Retail Slaves As Custys: Karebear Encounters Rude Hellmart Cashier

Karebear here, with a tale that has me shaking! Still! 

Today I was blessed with having no children for a few hours, and was off work! My mother took them to a water park while I had a court thing to go to, and my court finished way before I was due to pick them up. So I did some hardcore food shopping since I could use the whole cart and not place food around kids! 

Now, before I dive into the tale, I have to admit (I have before on the site in some comment) that I do in fact get food stamps. Basically after rent and all my bills (ie: lights, insurance, internet, and gas money) I simply do not have enough left over for enough food to feed a family of 3. (Should say family of 10 the way my kids tear through food in a day, but whatever, they are growing.) I do not spend lots of money on myself, my cellphone is one of those super old unbreakable Nokia phones, I don't even own a purse, and my nails are always broken and uneven. Only reason I have a decent car is because when my mother bought a new one, she gave me her old one (that she barely drove.) 

So I went to my local Hellmart, and decided to stock up on food. I got two bags of the bulk size chicken, bulk size hamburger pattys, and a bunch of other bulk size items. Basically, if it came in bulk size, I got it. And if there wasn't bulk sizes, I got 3-5 of the same item. I probably got enough for a weeks worth of breakfast and two weeks worth of lunch and dinners. I only got one thing of soda for myself, and two things of juice for the kids. I also picked out two bags of candy - one was a bag of suckers for my son to have for doing his chores or his little "homework" and the other was a bag of chocolate for myself, cause, well it's fucking chocolate! I also got some cookie making stuff for a fundraiser I am helping out with. (Not that I can bake, but I got friends who are willing to help.) So all in all, I did pretty good. 

I got up to the cashier and I guess she must have seen my Link card. Not that I was hiding it or anything, since I was wearing a nicer suit/pant set that had no pockets and carry no purse, I stuffed it in my phone case. Cashier started giving me some attitude about it all, but hey whatever, not the first time I was treated like shit because I received help from the government. 

She rang up all the meat and other lunch/dinner goods without saying anything, but when she got the bags of candy, soda, and cookie making mix she said, "I'm not ringing these up for you."

Me: *confused* uh...what?

Cashier: There is no need for you to buy this junk food while using the Link program. Besides, it's for your own health, sweetheart. *looks me up and down - again, I am fat or something (I was waaaay skinnier than her, I wear a size 11 in juniors for pete's sake!!)* 

Me: Well, I have never had a problem before buying those items, and its only 4 things compared to my zallion other things. 

Cashier: Oh well, my tax money isn't paying for your fatass needs. 

My jaw about hit the floor. She actually put the items in her return bin and totalled me out on the other items. Instead of arguing wit her, I paid for my shit, and went to customer service and told them what happened. Girl behind the desk went to the register I was at and got my items for me and let me pay there. She also called up a manager and I left a complaint. Can only hope they do something about it. 

I have gotten food stamps for over a year or so now, and this is the first time I was ever denied junk food. I don't buy alot of it, compared to other people. I get roughly around $400 each month, and set aside about $40 for junky food, another 20-30 for random baby food (not including formula) and every Februrary, March, November and December I buy a super cheap cake for kids' and my parent's birthdays.I don't even buy myself a cake, though it would be in one of those same months. If I have some left over at the end of the month, I'll buy canned goods or whatever for food banks. (Or donate what I got left in my pantry because you know, there are times when it looks so good on the shelf, but then never make it.) 

So...have any of ya'll ever experienced something like this?

It was...frustrating!

--Karebear

Comments

[Just Jess]

I can't stand when people abuse food stamps or government money, but you sound like you are really taking care of your kids. Getting them junk food every once in a while isn't going to kill them, and it even teaches them that when they have their own money how to eat it in moderation.

Screw her. I hope she got fired. Even if your entire cart was full of junk food, she needs to keep her mouth shut

[Sales Agent Guy]

As soon as I saw the bit about food stamps and how it was a rude cashier, I was calling bullshit instantly. Seriously, NOBODY has the right to be saying things like that to you. Hell if I even made a hint of a comment like that, I'd be fired!

Our computers are programmed to only allow EBT/Food Stamps/etc. to be applied to items which qualify, so we don't have to worry about people abusing it. The way I see it, if it qualifies, then that's their right to pay for it. That cashier should be fired.

