If I could give zero stars, I would…read more
We stopped in this evening to buy some juice, and what we witnessed was one of the most unprofessional customer interactions I've ever seen.
A young Black man was standing in line, waiting his turn. The clerk, Chris (he loudly identified himself by name during the confrontation), told him to step aside because he was going to help the customer behind him first. The man looked confused and made a facial expression questioning why, but he didn't say a word.
When it was finally his turn, he asked for his drink. Chris immediately responded, "Why are you giving me a hard time?" even though the customer hadn't argued or said anything. Chris then asked for his ID, adding that he "didn't have time" because "the cops were just in there."
As the customer reached into his sock to retrieve his ID, Chris repeatedly said, "If you don't have it, I can't serve you." The customer placed his ID on the counter without saying anything. Chris then repeated, "I don't know why you're giving me a hard time." Throughout this entire interaction, the customer remained quiet and never became confrontational.
My friend, who was next in line, calmly told Chris there was no reason to be so aggressive because the customer hadn't given him a hard time. Chris replied, "I work downtown. I have to be."
I then pointed out that the customer had simply been getting his ID while Chris continued escalating the situation. I added, "You get the energy you give."
Chris responded by saying, "It's always you people," and then began shouting at us across the store. When we told him that statement was racist and completely inappropriate, he became even more upset. At that point, I told him I no longer wished to purchase anything from the store.
As we were leaving, the customer thanked us for standing up for him. No one deserves to be treated with that level of disrespect, especially when they had done nothing to provoke it.
What was equally disappointing was that none of Chris's coworkers attempted to de-escalate the situation, correct his behavior, or apologize while he continued yelling across the store.
Whether this behavior reflects Chris alone or the standards of this business, it was completely unacceptable. Customers should be treated with professionalism and basic respect. Based on what I witnessed, I will not be returning.
