I got impatient at the movie snack bar and made an all too common mistake:

[CreekDog]

My interaction left me with a guilty conscience and I'm sure others have felt the same way,have been on the end of this behavior or seen this behavior:

(this is long so unless you have the patience to get into the disrespect people in retail get, go onto the next thread)

I got a full sized diet soda for myself and since my mom wanted water (but can't stand Dasani --egads don't get me started...) I took the smallest cup and filled it with water. When I took it to the cashier, she told me the person taking tickets will not let me into the movies if one of the cups has water in it instead of soda. Okay, that was up there some of the stupidest things I've ever heard (which I usually have to go to GDP to hear).

My reaction was to say that the rule was ridiculous and the ticket taker was not going to examine whether my cup was soda or water. I didn't yell or anything, but when she offered to get me a water cup filled with water --but one without a lid (in a totally different place, that I didn't see), I declined and was kind of short with her.

It was Christmas Day. She was working on Christmas Day and in my frustration, I just totally forgot how much that sucks --and I sincerely doubt she was getting overtime or holiday pay. Also, even though she didn't explain it properly, she was trying to be helpful and it's not her fault her management gave her some bogus rule to enforce, perhaps with not the best explanation.

I'm going to figure out how to make it right, one way or another.

In the meantime, if you can't imagine how bad it is to be paid poverty wages, can you think about how much worse it is to be treated like crap for doing so? I've worked in retail and it can be hard (or not), but the moments that stand out in my mind were not about hard or easy but about plain old disrespect and lack of empathy --especially when I was doing my job exactly as I was trained to do it.

I was thinking when I worked in a gas station in my senior year, I worked 3-11pm some nights and often late when it was quiet, I had my trig book next to the register and studied between customers. One time, a guy tapped on the window and I immediately responded and when I was done, he pointed to the book and said "less of that and more of that (pointing to the register). I told him I didn't want to do "that" for the rest of my life (pointing to the register).

I usually do maintain my composure, but if I can't, I think I've got to take my complaint to the manager and not even mention who was helping me (if they are clearly just enforcing some nonsense thought up by their managers). As for when to complain, I often have to remind myself how good I have it and how gauche it is for me to complain about anything related to the service I get.

[northzax]

1. movie theaters are in the business of selling food and drink

including water. that's where they make their money (not from tickets for most movies) do you take your own burritos to Taco Bell because you 'don't like' theirs? your own steak to Charlie Palmers?

[Dr. Strange]

3. No, but he does take his own DVD player to Taco Bell.

So he can watch something more entertaining than people ordering tacos.
Should we shun him?

[CreekDog]

16. I got tombstoned from there

when i found out they didn't have tamales, I broke out into song...

it went like th

:rofl:

[Midlodemocrat]

21. You got off easier than me.

DO NOT GO THERE!!!!!

[Gormy Cuss]

6. Yeah, the plain water in a soda cup is so much more of a cost than the water in a water cup.

CreekDog should go to jail for that behavior.

[CreekDog]

12. I didn't even tip!

:yoiks:

[Rabrrrrrr]

7. He didn't bring in the water. Read the post again.

:eyes:

[northzax]

19. Yes, he put water into a soda cup

Odds are good those cups are counted. They obviously have water cups since one was offered. If you want one of the nice cups, you buy water. Simple. Annoying, but that's the business they are in.

[wickerwoman]

22. If your profit margin is so slim

you need to begrudge an old lady a soda cup to put her water in, then maybe you need to find a new business.

I honestly wouldn't go back to a theater that hassled me over something like this (or that treated me like a criminal and insisted on inspecting my bags before they would let me in).

She already paid probably at least $10 to see one movie once. I know that's not where they make their money, but come on... a frickin' soda cup? If it wasn't such an unpleasant ordeal dealing with theater managers with sticks up their asses or megachains trying to squeeze every last penny out of you, maybe more people would out go to the movies.