[CopyCenterDude]

Having seen what some people on government assistance end up buying with the money you fall so far into the reasonable, responsible person category it isn't funny.

While working behind a counter you are welcome to form whatever opinions you choose of any and all customers there is also a responsibility to keep silent about them.

[hiya]

Yes. I have been on the receiving end of it too but by another customer.

I drive a nice car (6 years old & paid off). I have a nice phone. My kids wear trendy name brand clothes (consignment shop, Amvets, and gift cards from family). Hell, I have a nice engagement ring from 17 year ago. And then my 38 year old husband got cancer 2 years ago and he requires a full time caregiver so I can't work. He's totally disabled as a result of treatment.

I was buying steak, frozen shrimp, and a pomegranate. The steak because my husband's hemoglobin was really low and I wanted to get some iron and red meat into him, the shrimp because he actually wanted to eat something and had a taste for shrimp, and the pomegranate for my daughter who LOVES them.

The woman behind me in line made a comment like "Must be nice. I can't afford that and you're using EBT." I admit it: I wanted to make her feel small. She didn't deserve an explanation but I didn't care. I said, "After I drop this stuff off at home, I'm going to Roswell Park (the cancer hospital) to see my 38 year old husband. What are your plans for today?" That effectively shut her the hell up.

I can understand being judge-y if it's a repeat customer who always buys chef boy r d and mountain dew. But everyone deserves an occasional treat. Your cashier was so far out of line that the line is a blur behind her.

[Bored at the Bookstore]

That was unforgiveable. She had no right to deny you those items, whatever her (obviously biased and bigoted) opinion. She has the right to think whatever she likes, but she does not have the right to belittle or insult you. Obviously, no one ever taught her Thumper's Law: "If you can't say something nice, then don't say anything at all."

And may I compliment you on your self-control? I would have turned into a Customer From Hell and created a scene they would never forget. She humiliated you in public, she deserves to have the favor returned - with interest.

[The Last Archimedean]

[Sends Karebear a giant hug]

After all the other junk you've been through recently, that was the last thing you needed. You handled it better than I would have. I'd have insisted the cashier ring me up and wouldn't have moved until she rang up ALL of my purchases and apologized for being a jerk.

[Diane]

I think we're all on the same page here. It seems to me that food stamps were designed for people exactly like you - trying but need a little help to keep it all together. None of what you bought was unreasonable, especially compared to other things I've seen. Don't pay any attention to her.

[Nic]

With my temper lately, there probably would have been an old lady cashier laid out behind her register on the floor, smacked in the head with the soda.

[ScanGunMonkey]

Hot damn, honey, if the cashier was alive when you left the store, you did better than I would have! Anyplace I've ever worked, that would be an immediate I-don't-have-a-job-no-mo.

[Fortune Cookie]

*snugs* Let us know if that bitch got fired or not (if you go there again).

[finder queen]

Holy shit it must be some trend to have rude people working at hellmart.
My story isn't like yours but the cashier was still quite rude. (Shut down register without saying why, skipped me waiting in the line for an associate who was behind me and such)

But still those not on food stamps seem to forget while yes there are those who buy hoards of chips or candies, that they get to buy things WE on food stamps can't.
They can go get the nice hot deli dinners and such but food stamps can't.
So all in all it's the same thing cuz I know if those people were suddenly told they couldn't buy the deli dinners they too would get spare junk food in it's place.

I myself get looked at like I'm a piece of crap for having food stamps. And when they go to speak about it I say it loud enough for them hear "Yeah it sucks I'm on food stamps. But I also have a job that gives me jack shit for hours so as a result to be able to eat I need this card. But my monthly amount got reduced because I need partial unemployment thanks to my shitty job seeing fit to over hire to where people get only 8 hours a week. NOBODY can live on just 8 hours a week"

That makes em leave me alone the rest of the transaction.

So I say next time if someone gives crap to one on food stamps just simply state how you'd starve otherwise despite having a job and they tend to back off.

[cashykat]

Wow that cashier was a major bitch. I would have talked to the manager for sure about her comments.

[Queer Geek]

Being someone who is struggling with employment, I completely understand the need for public assistance. Karebear, you are using the government help correctly unlike others who are abusing the system. There is no shame in that. As for the cashier, it is unprofessional to make comments like that especially in fron of customers. I would like to see what happens when the shoe is on the other foot and she requires public services.

