Working retail during a rush can test your patience, especially when customers point out obvious problems that you already can’t fix.

So, what would you do if you were stuck on a busy register with long lines and no backup, and a customer loudly suggested something you knew wasn’t possible? Would you answer back professionally? Or would you let a little sarcasm slip through?

In the following story, one cashier encounters this decision and opts for sarcasm. Here’s what happened.

I mocked a customer into leaving the store.

I work at a discount store, a fairly large one that sells a variety of items and has 5 checkout lanes.

Today, there were only two of us on the tills, and it was BUSY! Long queues for us both, no time for breaks because we didn’t have anyone who could step in and help, customers were grouchy and (understandably) impatient; the usual.

So, I’m serving, trying to get as many people through the line as possible, and my gaze lands on a guy who’s just kinda… lingering along the fringes of the queue. Not joining it, just standing in a place like he’s looking to jump the line or something.

The guy asked her the most annoying question.

He sees me looking, then calls over really loudly, “Can’t you open another till?”

And I’m just like… no man? If we HAD anyone else who could be on the tills, they would BE ON THE TILLS! We’re not hiding able-bodied employees to inconvenience you!

And I don’t know why specifically this guy – I get asked this so many times when it gets busy, and normally I can control myself and just smile and apologise politely no matter how much I HATE that question – but this time I just snapped.

Frustrated, she answered him very sarcastically.

I look at him, and I’m like “Wow, that’s SUCH a great idea, why didn’t I think of that! Hey Collin (supervisor’s name, he was working on the till right in front of mine), why don’t we just get someone else on the till?”

He doesn’t look back at me, just answers all seriously, “We don’t have anyone.”

So I look back at the guy, sarcastic smile gone, and deadpan, “We don’t have anyone.”

He looks incredulous for a moment, then replies, “This long line, and there’s only two of you?”

The next thing she knew, the guy was walking out.

I smile again and just say, “Welcome to retail!” All chipper like, before returning my attention to my customer, whose items I had not stopped scanning during this momentary bout of pettiness, I assure you.

The next time I look over, he’s walking out of the shop, just dropped his items on the floor, and everything.

Could I have been nicer? Yes. More respectful? Certainly. Do I regret it? No.

Yikes! It’s understandable why she did that, but some managers may not like it.

Let’s check out what the folks over at Reddit think about how she handled it.

According to this comment, the store is lucky to have her as an employee.

This reader doesn’t find the behavior rude at all.

At this person’s job, those decisions are for managers.

The same thing happened at a truck stop.

Good luck to that guy!

If you liked this post, check out this story about an employee who got revenge on a co-worker who kept grading their work suspiciously low.