# No, dumb bitch, we don't take anyone's American Express card
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-dumb-bitch-we-dont-take-anyones-american-express-card/737697
**Category:** The BBQ Pit
**Created:** [November 16, 2015, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-dumb-bitch-we-dont-take-anyones-american-express-card/737697 "2015-11-16T15:09:07Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 2
### Author:  [@fachverwirrt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fachverwirrt)
#### Post date: [November 16, 2015, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-dumb-bitch-we-dont-take-anyones-american-express-card/737697/21 "2015-11-16T18:06:51Z")
> [@Smapti](#):
>
> At the grocery store I work at, we don’t accept _any_ credit cards - cash, check, debit or EBT only. The chain has never taken credit, and in fact only even started taking debit about a decade ago or so. There’s a big sign at the front door that explains this and why (service charges, as noted above) and smaller signs at all the registers.
>
> We still have to have an argument about it once a day or more.
Aldi?
---
### Author:  [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)
#### Post date: [November 16, 2015, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-dumb-bitch-we-dont-take-anyones-american-express-card/737697/22 "2015-11-16T18:07:51Z")
> [@GrandWino](#):
>
> What the fuck dude?
Seriously. You know, folks, it’s possible to rant about idiot individuals’ idiot bigotry without indulging in bigoted stereotypes ourselves.
The subject of the OP offers plenty of target just for being an entitled, ignorant, paranoid, antisemitic bitch who assumes that her personal convenience should automatically override store policy and if it doesn’t, the only possible explanation must be racism and the appropriate response is being loudly obscene.
References to her weight and slurs about black people being criminals accomplish nothing except to inspire a bit of grudging sympathy for her.
She behaved like an inexcusable ass, but golly, some bits of this thread are making me understand how a black woman might get irrationally and aggressively paranoid about racism.
---
### Author:  [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)
#### Post date: [November 16, 2015, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-dumb-bitch-we-dont-take-anyones-american-express-card/737697/23 "2015-11-16T18:12:31Z")
> [@black\_rabbit](#):
>
> Was that really necessary?
I had that thought at first, but as **Annie** has never seemed racist to me I swallowed it. Then I read the entire OP, and I think the woman’s race was important information.
That said: You better not be talking smack about Swin Cash, Annie, or I’ll have to cut your pecan pie ration in half.
---
### Author:  [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)
#### Post date: [November 16, 2015, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-dumb-bitch-we-dont-take-anyones-american-express-card/737697/24 "2015-11-16T18:12:46Z")
> [@Kimstu](#):
>
> Seriously. You know, folks, it’s possible to rant about idiot individuals’ idiot bigotry without indulging in bigoted stereotypes ourselves.
>
> The subject of the OP offers plenty of target just for being an entitled, ignorant, paranoid, antisemitic bitch who assumes that her personal convenience should automatically override store policy and if it doesn’t, the only possible explanation must be racism and the appropriate response is being loudly obscene.
>
> References to her weight and slurs about black people being criminals accomplish nothing except to inspire a bit of grudging sympathy for her.
>
> She behaved like an inexcusable ass, but golly, some bits of this thread are making me understand how a black woman might get irrationally and aggressively paranoid about racism.
I’m pretty much 100% positive that they are being ironic.
---
### Author:  [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)
#### Post date: [November 16, 2015, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-dumb-bitch-we-dont-take-anyones-american-express-card/737697/25 "2015-11-16T18:17:02Z")
At Blockbuster we took every credit card, including Diners Club. I only saw one my entire 13-year tenure there, and was tickled pink that I knew the right buttons to process it.
---
### Author:  [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)
#### Post date: [November 16, 2015, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-dumb-bitch-we-dont-take-anyones-american-express-card/737697/26 "2015-11-16T18:17:42Z")
> [@fachverwirrt](#):
>
> Aldi?
No, but we’re in the same deep-discount-no-frills part of the market they are.
---
### Author:  [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)
#### Post date: [November 16, 2015, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-dumb-bitch-we-dont-take-anyones-american-express-card/737697/27 "2015-11-16T18:21:09Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#):
>
> I had that thought at first, but as **Annie** has never seemed racist to me I swallowed it. Then I read the entire OP, and I think the woman’s race was important information.
I am definitely not racist. I think it was important information.
I once had a man pay in correct change, and then tell his young son “When you have a girl cashier, always give them the correct amount. They don’t know how to make change.” I said nothing to this ignorant, man. And, oh yeah, he was Muslim.
---
### Author:  [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)
#### Post date: [November 16, 2015, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-dumb-bitch-we-dont-take-anyones-american-express-card/737697/28 "2015-11-16T18:26:59Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#):
>
> I am definitely not racist. I think it was important information.