[Bebinn]

That cashier had no right to act that way. I'm so sorry that she made you feel bad about using public assistance. I've been on food stamps for more than a few years. Maybe I just don't notice or maybe because I live in an urban poor area, I've never had that kind of experience.

I'll admit that when I first started I was a little self-conscious using the paper food stamps. When they switched to the card, I don't know, it just took the embarrassment away, it's just like using a credit card to me. They call it Independance Card here in Maryland.

You should follow up with a word to corporate about that cashier.

[Ted the 'flayer]

My only issue with food stamps is that being a single male, I can jolly well starve to death if I can't afford food. I know this because I have been in desperate straits and despite the government website saying I was eligible, they wouldn't give me any EBT.

That being said, I keep my nosy opinions to myself. There's a difference between what is said at the bar or at home, and what you say on duty.

[Karebear]

@Ted: Weird because I knew a guy, years back, who was single and living on his own (until I moved in as his room mate) and he got food stamps. However, I don't think he got it until he was put on house arrest, but I never bothered to ask the details. Maybe it varies from state to state.

[BookAce]

Holy shit. I can't even imagine the gall it would take to say something like that to somebody!! Yes, there are people out there who abuse food stamps, but a) it's OBVIOUS you're not one of them (everyone has the right to a treat or two!) and b) even if you were the worst food stamp stereotype ever, when the fuck did that cashier get the right to play Food Stamp Police? I'm so sorry she was such a bitch to you, Karebear. She had no right whatsoever to say any of those things! I hope she finds her ass fired so fast it makes her head spin. >| Also, you have my admiration. You handled that whole situation with so much more grace than I think I would have.

[James]

@ted is right.

I am disabled and I am on oxygen. I am a 28 year old male. I applied for foodstamps and was denied twice. I found a way to do my application over the phone and I was approved.

Since then I have been yelled at by 3 crustys in various stores for shopping. Also 2 cashiers.

Let me reiterate. I am a 28 year old male on "Oxygen". I have an auto immune disease where my body is rejecting my lungs. I have to take steroids and have done so for 5 years. I wont spell it out but look up the long term affects of prednisone.

How ever all people ever see is Fat young "lazy" man who should not be on foodstamps.

Its disgusting the way people judge with out any prior knowledge.

Its also why I get a little hostile when people post about fat custys. Sorry guys :(

[Govt peon]

I'm going to use this moniker instead of my normal because it's more official. I have reported REAL abuse, like stores giving cash for food stamp benefits.

What you're describing is not abuse. No, you're not really supposed to use it for your parent's cakes (they're not recipients), but I'm not going to fault you for wanting to indulge yourself a little. I set money aside in my budget for my ”if I don't spend money, I'll go crazy” days.

It's not like Wally (even if it's a she, she's now Wally) pays that much in taxes, I've seen the paychecks... Oops, did I say that?

You're using funds to which you're eligible. You're working. You're not stealing or begging, so fuck Wally.

And Ted, the biggest problem I've seen with the government website is that it's not fully explained. Gross vs net and deductions. The biggest problem is that it's based on an out of date model and doesn't account for housing being super expensive, nor people getting HUD. The expectation is that one third of your income will go to food. Oh and if your state has an ombudsman or advocacy groups, get in touch with them!!!! Trust me on this one.

[Govt peon]

And when I used to tell people what I do for a living, they would ask how someone else could get benefits, but they couldn't and they usually did it with the biggest chip on their shoulder. Now when people ask me, what I do, I make up something...

[Karebear]

@Govt Peon: I should say this...I buy the cakes for my parents, sing them happy birthday, then me and the kids are usually the ones eating it. lol. My mother's birthday is either on or near Thanksgiving, so she says eating a bite of cake will throw off her hard work dieting just so she can indulge in a turkey dinner.

I knew people who would sell their food stamps for cash for smokes or booze, or worse drugs. Someone tried telling me how they did it before, but it hurt my brain, and I prefer being able to eat rather than being drunk. (Last time I was drunk was in 2010, way before baby number 2 arrived.)

I have seen people paying the 3 (THREE!!!) EBT cards. Can't figure out how he got three, so figured he had two other people's. Though, if I could get one for each kid...(kidding!)

