# Presumptuous Cashier at 7 Eleven **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 6, 2010, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/presumptuous-cashier-at-7-eleven/556302 "2010-10-06T23:46:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2010, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/presumptuous-cashier-at-7-eleven/556302/61 "2010-10-07T13:24:01Z")
“Are you sure you wanted these extra large condoms? Were the smalls all sold out?” ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2010, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/presumptuous-cashier-at-7-eleven/556302/62 "2010-10-07T13:24:34Z")
If I change my routine at a store, there’s a decent chance I will forget to buy something, even if it’s something I buy every other time at that store. I would guess that about 50% of the time, if someone has enough of a pattern for the cashier to note it, that if they come to the register without that item it’s either a mistake on their part or the store is out (or appears to be out) of the item. ETA: OP, you’re projecting more than a drive-in theater. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2010, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/presumptuous-cashier-at-7-eleven/556302/63 "2010-10-07T13:28:37Z")
What’s PMDD? I hate the upselling, too. It irritates me because I know it’s not helpful, it’s upselling. The same way cashiers trying to use my name at Safeway irritates me, because it’s not to improve customer service, it’s to give the illusion of customer service. ---
**Author:** ![PoorYorick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecccb3/32.png) [@PoorYorick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PoorYorick)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2010, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/presumptuous-cashier-at-7-eleven/556302/64 "2010-10-07T13:36:18Z")
> [@appleciders](#): > > I’ve got to say, the guy at the liquor store is practically the single guy I want most to forget me. Only the guy at the vibrator store needs to forget my face faster. They have _vibrator_ stores now? Sweet! Now I know where I can do one-stop Christmas shopping this year. > [@moejoe](#): > > Me: Latte please > Coffee lady: Nonfat? > > Every single time. I don’t go there anymore. I’m picturing this: Customer: Latte please. Coffee lady: Here you go. Customer: (sips, then spit take) What?! This isn’t nonfat! Are you trying to kill me? Repeat about 20 times. You can’t win. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2010, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/presumptuous-cashier-at-7-eleven/556302/65 "2010-10-07T13:53:11Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > What’s PMDD? Pre-menstrual dysphoric disorder. Really bad PMS, basically. ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2010, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/presumptuous-cashier-at-7-eleven/556302/66 "2010-10-07T13:53:50Z")
> [@needscoffee](#): > > Warning signs of alcoholism: > > 1. Drinking alone > 2. Making excuses, finding excuses to drink > 3. Daily or frequent drinking needed to function > 4. Inability to reduce or stop alcohol intake > 5. Violent episodes associated with drinking > 6. Drinking secretly > 7. Becoming angry when confronted about drinking > 8. Poor eating habits > 9. Failure to care for physical appearance > 10. Trembling in the morning > Pay special attention to #7. Oh, I’m only 3 for 10. Come on, old gal, you can do better than that! ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_Door](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@Bill\_Door](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_Door)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2010, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/presumptuous-cashier-at-7-eleven/556302/67 "2010-10-07T14:17:27Z")
> [@MeanOldLady](#): > > > [@needscoffee](#): > > > > Warning signs of alcoholism: > > > > 1. Drinking alone > > 2. Making excuses, finding excuses to drink > > 3. Daily or frequent drinking needed to function > > 4. Inability to reduce or stop alcohol intake > > 5. Violent episodes associated with drinking > > 6. Drinking secretly > > 7. Becoming angry when confronted about drinking > > 8. Poor eating habits > > 9. Failure to care for physical appearance > > 10. Trembling in the morning > > Pay special attention to #7. > > Oh, I’m only 3 for 10. Come on, old gal, you can do better than that! Whenever someone confronts me about my drinking I tell them I don’t drink because I have to, I drink to quiet the voices in my head, and if they knew what the voices were telling me to do, they wouldn’t want me to listen. That usually ends the conversation toot sweet. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2010, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/presumptuous-cashier-at-7-eleven/556302/68 "2010-10-07T14:40:44Z")
