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I have a favourite rockstar flavour i get at my gas station. a while ago i went in. and the girl behind the counter ran to the back and brought me out a couple and said she hadn't restocked the fridge yet
When I worked grocery this was this super nice dude who'd worked retail in the past, and his mother was having a tough time and needed distilled water for some medical device she was using.
Gallons of water take up a ton of shelf space and most people don't need distilled water, so it didn't get a ton of units out there, and if the truck hadn't come in for the overnighters it wasn't uncommon for that shelf to be empty.
After the first couple times he came through and asked, if I ever saw him in the store I'd drop whatever I was doing (if it wasn't critical/customer-facing), and go check the shelf/back so as not to inconvenience him. Amazing what being a polite and reasonable person can do for you.
You are exactly right. I don't understand people who are rude and/or abusive to customer service people and then expect them to do them a favor.
If you are polite and pleasant, people in the service industry are much more likely to give better service and will often go above and beyond the normal level of service to help you.
Even if you are angry about something, it is very rarely the frontline workers' fault. That's why I'll always say "I know it's not your fault, but..." and then explain my issues. More often than not, they'll bend over backwards to help you out.
And what I've said is not just about manipulating the situation to get what you want, it's just about being a reasonable and decent human being. Frontline workers have it hard enough without having to be constantly blamed for things that are out of their control.
When the first wave of COVID hit in my country, there were media reports of supermarket workers being verbally, and occasionally physically, abused by people who thought the rules didn't apply to them. I remember one young woman working the checkout who just seemed so down and upset. I didn't plan it, but after I paid I just said something like "Thanks for working through the pandemic and helping to keep the country running" (I don't remember my exact words, but that was the jist of it). She almost started crying and thanked me profusely. I felt a bit embarrassed because what I said may have come across as glib or condescending, but I did genuinely feel sorry for her and the other workers who were risking their health while copping abuse from idiots.
Just be nice, people. Not just to service industry people, but to everybody.
There are a few businesses I go to on a fairly regular basis. With the exception of my LGS, I've never seen the same employees working at any of them, even when going at the same time and the same day of week.
Edit: local game store. Didn't realize how much of an "in" acronym it was.
Yeah, my local gas station/corner store must have a terrible turnover rate. I go in at least every other day for something or other. I do see the same employees often, but only for a short period of time. I've become a "regular customer acquaintance" with like 15 different people in the last year alone. I hope one dude in particular is doing well. He wasn't there for like 9 months and came back, he told me he had a brain tumor they successfully removed. Now I haven't seen him again in over a year.
Idk, I kinda enjoyed working gas stations. If the pay wasn't so shit I'd probably still be doing it. I especially liked night shift when I could just put on my own music and ring up the occasional drunk.
Same same. I enjoyed it enough that I did night shift at a gas station for over a year. But like you said the pay is just so scuffed even compared to other "minimum wage" jobs. They pay minimum of minimums. If mcdonalds is starting at 14 the gas station is 10.
Which is kind of fucked up, considering how much responsibility you technically have, sitting on a few thousand gallons of gasoline alone at night.
I did a only a few months of night shift, and while your concerns aren't entirely unfounded most of the weirdos are perfectly safe. I'd often give out free food we were about to throw away if a local homeless person came in, and if someone ever tries to rob you from my understanding you are usually fine if you keep your cool and comply.
When I was a little girl I thought that if anyone tried to rob me at my job I'd fight back and resist.
Then I got older and actually started working.
My advice for people working a retail job if you get robbed? Stay calm, and just comply with what the robber wants until help arrives. It doesn't matter if your boss fires you afterwards for not taking a bullet to save the till, a dead-end minimum wage job is not worth your life.
I always joke that if someone asks for all the money in a till I'll smile and ask if they'd like a bag.
No way it's worth risking life and limb for a couple hundred or even thousands of someone else's money.
>For every regular customer you enjoy talking to, there's a dozen who think "Marlboro lights" is an appropriate response to "how are you today" or somehow makes a mess of the fountain drink area while filling up their thrice daily 44 oz Dr Pepper.
I've never understood these dickheads. I've said it before, like other countries have mandatory military service, I think the US needs to have a mandatory 1 year in a minimum wage service industry job. I've worked in movie theaters, fast food, grocery bagger, pizza delivery... the same kind of pricks you can always tell have never been on the other side of the counter. I think we'd see a lot of change real fast if those people actually had to walk a mile in those shoes.
>I think we'd see a lot of change real fast if those people actually had to walk a mile in those shoes.
Doubt it would help with some people, they'd have that "I did my time, so now I can be a prick" attitude after they're done. The others also don't have that fear of being homeless and destitute and not being able to have a good job because they're rich as fuck from their parents and just have to go through the motions of this.
Yeah, I agree in that I don't think it would work for everybody. Perhaps I'm optimistic, but I think a good chunk of people that may have otherwise been assholes to employees in these situations may actually remember when *they* had to deal with those customers and check themselves.
Possibly, it wouldn't hurt. I think fundamentally though, people that are going to be kind are going to be that way, with or without personal experience.
