would be useful - so I went back to get some.
Long story short - neither the sign nor the idiot behind the cash register was present. I'm not the only person who saw them, nor am I the only one to have had a problem with either. Turns out, this wasn't the policy of the local franchise. It was entirely on the single late-night staff member, who is evidently now a former employee. He was one of the don't tread on me, and don't stop me from treading on you types, and the store had gotten complaints about him before, mostly for running his mouth at people who really didn't care what he thought of the current state of affairs.
elleng
(130,714 posts)Codifer
(541 posts)that the owner would have seen the tapes of the security camera. How many folks had put their merchandise down and walked out? All on camera. Bad for bidness,
Beakybird
(3,330 posts)brewens
(13,536 posts)left-of-center2012
(34,195 posts)LisaM
(27,792 posts)If it was just an unmasked cashier, I would think twice about squealing, but that sign indicates a mindset that is harmful to public health.
-Laelth
Tiger8
(432 posts)Flouting common sense is on level....but the sign tells me thats a full on cultist, Kool-Aid drinker.
Ms. Toad
(33,992 posts)with little connection to the national chain other than permission to use their name.
But that doesn't mean you shouldn't try - just don't be surprised if they tell you it is out of their control.
mopinko
(69,982 posts)everybody got rules to follow when there are lawyers and contracts.
Ms. Toad
(33,992 posts)in a professional capacity (both tax and law). There are fewer requirements in many of them (particularly convenience stores) than you might imagine.
mopinko
(69,982 posts)health and sanitation, yes?
Ms. Toad
(33,992 posts)Some are not much more than the right to use the name for a fee with restrictions that tend to be related to misuse of trade name and trade dress.
mopinko
(69,982 posts)i know someone who was mickey d corporate lawyer, as well as one of their graphic designers.
i dont think they print an nyc phone book any more, but that's about what their contracts are like.
also went to school w a guy who flipped burgers at 16 in one of the first mickey's stores. saw him a few years ago. never worked for anyone else, owns 23 franchises in ariz, and is a very, very, very rich man.
that only happens in a corp that sees the whole picture.
i would have thought better of 7-11.
lastlib
(23,140 posts)If the national chain has any kind of stipulation in their franchise agreement about following state & local health guidelines and the chain's policies (as they most likely would), they've got leverage.
Ms. Toad
(33,992 posts)specifically with convenience stores (from both a tax and law perspective). In many there are very few ties beyond the right to use the name.
obamanut2012
(26,041 posts)They absolutely can tell them they ahve to abide by state and local orders, laws, and policies. Period. They can yank the franchise for that. At the very least, they can come and take all the signs down, including gas pump signs.
Ms. Toad
(33,992 posts)from my professional experience both as a tax professional and as an attorney who has worked with convenience stores. Many such agreements impose very few requirements in exchange for the right to use the name.
You are absolutely right that IF what they are doing violates the law - AND - if their contract with the franchise requires it - they can have their franchise yanked.
I never said otherwise. What I said was that from my experience of working with such agreements in a professional capacity - many (specifically convenience stores) impose very few restrictions.
If the restrictions aren't there in the first place, there's nothing the franchise can do.
wnylib
(21,312 posts)and state laws. Report this to city AND state officials.
A local CVS employee told me that she is not allowed to tell a customer without a mask to leave. This is in NY state, where Cuomo has publicly said that businesses serving the public are entitled to turn away people who come in without masks. The employee told me that management is concerned that if they turn away someone without a mask, the person might start a FB campaign against the store in retaliation.
RussellCattle
(1,530 posts)....all the specifics that you can use. Time, place and date for sure. Maybe call the store in question and talk to the manager first to see if it's his initiative to post that sign first, and not just one of his idiot employees. But if he's on board I'd make sure to mention his name.
PoindexterOglethorpe
(25,811 posts)have issued mask orders.
Call city hall, call the governor's office. Maybe the local cops.
jmg257
(11,996 posts)Than start coughing a lot?
Hint ur waiting for ur test results.
orleans
(34,039 posts)safeinOhio
(32,632 posts)Pull down your mask, cough and say you are only wearing one because you tested positive and the doctor told you to wear it.
DURHAM D
(32,603 posts)catbyte
(34,326 posts)whether you say "pop" or "soda." I always say "pop," my late husband who grew up in upstate New York always called it "soda."
DURHAM D
(32,603 posts)Then I moved to coke. Later to soda. Then back to pop.
Every once in awhile I screw up and call it soda or coke and then they say "Where are you from?" When I respond "here" they say "Where else did you live?"
Bernardo de La Paz
(48,939 posts)Grokenstein
(5,721 posts)(On a sadder note, this whole debate will be moot in two weeks or less.)
Bernardo de La Paz
(48,939 posts)Oppaloopa
(866 posts)to be known They already stopped the Medical office from releasing the data . Kinda reminds me of Vietnam.When we were winning that war too.
progressoid
(49,933 posts)cab67
(2,990 posts)smirkymonkey
(63,221 posts)calimary
(81,085 posts)KentuckyWoman
(6,679 posts)Can't trust their products.
40RatRod
(531 posts)...while reaching for your mask, "I'm sorry, I didn't notice your sign. I only wear it to protect other since I have the virus, cough, cough."
aggiesal
(8,907 posts)I gave feedback to CostCo and asked why it wasn't mandatory to wear a mask while shopping at CostCo?
This week they made it mandatory, except at the gas pumps (:banghead .
This Covidiot needs to learn that these masks are there for a purpose.
Marrah_Goodman
(1,586 posts)Roy Rolling
(6,906 posts)It would be nice to advise your neighbors of stores willing to ignore biological and medical disease science.