[Eviscerator]

@ Gob't Peon: True if Wally Warld paid more, people could contribute more in taxes.

The company also might be able to attract more competent and capable workers. Crazy thinking, I know. Nutters have their heads so far up that they can't make the connection between low wages and minimal effort/poor customer service.

[MamaZoe]

I totally agree that this experience is outrageous! Hang in there! I'm sorry you have to put up with idiots.

My only niggle was your passing comment at the end about occasionally using your food stamps to buy food to donate to the food bank. It's a good cause, of course, but you're getting food stamps to feed YOURSELF and YOUR KIDS.... not anyone elses!

[Kristina]

Some people get so full of themselves the brain to mouth filter just welds itself in the off position permanently. Even when I was a retail slave and had someone come through with more crap than real food I kept my mouth shut.

[govt peon]

Eviscerator, individual circumstances dictate how much is paid in taxes too, like kids. But again, it's usually the people who don't qualify who get the most upset. I don't pay much (my tax liability is around 3k per year) in taxes because I'm the sole breadwinner right now and student loans, etc.

And Karebear, you don't know what the circumstances are, like authorized representatives of rehab centers (including medical rehab) may have ALL the residents cards.

[Hellbound Alleee]

I don't care if you buy lobster every day: being annoyed by individuals and families using assistance is for idiots. I pay taxes like everyone else, and I wish every damn last dollar went for individuals and families and their needs. Why worry and fret and complain about them when your money goes to send bankers to Boca and stockbrokers to Saint Thomas. we really need to get our heads out of our asses and start paying frigging attention.

[WalMart Whiping Dog]

I agree the bitch should be fired. But if she is a 'buddy' nothing will happen to her. That is the way HellMart is. If Sam Walton knew what was going on, he would be rolling in his grave.

[Monchichi Mommy]

my mom was once third in line at a grocery store and saw a lady buying lobster cake pop and many other treats and this was in the days when food stamps were more like monopoly money than on a card. The guy second in line started yelling at the lady buying it who turned around clearly upset and informed him that her 6 year old had been diagnosed with lukemia and the treatments had used up all the familys money and the child was told that he had less than 6 months left so she wanted to give him a proper birthday that year. Just goes to show, you dont know someones circumstances so keep your horrid opinions to yourself.

[MahiMahi713]

Gosh, that's horrible. People do abuse food stamps, I've read a couple stories about it on here. However, this certainly isn't the case here.

[Mick Waukee]

I guess I'm lucky, for now, because I only feel the need to visit a walton maybe once a year. Around here we have Phil Woodman's stores, and even if wally was cheaper, they'd still be a 'brighter than daylight inside' wally store. In a heads-up to the Woodman's employee owners, the only time I thought I had bad service was from a woman in custy service at store #27 I call "Maude".
That's in the space of nearly 41 years.

[KittyKatzchen]

Please, please tell me where this is so that once I get off this little island and back to the mainland, I can kick her judgmental ass all the way to Oahu and leave her for the locals. Oahu has a lot of people who need assistance and I would just LOVE to see what would happen if she were to smart off to some big, angry local.

['ssassin]

Because poor people should never get to eat food that tastes good just because it tastes good - they should survive on plain rice and beans and Wonderbread. So that we can feel all superior and good about ourselves seeing them suffer. After all, poor people who ever enjoy themselves don't deserve a penny's worth of help. /sarcasm
Oy. Some people are jerks.

[cashiergirl]

I am so sorry that you had to put up with that. You handled it like a pro though. As both a cashier and a former food stamps recipient, I don't think you did a damn thing wrong. So you bought a few sweets, that does not give anyone the right to treat you that way just because you are paying with food stamps. You sound like a type of ebt customer that I would honestly love to have come through my line. I regularly see full carts with nothing but junk food (literally, soda, chips, and frozen pizzas), and even though I wish they would buy healthier food I would never say anything to them about it or deny them their right to purchase any food they want. It's just not my business.

[govt peon]

I'm not going to lie, I love seeing the community of rhu come together.

[Skittles]

I pay taxes too and frankly I would hope that people who are on food stamps can get some junk food. I can understand not allowing alcohol or tabacco products but some candy, chips, or ice cream now and again is important. It keeps peoples spirits up.