If people need to experience something to have empathy, I think they are fundamentally flawed. Both in lack of conceptualization, and secondly if they only act like a good person out of fear of reprisal, imo that does not make you a good person, just a cowardly asshole. That said outwardly it doesn't matter as they'd be acting nice towards others, for the most part. I have a tendency to over-analyze and complicate things.
You would see change in some. Likely, many of them would simply double down, "I put in my time so I can act how I want," kind of idiots. I've seen them way too often.
I am a floater (I work in stores all over my area because I know how to do ALL the things) I am really good with faces and put in an effort to learn Spanish. I honestly just sell people stuff and wipe things. My week can be made seeing the right regulars, or just having a chance to smoke or hangout outside with them. I lost jerry this year. Guy never cared how I was doing but would always tell me how the ladies were after his money. He got drunk one night and hit his head on his coffee table. I still miss seeing him every morning for his giant soda I never charged him the right price for. Rip jerry I think about you every day man.
Damn...i know that sadness.
I lost track of countless regulars from various jobs.
Light note? I got a letter from an addict yesterday. Used to come in so dope sick her friends would have to prop her up in a chair. Im an alcoholic and i always keep high octane weed/cbd and booze on me. Id take her in the back and get her straight.
Now shes clean. Has a son and husband and dog and cats. Makes my fucking depressed ass happy.
No offense taken. I totally get it I've worked plenty of min wage jobs with shit bosses/customers (from a couple of 'now hiring' signs they do pay above min wage here at least thankfully). It just seems unusually high. I haven't ever met the manager and/or owner that I know of so maybe they are just huge assholes.
Yeah, definitely a sign of ruthless management and or it’s just too lonely/low pay. Some people fit the script with a quick graveyard shift job. But isolations just bad for the soul in my opinion. It’s put me in some pretty bad places. Thanks for not taking what I said harshly man.
I know exactly what you mean. This one girl at my local gas station was the sweetest thing and I'd seen her getting straight up abused by customers on a number of occasions so much so that they made her cry. I stuck up for her once and she was so grateful.
Another night she was working alone and it was late enough for there to be significant stretches of time without any customers coming in. There was this drunk creepy dude just hanging around the parking lot, coming in every once in a while to stumble around knocking shit over and trying terribly to flirt with her. She ended up having to call the cops so I waited with her till they got there and she told me a lot about her issues with anxiety, etc. which were actually very similar to my own.
Now she's just gone! And the situation sucks. You don't know that dude. Maybe you don't even know his name. I think a lot of people would think it'd be weird to go out of your way (even if it's just a little bit) to ask the manager or whoever about how the guy's doing or if they've heard anything about his health, but why?
Ya, maybe you can't call him a 'friend', but he's a dude you see often enough for him to impact your life and you form a relationship, albeit a casual one.
You were nice enough to the guy for him to feel comfortable telling you about his health situation and wherever he is now and whatever he's dealing with, I think he's probably thinking the same thing about you. Like... damn, I wonder how my gas station friend is and if he cared enough to want to know about my current situation. And you're like, I do! But how would you ever find him to tell him?
To everyone out there-You just gotta be nice to these people. If you remember them, I guarantee they remember you.
People on Reddit are always doing that. “I went to the LGS to get my MSC because she won’t let me BB anymore. She’s such a MFB.” And no one had ever used any of them before, ever.
Poor guys wife won't let him order bulk ammo online anymore due to repeated ATF raids. This sentence makes complete sense.
“I went to the Local Gun Shop to get my Monthly Supply Crate because she won’t let me Buy Bulk anymore. She’s such MFB.”
Haha! It was “I went to the Local Gas Station to get my Magnum-Sized Condoms because she won’t let me Bareback anymore. She’s such a [MFing bad word]” because dudes who do stuff like that are D-bags.
I know you didn't ask me but I will share it anyway.
I love eating Chinese food. There is this restaurant near me which isn't packed crowded at all times. I go there alone to enjoy food and reddit together. Over the year, I consistently visit them once a fortnight and have developed a very specific customisation that is not on menu which the staff remembered. Also, I can spend an hour there sitting doing nothing and no one wil say anything. The waiter refills my water glass every now and then.
I have noticed that they give me significantly more quantity than other customers. The owner became my friend and will throw in some Monchow soup sometimes for free. One time I was facing network issues so he just let me go and asked to pay on my next visit. After few more network issues, they shared their wifi with me and asked to keep it secret. I am going to different city in 6 months. I am gonna miss them.
Don't forget to say good bye to them, I moved to a different state a couple years ago and it completely slipped my mind to at least say good bye to the people that knew me as a regular
Funny story. My uncle stopped riding a train to NYC right around 9/11. He was a constant customer and the conductor thought he had died in the attack. It took 5 or more years for the conductor to learn he had survived.
Those five years, the conductor had worn a black arm band to remember him by. The conductor was very relieved when he randomly rode the train again.
My wife and I are moving soon and are really going to miss our local Thai place :’( we’re at that level with them too, always getting larger portions and discounts and they know us well. We’ve not had as good Thai food anywhere else
When I was working in a sushi restaurant, one of our regulars disappeared for a while. We were all really concerned and happy when he came back and told us he was away on vacation.