That would certainly be a good thing to know if you are buying fresh food items. Im guessing that picture is not the standard of microbiological cleanliness they wish to brag about publicly.
NBachers
(17,080 posts)marble falls
(56,996 posts)C Moon
(12,208 posts)after it was mandatory in L.A. for them to wear one (along with patrons); but he stopped wearing it the next time I was there, so I quit going.
Hangingon
(3,071 posts)I saw one on a convenience store door outside a military base. First time I ran across one.
jmbar2
(4,859 posts)Thanks for letting me take off my mask in your store. I get so tired of wearing them when I'm embalming all the bodies.
jumptheshadow
(3,269 posts)I've seen it a few times now, straight from people who push the Heartland Institute agenda.
I was heartened this morning to see two memes pushing against the corrosive right-wing propaganda.
The first showed a bunch of Star Trek red shirt guys with the caption: "The first wave of people waiting to go back to social gatherings."
The second: "Me staying at home when (my state) re-opens. In chess, the pawns go first."
The Wizard
(12,532 posts)Is not a right guaranteed by the constitution.
rainin
(3,010 posts)Now we are divided between those who wear masks and those who don't. Jeeez
Baitball Blogger
(46,676 posts)Tell them that they aren't the first to think they were invincible. There was once a place called Castro Street that also thought it was a no-fear zone. Maybe it's time to revisit the book, "And the Band Played On." Because we're making all the same mistakes.
Oppaloopa
(866 posts)progree
(10,889 posts)of or just live with?
For example my sister's husband has serious COPD (and no, he never smoked), and is elderly, and she worries a lot about infecting him.
What if the fearless person doesn't want to put someone else that they might infect through this?
https://www.propublica.org/article/a-medical-worker-describes--terrifying-lung-failure-from-covid19-even-in-his-young-patients
Sorry about this, I don't like posting it. But if a few more people are extra careful as a result of reading this, and if consequently it spares one or two people from ending up in this situation, then I will be very gratified. I know it's affected how much risk I'm willing to take. Not just for myself, but for others I might infect.
Too many people assume they will be pretty much knocked out with drugs, so won't be that bad, ... may not be a good assumption.
subterranean
(3,427 posts)My wife is the caregiver for her mother, who is currently living with us and has several risk factors in addition to her advanced age. Needless to say, we are being as careful as we can.
appalachiablue
(41,102 posts)know about the Fearless and Ignorant store.
RainCaster
(10,820 posts)Public pressure will fix the stupidity
calimary
(81,085 posts)They won't be happy to learn that their employees are so off-putting to customers and so inconsiderate that they won't be responsible to the public and wear a mask, just out of sheer courtesy and consideration of others if NOTHING else, that the chain is going to LOSE CUSTOMERS.
They really don't want YOU, anyway. They want YOUR MONEY. Which, don't forget, comes in through their door in YOUR pocket, and is transferred from YOUR pocket or wallet into THEIR cash register. THEY'RE the ones who should be showing respect.
They need to know this. Definitely and even more definitely!
AllaN01Bear
(17,944 posts)jberryhill
(62,444 posts)patphil
(6,144 posts)They may be fear free, but they are also intelligence free.
They are risking their health and the health of their customers.
It's only a matter of time before the people who work in that store contract the virus, if they haven't already.
Non-protected customers will probably get the virus also, and the cycle of transmission continues.
At this point, I consider that kind of brainless response to the situation to be a sort of natural selection process. Unfortunately, innocent people are subject to their idiocy.
Hearing these kind of reports, and seeing unprotected people mixing with large numbers of other unprotected people in public places tells me the second wave will be ramping up in a month or so.
And so it continues.
paleotn
(17,876 posts)whatever. The only fear is they will spread it to their friends and family who may not be asinine.
uponit7771
(90,301 posts)LeftInTX
(25,103 posts)It wasn't over masks, but they were open when they weren't allowed to be open.
I would contact local authorities.
That sign is a big no-no.
You could also contact the media.
Sogo
(4,986 posts)did anyone else on this thread ask you what "pop" is?
I thought it was only an Iowa expression, but must be more regional....
cab67
(2,990 posts)Cousin Dupree
(1,866 posts)chia
(2,244 posts)orleans
(34,039 posts)(except for some rouge children at my kid's school--maybe jr high, maybe high school--who remembers?--who insisted on calling it "soda." )
Demovictory9
(32,419 posts)hwmnbn
(4,279 posts)when you called it "pop" instead of soda.
reACTIONary
(5,766 posts)jaxexpat
(6,795 posts)The last bastion of free wheeling capitalism, rugged individualism, the Marlboro men of commerce.
Hekate
(90,538 posts)...grousing about hard-done-by he is.
BGBD
(3,282 posts)We should't assume that just because something is going on at a business that the business is the problem. It might just be that one asshole working at that moment.
On the bright side, atleast this guy won't have to worry about being forced to wear a mask at work. lol
George II
(67,782 posts)Sogo
(4,986 posts)And nice to hear when someone like that shoots himself in the foot.
BigmanPigman
(51,563 posts)TygrBright
(20,753 posts)cab67
(2,990 posts)Not so happy for them if he does. Their father is no longer merely a right-wing nutjob; he's now an unemployed right-wing nutjob.
(Why someone would act in a way more or less guaranteed to end with "your services are no longer required" when so many businesses are shuttered defies explanation.)
kyburbonkid
(251 posts)Last edited Sun May 3, 2020, 07:10 PM - Edit history (1)
Bwwwaahahahah 'another victim'.
amb123
(1,580 posts)Buckeye_Democrat
(14,852 posts)Totally Tunsie
(10,885 posts)because this is a stick-up! Hand me all the cash in the drawer!"