> [@Captain\_Midnight](#): > > One of my favorite college professors would say that if he went to a fast food place and asked for a coke and was told “Is Pepsi Ok?”, unlike most people who would not care, he would say “No, I don’t want Pepsi, I want coke!” > > However, he was probably trying to make a point. We all know that McD’s has cokes, while Taco Bell and KFC has Pepsi. More Americans know this than know their civil rights. I’m sure that every minimum-wage restaurant employee he dickishly hassled found his “point” extremely profound. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2010, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/presumptuous-cashier-at-7-eleven/556302/69 "2010-10-07T14:41:40Z")
I had a similar experience as the OP this morning, which had me close to overreacting. I’m glad I perused this thread so I can see that that (my potential overreaction) was actually the case. You see … usually at work, I’ll swing down to the cafeteria somewhere around 9:00 to 9:30 and get a Fresca. This morning, I was in a little late and I hit the cafeteria at around 8:45 just to grab a muffin before heading up to my desk. I had a Dunkin Donuts coffee with me and the entirely too bubbly for my tastes cashiere looks at me and says in a completely believable faux-concerned kind of way: “Are you feeling ok?” “Uh … yeah … I guess” followed in my head by, “what the fuck are you talking about?” “No Fresca this morning?” I gave a equally impressive faux-chuckle and responded, “Not yet … little early still.” But I was thinkng, shut the fuck up, I’m sorry I give you a steady stream of business with my soft-drink buying schedule, but I’ll thank you to not make fun of me for it. Then I read this thread and realized she was just being friendly. She’s still too fucking bubbly, though, I’ll stand by that one. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2010, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/presumptuous-cashier-at-7-eleven/556302/70 "2010-10-07T14:48:11Z")
I go to the local 7-11 every morning for coffee. The first time I came in with the cast on my arm and got my refill, I was fumbling for the 27 cents in change to go with my dollar. The clerk had the gall to notice this and announce “You are really having trouble handling that change. While you are wearing that cast, your refills are only a dollar.” I had never been so insulted in my life. Imagine, implying that I couldn’t afford the 27 cents in change.:rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2010, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/presumptuous-cashier-at-7-eleven/556302/71 "2010-10-07T14:48:21Z")
> [@](#): > > Then I read this thread and realized she was just being friendly. She’s still too fucking bubbly, though, I’ll stand by that one. She wants you. ---
**Author:** ![justrob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a9adbd/32.png) [@justrob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/justrob)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2010, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/presumptuous-cashier-at-7-eleven/556302/72 "2010-10-07T14:59:46Z")
> [@Captain\_Midnight](#): > > Thank you. I hate suggestive selling also. I worked at McDonald’s a long time and hated suggestive selling. Unfortunately it did work enough that I understood why we had to do it. I still hated doing it though. > [@Captain\_Midnight](#): > > One of my favorite college professors would say that if he went to a fast food place and asked for a coke and was told “Is Pepsi Ok?”, unlike most people who would not care, he would say “No, I don’t want Pepsi, I want coke!” > > However, he was probably trying to make a point. We all know that McD’s has cokes, while Taco Bell and KFC has Pepsi. More Americans know this than know their civil rights. He should’ve taken his happy ass to someplace that sold Coke then. For most people the substitution was OK buty you had to ask becaus for some, like your dick professor, it wasn’t so they would get something else. I seem to remember it was a bigger deal for Diet Coke/Diet Pepsi than the regular cola though. > [@Captain\_Midnight](#): > > However, he was probably trying to make a point. On preview I’d just like to come back to this and say what a fucking dick. Obviously the high and mighty _College Professor_ is so fucking superior he has to berate the (probably near) minimum wage worker for pointing out that he ordered something they don’t have but would he like this other thing that is so very close. After all this time I’m surprised at how much that pissed off. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2010, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/presumptuous-cashier-at-7-eleven/556302/73 "2010-10-07T15:02:29Z")
> [@Aswan](#): > > > [@Two\_Many\_Cats](#): > > > > I don’t know about 7/11, but I know when I worked at McDonald’s as a cashier, I was always supposed to suggest other items that the customer could buy. I always fucking hated doing that because of the looks I would get from the customer. You could see them thinking “WTF? If I wanted an apple pie, I’d ask for it.” > > See, I understand your discomfort but I don’t think it’s the same thing. There was an implied value judgement. The classic, “Would you like fries with that?” is not objectional. “You know these babies are loaded with calories, right?” might be, especially if you’re Kirstie Alley. But he didn’t say anything like that. It wasn’t like he said, “You know alcohol is really bad for you, right?” He just pointed out that your normally get something different. If you normally get a big bottle of laundry detergent and you get the smallest one today and the clerk asks if you’ve made a mistake, is that the same situation to you? If the only reason that it’s different is the fact that alcohol is involved, maybe it’s just a sensitive subject for _you_. ---