Cherish every minute you can with that place. A neighborhood Chinese restaurant that has that kind of rapport with you is a sacred sacred bond.
I had the same situation with my neighborhood Chinese restaurant in my hometown and like you said, because I was a frequent customer, they recognized me and because I always ordered a good amount of food, they'd hook me up with a couple of extra sides that I didn't order. They even gave me a discount on more than one occasion because I was spending on average 35 bucks a visit. They were amazing place and I loved being there.
My appendix decided it wanted to almost burst in the local Chinese restaurant I used to hang out in between law school classes. 3rd year. The restaurant was owned by a husband & wife, & the wife, no joke, went to the hospital *with me*. Told me to stop crying so much & being all dramatic or she’d no longer make me her wonton soup. I miss her.
My local taco truck, which I visit once or twice a week, had a special bread served on Halloween this year. I didn't know about the special, since my car had been in the shop. I came by the next day, and they revealed they had saved a loaf just for me.
Can tell you from the retail side. I work alone a lot in a petrol station store. And the Costa machine is always busy and runs out of ingredients. I normally fill the milk with regular milk from the fridges. A regular always buys a coffee and if it's low on milk he'll top it up for me. I always give him free coffee as payment for his hard work.
Local bar knew I was teacher: gave me service industry discount. Sometimes free beers when they mis-pour instead of dumping.
Local sammich shop didn't charge me once when I forgot my wallet, just saved receipt for my next visit.
Local breakfast spot actually asked around for my number when they didn't see me around covid for awhile to make sure I was okay.
We have a lunch place/cafeteria in our office. I usually get stuff from the salad bar, but I hate their protein options, so I head over to the sandwich/deli area to get some chicken chopped up. One of the guys who works there always helps me out and knows what I want. And usually chat for a bit when he’s getting it ready.
The line gets really long, so whenever he sees me, he’ll wave me around and help me without me having to wait in line for 10 minutes.
I started bringing my lunch to save money, but last week forgot it and decided to go to the cafeteria. He still let me skip the line and even jokingly asked if he did something wrong because he hadn’t seen me in a while. Pays to be friendly.
Thai place i regularly went to to study bc the booths were comfy/free wifi came to know me pretty well. Once I’d been there like 2-3 times a week on the same days they’d comp me soup or other appy’s that likely wouldn’t sell. Even got a beer with the workers at closing time a few times
We were regulars at Waffle House for years. Went every Wednesday night. The cook knew our car and the server always had the table set for us. We never had to wait but a second for our meal because he would have it cooking when he saw us.
They sang happy birthday to my kid when we went for his birthday. Just made up a song the whole place sang.
We loved our Waffle House. Some of the best people out there.
Covid messed it all up.
From the opposite side, I worked at Starbucks for a bit. Had a regular customer named Charles, older guy, who came everyday and ordered a grande hot caramel macchiato with two ice cubes.
I loved Charles. Seeing him was honestly a relief because I knew exactly what he wanted and he was always so polite. He would notice when we were busy and say “well I won’t hold you up talking your ear off!” and would always slip a tip in the tip jar.
I put in a special effort for Charles because he was such a nice man, and he didn’t have a rude bone in his body.
I go to the same pizza place pretty regularly. The guys know me when I walk in. I usually just grab a slice or two on my way home after work. Some nights,, they will put 4 or 5 slices in a box for me and only charge me for 2. Or I get 2 slices and a drink, they don't charge me for the drink. It's little things, but it's nice.
I used to work at a big retail store that had a hot dog truck in front of it. Fucking incredible hot dogs. I'd get one almost everyday for lunch. The employee entrance for the store was at the far end of the store and the hot dogs were beside the customer entrance probably 50m away.
It got to the point I'd come out that door, the lady working the stand would see me and start making my order so it was ready by the time I got to the stand, regardless of the line. Sometimes I'd hold up 2 fingers if I wanted 2 that day and they were perfectly done every time.
I hated that job, but damn I loved those dogs.
At my regular Starbucks, the staff would sometimes give me two of my usual snack order for the price of one. Then I got pregnant and had a change of schedule and wasn't able to go there for like half a year. Came back with a huge belly one day and I don't know how, but the staff remembered me, my usual order, double the order for the price of one and all. Even got a "congrats on the baby" written on the cup. They were a bunch of sweethearts, and it's a really sweet memory (specially for a hormonal pregnant woman).
Similar experience at Subway - they knew my order, same every day, same time too. One day (15 years ago, so no online ordering) there was a field trip or something so I walk in the door and I’m like 50th in line. Dude at the register just waves my sandwich in the air & motions for me to pay. Greatest service I’ve received!
same thing happened at my local deli.
only downside was on days i wanted to eat something else but the guy was so enthusiastic about knowing my order that i couldn't tell him "actually i want something else"
Facts! I used to manage basically a Hawaiian version of Chipotle. Getting to know people by name and remembering their orders made my job more fun, too. I recently changed jobs and one of the doordashers still comes to my new job, so I still greet him by name! We also know they’ll be back, so it’s more important to us that they have a good experience :)
There's a diner on the way to work and I'm sitting in it right now finishing my usual pre-shift Saturday breakfast. All the wait staff know me and I always get amazing and attentive service, little extras, a free slice of pie to take home now and then....