[CreekDog]

29. I agree with all that

except it wasn't the cashier's fault.

and the "old lady" part. :rofl: :spank:

[wickerwoman]

38. Whoops,

I meant your Mom... but still probably could have phrased it better. :blush:

[Chan790]

40. I would agree, but an anecdote.

I once received a letter when I was working in retail food service that "your cup-count needs do not reflect the service-sales reality which they should." (Translation: "You're going through too many cups for the amount of bevvies you're selling.")

Mind you, this was a place where we were encouraged to give out glasses of water or fill Nalgene/assorted-canteen bottles for customers upon request...and to give away stuff to good-and-regular customers as a way of saying "We care." Our registers allowed us to mark out these as promotional/good-will/customer-recovery even; there was a process for giving away free stuff.

Some idjit in corporate really does track these sorts of things in the name of preventing employee theft though...because we're totally going to give away free stuff and not mark it out or we're going to steal sleeves of plastic cups. :eyes:

[Rabrrrrrr]

34. Yes, he put water in a soda cup. Yes, they are probably counted.

But he did not bring water into the theater as you initially implied.

[CreekDog]

42. and I bought a giant soda for myself, at $4.50

the only reason i didn't buy a bottle of water for my mom is because she hates Dasani, so I chose the tap water, and then this all came up.

[proteus_lives]

27. It's true.

[Kali]

2. some rules need to be broken or ignored

she should figure that out eventually

we are all human, we do the best we can

[CreekDog]

30. Well this is more about what I should have done that her

I shoulda told her to charge me for a Sprite. It wouldn't kill me to spend $3.50 on my mom.

[Kali]

37. gack

it would kill me to pay that for water!:rofl:

I get your point though, I cringe when assholes treat low level employees like shit

[Ptah]

4. She probably just started there after quitting the call center because of customer abuse.

[Midlodemocrat]

5. Dude. Is she still alive?

I think you showed more restraint that most would have.

[CreekDog]

13. She was nice

She started to walk over to get me a cup of water (in the "correct" cups) and I stopped her.

She wasn't syrupy nice, she was just very patient and tried to solve the problem within their rules and I gave her a hard time.

:(

[Midlodemocrat]

18. Excuse me if I am having a difficult time imaging you

giving anyone a hard time.


Schmoopie. :loveya:

[CreekDog]

31. I gave you a hard time today!

:rofl:

:loveya:

[Midlodemocrat]

45. Yeah, but *I* can take it.

:rofl:

[dysfunctional press]

8. if she was working on christmas, she was most likely getting holiday pay.

why would you sincerely doubt it?

[CreekDog]

14. As a cashier at a movie theater? I doubt that

It's not exactly a union shop.

There is no law that mandates holiday pay, but there should be.

[dysfunctional press]

17. if it's a theater in a corporate chain- odds are she was getting holiday pay.

i've worked for plenty of non-union places that paid holiday pay. i can't think of a single job where they didn't.

[rcrush]

20. Nope they arent.

I know right now AMC did not pay their "slave" employees any holiday rate. The local company in town doesnt even THINK about it. The movie theatre companies like to use this "Entertainment Industry" excuse to get around paying overtime and holiday pay.

Its a really shitty job and I had the unfortunate experience of managing movie theatres for almost 10 years.


Edit: Working behind the concession counter on Christmas Day is the SHITTIEST job ever.

[CreekDog]

24. i thought so

and this was a Century Theater in San Bruno, CA.

[rcrush]

26. They are all pretty much the same

Run by cheap bastards.

[proteus_lives]

28. I got an extra $2 a hour for working on Christmas day at my theater.

But we didn't get any for Christmas Eve. That sucked.

[EndersDame]

23. Hah No way ! In Texas anyway where you dont have to pay holiday wages

The Chains simply take advantage of it

[TZ]

9. Hmm

I bet you being a "bit short" was probably mild compared to alot of abuse she gets. I worked retail (and high end, with some real spoiled rich aholes) retail and it sounds like you were pretty restrained. I bet she actually felt bad about enforcing that rule.
If more people were like you, retail wouldn't be half as sucky....

