In article >,
Joseph Littleshoes > wrote:

> Nice when all one can complain about are petty annoyances.
> ---
> JL

That's the BEST statement I've seen in this thread so far! <lol>
There are much, MUCH worse things in life......
--
Peace, Om.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a son-of-a-bitch." -Jack Nicholson

In article 9>,
Wayne Boatwright <wayneboatwright_at_gmail.com> wrote:

> IMHO, this whole thread is much ado about very little. If this is enough
> to get people bent outta shape, then I doubt they have enough to occupy
> their minds. There may be things that they do on their jobs, too, that
> annoy the hell out of other people.
>
> --
> Wayne Boatwright o¿o

Yep. ;-)

Part of my job is sticking needles into people arms...
If they complain, I suggest (politely) that they discuss it with their
doctor. He's the one that ordered the tests.

If they try to refuse, I let them know that that is their right, and
walk out of the room and inform the charge nurse, who then talks to
their doctor.

Most of the time, we get called back. <G>

You don't want to get stuck with needles, don't go to the hospital.
--
Peace, Om.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a son-of-a-bitch." -Jack Nicholson

or reply " I'll have any kind of day I want!"

--

zxcvbob wrote:
> cathy wrote:
>> On 11 Feb 2006 18:08:00 -0800, "nancree" > wrote:
>>
>>
>>>Cathy complained:
>>>The first is, the checker always asks you "do you need help out to
>>>your car", no matter what the size of your order. I've had them ask
>>>me that when all I bought was a half gallon of milk, or a single bag
>>>of potato chips.
>>>
>>>
>>>Apparently it's store policy that they =have= to ask that question,
>>>no matter what the size of the customer's order. Aside from the
>>>ludicrousness of the question, I feel it's an insult to me - do I
>>>look so decrepit that they genuinely think I =need= help.
>>>----------------------------
>>>Why be such a complainer, when they are being courteous? How many
>>>times have you/we said "How do you do?" , or "Nice to meet you", when
>>>it is actually just a social form. You've posted this complaint
>>>before, I think.
>>
>>
>> The problem is, they're =not= being courteous. They're reciting lines
>> by rote because their company policy forces them to, NOT because they
>> feel inclined to be courteous. That makes the whole thing a farce.
>> Saying "How do you do" is a generic social nicety/greeting that isn't
>> really a question and doesn't require a direct answer. "do you need
>> help out?" is a direct question, and requires an answer, even when
>> it's clear the question shouldn't have been asked in the first place.
>>
>> And no, I have not posted this complaint before. Somebody else may
>> have, but it wasn't me.
>>
>> Cathy
>
>
> My teenage daughter, DD, was ranting about clerks and cashiers
> chirping "Have a nice day" when they obviously couldn't care less
> about her day. So I told her to reply "Mind your own business." It's the
> perfect inappropriate response. She laughed.
>
> A few days later when she and her mother went through a drive-thru
> fast food place, and "Have a nice day", she mentioned the mind your
> own business thing to Mom. Bad idea. Now everytime someone says
> H.A.N.D., DD giggles and Mom scowls at her, and the poor clerk has no
> idea what's going on. I think it's kind of funny.
>
> Best regards,
> Bob

When I reserve a table for 3 at some restaurants, I use either Mr. Strange
or Mr. Weird. It's cute when they call "Strange party of 3" or "Weird party
of 3".. or "Swinger party of 2" etc etc..

--

Bob Terwilliger wrote:
> aem wrote about making restaurant reservations:
>
>> I usually pick a name that's been in the news and add "doctor." I've
>> been Doctor Bryant and Doctor Jackson in honor of the Lakers and
>> Doctor Woods for Tiger. I was Doctor Huxtable for our best local
>> restaurant once and the hostess did a double take when I arrived
>> with that name (I look nothing like Bill Cosby). Next time we went
>> there I called and said, this is Doctor Huxtable but tonight call me
>> Doctor Bunker. When we got there it was wasted, as it was a
>> different hostess. -aem
>
>
> I've never appended "doctor," but once I made a reservation as
> "Senator Marcus Bibulus." (It was for a wine-tasting dinner, so I
> thought "bibulus" was appropriate.) I've also made reservations for
> the "Dunwich Group" (an allusion to H. P. Lovecraft) and "Captain
> James Walker" (from the rock opera "Tommy.")
>
> Anybody else do this?
>
> Bob

Sharkman wrote:

> When I reserve a table for 3 at some restaurants, I use either Mr. Strange
> or Mr. Weird. It's cute when they call "Strange party of 3" or "Weird
> party of 3".. or "Swinger party of 2" etc etc..

Reminds me of the scene from "Patch Adams" when Robin Williams marionetted a
skeleton while fluting, "Donner, party of twelve?"

Some other good "party" names are Green, Wild, Tupperware, and Toga.