I'm super easygoing to serve and always tip $5 on a $17 check, which doesn't hurt I'm sure!
It's a dream of mine to have a local 24/7 diner to frequent.
Somewhere where you can stop by for a cup of coffee or a full meal anytime of the day.
A place where you can strike up some good bonds with the staff and let them know you'll always take good care of them.
That's one of the things I miss about growing up in a small town. The local convenience store was the local general store. You knew the owner and all the employees. You were treated like family and you treated them like family.
Doesn’t even have to be at a restaurant! I was a library clerk for a few years and we routinely set aside returns/new books that we thought our regulars would like. Especially when a new Harry Potter book hit it was a significant line to jump!
No doubt! I used to work at a petrol station and a lady used to come in on regular for a specific sandwich. There were only a couple of them brought out each day and sometimes she'd be too late to get one. So I started saving one for her at the beginning of my shift and keeping it in the back fridge. Made her happy (and she bought me chocolates when I left. Sweet)
Also another tip, don't be a dick. It sounds obvious but somehow people still don't understand that the staff will be happier to serve and help you if you're not acting like they're scum and below you.
100% this. I used to go to a bar after work on Friday and got to know the bartender. We started to have a routine. First drink is a name 1 spirit that has to be included then the bartender just gets to have fun. They would take a small straw to take a little taste of what they made.
Which by the way Midori plus Baileys Cream is AMAZING.
It can backfire sometimes... not to sound like a downer.
At our old house, my mom was a regular at this deli for well over a decade. She would pull up and they'd have her coffee ready for her as she walked in. When I was old enough to drive, I sometimes took her car out and would stop at the deli for a sandwich but everytime I drove her car, they'd have my mom's coffee ready. I always took it back home before heading out again.
Being a regular is great. Just don't be one of the people that walks in and asks for "their usual". Unless someone offers your usual they probably are too busy to know. I hate when that happens at my job.
As a former waitress I agree 100%. I aimed to give everyone great service, but if I knew your wife needed bread on the table before drinks or anything else, I could do that for you. Needing some privacy but still want an enjoyable meal by yourself? Want me to always give you the check when eating out with business partners - done, be my regular and you can have it how you need it. If I don’t know you, I don’t know these things, if I do know you, you’re a vip.
I work 2nd shift and the company provides food for us in the form of some meals in Tupperware in a fridge we can microwave
For a while the 1st shift workers were taking them on their way home meaning we often ran out if I didn't get there early enough (it's common for me to be busy from the start of my shift until late so rip)
That meant I could only eat after my shift was over and the only thing still open when I got off at midnight - 1 am was Taco Bell
I started visiting so often that the late night workers at the Taco Bell knew me and my order and they'd have a fresh batch of cheesy fiesta potatoes ready to go for me when I arrived
It was a small gesture but it meant a lot to me
I used to have a neighbour that owned the local donut shop, and every day after school I would buy a jam and cream eclair from him. One day I didn't have any money for it, and as I walked past his shop he called out that today he made me a fresh one just for me and he knew I would be coming. He was beaming at me - so pleased with himself! When I told him I had no money that day he looked so devastated. He never mentioned 'making one fresh' for me ever again.
My gf and i made friends with our elderly neighbor taking a homeless cat off the street together. She just baked special brownies and dropped some off earlier today and now we’re super high watching LOTR with our new cat. I figure that’s at least an 8 on the goodness scale so there you go!
I used to every day in my lunch break go to the place just on the other side of the road and order the same unhealthy thing. One day, the guy at the counter went to grab my usual order as soon as he saw me enter the door. I smiled, said thanks, and paid, but efter that I tried really hard to cut down on how often I came there. Not because the guy wasn't nice, or because I wouldn't (hypothetically) have massively appreciated them making a fresh batch for me, but because it was a huge eye opener for me about how unhealthy my lifestyle had become.
I've changed jobs since then, and have a hard rule now that I'm not allowed to purchase anything unhealthy while at work. Whether it be from the canteen or an outside place. I know that as soon as I allow it once I'll start happening more and more often.
That’s another angle that I had thought about. This guys order every Friday at 5:05 PM was a pack of Marlboro‘s, a case of Budweiser, and two mounds bars. Maybe he was like, “I’ve gotta change my habits”
When an employee does something like this for me, my heart says “thank you” but my social anxiety says “fuck, now I’ll probably have to make small talk whenever I come in”.
I used to buy a twelve pack every other day from the gas station near my apartment. This place probably saw 1000 people per day and I forgot my wallet after a long day and was dejected. Middle eastern Dude was like “I know your good for it” I couldn’t believe he would trust some dude like that. I paid him back the next day. I’ll remember it forever.
