My guy works at Wally World and he has such horror stories...Some customers make it a goal to fucking put you down if you're a cashier. Quite a few of them get incredibly nasty, and if the cashier dares make any noise of self-defense, they'll start screaming for a manager and how you gave them "attitude" until the manager is bending over backwards for some horrid woman who's only doing that so she'll get a discount or something. That actually happened to my guy, and he got TALKED TO BY MANAGEMENT because some stupid bitch took offense to him trying to put a bottle of heavy water into the cart instead of letting her snot nosed kid drop it onto the floor. What was really funny is that the manager had to come back a couple of days later and tell him how several people had called in saying what a great cashier he was. Yeah, the great cashier that has people calling in to say how wonderful he is obviously was at fault when some hag decides to make everyone miserable.

I've often wondered about this!

I'm a pharmacy tech at a super ghetto Walmart....it's killing my soul. People here are inhuman. I like the people i work with, but the customers disgust me and the other employees are super lazy...But hey...tomorrow is day 1 of my two week vacation! Holla!

My mom worked as department manager in mens wear and kids clothes for quite a while-and she REALLY enjoyed it. She didn't have to deal with people other than to help them find things and she NEVER had to work on cash ever. She would never have anyway.

BUT, they had a mixed communication about something and then basically embarassed the shit out of her over the PA. She quit, on the spot. A big EFF YOU to that.

THe saddest thing is that she REALLY enjoyed it, she was there for three years!! Worked her actual butt off, and made those departments not only super organized, but SUPER ORGANIZED!! *not all clothes everywhere etc.*

Anyway, I feel for you. I've worked on cash before (for 4 days at pet-cetra) aannndddd not my cup of tea. WAY too many people.

Absolutely. I've felt this way ever since I worked fast food right out of high school. (I also worked for Borders for years, but it never compared to the fast food--I enjoyed Borders, it was one district manager who finally drove me away.) I think everyone should have to do the kind of typically bad retail job for at least some amount of time so they appreciate it. Problem is, many people probably still wouldn't appreciate it.

I tend to view Walmart these days with the same philosophy as airline flights. I shouldn't be in a hurry. If I know that I'm likely to be waiting around/in a crowd, I can deal with it.

Thanks everyone, I am glad to know my feelings are shared. I can't believe some customers are so nasty. It's like they know that the managers will kiss their asses and bend over backwards if they bitch enough. Have fun with your vacation!

There are two places I will absolutely not work at because of the riffraff: Walmart and McDonald's.

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"If this is progress, then please sign me up for recession." Varg Vikernes

Oh my god, I could never work for Wal-Mart. I can barely stand shopping there. I used to work overnight backroom at Target and loved it! Great coworkers, decent pay (over $10/hr), and our supervisors actually treated us like human beings. There was lots of free food involved, especially during the holidays they would give us catered food a lot. Great incentive to work there. It used to be a running joke that every time we walked into a WalMart you could tell the employees were miserable.

I rarely go to Wal-Mart but when I do, I always feel bad for the people who work there, especially the senior citizens. After one trip with DH, I started to cry because I felt so bad for the "greeter" -- I just thought he should be in a retirement community in Florida somewhere. I realize that I am projecting and that many of these seniors want something to do.

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Lactation Consultant and Assistant Kickball Coach of the "Cass is a horrible person...and she's also ugly!" club.

I've never worked at Walmart but I worked in a supermarket for about 8 months after graduation. It is, without a doubt, the worst job I've ever had. Everybody treats you like shit - the management, the customers - everybody.

People assume that if you are stacking shelves or working on a checkout then you are some sort of lazy, stupid, worthless drop-out. I won't bore you all with the individual incidents but the number of times I've been sneered at, patronised and looked down upon is unbelievable. The job itself, as in the duties, isn't so bad but the atmosphere and the attitudes are utterly soul-destroying. It is the only job I have left voluntarily - partly down to stress - and the only job I would refuse to do unless I were completely desperate. I'd happily clean toilets or empty rubbish bins if it paid enough, but the thought of being on a checkout again fills me with dread.
In addition to the snooty customers the management is often no better. One day a shoplifter was caught on the CCTV and all of us who were working at the time were sent to see him individually. He asked me if I'd seen anything and I said no (I was busy putting things on the shelves; I do not have eyes in the back of my head!) then he proceeded to lecture me, in a fairly patronising manner, about how the staff were meant to be the eyes and ears of the store and so we should have caught the culprit. I thought, if you're so concerned why don't you come down from your cosy office and patrol the place yourself?
I just couldn't take any more after a while. Also I was doing 33 hours a week and I still wasn't earning enough to move out.

For me the idea of Hell is not about fire and brimstone; it's being made to work on a supermarket checkout with an endless queue.

Edited:One of the worst times was at Christmas when the manager had hired one of those dreadful 'Singing Santa' contraptions and it was switched on ALL DAY.