[Midlodemocrat]

10. He didn't bitchslap her back to Tuesday, so I think it's all good.

[CreekDog]

15. After I left the cashier's spot, the thought ran across my mind, "It's Christmas! And I just...

gave that lady a hard time."

:wtf: :banghead:

People are being nice to me about this, but I'm supposed to learn from this and even if it could have been worse, I want things to be better.

Next up, being nice to DUers! :rofl:

[FloridaJudy]

11. This is why I carry a large purse

So I can sneak a bag of sugar-free candy and a steel bottle of water into the movies.

[CreekDog]

25. That's a good idea

It will help you protect your baubles from Dr. Strange. :think:

[Midlodemocrat]

46. Oh. Please. That's not why.

It's to hide the corpses.


:eyes:


:rofl:

[Iggo]

32. I cut teenagers in the service industry as much slack as possible.

In a case like the one in your OP, I treat it like The Tuck Rule in the NFL...bad rule, good call.

[madinmaryland]

33. Uhmm. Why the hell are you in a movie theatre on Christmas...

If you are going out for some fun, go to a fucking bar!!

And yes, even with your mother.

:hi:

[proteus_lives]

35. I work at a movie theater. I sympathize with both of you.

I also worked Christmas eve and day. Holiday spirit my ass. It was busy and three people called in sick. I worked from 3-10 and I felt lucky to get the hours. But whole families and people who don't give a fuck about the holidays. I was busting ass all shift and I didn't take a break because they are unpaid and they are making us stay off the clock longer.

We have a similar drink/food rule at our theater. Just wear a coat or have a lady friend with a big purse. The theaters make most of their money from food/drink and we have to PUSH the swill. (I'll never eat movie food again) It's also coupon and gift card season and that's a pain in the ass.

You weren't that bad. I've had far worse then you. I've served thousands of smirking teenagers, spoiled brats, drunk assholes, pricks, little miss my-shit-doesn't-stink and the rest. Some people think if you wear a red vest and bow-tie, they're allowed to treat you like shit.

But to be fair, I've been short with customers too. After 6-7 hours of cleaning, customer dumbassery and my feet are hurting, I can be less then helpful sometimes.

It's not a bad job, I work upstairs mostly. Running the projectors, that's pretty sweet. But I'll be very happy when I'm making enough cheddar at my other job to quit this one.

[petronius]

36. Did she explain why? I have a lot of trouble believing that a ticket taker

inspects the content of cups - perhaps the real explanation is that she is supposed sell a soda for every soda cup that gets used, but thought she'd get yelled at less if she blamed it on the ticket taker? :shrug:

Actually, I think it would be a good idea to let people carry in big cups of water - if they got spilled it might wash some of the soda and Milk Duds off the floor...

[CBGLuthier]

39. In my home theater I can drink whatever I want

Screw them. I doubt I will ever set foot in a theater again. And I watch a lot of movies. Easily a few hundred a year. Food is better. Popcorn is better. And the quality of the print is better. No scratches or commercials.

[Bertha Venation]

41. Suggested read - very enlightening

Nickel and Dimed - On Not Getting By In America by Barbara Ehrenreich

[MindPilot]

43. I used to work in a gas station too

Probably the most abusive job I've ever had. For some reason when someone gets to give orders from the front seat of their car, it turns them into raging power-mad assholes.

[OffWithTheirHeads]

44. The baby Jesus grants you absolution.

You have suffered enough guilt to make up for this sin, HOWEVER, you have forgotten the 11th commandment and could have suffered greatly for that indescretion.

Commandment #11. Never, EVER, fuck with someone who is serving you food!

Now go forth and sin no more.

[MrsMatt]

47. My sister just asks for a courtesy water at the movies

rather than purchase bottled water.