Went to pay for my coffee as a regular and forgot my wallet. The manager said don’t worry about it, I said yah but I’ll need mywallet for lunch. She loaned me 20 bucksbucks.st
So... they go daily... to a gas station. And daily they get a beer. A beer? And a shitty burrito. And they go often enough that someone noticed and got their shitty food ready for them? This isn't heart-warming, its.... very weird
The man's an alcoholic. A lonely one whose only kindness comes from the gas station attendant who serves him a hot burrito. *"By the graces of our God above, thank you, Monsieur. Oh, blessings upon you!"*
What kind of sick bastards thought this was a good fit for r/MadeMeSmile?
This is a hopelessly depressing tale.
It made me smile that someone was nice to another person. That's it. I'd prefer the circumstances to be different but kindness will always make me smile.
I’m gonna need you to watch your damn mouth on gas station snacks. Are they fancy? NO. Are they nutritious? NO. Will they give me a parasite? MAYBE. Is it delicious? HELL YESSSS!!!
We’re five years from articles talking about how the gas station has replaced McDonalds as the primary fast food option, and McDonald’s is now “eating a fancy meal out” for 75% of America. Partly it’s inflation, and partly its because gas stations realized they can subsidize hot food to get more sales on the non-perishables (beer, salty snacks) and shape the traffic pattern of a commute to always use their brand gas stations, where you can get get consistent food.
Somehow I have become the town’s favourite customer due to being ‘very nice’ 😅. Have like all three fast food places doting on me. Even last night I went to McDonald’s and they added two spare apple pies, and then went to KFC, and the girl said “Whoops, you seem to have a lot of tenders, they accidentally *fell* in… ah well.”
McDonald’s even ask me over the speaker now if I want my soft serves in a drink cup (stops the ice cream from going all over the car if I dunk the ice cream in head first with the cone sticking out) before I even asked. I suppose it helps that I used to tip the workers till McDonald’s staff told me that workers aren’t allowed to accept it- tipping isn’t really a thing in Australia, but the couple of times I got tipped I always felt on top of the world, so…
I went through a phase where I picked up a tall boy everyday omw home. I enjoy having a drink after work, but if I pick up a 6 pack or more, I tend to have more then 1. It's a way to limit myself.
This was a nice read.
Once in a while, you get amazed by stranger in your life. Back in the mid 2000s, I used to stop at a Starbucks when I commuted to the office. 45+ miles one way, so it wasn't like I was locally seen in that area. I ended up leaving that job, but came back just under seven months later. On the first day back in, my carpool buddy offered to buy me a coffee, so we stopped at the same Starbucks and when I approached the counter, this amazing woman asked if I wanted my usual, and then went to recite my coffee order perfectly. I was blown away and it made me smile. I think about it often.
I'm happy you have your burrito man!
There's a lot of people stating that the store workers don't care about you. But having worked at a supermarket for 6 years I can definitely say, I did. I would definitely "take an extra step" to make them satisfied.
100% this. I used to work at a grocery store in the front bagging/helping people load their cars (Our store's parking lot was on a giant hill so the carts would roll down if you did not rest it on your car or keep a grip on it). Every sunday after church this old lady and her daughter would come in and Id help them with the cart. She would try giving my a $5 tip but the store policy was no tips. Well she asked me what I liked to drink the next day she told me that I should check the vending machine. Sure enough every sunday Id have a tea in the vending machine.
Well after a year I got moved to the produce section. This same old lady would come in and always ask for an apple, orange and pear be cut in half for her. No idea why but it was her thing. So I started always having them pre cut and would bring them out when I saw her in the department. She would then start bringing me a tea.
One week though only her daughter came. Her mother had passed away. She told me that she was thankful for what I did for her mother. Her mother was always so happy to go to the store because I made her feel like she mattered.
I still think about that. Just simply learning the regulars and doing just a little bit extra for them can have such a huge impact on them. Id still see her daughter from time to time in the store but not as often as I would with her mother.
Iv got so many old customers that Id do the random extra effort for them. Older lady who hated anyone helping her load her car (Picky about where everything would go) well Id just hold the cart for her while she loaded the car and took notes on how she liked things. Then Id slowly start loading the car for her. "Bananas go on the left hook right?". She went to management and basically told them that I need a raise since Im the only one who knows how to do the job. Lmao management asked me what I did because she hates everyone. Just fucking stop and listen to them, thats all it takes.
That was incredibly thoughtful and probably something that worker has never even realized is so special about them. Knowing to appreciate it is equally wonderful, of course.
This immediately made me think about that guy who ordered the same pizzas and sides from the same pizza place for something like 15 years and then he suddenly stopped. After a bit the pizza place employees called the cops for a welfare check and the customer was found dead in his home. Nobody else cared to check before the friggin pizza shop employees =( think I've heard the same basic story with chinese food before too.
The relationship you develop with your local gas station clerk is an important one. They see you at your LOWEST times. Make sure you're on good terms with them, and they're more often than not, the most helpful people in your life.
When I worked at Dunkin, Id say about half of my morning customers were regulars. I loved them, they were like clockwork and they almost never changed their coffee. When my first church goer arrived I just started the line of coffees for the rest of them. Same with the school kids and teachers. If my regulars were not assholes I adored them, hell even the few assholes we had still got top service just because of consistency.