>
> I once had a man pay in correct change, and then tell his young son “When you have a girl cashier, always give them the correct amount. They don’t know how to make change.” I said nothing to this ignorant, man. And, oh yeah, he was Muslim.
I haven’t worked in retail since before 9-11, but you just made me think of a story. In the mid-90s, when I was working at Sears, I had a customer come in at about 10 minutes to closing on a Sunday to buy about five hundred dollars worth of merchandise–paying in coins. \*Unrolled \* coins.
I was not allowed to slap him.
---
### Author:  [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)
#### Post date: [November 16, 2015, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-dumb-bitch-we-dont-take-anyones-american-express-card/737697/29 "2015-11-16T18:29:49Z")
My store always has to have a male cashier waiting somewhere in the wings. Some (Muslim & Jewish) men refuse to do any business with a woman.
I am always amazed at the world’s ignorance.
---
### Author:  [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)
#### Post date: [November 16, 2015, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-dumb-bitch-we-dont-take-anyones-american-express-card/737697/30 "2015-11-16T18:33:22Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#):
>
> I haven’t worked in retail since before 9-11, but you just made me think of a story. In the mid-90s, when I was working at Sears, I had a customer come in at about 10 minutes to closing on a Sunday to buy about five hundred dollars worth of merchandise–paying in coins. \*Unrolled \* coins.
>
> I was not allowed to slap him.
But what was his apparent ethnicity? That’s important information in this thread for some reason.
---
### Author:  [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)
#### Post date: [November 16, 2015, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-dumb-bitch-we-dont-take-anyones-american-express-card/737697/31 "2015-11-16T18:34:23Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#):
>
> I am definitely not racist. I think it was important information.
>
> I once had a man pay in correct change, and then tell his young son “When you have a girl cashier, always give them the correct amount. They don’t know how to make change.” I said nothing to this ignorant, man. And, oh yeah, he was Muslim.
Uh, if that was intended as evidence of your not being racist, it’s not exactly working.
Yes, in your OP the woman’s race was relevant to her asshole behavior. No, her weight and size were not relevant, and referring to them does nothing except to suggest that you’re conjuring up “fat loud black woman” stereotypes to reinforce the reader’s negative response to her behavior.
Similarly, in this story the gender of the man and his son was relevant to his asshole behavior. No, his religion was not relevant, and referring to it does nothing except to suggest that you’re drawing on “sexist backwards barbarian Muslim” stereotypes to reinforce the reader’s negative response to his behavior.
---
### Author:  [@The\_Vorlon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Vorlon)
#### Post date: [November 16, 2015, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-dumb-bitch-we-dont-take-anyones-american-express-card/737697/32 "2015-11-16T18:35:32Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#):
>
> I haven’t worked in retail since before 9-11, but you just made me think of a story. In the mid-90s, when I was working at Sears, I had a customer come in at about 10 minutes to closing on a Sunday to buy about five hundred dollars worth of merchandise–paying in coins. \*Unrolled \* coins.
>
> I was not allowed to slap him.
Could have been worse: $19 or so in Susan B Anthony coins. Mixed in. I’m all for giving the dollar bill two in the hat, but what were they thinking?
---
### Author:  [@Celidin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Celidin)
#### Post date: [November 16, 2015, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-dumb-bitch-we-dont-take-anyones-american-express-card/737697/33 "2015-11-16T18:35:56Z")
> [@Voyager](#):
>
> Yeah, I always thought that AmEx was a goyisher card. I have one as my work card, but never for a personal card. You pay a fee, you have to pay it off, and relatively few places take it. Yeah, that’s the card for me.
AMEX no longer is just “charge cards” - where you have to pay off the balance every month and there’s an annual fee.
They offer a handful of traditional “credit cards” - can carry a balance with interest charged, rewards program, no annual fee.
I’ve had one of the credit cards for almost 15 years now, and it’s the one I primarily use\*. The rewards program is definitely one of the better ones, and I still get all of the lesser-known benefits that come with an Amex card (car rental insurance, fraud coverage, access to the AMEX Travel website\*\*, etc).
- Except at places that don’t take Amex. I have a Visa for those places. They’re mostly small businesses and when they say “sorry, we don’t take American Express”, its never been a problem for me to pull out the other one.
\*\* Not really all that great
---
### Author:  [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)
#### Post date: [November 16, 2015, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-dumb-bitch-we-dont-take-anyones-american-express-card/737697/34 "2015-11-16T18:36:32Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#):
>
> My store always has to have a male cashier waiting somewhere in the wings. Some (Muslim & Jewish) men refuse to do any business with a woman.