Bob

cathy wrote:
> I suppose this is a pretty minor pet peeve, but it still ticks me off.
>
> I shop at Vons in the Los Angeles area (owned and run by Safeway).
> They have two store policies that I find irritating and hypocritical.
> The first is, the checker always asks you "do you need help out to
> your car", no matter what the size of your order. I've had them ask me
> that when all I bought was a half gallon of milk, or a single bag of
> potato chips.


I feel the same way about the enforced mandatory happiness at the big
box home store where they have to greet everyone. I am quite sure they
aren't really all that excited to see me buy a paint brush.


>
> Apparently it's store policy that they =have= to ask that question, no
> matter what the size of the customer's order. Aside from the
> ludicrousness of the question, I feel it's an insult to me - do I look
> so decrepit that they genuinely think I =need= help? And it's an
> insult to the checker - why can't the store trust their employees to
> use common sense - ask the question if there's a =large= order, or the
> customer is elderly and might need the help. Let the employee assess
> the situation. Its not rocket science. I've complained several times
> and have been told "it's company policy".
>
> The second thing that Vons does that ticks me off is this: when you
> pay by debit or credit card, the checker is required to call you by
> name when they hand you the receipt. So you have to wait while they
> stare at the receipt, and try and figure out how to pronounce your
> name. I find this fake "personalization" worse than just a generic
> "ma'am" or "sir". They don't know me from Adam, they are forced to do
> this, and the whole thing is so phony it makes me crazy. Again, I find
> it insulting, and I'm sure there are other people who genuinely don't
> want the checker announcing their name to everyone within earshot.
> Just imagine the reaction if you heard "Thank you, Ms. Longoria" or
> "Thank you, Mr, Laurie".
>
> None of the other markets I shop at do this. Anyone else have this
> kind of experience? (I think it's a policy for all Safeway stores).
>
> Like I said, I know in the greater scheme of things it's pretty minor,
> but I just can't help being irritated nearly every time I shop there.
>
> And yes, I =could= stop shopping there, but they carry things the
> other markets don't, and they occasionally have great sales on meat
> and poultry. Plus, they're they only market near me that carries milk
> in half-gallon wax paper containers, instead of the plastic jugs
> everyone else seems to have gone to. I find that my milk spoils a
> whole lot sooner in the plastic jugs.
>
> Cathy

George wrote:
> cathy wrote:
>> I suppose this is a pretty minor pet peeve, but it still ticks me
>> off.
>>
>> I shop at Vons in the Los Angeles area (owned and run by Safeway).
>> They have two store policies that I find irritating and hypocritical.
>> The first is, the checker always asks you "do you need help out to
>> your car", no matter what the size of your order. I've had them ask
>> me that when all I bought was a half gallon of milk, or a single bag
>> of potato chips.
>
>
> I feel the same way about the enforced mandatory happiness at the big
> box home store where they have to greet everyone. I am quite sure they
> aren't really all that excited to see me buy a paint brush.
>
You never know... maybe they think you're going to rush over and paint their
house!

We've been to a couple of restaurants where, the minute you walk in the
door, every single server who isn't currently busy at a table all yell "Hi!"
or "Welcome to [restaurant]!" to you at the same time. Now *that* is
overkill, IMO.

Jill

On 11 Feb 2006 23:24:03 -0600 while whitewashing the broccoli "Bob
Terwilliger" > tossed a caber at the
lizard while remarking:

>I thought George Carlin came up with the perfect inappropriate response in
>his "A Place For My Stuff" album:
>
>Cashier: "Have a nice day!"
>Carlin: "Yeah, yeah, yeah...can I have my ****in' change, please?"
>
>
>Bob

One of these days I'll get up the nerve to use that one.

Cheryl
~~~When the supermarket checkout person asks, "Paper or Plastic?" I
often say, "Woven silk," just to keep him on his toes. "Rolled
steel" is not a bad answer either.~~~ (George Carlin)

On Sun, 12 Feb 2006 06:37:44 GMT while whitewashing the broccoli
cathy > tossed a caber at the lizard while
remarking:

>I have complained to the manager many, many times about these two
>policies. The most sympathetic response I've ever gotten is a shrug.
>I've also written (snail mail, not email) to Vons corporate,
>complaining, and I've never gotten any response.
>
>I don't get it.
>
>Cathy

Well, then you've done about the only thing you can do short of
speaking your mind with your wallet and shopping elsewhere.

Cheryl
~~~Good timber does not grow with ease. The stronger the wind the
stronger the trees.~~~ (Williard Marriott)