[Sammi]

As far as I know, in South Texas, we have "Lone Star," which is like a credit card. You can use it on just about any kind of food.

Having said that, if you can get the card (you have to go through ALOT to get that card), you can damn well spend every penny on soda and gum if you want to. It's up to the person getting the card to stretch that money for how long before the card gets loaded.

My baby sister got one and she bought meat - good quality meat, hamburger, lunch meats, with that card. She used the small income she made (she was a whiz with ebay and stuff) to buy the produce/dairy. If she wanted to buy a soda, she should be able to buy soda.

I have a fixed budget for food -- and I buy shit with it sometimes. When I do, I don't eat right. Whoopee Everyone needs a junk fix sometimes.

[NC Tony]

I also, at one point had to be on EBT (especially since my son was an infant, my wife was on leave from her job and I was barely making enough at the Awful Waffle to support three people). I did the same thing you did, spent a majority of the money on food we needed before we spent a little of it on treats for ourselves. Fortunately, no one ever gave us shit about it, at least not out loud. I remember getting some dirty looks, but I ignored them, which I'm sure pissed them off even more as I'm sure the dirty lookers were trying to get a rise out of me. However if a cashier had said the same thing to me that was said to you I probably would have fired back with something like "You'll ring that stuff up or you'll be out of a job, your choice." and then, even if she did ring up my items, I'd still report her to management. Like someone else said above in the comments, if any one of us had said that to a customer we'd be fired so fast it would make our heads spin.

[Lamer]

Interesting enough, my bank card looks like an ebt card.

[Lita]

I'm in full agreement with everyone else here. You did nothing wrong, Karebear, that cashier was just plain RUDE.

I also get food stamps (quite reluctantly, mind you - but apparently there's some little niggle in my SSI where if I drop the food stamps, the SSI gets cut down so badly I can't even pay my rent!) and like you, I try to make good purchases. I'll admit I occasionally splurge a bit myself, and I've gotten some looks from cashiers because of it, but they've never said anything or refused to ring up any of my purchases. I honestly wonder, sometimes, if they'd still keep their mouths shut if I actually weighed something worth talking about... (Five-two, not even ninety pounds, every rib and bone shows if I move just right. They probably think I have an eating disorder. I don't. I have a MALABSORPTION disorder, as far as anyone can figure - two years of tests haven't shown anything but serious vitamin deficiencies that you don't see outside undeveloped countries.)

But I'm sure it's inevitable I'll get someone with a bug up their ass ringing me out one day, and I hope I can be even half as composed as you were!

[Chicajojobe]

I've never been on EBT myself, but I have noticed from these stories that apparently according to popular opinion it gives everyone a right to an opinion on the recipient's life.
And there's really no way they can win because if they buy sweets or Wonderbread or junk food with it then it's "They shouldn't be allowed to spend MY tax dollars on that crap! Especially if they're feeding it to their kids instead of healthy food!"
But if they are buying whole grain bread, lean meat or fresh produce then its
"Hmph, obviously they can't be that poor! I can't afford that and I'm not even on food stamps!"

[Ted the 'flayer]

We live in a society that worships wealth above everything else. The same people who freak out about their money going to feed starving people will run to defend a billionaire CEO who disagrees with Gay Marriage. I think that if Jeebus came back he'd be righteously pissed, just not for the reasons all the Christians assume...

[couponie]

Can you report the store for harrassment to your food stamp worker. I am sure they would love to get wally world in trouble. Also follow up with complaints on line and in emails- you should have the cashiers name or number from the first recipt.

[JohnnyC]

@ Ted. Thank you. I believe in Jesus, and he was all about tolerance, peace, and generosity. I think when he comes back, most Christians are in for a rude awakening.

@ KareBear you did nothing wrong. Cashier should be fired. When I read your post my jaw dropped

[Sadie D]

First of all, I am so sorry! People are such jerks.
It infuriates me to no end that people seem to think they're entitled to dictate what anyone buy with assistance. People who need help are just that--people, and they should be able to make their own damn decisions. Funny that it almost always comes from the "government is controlling and EVIL" crowd--apparently, government control is only for poor and GLBT people.

[Book Baby]

When I was a kid, we were on welfare. We also received food stamps and stretched them with a huge garden and my dads hunting and fishing. We had p and chips twice a year: on Christmas eve and New year's Eve. Other junk food did NOT find its way onto our table.

