Apparently, I Look Like An Idiot To Cashiers

I'm just going to say it. I'm going to put it out there right here, right now. I hate Wal-Mart. I believe that Wal-Mart is where good days go to die. I don't like their prices. I don't like their clothes. I don't like their store brand diapers. I DO NOT like their employees. There have been a few who have been fabulous, but apparently, not many of them work at the store I go to.

See, a few months ago, I called Wal-Mart around Christmas to ask if they were open on Christmas Eve. We needed to run in to exchange something really quick before heading to my SIL's house to enjoy dinner and presents with our family. A woman answered the phone, and in and unfriendly voice said, "Thank you for calling your New Richmond Wal-Mart, how can I help you?" I very politely asked if she could tell me what time they'd be closing on Christmas Eve. She answered with an exasperated grunt and an even ruder tone, "We're open 24 hours a day 365 days a year." Then, she hung up on me. Christmas Eve rolled around, and we pulled into the parking lot of Wal-Mart to be met with them closing down at close to 7 for the evening and the following day. Apparently, they are not open 24 hours a day for Christmas.

But, to just top it off, I had a terrible experience with a cashier the other day. Now, the Wal-Mart in my area did not price match for a long, long time. I called the corporate office many times demanding to know why they said that price matching was their national policy for all stores, but then left it up to a store manager to decide to price match. If that's the case, it ISN'T a NATIONAL policy. They just started price matching last year, but there is only one other grocery store in town, and it's a very small kind of mom and pop place. They also have pretty expensive groceries, so, although I hate to, I price match their ad at Wal-Mart. This week, they were having a great sale on Tuna Helper. We don't eat a lot of it, but when I can stock up on something that is quick and easy to throw together after a long day of being out and running errands, it's nice to have on hand. The sale was 5 for $5. That means they were $1 each. Much cheaper than the almost $2 price tag. To top it off, I had 3 coupons for 75 cents off three boxes. So, while shopping I threw 9 boxes into my cart to put into the pantry for later use. I get to the checkout and I say to the cashier, "Hi, I'm going to be price matching today." She LITERALLY rolled her eyes at me and grunted as she started opening bags to put my items into. I opened my ad to the page the Tuna Helper was on and pointed to the price and said, "These are 5 for $5." She rang up 5 and then said to me, "OK, those are 5 for $5. I'm ringing the rest of these up for regular price." I said, "Why?" She breathed an incredible, I'm-completely-annoyed-by-you sigh, and said in a tone that told me she thought I was an idiot, "Because you only have 9." I said to her, "The price is 5 for $5. That makes them a $1 each. I don't have to buy 5 to get the $1 sale price." She looked at me, ROLLED her eyes again and said to me, "FINE! WHATEVER!" And rang the rest of them up for a dollar, muttering to herself and THROWING them into bags.

I mean, really? REALLY? If Wal-Mart was not the only store around that I could get groceries at for a reasonable price, I WOULD NOT be going there anymore. EVER! I can count on one hand the number of employees I've met at my local store that have been nothing but helpful and pleasant. ONE HAND! That is not good, at all.

To think that I have to go back into that hell hole on Tuesday to get more food, is not really something that appeals to me. On Monday when I went in, I was in a great mood because I'd gotten out of the house early to get my groceries and I made it to check-out in about 30 minutes. That's a record for me when shopping with 2 toddlers. But, that good mood died when I had to deal with that cashier.

You see, Wal-Mart is where good days go to die.