On 2006-02-12, cathy > wrote:
> I suppose this is a pretty minor pet peeve, but it still ticks me off.
>
> I shop at Vons in the Los Angeles area (owned and run by Safeway).
> They have two store policies that I find irritating and hypocritical.
> The first is, the checker always asks you "do you need help out to
> your car", no matter what the size of your order. I've had them ask me
> that when all I bought was a half gallon of milk, or a single bag of
> potato chips.
>
> Apparently it's store policy that they =have= to ask that question, no
> matter what the size of the customer's order. Aside from the
> ludicrousness of the question, I feel it's an insult to me - do I look
> so decrepit that they genuinely think I =need= help? And it's an
> insult to the checker - why can't the store trust their employees to
> use common sense - ask the question if there's a =large= order, or the
> customer is elderly and might need the help. Let the employee assess
> the situation. Its not rocket science. I've complained several times
> and have been told "it's company policy".
>
> The second thing that Vons does that ticks me off is this: when you
> pay by debit or credit card, the checker is required to call you by
> name when they hand you the receipt. So you have to wait while they
> stare at the receipt, and try and figure out how to pronounce your
> name. I find this fake "personalization" worse than just a generic
> "ma'am" or "sir". They don't know me from Adam, they are forced to do
> this, and the whole thing is so phony it makes me crazy. Again, I find
> it insulting, and I'm sure there are other people who genuinely don't
> want the checker announcing their name to everyone within earshot.
> Just imagine the reaction if you heard "Thank you, Ms. Longoria" or
> "Thank you, Mr, Laurie".
>
> None of the other markets I shop at do this. Anyone else have this
> kind of experience? (I think it's a policy for all Safeway stores).
>
> Like I said, I know in the greater scheme of things it's pretty minor,
> but I just can't help being irritated nearly every time I shop there.
>
> And yes, I =could= stop shopping there, but they carry things the
> other markets don't, and they occasionally have great sales on meat
> and poultry. Plus, they're they only market near me that carries milk
> in half-gallon wax paper containers, instead of the plastic jugs
> everyone else seems to have gone to. I find that my milk spoils a
> whole lot sooner in the plastic jugs.

You forgot that you can't walk through the store without some asking,
"Are you finding everything ok?"

--
Clay Irving >
The measure of a man's real character is what he would do if he knew he
never would be found out.
- Thomas Babington Macaulay

"OmManiPadmeOmelet" > wrote in message
...
> In article 9>,
> Wayne Boatwright <wayneboatwright_at_gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> IMHO, this whole thread is much ado about very little. If this is enough
>> to get people bent outta shape, then I doubt they have enough to occupy
>> their minds. There may be things that they do on their jobs, too, that
>> annoy the hell out of other people.
>>
>> --
>> Wayne Boatwright o¿o
>
> Yep. ;-)
>
> Part of my job is sticking needles into people arms...
> If they complain, I suggest (politely) that they discuss it with their
> doctor. He's the one that ordered the tests.
>
> If they try to refuse, I let them know that that is their right, and
> walk out of the room and inform the charge nurse, who then talks to
> their doctor.

Have you seen the movie "True Lies", with Arnold Schwarzenegger? The nasty
torure guy comes at him with (IIRC) a syringe and says (with evil guy
accent) "Zis is going to hurt!" Maybe you should try that. :-)

"Karen" > wrote in message
oups.com...
>
> cathy wrote:
>> The problem is, they're =not= being courteous. They're reciting lines
>> by rote because their company policy forces them to, NOT because they
>> feel inclined to be courteous. That makes the whole thing a farce.
>
> Totally agree. Two very dumb Safeway policies. Another is "did you find
> everything you need?," and when you say, "no," they say "that's good."
>
> Karen
>

Tell them you were unable to find vibrators, whips, or some such thing.
"They used to be in housewares, but you don't seem to carry them any more".

"Karen" > wrote in message
ups.com...
>
> Doug Kanter wrote:
>
>> Nah....why? This is my standard reaction when people seem to think
>> they'll
>> get somewhere posting a complaint here. If they really want something to
>> change, they'd write to the source of the problem. Since they don't, they
>> must want things to remain the same. They'll shop elsewhere. That'll show
>> 'em. Except that it really won't.
>
> My Safeway used to have a customer suggestion box. I asked for three
> things -- one was safer lighting in the parking lot, another was to
> please have more quarters offered as change at the check-outs, and I
> forgot the other. All three were ignored.
>
> Karen
>

As I said earlier, you have to go beyond the store level. Many people seem
afraid to do this, as if the CEO of the company is the Great Oz or
something. If you write or call people at this level, you may not get them,
but most of the time, you *will* eventually reach someone in a position to
make changes, or at least explain a policy to you. You should try it
sometime. When it works, it makes you feel like the company's yours.

If a store is already convenient to you, that has great value. You spend
less time travelling to a different store, so you have more time to enjoy
life. You use less gasoline. Maybe some of the people there will even get to
know you. If the store needs minor changes to fit your definition of
"better", why not spend a stamp or a phonecall to try and make it so? If
you're successful, would it be a good thing?