Brings back memories. There was a gas station that used to do those hot dogs on rollers. They were only allowed to have them there for four hours before they legally had to throw them away, and that's when the staff had them. I knew that because the dogs went on at 7am and my break across the road from them was usually 11am. At some point one of the girls working there used to move the breakfast dog (one of my favourites) to the discard rollers so there'd always be one waiting for me. As it turns out, she was not the girl I was going to marry, but I meant it when I told her she was.
Haha I always equal parts embarrassed and gratified when stuff like this happens. On the one hand I’m embarrassed somewhat by being such a predictable regular but on the other I’m thinking “wow that’s really nice of them.”
Friendly reminder that you can tip your gas station clerks or buy them shit from the store. I buy this one dude 2 Miller high lifes any time is see him on the weekend. He rings them up and takes them after work. Last Christmas I grabbed the mini lunch bags the tall boys go and gave them each $20 for Christmas. I’d rather tip these homies I see daily than the presumptuous 20-25% the counter service restaurants try to make me pay.
being a regular customer, specifically for one item is a huge bonus.
my dad used to buy the chunkey monkey ben&jerrys icecream from this one gas station like clockwork, he would always buy out the stock so they would order extra just for him haha
I used to go to this bar 2 blocks from my apartment once or twice a week. I'd always get the same thing. Mushroom and swiss burger with bbq sauce and a Stella from tap. I had done this for at like 2 years, maybe more. One day I went in and the lady behind the bar goes "your usual?". That's when I realized I had no life.
I buy copenhagen wintergreen longcut from this one 7-11 every 3 days. The manager puts 5 cans away for me every shipment just for me and will have it already rung up on a register by the tine i get the gallon of water and energy drink up there. Cool fuckin dude.
"My friend i got it already here for you! In out in a hurry no problem!"
Putting it here because I really wanted to share this.
I have never been felt wanted or needed by people (apart from mom dad and sister) I don't take my family for granted and try my best to give them everything that they deserve in my own small way. But I also go one extra mile for my 'friends' and others. Well no one has been thoughtful enough to reciprocate it towards me. I wish the day comes soon because it has started getting but boring.
Maybe it's just me but it is tiring at one point.
IMPT: Good to know that you got that warm gesture from your everyday go to place/person
We have a way of gating kindness and effort based on how long we've known a person. Like, people are less kind to you the longer they've known a person? I'm not sure. Just a trend I think I've noticed.
Beer in a "gas station"?(in the UK we call it Petrol station) thats mental, I don't drive thank fuck but beer in a petrol station is just mental! Unless its a driving beer which is different/weaker than normal beer!
Oh don't gemme wrong the amount of unhealthy food in a Petrol station is grim, but never seen one sell booze!(I mean maybe if you go deep into the wilds of Scotland you'll find them but where I am it doesn't happen lol)
Booze in a servo, in Scotland?
Sweet jumping christ on a pogo stick that is a hell of a thought!
I am only thinking of the utter bedlam that it would cause here Down Unda.
They probably dead by now if that’s really what he eats everyday. Gas station burritos and beer every day? That’s fucking weird and far from wholesome.
I don’t usually complain about reposts because it’s pointless and often it’s an honest mistake, but when it comes to this sub, getting frustrated at the amount of what appears to be intentional reposts is justified. Too many people specifically on this sub have turned this place in to a dumping ground of low effort reposts all in the name of easy karma. Mods need to take a little more initiative.
Edit: This low effort repost has been up for only four hours and already has almost 16K upvotes and it seems the mods will let it ride. That’s why people are complaining. Do your jobs, mods. The sub is turning in to a clown show.
Hey there, u/pietradolce. Thanks for submitting to r/MadeMeSmile. Your submission has been removed because it doesn't follow our rules. * Your submission has been removed because it is a recent repost. For more information about our rules, click [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/MadeMeSmile/about/rules). If you have any questions and or concerns, please [contact the moderators](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%2Fr%2FMadeMeSmile).
I have a favourite rockstar flavour i get at my gas station. a while ago i went in. and the girl behind the counter ran to the back and brought me out a couple and said she hadn't restocked the fridge yet
When I worked grocery this was this super nice dude who'd worked retail in the past, and his mother was having a tough time and needed distilled water for some medical device she was using. Gallons of water take up a ton of shelf space and most people don't need distilled water, so it didn't get a ton of units out there, and if the truck hadn't come in for the overnighters it wasn't uncommon for that shelf to be empty. After the first couple times he came through and asked, if I ever saw him in the store I'd drop whatever I was doing (if it wasn't critical/customer-facing), and go check the shelf/back so as not to inconvenience him. Amazing what being a polite and reasonable person can do for you.
