7-Eleven complaint: Very Rude Employee

I bought some food items using my EBT card for the cold items and debit card for the warm ones. It was 5:30 PM. The black, skinny lady-employee was the one who ran the register. She looked so serious and never smiled.

I paid with my EBT card first, and when it was time for me to pay with my Debit card, in an authoritative voice, she said, your debit card please, then left. I did as I was ordered, waited for a few seconds, but nothing was happening on the machine.

So, I asked, Is there something else I need to do?

The black lady came back angrily and in a loud voice, I told you to insert your debit card!

I was shocked and got irritated so I also said in a loud voice, I already did and nothing was happening! Why do you have to raise your voice? Is it because I am using an EBT card? I think you need some training with customer service!

I think you need some training with customer service! she retorted as if trying to annoy me by copying what I said.

Do you know that without us – your customers, you will not have a job? I think you need to be suspended!

I think you need to be suspended! she snapped back, as my child and I got out of the door.

I was diabetic and shaking so I asked my son to sit at the bench in front of the 7-Eleven store for a while to rest and eat. Few minutes later, I saw the same black lady get out and smoke a cigarette outside the store. When she recognized me, she stared at me for so long with a body language that seems ready for a fight.

This happened today, March 11, 2021. I know that this store is frequented by homeless people and the staff must have encountered some difficult customers on a regular basis. However, I am not homeless, I got a Bachelor’s degree in our country, and most importantly, I also used to work as a cashier at Target for 4 years and 2 years at Goodwill thrift store, so I am familiar with customer service and the expected etiquette from good customers.

This lady who attended to me, I consider a liability to your business, especially during this time of pandemic when front liners like her should be more patient and understanding to buying public. I didn’t demand anything greater than her to ring me properly but I find this lady to have a very huge ATTITUDE problem. I guess she is new because I go to this store every now and then, and I am more familiar with the regular staff who is a white lady and probably were on break at that time because I saw her just sitting in a corner. This other lady witnessed the whole thing.