**Author:** ![PlainJain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5daacb/32.png) [@PlainJain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlainJain)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2010, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/presumptuous-cashier-at-7-eleven/556302/74 "2010-10-07T15:05:34Z")
> [@Aswan](#): > > I was attempting to \*rephrase my interpretation \*of the implied value judgement so that you might better comprehend it. So yeah, I made it up. Again. People do that when the message doesn’t get through the first time. It’s called communication, not “making shit up.” Oh, sorry, I see now that your problem is illiteracy. We all got the OP: The clerk reminded you of what you usually get and you being a bit touchy about your drinking problem over reacted. So there’s really no need to keep parsing the poor minimum wage bastards comment in an attempt to show us your interpretation of the implied value judgement. I get it, I just think you are wrong. > [@LurkMeister](#): > > I (unlike some people - and not just in this thread) have no problem with clerks making friendly comments while ringing up my order. Nor do I in fact I will sometime initiate it. I like people and I enjoy talking to people I haven’t met. As far as up-selling, it’s very easy for me to say no. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2010, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/presumptuous-cashier-at-7-eleven/556302/75 "2010-10-07T15:07:35Z")
> [@Aswan](#): > > But we’re going to a sports bar this time and so I just get one of those four bangers for myself. (They’re the tall ones so just one goes a long way.) Did you remember to pop your collar when you went out to the sports bar? Otherwise people might not know you’re a college or still-hasn’t-grown-out-of-college asshole. ---
**Author:** ![DanBlather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f4b2a3/32.png) [@DanBlather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DanBlather)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2010, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/presumptuous-cashier-at-7-eleven/556302/76 "2010-10-07T15:08:54Z")
> [@Fried\_Dough\_Ho](#): > > As a professional wine writer, there was a point where I was getting CASES delivered to me. > > The FedEx driver – leering at my large bosom – in what I am sure he thought was full of charm, commented that I must have been “some party girl.” > > It was the licking of his lips that made me want to slam the door in his face. Wait, you are a professional wine writer, and female. How _you_ doing? Are you single? ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2010, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/presumptuous-cashier-at-7-eleven/556302/77 "2010-10-07T15:24:18Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > > [@](#): > > > > Then I read this thread and realized she was just being friendly. She’s still too fucking bubbly, though, I’ll stand by that one. > > She wants you. Then she must be a total slut; she apparently wants everybody. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2010, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/presumptuous-cashier-at-7-eleven/556302/78 "2010-10-07T15:30:14Z")
> [@DanBlather](#): > > Wait, you are a professional wine writer, and female. How _you_ doing? Are you single? Much hotter than an unprofessional wine writer. ---
**Author:** ![Scuba\_Ben](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/278dde/32.png) [@Scuba\_Ben](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scuba_Ben)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2010, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/presumptuous-cashier-at-7-eleven/556302/79 "2010-10-07T15:35:07Z")
> [@pepperlandgirl](#): > > I think the OP needs to chill out and have another beer. cd /pub more beer ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2010, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/presumptuous-cashier-at-7-eleven/556302/80 "2010-10-07T15:57:43Z")
> [@PlainJain](#): > > > [@LurkMeister](#): > > > > I (unlike some people - and not just in this thread) have no problem with clerks making friendly comments while ringing up my order. > > Nor do I in fact I will sometime initiate it. I like people and I enjoy talking to people I haven’t met. As far as up-selling, it’s very easy for me to say no. Yep. I don’t mind if someone is chatting with me, as I’m chatting right back. I like people. Cashiers are people, and generally they’re trying to get through an annoying day filled with boredom and tedium and the occasional surly customer. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/presumptuous-cashier-at-7-eleven/556302.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/presumptuous-cashier-at-7-eleven/556302.md?page=5)