Yesterday afternoon, quite busy being a Friday a lady pushing a buggy came up to the deli counter and asked me for two slices of hand carved ham...I got the ham and was about to start carving, when the child started tugging at mummy's sleeve "Mummy, mummy I want that one" pointing at a different ham. Mummy turned to her and said oh do you darling which one is that, glanced up at me and said hold on, mummy patiently talked her through nearly every ham on the counter whilst I stood there like a lemon, finally deciding that her "little darling" would like to have a little try of a couple of them. So I duly gave a sample of a couple of hams, had to wait patiently as mummy asked how is it, do you think you'd prefer that one in your roll? Mummy thrust the piece of plastic wrap back at me and said with a silly giggle, they're the wrong colour, you know how it is, we'll go back to the original plan. At this juncture child got out of pushchair to reveal that she was at least 4 years old, possibly older and shot off towards the freshly baked bread shelving, ran back and said "Mummy, there isn't any tiger rolls" Instead of mummy saying "oh never mind, get a different one" she turned to me and said "Are you going to be baking any more?!" I was sorely tempted to say yes certainly, in fact give me your address and I'll deliver it personally! but all that came out was "Errr ,sorry No" "How very disappointing" she said and strode off. A little while later I had to got to get something from another part of the store and there she was pushing her Lady Muckette who was now munching on a large jam doughnut whilst reading a kiddies magazine!!!!
How to train the awkward/entitled customers of the future
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loveallthingsitalian
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I have to grit my teeth when shopping and a yummy mummy is pushing a child, often a baby of just a few months all the time giving him/her a running commentary of her every move. “Shall we go and see if they have that black skirt”, “if we do this first it will be quicker” and worst of all (to a baby) “should mummy get the red one, will it go with her mew shoes” .
I live in hope that some 3 month old will turn and say “no your bum looks big in that” as hopefully the YM will be struck dumb with shock. Silly mares get on my goat.
I live in hope that some 3 month old will turn and say “no your bum looks big in that” as hopefully the YM will be struck dumb with shock. Silly mares get on my goat.
Funnily enough this doesn't bother me too much, though I think it's a bit "twee" but each to their own I guess, but coming from the children should be seen and not heard era (which I don't entirely agree with either) It does grate a bit, especially in my line of work when kids are not reprimanded for tearing around shops, making a lot of noise, being given food to eat/magazines to read before they've been paid for,and being actively encouraged to be demanding and disprespectful towards people who work with the general public (shops especially).
There's a fella who regularly brings his young daughter shopping with him on a Saturday, she would be about 6 or 7, and because at our deli counter you can request a small taste of the cheese and ham we sell before you buy, the child naturally wants to do this every time they come shopping. I've seen them by the adjacent bread counter and have heard her say "daddy daddy, can I try some cheese?" Not once has he said "No darling, we're not buying cheese today, maybe another time" "or, no darling we can't taste the cheese every time". He says yes every time, and being a Saturday it's invariably very busy, and he'll bring her up to the counter and demand that we scrape samples of two or three cheeses for his little darling to taste, then whens she's said "Oh I like that one" then he'll say "Oh we don't need any cheese today darling, maybe next time!" He doesn't even ask the name of the cheese, so he clearly has not intention of buying any today, or next time and so it goes on - He's simply indulging her, and she'll probably be a nightmare of a customer in later life!
There's a fella who regularly brings his young daughter shopping with him on a Saturday, she would be about 6 or 7, and because at our deli counter you can request a small taste of the cheese and ham we sell before you buy, the child naturally wants to do this every time they come shopping. I've seen them by the adjacent bread counter and have heard her say "daddy daddy, can I try some cheese?" Not once has he said "No darling, we're not buying cheese today, maybe another time" "or, no darling we can't taste the cheese every time". He says yes every time, and being a Saturday it's invariably very busy, and he'll bring her up to the counter and demand that we scrape samples of two or three cheeses for his little darling to taste, then whens she's said "Oh I like that one" then he'll say "Oh we don't need any cheese today darling, maybe next time!" He doesn't even ask the name of the cheese, so he clearly has not intention of buying any today, or next time and so it goes on - He's simply indulging her, and she'll probably be a nightmare of a customer in later life!
loveallthingsitalian
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God help the man who gets these princess types as a life partner - every single bit as bad as boys who have been lifted and laid by their mothers.
Akimbo
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I don't mind the running commentary parents - better then the never-stop-looking-at-their-mobile-phone parent.
I'd be soooo tempted to give the brats something stinky from the cheese counter and something I used to find gross when I was little -tongue from the cold meats, being sure to tell the child after it's eaten it where it came from, complete with "look you can just make out the taste buds!"
I worked in M&S food dept years ago and I imagine Waitrose has similarly self-important customers Suz (amongst the nice ones. One of my neighbours is a funny one - she buys her weekly shop at my local M&S and insists the person at the checkout bags every item separately in those thin produce bags before they go in her shopper. It's been a tricky moment when I've queued behind her with someone I know on the till, trying not to catch their eye.
"Nowt so queer as folk" as they say.
I'd be soooo tempted to give the brats something stinky from the cheese counter and something I used to find gross when I was little -tongue from the cold meats, being sure to tell the child after it's eaten it where it came from, complete with "look you can just make out the taste buds!"
I worked in M&S food dept years ago and I imagine Waitrose has similarly self-important customers Suz (amongst the nice ones. One of my neighbours is a funny one - she buys her weekly shop at my local M&S and insists the person at the checkout bags every item separately in those thin produce bags before they go in her shopper. It's been a tricky moment when I've queued behind her with someone I know on the till, trying not to catch their eye.
"Nowt so queer as folk" as they say.