On Sun, 12 Feb 2006 01:56:13 GMT, cathy >
wrote:

>why can't the store trust their employees to
>use common sense

This is 2006... common sense was lost a few generations back.
Chuck ( in SC)

zxcvbob wrote:
> cathy wrote:
>
>> On 11 Feb 2006 18:08:00 -0800, "nancree" > wrote:
>>
>>
>>> Cathy complained:
>>> The first is, the checker always asks you "do you need help out to
>>> your car", no matter what the size of your order. I've had them ask me
>>> that when all I bought was a half gallon of milk, or a single bag of
>>> potato chips.
>>>
>>>
>>> Apparently it's store policy that they =have= to ask that question, no
>>> matter what the size of the customer's order. Aside from the
>>> ludicrousness of the question, I feel it's an insult to me - do I look
>>> so decrepit that they genuinely think I =need= help.
>>> ----------------------------
>>> Why be such a complainer, when they are being courteous? How many
>>> times have you/we said "How do you do?" , or "Nice to meet you", when
>>> it is actually just a social form. You've posted this complaint before,
>>> I think.
>>
>>
>>
>> The problem is, they're =not= being courteous. They're reciting lines
>> by rote because their company policy forces them to, NOT because they
>> feel inclined to be courteous. That makes the whole thing a farce.
>> Saying "How do you do" is a generic social nicety/greeting that isn't
>> really a question and doesn't require a direct answer. "do you need
>> help out?" is a direct question, and requires an answer, even when
>> it's clear the question shouldn't have been asked in the first place.
>>
>> And no, I have not posted this complaint before. Somebody else may
>> have, but it wasn't me.
>> Cathy
>
>
>
> My teenage daughter, DD, was ranting about clerks and cashiers chirping
> "Have a nice day" when they obviously couldn't care less about her day.
> So I told her to reply "Mind your own business." It's the perfect
> inappropriate response. She laughed.
>
> A few days later when she and her mother went through a drive-thru fast
> food place, and "Have a nice day", she mentioned the mind your own
> business thing to Mom. Bad idea. Now everytime someone says H.A.N.D.,
> DD giggles and Mom scowls at her, and the poor clerk has no idea what's
> going on. I think it's kind of funny.
>
> Best regards,
> Bob

The one I despise is "Have a good un." I won't repeat my reply in mixed
company though. The Mickey Dee's franchisee has his employees now saying
"Have a great day." I just scowl at them and mumble something under my
breath.

George

"aem" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> Doug Kanter wrote:
>> "aem" > wrote in message
>> ps.com...
>>
>> > The question is, how do you get them to
>> > wise up? -aem
>>
>> The secret is to write about them in places where they will
>> never notice
>> your comments. Don't tell the manager that his/her employees
>> sound like
>> little robots. Their behavior might be his idea, and you
>> wouldn't want him
>> to know it was a dismal failure.
>
> I have told the manager more than once about the 'calling by
> name'
> issue, as well as about their failure to mark prices
> completely. I
> agree with your implied point that talking to them is better
> than
> talking here about it. You're wrong, though, if you think
> we'll get
> noticeable response either way. -aem

I've been shopping in my Vons store since it opened in 1965.
Perhaps it's because most of the employees do know me that this
policy doesn't annoy me. Our store was just remodeled and I
filled out a comment card soon after the open house. I
complimented them on the new store and said some nice things
about the employees but I also listed some things they didn't
carry that I would like to have. Two days later I received a
phone call from corporate, then a phone call from the manager of
my store, and a week after that I received a book of coupons in
snail mail. I've never had ANY responses from Ralph's or
Albertson's in spite of filling out comment cards, making
requests, etc. - Audrey
>

Chuck wrote:
> On Sun, 12 Feb 2006 01:56:13 GMT, cathy >
> wrote:
>
> >why can't the store trust their employees to
> >use common sense
>
> This is 2006... common sense was lost a few generations back.
> Chuck ( in SC)

The clerks only work there. The store management has decided it is a
courteous thing in these rude times to call you by name and ask if you
need help. So the employees do what they are told. I sure don't think
we should be snotty to the employees for doing what the boss tells them
to. Hasn't your boss ever had you do something you didn't like?
Be courteous to the employees. If you want to complain tell management.
If you want to shop there let it roll off your back. If not go
someplace else .

"cathy" > wrote in message
...

>I suppose this is a pretty minor pet peeve, but it still ticks me off.<

Her two peeves we

1. Supermarket clerks who ask if you need help to your car
2. Supermarket clerks who address you by name

Here are two peeves of mine:

1. Shoppers who whine about clerks who show courtesy, even if only because
of company policy
2. Shoppers who give snotty comebacks to those clerks

Hey, folks, it's courtesy! Take it!

Felice

cathy wrote:

> The second thing that Vons does that ticks me off is this: when you
> pay by debit or credit card, the checker is required to call you by
> name when they hand you the receipt. So you have to wait while they
> stare at the receipt, and try and figure out how to pronounce your
> name. I find this fake "personalization" worse than just a generic
> "ma'am" or "sir"...
> None of the other markets I shop at do this. Anyone else have this
> kind of experience? (I think it's a policy for all Safeway stores).

