The dreaded moment every modern shopper has come to hate: the pin pad asking for donations.

What’s the best way to circumvent this? Should you donate or choose not to donate and also choose not to feel bad about it?

In this story, one employee recently shared a tale of the #1 thing NOT to do. Here’s what went down.

Lady asks for donation back, after the transaction went through.

I work at a shoe store and this happened today.

We are currently working with an organization that helps foster kids in need.

When we get to the total screen of a purchase, the pin pad will ask if they’d like to donate.

But you don’t have to donate.

It has a round up option and dollar increments up to 5.

There is also a cancel button, in case you don’t want to donate.

Everything in the pad is clear.

This seems normal enough.

Me: Okay, the pin pad is going to ask how you’d like to donate today, it goes to foster kids in need.

I wait a beat while she chooses her option.

Me: Your total is X today.

I hit debit as she has already put her card in.

Oh boy…

Lady: *After it’s authorized* What’s that 5 dollar charge that was on there?

Me: Looks at her receipt. It was a donation to foster kids in need.

Lady: I didn’t mean to do that, I hit cancel.

Whoops, awkward.

Can I get my five dollars back?

Me: I’m not sure it will let me, let me look.

I know there’s no way to give back donations.

This is a tricky situation.

There was also no way she accidentally hit the 5 dollar button.

Me: I’m sorry, it doesn’t look like I can.

Lady: Well, what if we refund the whole transaction and redo it?

Me: I’m sorry, I can’t.

The boss couldn’t do anything about it either.

My boss has come up at this point and is also trying to figure out if we can refund the 5 dollars. We both know we can’t, so my boss opens the cash drawer and gives her 5 dollars.

Lady: To me Now that wasn’t hard, was it? She then left.

My boss did end up putting the five dollars back in the drawer.

This reaction makes sense.

My faith in humanity plummeted.

Why donate and then get mad about it?

I’ve had no one ever do that before and I hope they won’t again.

A bit of a bummer of a story. Let’s see how Reddit chimed in.

Most shockingly commiserated with the customer.

Some critiqued stores with this model.

Though one person showed nuance.

One person just went on a tangent.

And another person offered unsolicited advice.

Charity seems to keep losing its meaning nowadays.

If you liked that post, check out this story about a customer who insists that their credit card works, and finds out that isn’t the case.