I would often try to buy things with my debit card and then get cash back so I wouldn't have to pay ATM fees. The first time, after I swiped the card, I said to the cashier, "Can I get cash back?" expecting her to say "Sure, how much?", which until I started going to this store was the answer I'd get. She goes, "Hmmmmmmm...maybe ...20 dollars." "Only 20 dollars?" She goes, "20 dollars. It's the best I can do." "Ok..." (isn't this coming from my account and not your pocket?) I was pretty confused.
A few weeks later, I went in and had another cashier. Mindful of the my last experience, I asked, "Can I get cash back?" The cashier said, "Sure, how much?" "Can I get $100?" "Sure." Success!
Maybe a month or so elapses, and I get to the register with my items. I go ahead and swipe the debit card. The machine asks if I want cash back. I typed yes and requested $100.
C = cashier (separate from the first 2 mentioned)
M = manager
C: How much money did you put in?!
Me: Uh, 100 dollars.
C: GAAASSSSSPP!!!!!! (alarmed) I don't have that kind of MONEY!
Me: Oh. Uh, I got $100 from here before...
C: (frantic) I'm going to have to get the manager!!
She walks into the little room and this angry guy comes out and starts chastising me.
M: My cashiers don't carry that kind of money! They have $50 in the register only! Maybe you can get 20 dollars, maybe.
Me: Sorry, I got $100 from here before so I thought...
M: They don't have that much money, you cannot get 100 dollars back, maybe you can get 20.
(the cashier is off somewhere getting money)
Me: Ok, well in the future I won't but another time I did get 100 dollars with no problem...
M: (talks over me saying the same things for about 3 minutes, impressing upon me that I could not take 100 dollars out)
Me: (trying to convey to the manager that in the future I would not get 100 dollars cash back, to no avail)
Really? You only carry $50 in your cash registers? What happens after about 4 customers go through the line and you suddenly have $100 in the register? How about putting a sign up saying that you don't give more than $20 in cash back?
And then another time...
My friend came to visit one Friday. We wanted relatively cheap beer, so we caved in and went to Key Food, despite my issues with them. We had yet a fourth cashier.
C = cashier
K = my friend
We approached the register. The cashier scanned our food items and the 6 pack of beer.
C: (to my friend) Can I see some ID?
K: Sure. (handed her Connecticut driver license over)
C: (gazes at the ID and looks lost) Ohhhhh..... (pause) What country is this from?
K: What?
C: What country is this from?
K: It's not a country, it's Connecticut! (Keep in mind, this is NYC. Commuter trains leave NYC and go into CT every day. The local news mentions CT when giving the weather.)
C: Ohhhh....I can't find your birthday.
K: Here, it says "Under 21 until" on it.
C: Ohhh. You're under 21?!
K: No, I'm 23. It says "Under 21 until" 2 years ago.
C: Ohhh. (continues to ring up beer, hands ID back) Do you need a passport to go there?
K: No, it's Connecticut.
C: Oh. (bags items) I just got a passport. I'm going on a trip.
K: Ah.