My Danish name is regularly mispronounced in this situation, which is
not surprising. Danish has notoriously peculiar pronunciation. I tell
the checker, "It's pronounced 'yule,' but please call me Derek." I see
it as an opportunity for a very short lesson in Scandinavian
linguistics, in addition to a waste of everyone's time. :-)

Derek Juhl

On Sun, 12 Feb 2006 09:10:46 -0600 while whitewashing the broccoli
George Shirley > tossed a caber at the lizard
while remarking:

>The Mickey Dee's franchisee has his employees now saying
>"Have a great day." I just scowl at them and mumble something under my
>breath.
>
>George

You could always say, "If I was having a *great* day, I'd be at Burger
King, but thanks anyway." (Or insert McD competition of your choice.)

Cheryl
~~~Given enough coffee, I could rule the world.~~~

"Steve Wertz" > wrote in message
...
> On Sun, 12 Feb 2006 01:56:13 GMT, cathy
> > wrote:
>
>>I suppose this is a pretty minor pet peeve, but it still ticks me off.
>>
>>I shop at Vons in the Los Angeles area (owned and run by Safeway).
>>They have two store policies that I find irritating and hypocritical.
>>The first is, the checker always asks you "do you need help out to
>>your car", no matter what the size of your order.
>
> They ask "Do you need help with your bags?" I tell them "Sure! I
> walked here and I could use the company on the way home."
>
> They ask "Did you find everything OK?". I say, "I didn't know
> what I was looking for so how would I know if I didn't find it?"
> or "Isn't it a little too late now that I'm checking out?"


Actually, I've gotten some interesting responses. If it's something in the
store and I just didn't find it, they send someone scurrying to get it for
me. If they don't carry it, they hand me a card to fill in. Takes about a
week to get a response to the card. Sometimes they can find the item,
sometimes they can't.



>
> They ask "Paper or Plastic"? I respond, "Surprise me".
>
> I never get any responses, or any help with my bags.
>
> -sw

"cathy" > wrote in message
...
snip
> Apparently it's store policy that they =have= to ask that question, no
> matter what the size of the customer's order. Aside from the
> ludicrousness of the question, I feel it's an insult to me - do I look
> so decrepit that they genuinely think I =need= help? And it's an
> insult to the checker - why can't the store trust their employees to
> use common sense - ask the question if there's a =large= order, or the
> customer is elderly and might need the help. Let the employee assess
> the situation. Its not rocket science. I've complained several times
> and have been told "it's company policy".
snip> Cathy

I'm replying to no one in particular and I'm not going to make myself
popular either.

There is a large and growing larger portion of our population that has no
choice about taking go-nowhere jobs that are mind-killing tedious where they
are subject to constant humiliations whether the humiliation is inflicted
upon them by stupid company policy or customers. The old folks at Wal-Mart
aren't there because they need a broader social life, they're there to pay
for the spouse's oxygen or pills or other life's necessities because the
retirement they thought they had has dwindled or been snatched away. People
in their middle years are working these jobs because they have been laid off
and their skills are not wanted by anyone else. Company pension? Gone.
Health benefits? Gone. IRA's? Eaten by the stock market. You know all
those jobs that are supplied by the great entrepreneurship and small
business this country? The majority of that self-employment doesn't supply
enough income to get you a pot to pee in. Of course the unemployment
numbers are dropping. . .people fall off the lists after the payment
entitlement ends and then they go to low-paying jobs or start a small
business that just barely keeps the wolf from the door. These people work
really hard for their money. To generalize about them that they are all low
intelligence and don't understand what is going on is shameful. Many of
these people had the same hopes and aspirations just a little while ago that
you do and now all they can look forward to is a constant, hope-deadening
grind. Give them a break. It's not their fault that some bozo has decreed
they have to do or say something in order to keep their job. Most of them
have a hard enough time just getting a 40-hour work week from their
employer, they are not going to jeopardize the job they do have to ignore
the manager's orders. Say thanks, smile and leave.
Janet

Spuddie > wrote in
:

> On Sun, 12 Feb 2006 09:10:46 -0600 while whitewashing the broccoli
> George Shirley > tossed a caber at the lizard
> while remarking:
>
>>The Mickey Dee's franchisee has his employees now saying
>>"Have a great day." I just scowl at them and mumble something under my
>>breath.
>>
>>George
>
> You could always say, "If I was having a *great* day, I'd be at Burger
> King, but thanks anyway." (Or insert McD competition of your choice.)
>
> Cheryl
> ~~~Given enough coffee, I could rule the world.~~~


The greeters at stores bother me the most. If they say "How are you?" or
"Hello" or whateverr, I've been tempted to stop and reply "Could you
spare a few bucks?" and stand there staring at them for a couple seconds