>
> I am always amazed at the world’s ignorance.
You should seriously buy one of those cheap fake mustaches and turn it into a Monry Python sketch.
Cust: I will not do business with a woman! Get me a man!
Annie: One moment, sir.
(turns around, puts fake mustache on, turns back)
Annie (deep voice): Yes sir, how may I help you?
Cust: You are a woman, I want a man to serve me!
Annie: No I’m not! I’m clearly a man. See my mustache?
---
### Author:  [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)
#### Post date: [November 16, 2015, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-dumb-bitch-we-dont-take-anyones-american-express-card/737697/35 "2015-11-16T18:37:37Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#):
>
> I once had a man pay in correct change, and then tell his young son “When you have a girl cashier, always give them the correct amount. They don’t know how to make change.” I said nothing to this ignorant, man. And, oh yeah, he was Muslim.
Well, to be fair, he’s probably right. They don’t let the girls take math. 😉
---
### Author:  [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)
#### Post date: [November 16, 2015, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-dumb-bitch-we-dont-take-anyones-american-express-card/737697/36 "2015-11-16T19:05:07Z")
Here let me re-post the OP w/ a very slight change, and let’s see if any meaning is lost in this telling:
Then\*\* a customer\*\* tries to pay with her American Express card.
Me: We only take Visa, Master Card and Discover
Her: Well, all I have is American Express
Me: We don’t take it.
Her: You don’t take it. Why not?
Me: It’s store policy. I’m sorry.
Her (getting loud enough to attract attention and bring the manager over to my register and the workers out of the aisles): Well, all I have is this card and you are going to take it.
Me: I’m sorry, but I cannot take American Express.
Her (screaming) YEAH, YOU WON’T TAKE IT FOR A N\*\*\*\*R, BUT I BET YOU TAKE IT FOR ALL YOUR FUCKING JEW FRIENDS.
---
### Author:  [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)
#### Post date: [November 16, 2015, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-dumb-bitch-we-dont-take-anyones-american-express-card/737697/37 "2015-11-16T19:09:51Z")
> [@GrandWino](#):
>
> Here let me re-post the OP w/ a very slight change, and let’s see if any meaning is lost in this telling:
> Then\*\* a customer\*\* tries to pay with her American Express card.
>
> Me: We only take Visa, Master Card and Discover
> Her: Well, all I have is American Express
> Me: We don’t take it.
> Her: You don’t take it. Why not?
> Me: It’s store policy. I’m sorry.
> Her (getting loud enough to attract attention and bring the manager over to my register and the workers out of the aisles): Well, all I have is this card and you are going to take it.
> Me: I’m sorry, but I cannot take American Express.
>
> Her (screaming) YEAH, YOU WON’T TAKE IT FOR A N\*\*\*\*R, BUT I BET YOU TAKE IT FOR ALL YOUR FUCKING JEW FRIENDS.
Well, if it turned out it was some small ugly asian woman screaming that I for one would be even more perlexed.
---
### Author:  [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)
#### Post date: [November 16, 2015, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-dumb-bitch-we-dont-take-anyones-american-express-card/737697/38 "2015-11-16T19:20:05Z")
> [@billfish678](#):
>
> Well, if it turned out it was some small ugly asian woman screaming that I for one would be even more perlexed.
Kind of my point. There was plenty of context in the story for people to draw their own conclusions w/o it being laid out unnecessarily right at the top.
Show don’t tell, Annie.
---
### Author:  [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)
#### Post date: [November 16, 2015, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-dumb-bitch-we-dont-take-anyones-american-express-card/737697/39 "2015-11-16T19:48:10Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#):
>
> I am definitely not racist. I think it was important information.
>
> I once had a man pay in correct change, and then tell his young son “When you have a girl cashier, always give them the correct amount. They don’t know how to make change.” I said nothing to this ignorant, man. And, oh yeah, he was Muslim.
I think he’s right, as a general rule.
Of course, I also think his statement applies to boy cashiers. In fact, I think it applies to many, if not most, men and women cashiers as well, at least those under, say, age 25. In my experience, they rely almost exclusively on the cash register to tell them what change to return, and don’t know how to calculate the change independently.
To the extent that his statement is applied ONLY to “girl cashiers,” of course, he’s full of crap.
---
### Author:  [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)
#### Post date: [November 16, 2015, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/no-dumb-bitch-we-dont-take-anyones-american-express-card/737697/40 "2015-11-16T19:56:13Z")
More fun to take the credit card and wave it near the machine, then tell the lady it’s maxed, and she’ll have to call AmEx cardholder representatives on Monday.
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