A cashier gets schooled

[macwriter]

Was at an ATM in a local convenience store. The cashier called out to a customer she knew loud enough for me to hear: "Starting today we got it back." Since it was inauguration day I knew she was talking about getting the country back. So I marched up to her and asked, "what exactly have we got back?" She froze and mumbled I was just talking to my friend and laughed nervously. I persisted. "Just curious, what did we get back and from who?"
She stammered and I stepped in and asked her if she knew what the initials F A F O stood for. She didn't. I urged her to look it up. I also pointed out that businesses generally don't like it when their employees talk politics to their customers or clients. Maybe she ought to think about that. She looked shocked and shook. It made my day.

[Lifeafter70]

1. I don't agree with threatening her job

Even tho her comment was stupid and misinformed.
I work at a local grocery store and deal with these comments daily. The price of eggs and the shortage is a constant complaint with trump supporters. I have given up on educating them to what is the real cause. The reason is they often complain to management and that risks my employment and possible raises.
When I'm the customer confronted with stupid comments, I take the opportunity to state facts but in no way would I threaten their job.

[Biophilic]

2. On the other hand their leader is doing more than threatening jobs.

He’s threatening lives. I’m done playing nice. What they have done to my country I will never forgive them for. More importantly they have taken away my belief in my fellow citizens. I have found that I really don’t trust anyone I don’t know personally. And that pisses me off.

[Lifeafter70]

5. Yes he is

It might have been more productive to let her know that the trump administration sees no need to raise the minimum wage and are threatening to cut programs like ebt.
Most convience store workers in red states earn minimum wage and are supplemented by social programs. She might have not believed it but maybe she might have googled it just to prove it wrong. Just my opinion. I still would not threaten someone's employment over words.

[NJCher]

6. I didn't read that as threatening her job

I also pointed out that businesses generally don't like it when their employees talk politics to their customers or clients.

Threatening her job would be something like "I'm going to report what you said to your manager."

Calling this threatening her job is a stretch.

[Orrex]

11. Right. And "nice place you got here, shame if it burned down" isn't a threat either.

I believe that the threat wasn't intentional, but it was unmistakably a threat.

Even so, the cashier should have kept her fool mouth shut about the fuckface felon.

[paleotn]

12. Maybe she learned something.

My money doesn't support those who are openly magat, neither proprietor or employees. Period. And yes, I have a list and a loooooooong memory. Not like this everywhere, but where I live, such talk will take a huge chunk out of any business. Seen it happen and business owners trip over themselves backpedaling. Want layoffs due to a drop in traffic? Yeah, keep yapping. No sympathy here.

[Orrex]

13. I feel much the same, though locally my lack of support will mean little

My ignorant county has a hardcore MAGAt majority, so even if I never spent another dime around here, it wouldn't affect businesses in the slightest.

But I still avoid known MAGA cesspools every chance I get.

[FoxNewsSucks]

10. It's not threatening her job. Actually, the opposite happens

It's not the liberals who whine to management when an employee says something they don't like, it's the MAGAt shitweasels.

[spooky3]

14. I didn't see OP as threatening anyone's job. AND there is a big difference

in your situation versus theirs. You were responding to customer comments by politely offering facts. In the OP, the cashier was loudly initiating calling attention to her own political views. OP was simply politely responding with facts.

[Maru Kitteh]

21. Fuck that asshole, she had it coming for her unprofessional behavior.

Maybe she will think a little and keep that shit to herself.

[2naSalit]

3. Well done...

She should know better. Letting her know that it could really matter to her in a big way is a good way to educate those who would otherwise not become educated.

[MissB]

4. Last week I heard an announcement at the grocery store

I was there on my lunch hour. The announcer was talking about their $5 Friday specials and said, essentially “I’m not lying, I’m not a government worker so I’m not a liar.”

The grocery store is a block from the post office in one direction and a block from city hall in another direction.

I called the store when I got home and complained. The person said that the announcer shouldn’t have said that and that they’d mention it to the manager. I asked that the manager call me, which they did. They said they talked to the announcer and told them that the announcer’s sense of humor was not appreciated. I said it wasn’t humor- it was a political view and that I don’t go to the grocery store to hear political views from the employees over the loud speaker. (I didn’t mention that I once worked for that chain and if I’d said something like that, my job would’ve been in danger. I wasn’t looking for someone to get fired, only to leave politics out of the fucking grocery store.)

[DownriverDem]

7. Fired cashier

Before the election, the guy behind me in line asked who was responsible for the donuts I was buying being so high. The cashier said Biden & I said no greed. We went back & forth a couple of times. I forgot my phone when I left, so I went right back in to get it. The cashier was starting to hand it to the owner. She handed it back to me & I said "see you upset me". She laughed and I left the store. I have never seen her there working after that so matter when I go there. She broke their rule for sure.

[tinymontgomery]

32. I got a laugh out of your 1st sentence

I read that 'donuts I was buying being so high', my mind read that has having the munches and that's why you were buying the donuts. Had to re-read it twice before I processed it right.

[LeftInTX]

8. Convenience store cashiers often don't follow politics.

What if she was talking about something that recently was put back in stock?

I wouldn't have thought anything if I heard a cashier say " starting today, we got it back". I would think they were talking about a product.

And if she was confronted about something, maybe she was plain old flustered. They deal with alot of irate customers.

Honestly, they don't follow politics around here.

I stopped yesterday at Panda Express. If I would have heard that I would have thought they were talking about one of their entrees being recycled.

[spooky3]

15. OP gave her the chance to clarify. Her response suggested to me that OP interpreted the comment fairly. nt

[LeftInTX]

18. Sounds like he may have confronted her angrily. That's my impression. He never told her what he was confronting

her about. Just that it was January 20th, so that meant that whatever it was a Trump. He asked her if she knew was FAFO meant and he told he told her to look it up.