and see the reaction. At 6'5", I'm sure it would unnerve most of them.

Andy

"Spuddie" > wrote :
>

> ~~~Given enough coffee, I could rule the world.~~~

Your sig made me think of a bumper sticker I saw a while back: "God invented
whiskey to keep the Irish from ruling the world."


_________________________________________
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"Andy" <q> wrote in message ...
> Spuddie > wrote in
> :
>
>> On Sun, 12 Feb 2006 09:10:46 -0600 while whitewashing the broccoli
>> George Shirley > tossed a caber at the lizard
>> while remarking:
>>
>>>The Mickey Dee's franchisee has his employees now saying
>>>"Have a great day." I just scowl at them and mumble something under my
>>>breath.
>>>
>>>George
>>
>> You could always say, "If I was having a *great* day, I'd be at Burger
>> King, but thanks anyway." (Or insert McD competition of your choice.)
>>
>> Cheryl
>> ~~~Given enough coffee, I could rule the world.~~~
>
>
> The greeters at stores bother me the most. If they say "How are you?" or
> "Hello" or whateverr, I've been tempted to stop and reply "Could you
> spare a few bucks?" and stand there staring at them for a couple seconds
> and see the reaction. At 6'5", I'm sure it would unnerve most of them.
>
> Andy

Awww -- c'mon, Andy, you're so tall, you should be gentle. You know, the
gentle giant. The Walmart greeters are my favorite. I like them because
they seem average, normal kinda people (around this neck of the woods), not
the up-beat over-the-top greeters at Circuit City. Don't scare the Walmart
greeters, they usually are soo kind.
Dee Dee

"cathy" > wrote in message
news
> I have complained to the manager many, many times about these two
> policies. The most sympathetic response I've ever gotten is a shrug.
> I've also written (snail mail, not email) to Vons corporate,
> complaining, and I've never gotten any response.
>
> I don't get it.
>

It's just the unfortunate result of a bunch of half-wits (the kind who would
go into restaurant management and wind up at "home office" in DR&D
putting their pointy heads together and deciding that since they can make
the poor slobs who work in these places do anything, why not make them
convince the general public, who are at least as stupid as the managers and
R&D people (at least in the ill-informed opinions of the managers and R&D
people) that they care deeply about them and the kind of day they are
having.

I guess my larger point was, don't take it out on the poor employees. They
have to do it to get their minimum wage.


_________________________________________
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In article >,
"Doug Kanter" > wrote:

> "OmManiPadmeOmelet" > wrote in message
> ...
> > In article 9>,
> > Wayne Boatwright <wayneboatwright_at_gmail.com> wrote:
> >
> >> IMHO, this whole thread is much ado about very little. If this is enough
> >> to get people bent outta shape, then I doubt they have enough to occupy
> >> their minds. There may be things that they do on their jobs, too, that
> >> annoy the hell out of other people.
> >>
> >> --
> >> Wayne Boatwright o¿o
> >
> > Yep. ;-)
> >
> > Part of my job is sticking needles into people arms...
> > If they complain, I suggest (politely) that they discuss it with their
> > doctor. He's the one that ordered the tests.
> >
> > If they try to refuse, I let them know that that is their right, and
> > walk out of the room and inform the charge nurse, who then talks to
> > their doctor.
>
> Have you seen the movie "True Lies", with Arnold Schwarzenegger? The nasty
> torure guy comes at him with (IIRC) a syringe and says (with evil guy
> accent) "Zis is going to hurt!" Maybe you should try that. :-)
>
>

<lol> No, I don't think so... ;-)
--
Peace, Om.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a son-of-a-bitch." -Jack Nicholson

In article >,
"Janet Bostwick" > wrote:

> Give them a break. It's not their fault that some bozo has decreed
> they have to do or say something in order to keep their job. Most of them
> have a hard enough time just getting a 40-hour work week from their
> employer, they are not going to jeopardize the job they do have to ignore
> the manager's orders. Say thanks, smile and leave.
> Janet

Well said Janet!

And oh so damned true.......

I think that all of us have things we have to do to keep our job that we
hate! Mine is wearing the shitty, ugly-assed "uniform" that they have
decreed for the lab.

Khaki pants and a maroon polo shirt. I HATE Khaki pants and polo shirts
are hotter than hell wearing a lab coat.
--
Peace, Om.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a son-of-a-bitch." -Jack Nicholson

"Dee Randall" > wrote in
:

> Awww -- c'mon, Andy, you're so tall, you should be gentle. You know,
> the gentle giant.

I am a lamb. Honest!!!

Andy

Doug Kanter wrote:
>
> Agreed. It sounds fake. Keep talking about it here until someone from Vons
> notices. Do not, under any circumstances write to the company.

What I hate is when you phone a business and the answer "Good morning,
this is the ABC company. My name is Gertrude. How may I direct your
call?" By this time I've forgotten what I called about...lol....Sharon

jmcquown wrote:
>
> George wrote:
> > cathy wrote:
> >> I suppose this is a pretty minor pet peeve, but it still ticks me
> >> off.
> >>
> >> I shop at Vons in the Los Angeles area (owned and run by Safeway).
