New payment technology can test anyone’s patience, particularly when clear instructions go completely ignored.

What happens when a customer trusts a temperamental card reader more than the cashier operating it?

Instead of removing her card when asked, one stubborn shopper blamed the employee while repeatedly confusing every available payment method.

This transaction was a real head-scratcher.

Ma’am, please remove your card.

So I work at a local chocolate shop in a fancy shopping center, and most of our clients are older, wealthier people.

We just got a new credit/debit card machine with a chip reader (we’re late, I know).

For the most part, the machine has been more trouble than it was worth.

Anyway, our machine is very particular, and you have to wait until I give you the go-ahead to insert your chip, or the machine throws a fit.

We even have a sign on the card reader that says, “Please wait for cashier before inserting chip.”

Customers have had a hard time adjusting to this new system.

This morning, I had an elderly woman (who got the senior discount) jam her chip into the machine before I had finished scanning her items.

That causes an error message on my screen and prevents me from continuing.

So the cashier tries to gently walk the customer through it.

Me: Ma’am, could you please remove your card? I’m not quite finished scanning, and the register won’t allow me to finish until you do.

Customer: Oh, well the machine said “insert card.”

Me: I know, I really wish it didn’t say that because it won’t work — silly machine. Could you please remove your card?

But this customer really isn’t getting it.

Customer then looks back and forth between me and the card reader, then gives me an incredulous look.

Customer: No. The machine said to insert my card, so I’m leaving it there. I don’t think you know how to work it.

I stood there awkwardly for a long minute while the card reader beeped loudly at her to remove her card, and she just stared at me.

Customer (impatiently): Well, are you going to finish or not?

Yet again, the cashier tries to explain, but it’s clear it’s going in one ear and out the other for the customer.

Me: Unfortunately, my register won’t allow me to until you remove your card, as I said previously.

Customer scoffs and yanks her card out, glaring at me while I finish scanning.

Me (politely): Please insert your chip now, Ma’am.

Then the customer does something unbelievable.

You know what this lady does? She slides it down the side as if it were a debit card (our machine is “slide for debit, insert chip for credit”).

The card reader gives her an error message, and she freaks out.

Customer: You said to slide my card!

The cashier is forced to set the customer straight, yet again.

Me: No, Ma’am, I asked you to wait until I finished scanning, and then insert your chip.

The customer finally inserts her chip and finishes the transaction, mumbling under her breath about “darn teenagers” as she leaves the store.

I’m 22 — and it’s not my fault you can’t listen or read!

Never Miss a Story

Sign up to get our BEST stories of the week straight to your inbox.

Honestly, you just can’t make this stuff up.

What did Reddit think?

This fellow retail worker notices that customers of a certain age often behave in predictable ways.

Some customers just can’t seem to wrap their heads around modern technology.

This commenter does give older customers a sliver of grace.

If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about a craft store customer who refuses to take no for an answer when it comes to wrapping his purchases for gifts.

Why even bother getting defensive over something like this?

The cashier patiently explained that the card needed removing, but this customer refused until the machine itself proved her wrong.

She then misheard the next instruction, swiped instead of inserting, and departed while blaming the supposedly incompetent “teenager.”

She fought the employee, the sign, and the machine, yet somehow lost to all three.