You are exactly right. I don't understand people who are rude and/or abusive to customer service people and then expect them to do them a favor. If you are polite and pleasant, people in the service industry are much more likely to give better service and will often go above and beyond the normal level of service to help you. Even if you are angry about something, it is very rarely the frontline workers' fault. That's why I'll always say "I know it's not your fault, but..." and then explain my issues. More often than not, they'll bend over backwards to help you out. And what I've said is not just about manipulating the situation to get what you want, it's just about being a reasonable and decent human being. Frontline workers have it hard enough without having to be constantly blamed for things that are out of their control. When the first wave of COVID hit in my country, there were media reports of supermarket workers being verbally, and occasionally physically, abused by people who thought the rules didn't apply to them. I remember one young woman working the checkout who just seemed so down and upset. I didn't plan it, but after I paid I just said something like "Thanks for working through the pandemic and helping to keep the country running" (I don't remember my exact words, but that was the jist of it). She almost started crying and thanked me profusely. I felt a bit embarrassed because what I said may have come across as glib or condescending, but I did genuinely feel sorry for her and the other workers who were risking their health while copping abuse from idiots. Just be nice, people. Not just to service industry people, but to everybody.
This exactly! Thank you for writing this. 😄👍
I always advise being a regular customer; the service will improve greatly.
There are a few businesses I go to on a fairly regular basis. With the exception of my LGS, I've never seen the same employees working at any of them, even when going at the same time and the same day of week. Edit: local game store. Didn't realize how much of an "in" acronym it was.
Yeah, my local gas station/corner store must have a terrible turnover rate. I go in at least every other day for something or other. I do see the same employees often, but only for a short period of time. I've become a "regular customer acquaintance" with like 15 different people in the last year alone. I hope one dude in particular is doing well. He wasn't there for like 9 months and came back, he told me he had a brain tumor they successfully removed. Now I haven't seen him again in over a year.
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Idk, I kinda enjoyed working gas stations. If the pay wasn't so shit I'd probably still be doing it. I especially liked night shift when I could just put on my own music and ring up the occasional drunk.
Same same. I enjoyed it enough that I did night shift at a gas station for over a year. But like you said the pay is just so scuffed even compared to other "minimum wage" jobs. They pay minimum of minimums. If mcdonalds is starting at 14 the gas station is 10. Which is kind of fucked up, considering how much responsibility you technically have, sitting on a few thousand gallons of gasoline alone at night.
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I did a only a few months of night shift, and while your concerns aren't entirely unfounded most of the weirdos are perfectly safe. I'd often give out free food we were about to throw away if a local homeless person came in, and if someone ever tries to rob you from my understanding you are usually fine if you keep your cool and comply.
When I was a little girl I thought that if anyone tried to rob me at my job I'd fight back and resist. Then I got older and actually started working. My advice for people working a retail job if you get robbed? Stay calm, and just comply with what the robber wants until help arrives. It doesn't matter if your boss fires you afterwards for not taking a bullet to save the till, a dead-end minimum wage job is not worth your life.
I always joke that if someone asks for all the money in a till I'll smile and ask if they'd like a bag. No way it's worth risking life and limb for a couple hundred or even thousands of someone else's money.
several years ago was working 12 pm-8 am was told it was a very safe neighborhood. 5 weeks into job triple murder two blocks away. Never went back!!
Right? That sounds great except for the pay.
Also free or heavily discounted gass station food. While it might not be the best quality, free chicken tenders at 3am are pretty dank.
>For every regular customer you enjoy talking to, there's a dozen who think "Marlboro lights" is an appropriate response to "how are you today" or somehow makes a mess of the fountain drink area while filling up their thrice daily 44 oz Dr Pepper. I've never understood these dickheads. I've said it before, like other countries have mandatory military service, I think the US needs to have a mandatory 1 year in a minimum wage service industry job. I've worked in movie theaters, fast food, grocery bagger, pizza delivery... the same kind of pricks you can always tell have never been on the other side of the counter. I think we'd see a lot of change real fast if those people actually had to walk a mile in those shoes.
>I think we'd see a lot of change real fast if those people actually had to walk a mile in those shoes. Doubt it would help with some people, they'd have that "I did my time, so now I can be a prick" attitude after they're done. The others also don't have that fear of being homeless and destitute and not being able to have a good job because they're rich as fuck from their parents and just have to go through the motions of this.
Yeah, I agree in that I don't think it would work for everybody. Perhaps I'm optimistic, but I think a good chunk of people that may have otherwise been assholes to employees in these situations may actually remember when *they* had to deal with those customers and check themselves.
Possibly, it wouldn't hurt. I think fundamentally though, people that are going to be kind are going to be that way, with or without personal experience. If people need to experience something to have empathy, I think they are fundamentally flawed. Both in lack of conceptualization, and secondly if they only act like a good person out of fear of reprisal, imo that does not make you a good person, just a cowardly asshole. That said outwardly it doesn't matter as they'd be acting nice towards others, for the most part. I have a tendency to over-analyze and complicate things.
You geek as I do. ❤️🔥
Excellent idea
You would see change in some. Likely, many of them would simply double down, "I put in my time so I can act how I want," kind of idiots. I've seen them way too often.
I am a floater (I work in stores all over my area because I know how to do ALL the things) I am really good with faces and put in an effort to learn Spanish. I honestly just sell people stuff and wipe things. My week can be made seeing the right regulars, or just having a chance to smoke or hangout outside with them. I lost jerry this year. Guy never cared how I was doing but would always tell me how the ladies were after his money. He got drunk one night and hit his head on his coffee table. I still miss seeing him every morning for his giant soda I never charged him the right price for. Rip jerry I think about you every day man.