I would have freaked out myself if someone confronted me. I would have called my boss afterward too.

[spooky3]

22. but before his FAFO comment, he asked her what she meant:

" I marched up to her and asked, "what exactly have we got back?" She froze and mumbled I was just talking to my friend and laughed nervously. I persisted. "Just curious, what did we get back and from who?" "

and she didn't answer.

I agree we don't know OP's tone or appearance when making the comments.

I wouldn't have made a comment the way the cashier did. I believe you probably wouldn't have, either. Taking political stances can hurt a business.

Several weeks ago, I was unpleasantly surprised to see a sign next to the register at the small hair salon I've gone to for years, which proclaimed support for Trump. This is a very blue suburb of a very blue city. It's insane that the owner apparently was so arrogant to not consider that taking a political stance that clearly is at odds with that of most of the customers might hurt the business in a very competitive industry. I didn't say anything, but I seriously considered finding another salon. The only reason I didn't is that the stylists are self-employed and I didn't want to penalize mine (more than the business owners) for something he could not control. But I definitely would consider leaving in the future if something similar happens again. Life is too short to put up with stuff like this.

[Polybius]

25. Once she didn't answer him, he should have let it go

No man should say "FAFO" to a woman. I sometimes talk politics to workers when they let conservative views slip out to me. One cashier blamed Biden for the expensive groceries recently when I was talking high prices. I said something like "Nah, I like Biden, it's not his fault" and with a smile at that. The political conversations are always light-hearted this way. The op got involved in politics with a snarl and not a smile, and will never change anyone's mind. I responded with facts, so perhaps I did.

However, when they talk politics to others and I overhear, I don't get involved. It's asking for trouble.

[LeftInTX]

26. If the employee felt intimidated, she may have been. How did she know that he was asking about politics?

Last edited Wed Jan 22, 2025, 12:38 AM - Edit history (1)

He said never asked, "Is this about Trump".

"Marching up" to me sounds like someone who was approaching a cashier with an intention of being intimidating.

The cashier in the OP did not a have Trump sign at the register. Keep in mind, this is a minimum wage employee at a convenience store. A convenience store...the places that are frequently robbed a gunpoint. It's not a hair salon.

Now, if the customer had nicely asked, "What did you get back in today?" Maybe, she would have answered.

Just because a cashier does not want to be interrogated by a customer doesn't mean they are a Trump supporter.

[spooky3]

28. She didn't have a sign but she made a comment that could reasonably be interpreted

as OP did and when he asked her to clarify, she didn't refer to any product returning to stock, etc., which she could easily have done. If she felt OP was threatening or bullying her, she could have called the manager for assistance. She didn't. The whole situation was initiated by the cashier's comment.

I understand that you interpreted the situation differently but I disagree.

The point I was making in my story was NOT that the cashier in the OP's story had a sign. It was that taking political stands of any type (which is totally unnecessary in a grocery, hair salon, etc.) can hurt a business. If in doubt as an employee, don't say things that can be interpreted as OP did, or be prepared to clarify them. If you want another example, look at the WaPo's loss of 250000+ subscribers because of positions Bezos and the editorial board took.

Hope you have a good evening.

[LeftInTX]

30. She never said anything about having the "country back". She never said anything....

Was at an ATM in a local convenience store.
The cashier called out to a customer she knew loud enough for me to hear: "Starting today we got it back."

Since it was inauguration day I knew she was talking about getting the country back.


So I marched up to her and asked, "what exactly have we got back?"

She froze and mumbled I was just talking to my friend and laughed nervously.

I persisted. "Just curious, what did we get back and from who?"

Sounds intimidating to me. She was talking about "it". Do I have every right to know what "it" is, every time I hear a cashier utter the word "it" ?

[Polybius]

23. I totally agree

The cashier was also talking to someone else, and didn't directly mention politics. The OP should not have gotten involved.

[Lifeafter70]

16. After reading the op again, I agree with you

I work for a grocery store where items go in and out of stock. I have made a similar comment when products come back. There would have had to of been a lot more context for me to speak up.
We do need to engage and correct lies and misinformation when faced with it, but I still think this is not how to do it.

[macwriter]

17. did she mean out of stock items?

I didn't think so. If it was something like that she could have said "Oh we got Ben and Jerry's delivery" or "our internet was out and we just got it back today." The look on her face said it all. She looked like she was caught with her hand in the cookie jar.
Then again, maybe I'm just working on my last nerve with MAGATS. I lived in a ruby red suburb BTW. I am sure that colors my judgement.

[LeftInTX]

19. Did you specifically ask her, "Is this about Trump?"

[macwriter]

20. No NT

[LoveSucky]

34. Yikes!

She was probably telling a regular that a new batch of MLK t-shirts just arrived before getting yelled at by someone she thinks is a angry white supremacist.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

9. .

The cashier called out to a customer she knew loud enough for me to hear: "Starting today we got it back." Since it was inauguration day I knew she was talking about getting the country back.

man what

[GP6971]

29. This is your first post? Really?

That the country has been held hostage? By whom?

[Srkdqltr]

31. Im glad i dont hear well. And i dont go to stores anymore than i have to.

[MichMan]

33. I don't understand why someone would feel the need to get in a political argument with a minimum wage store clerk

Just make your purchase and move on.

[LoveSucky]

35. she got dialog and everything

Like I'm just picturing you totally owning that minimum wage employee, especially with that FAFO line. Were you dressed like John Wick? Yeah you were definitely dressed like Baba Yaga. Hell yeah bro!

I just hope she was actually talking about the inauguration since you don't really know. Because otherwise it makes you like kind of 😞.

[JoseBalow]

36. Cool story