One day, my mom sent me to the store for some small purchase. I was behind a lady with a full cart of groceries. he told me, "You can go ahead of me if you're not on food stamps" I quietly replied, "Well I am. "DON'T TOUCH ME!!!!", she shrieked, and scooted as far away from em as she could. The checker ( a young man not much older than my advanced age of fifteen) and I just gave each other a telling look and said nothing.

If I were on EBT today, she would have gotten a MUCH different reply. You do NOT want to mess with me when I have done nothing to provoke such a response.

You should be allowed to buy whatever you wish. It sounds to me like you are making good choices as to what you spend your EBT on. Hell, I see people at the local Winco paying CASH for a cart full of so-called food every day (chips, pop, frozen piza, fruit snacks, etc.) and shudder to think about their future health.

[Book Baby]

*POP and chips*
*pizza*

[Kelly]

I remember when I got my food stamp card for the first time and had no idea what you could and could not buy on them. I had toilet paper in with the groceries and when the cashier told me I couldn't buy those with food stamps, she said, "That's why they're called FOOD stamps". I was so embarrassed. I have had other things said to me. Someone called me out on buying petit sirloin steaks which were on sale for $1.99/lb. I informed them that the steaks were cheaper that day than the cheapest hamburger, which was $2.49/lb. And another time I was called out for buying ginger ale. I let that customer know I was buying the ginger ale because I had acid reflux so bad. She sarcasticly asked me if ginger ale cured acid reflux and I told her that no, it didn't, but it was very soothing to my stomach since I couldn't afford to treat the acid reflux and I threw up several times a day. That shut that one up.

What I wish people would get through their thick skulls is that there are only so many dollars you get per month on food stamps. When that's gone, it's gone. So if you buy expensive items and a lot of junk food, you will probably run out before the month ends. It's not like the card gets filled up every time you empty it out. Funny how that fact is lost on so many people. And another thing, the last time someone told me I shouldn't buy certain items, I informed them that I had been approved for food stamps and if they didn't like what I bought, they could get off their fanny and work to join whatever committee makes those decisions. In other words, if you don't like your tax dollars being used to buy certain things, then actually do something and quit just complaining about it.

[bellflowermoonfish]

Wanna know why I buy junk? Because they won't give my bf his foodstamps back. Because the medicines to treat my crippling illnesses are over $600 a month and we don't qualify for jack shit in medical aid. We get $35 a month for foodstamps (and this month they didn't give them to me because I couldn't take off from TWO JOBS to come down there and be harassed and degraded through their 3-hour cattle call of an "interim review"). With one job barely scheduling me and the other fluxing up and down, cooking isn't an option. I buy frozen pizzas because it's the only thing that will feed TWO PEOPLE once a day. I also steal food from the garbage at work. I get a lot of shit for being "some punkass WHITE GIRL abusing the system" to which I have a token response: "yup, and my punkass has about 2 years left to live and a fiance to put through school in the meantime so he can have a better life with or without me. So why don't you shut the fuck up and go back to making another baby to reset your 5 year limit?"

[Low Income--High IQ]

What that cashier did wasn't just douchebaggery--it was breaking Federal law. Denying your purchase if it was allowed on EBT is a violation of the Federal laws about accepting EBT and that store can (and should) lose its certification--and would lose a crapton of money in the process.

You need to tell your worker (or file a complaint with the office that handles your case) so something concrete gets done. The buddy system won't save anyone's ass once whatever department is running the program these days gets involved.

[Bitchqueen]

I'll be honest, I don't like food stamps or welfare of any sort, so I have mixed feelings about this. I cashier myself and I've seen many people abuse government money *I.E. MY tax dollars* so that they can have their fusking 10 pack of red bull and potato chips. I don't say anything to them, I don't deny the sale, but I still think people need to stop leeching off the system. If you use WIC or Food Stamps, just remember that you're using someone else's money, and eventually, you run out of other peoples' money to spend.

[V]

You can't get "fucking Red Bull" with food stamps. Find something true to bitch about. Kthanx.

[brandy]

You're full of shit. No one treats a customer that way. Sure they think it, but they don't SAY/DO it. Take your fucking bullshit story to someone that is gullible. Fucking liar.

[Isabella Taylor]

This story is bullshit and untrue. Way to stretch the truth.