> >> They have two store policies that I find irritating and hypocritical.
> >> The first is, the checker always asks you "do you need help out to
> >> your car", no matter what the size of your order. I've had them ask
> >> me that when all I bought was a half gallon of milk, or a single bag
> >> of potato chips.
> >
> >
> > I feel the same way about the enforced mandatory happiness at the big
> > box home store where they have to greet everyone. I am quite sure they
> > aren't really all that excited to see me buy a paint brush.
> >
> You never know... maybe they think you're going to rush over and paint their
> house!
>
> We've been to a couple of restaurants where, the minute you walk in the
> door, every single server who isn't currently busy at a table all yell "Hi!"
> or "Welcome to [restaurant]!" to you at the same time. Now *that* is
> overkill, IMO.
>
> Jill

Would that be Waffle House? lol....Sharon

Janet Bostwick wrote:

> I'm replying to no one in particular and I'm not going to make myself
> popular either.

You've earned a lot of points in my book. I feel that the "American
dream" is becoming more difficult for many people, if not disappearing
altogether.

Derek Juhl

In article >, cwells21
@NOSPAMhotmail.com says...
> I suppose this is a pretty minor pet peeve, but it still ticks me off.
>
> I shop at Vons in the Los Angeles area (owned and run by Safeway).
> They have two store policies that I find irritating and hypocritical.
> The first is, the checker always asks you "do you need help out to
> your car", no matter what the size of your order. I've had them ask me
> that when all I bought was a half gallon of milk, or a single bag of
> potato chips.
>
> Apparently it's store policy that they =have= to ask that question, no
> matter what the size of the customer's order. Aside from the
> ludicrousness of the question, I feel it's an insult to me - do I look
> so decrepit that they genuinely think I =need= help? And it's an
> insult to the checker - why can't the store trust their employees to
> use common sense - ask the question if there's a =large= order, or the
> customer is elderly and might need the help. Let the employee assess
> the situation. Its not rocket science. I've complained several times
> and have been told "it's company policy".
>
> The second thing that Vons does that ticks me off is this: when you
> pay by debit or credit card, the checker is required to call you by
> name when they hand you the receipt. So you have to wait while they
> stare at the receipt, and try and figure out how to pronounce your
> name. I find this fake "personalization" worse than just a generic
> "ma'am" or "sir". They don't know me from Adam, they are forced to do
> this, and the whole thing is so phony it makes me crazy. Again, I find
> it insulting, and I'm sure there are other people who genuinely don't
> want the checker announcing their name to everyone within earshot.
> Just imagine the reaction if you heard "Thank you, Ms. Longoria" or
> "Thank you, Mr, Laurie".
>
> None of the other markets I shop at do this. Anyone else have this
> kind of experience? (I think it's a policy for all Safeway stores).
>
> Like I said, I know in the greater scheme of things it's pretty minor,
> but I just can't help being irritated nearly every time I shop there.
>
> And yes, I =could= stop shopping there, but they carry things the
> other markets don't, and they occasionally have great sales on meat
> and poultry. Plus, they're they only market near me that carries milk
> in half-gallon wax paper containers, instead of the plastic jugs
> everyone else seems to have gone to. I find that my milk spoils a
> whole lot sooner in the plastic jugs.

A shame it isn't better than the blank stares I get when I go to local
Shaw's or Stop & Shop's. But that's just poor management - hiring kids
at minimum wage and not even trying to train them.

I'd find the name thing very annoying. Some people can pronounce my last
name correctly, but most try Peh Lick ee oo. It's peh lee chee oo
The 'cc' in Italian throws off most people.

Janet Bostwick wrote:

> It's not their fault that some bozo has decreed they have to do or
> say something in order to keep their job. Most of them have a hard
> enough time just getting a 40-hour work week from their employer,
> they are not going to jeopardize the job they do have to ignore the
> manager's orders. Say thanks, smile and leave. Janet
>

Bravo!

In article >,
says...
> In article 9>,
> Wayne Boatwright <wayneboatwright_at_gmail.com> wrote:
>
> > IMHO, this whole thread is much ado about very little. If this is enough
> > to get people bent outta shape, then I doubt they have enough to occupy
> > their minds. There may be things that they do on their jobs, too, that
> > annoy the hell out of other people.
> >
> > --
> > Wayne Boatwright o¿o
>
> Yep. ;-)
>
> Part of my job is sticking needles into people arms...
> If they complain, I suggest (politely) that they discuss it with their
> doctor. He's the one that ordered the tests.
>
> If they try to refuse, I let them know that that is their right, and
> walk out of the room and inform the charge nurse, who then talks to
> their doctor.
>
> Most of the time, we get called back. <G>
>
> You don't want to get stuck with needles, don't go to the hospital.
>

The problem is that there are some outright butchers out there when it
comes to inserting a hypodermic needle. Some are so good that you don't
even know the needle is in, others seem to have trained under Dr.
Mengele himself.

In article >,
says...
> zxcvbob wrote:
>
> > My teenage daughter, DD, was ranting about clerks and cashiers chirping
> > "Have a nice day" when they obviously couldn't care less about her day. So
> > I told her to reply "Mind your own business." It's the perfect
> > inappropriate response. She laughed.
>
> I thought George Carlin came up with the perfect inappropriate response in
> his "A Place For My Stuff" album:
>
> Cashier: "Have a nice day!"
> Carlin: "Yeah, yeah, yeah...can I have my ****in' change, please?"

Or you could reply with "And you have a nice diurnal anomaly." See what
response you get.

"Andy" <q> wrote in message ...
> "Dee Randall" > wrote in
> :
>
>> Awww -- c'mon, Andy, you're so tall, you should be gentle. You know,
>> the gentle giant.
>
> I am a lamb. Honest!!!
>
> Andy

Baaahhhh! Baa-hhha.
Bleeting-ly,
Dee Dee

"Wayne Boatwright", another person <& cathy wrote:

>>>>The first is, the checker always asks you "do you need help out to
>>>>your car", no matter what the size of your order. I've had them ask me
>>>>that when all I bought was a half gallon of milk, or a single bag of
>>>>potato chips.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>Apparently it's store policy that they =have= to ask that question, no
>>>>matter what the size of the customer's order. Aside from the
>>>>ludicrousness of the question, I feel it's an insult to me - do I look
>>>>so decrepit that they genuinely think I =need= help.
>>>>----------------------------
>>>>Why be such a complainer, when they are being courteous? How many
>>>>times have you/we said "How do you do?" , or "Nice to meet you", when
>>>>it is actually just a social form. You've posted this complaint before,
>>>>I think.
>>>
>>>
>>> The problem is, they're =not= being courteous. They're reciting lines
>>> by rote because their company policy forces them to, NOT because they
>>> feel inclined to be courteous. That makes the whole thing a farce.
>>> Saying "How do you do" is a generic social nicety/greeting that isn't
>>> really a question and doesn't require a direct answer. "do you need
>>> help out?" is a direct question, and requires an answer, even when
>>> it's clear the question shouldn't have been asked in the first place.
>>>
>>> And no, I have not posted this complaint before. Somebody else may
>>> have, but it wasn't me.
>>>
>>> Cathy
>>
>>
>> My teenage daughter, DD, was ranting about clerks and cashiers chirping
>> "Have a nice day" when they obviously couldn't care less about her day.
>> So I told her to reply "Mind your own business." It's the perfect
>> inappropriate response. She laughed.
>>
>> A few days later when she and her mother went through a drive-thru fast
>> food place, and "Have a nice day", she mentioned the mind your own
>> business thing to Mom. Bad idea. Now everytime someone says H.A.N.D.,
>> DD giggles and Mom scowls at her, and the poor clerk has no idea what's
>> going on. I think it's kind of funny.
>>
>> Best regards,
>> Bob
>>
>
> IMHO, this whole thread is much ado about very little. If this is enough
> to get people bent outta shape, then I doubt they have enough to occupy
> their minds. There may be things that they do on their jobs, too, that
> annoy the hell out of other people.
>
> --
> Wayne Boatwright o¿o
> ========

Meow!!! Humph. Quite frankly, it *is* the little things that bother the
sh** out of me; moreso than the supposed "big things".

And another thing (Boxer dog type snort) since when does R.F.C. get so
touchy when people sound off about pet peeves? Is everyone on their period
this week?


I understand and can relate to the craziness about asking about needing help
no matter what the amount of purchases made... and I can relate to
occasionally being bothered by mispronounced names... and there are quite a
few days when I really don't want to hear somebody 'telling me what kind of
day to have'... That being said, sometimes you just have do deal with it
and other days you come sit around the big R.F.C. table and vent. You 'go
Girl' and feel free to vent. Some of us feel your pain. <giggling but am
actually serious>

Another response when 'told' to H.A.N.D.... say "NO, I don't want to." You
can even carry it further by saying, "and you can't make me!" So Nah!!
<blowing raspberries is hard to do when laughing and drinking coffee. FYI,
you know>

Whew. I feel better. Thanks!



--
Syssi

> I think that all of us have things we have to do to keep our job that we
> hate! Mine is wearing the shitty, ugly-assed "uniform" that they have
> decreed for the lab.
>
> Khaki pants and a maroon polo shirt. I HATE Khaki pants and polo shirts
> are hotter than hell wearing a lab coat.
> --
> Peace, Om.

LOL - I can understand the maroon shirt.
Dee Dee

> wrote in message
oups.com...
>
> Janet Bostwick wrote:
>
>> I'm replying to no one in particular and I'm not going to make myself
>> popular either.
>
> You've earned a lot of points in my book. I feel that the "American
> dream" is becoming more difficult for many people, if not disappearing
> altogether.
>
> Derek Juhl

Depending on how one defines it, I guess.
Dee Dee