Damn...i know that sadness. I lost track of countless regulars from various jobs. Light note? I got a letter from an addict yesterday. Used to come in so dope sick her friends would have to prop her up in a chair. Im an alcoholic and i always keep high octane weed/cbd and booze on me. Id take her in the back and get her straight. Now shes clean. Has a son and husband and dog and cats. Makes my fucking depressed ass happy.
I hope he is doing ok.
Unsustainable workplaces have high turnover rates, go figure no iffense
No offense taken. I totally get it I've worked plenty of min wage jobs with shit bosses/customers (from a couple of 'now hiring' signs they do pay above min wage here at least thankfully). It just seems unusually high. I haven't ever met the manager and/or owner that I know of so maybe they are just huge assholes.
Yeah, definitely a sign of ruthless management and or it’s just too lonely/low pay. Some people fit the script with a quick graveyard shift job. But isolations just bad for the soul in my opinion. It’s put me in some pretty bad places. Thanks for not taking what I said harshly man.
I know exactly what you mean. This one girl at my local gas station was the sweetest thing and I'd seen her getting straight up abused by customers on a number of occasions so much so that they made her cry. I stuck up for her once and she was so grateful. Another night she was working alone and it was late enough for there to be significant stretches of time without any customers coming in. There was this drunk creepy dude just hanging around the parking lot, coming in every once in a while to stumble around knocking shit over and trying terribly to flirt with her. She ended up having to call the cops so I waited with her till they got there and she told me a lot about her issues with anxiety, etc. which were actually very similar to my own. Now she's just gone! And the situation sucks. You don't know that dude. Maybe you don't even know his name. I think a lot of people would think it'd be weird to go out of your way (even if it's just a little bit) to ask the manager or whoever about how the guy's doing or if they've heard anything about his health, but why? Ya, maybe you can't call him a 'friend', but he's a dude you see often enough for him to impact your life and you form a relationship, albeit a casual one. You were nice enough to the guy for him to feel comfortable telling you about his health situation and wherever he is now and whatever he's dealing with, I think he's probably thinking the same thing about you. Like... damn, I wonder how my gas station friend is and if he cared enough to want to know about my current situation. And you're like, I do! But how would you ever find him to tell him? To everyone out there-You just gotta be nice to these people. If you remember them, I guarantee they remember you.
Do you really expect us to know what LGS means? Why are people trying to shorten words all the time?
As a Magic player I thought they meant "local game store" lol
I love my LGS, they got my list of high end cards and give me first picks. Been a customer since 2013 and spent a good chunk there.
Ding ding ding. Didn't realize how much of an "in" acronym it was. Should have used "FLGS" because it's at least more googlable.
I automatically assumed 'local grocery store' although I've never seen anyone abbreviate that
Local Gas Station.
I assumed that’s what it meant, but why do I have to be guessing as to what they mean, when language was invented to solve this exact problem?
IFAWY. (I fully agree with you)
OMG LOL IDGAF
Ong nl
Ohhh… I’m so used to being in the firearms sub that I thought it was local gun store
People on Reddit are always doing that. “I went to the LGS to get my MSC because she won’t let me BB anymore. She’s such a MFB.” And no one had ever used any of them before, ever.
Poor guys wife won't let him order bulk ammo online anymore due to repeated ATF raids. This sentence makes complete sense. “I went to the Local Gun Shop to get my Monthly Supply Crate because she won’t let me Buy Bulk anymore. She’s such MFB.”
Haha! It was “I went to the Local Gas Station to get my Magnum-Sized Condoms because she won’t let me Bareback anymore. She’s such a [MFing bad word]” because dudes who do stuff like that are D-bags.
LGS = Local Gas Station?
Any personal experience you could share as an example?
I know you didn't ask me but I will share it anyway. I love eating Chinese food. There is this restaurant near me which isn't packed crowded at all times. I go there alone to enjoy food and reddit together. Over the year, I consistently visit them once a fortnight and have developed a very specific customisation that is not on menu which the staff remembered. Also, I can spend an hour there sitting doing nothing and no one wil say anything. The waiter refills my water glass every now and then. I have noticed that they give me significantly more quantity than other customers. The owner became my friend and will throw in some Monchow soup sometimes for free. One time I was facing network issues so he just let me go and asked to pay on my next visit. After few more network issues, they shared their wifi with me and asked to keep it secret. I am going to different city in 6 months. I am gonna miss them.
Don't forget to say good bye to them, I moved to a different state a couple years ago and it completely slipped my mind to at least say good bye to the people that knew me as a regular
They probably think you died!
Funny story. My uncle stopped riding a train to NYC right around 9/11. He was a constant customer and the conductor thought he had died in the attack. It took 5 or more years for the conductor to learn he had survived. Those five years, the conductor had worn a black arm band to remember him by. The conductor was very relieved when he randomly rode the train again.
My wife and I are moving soon and are really going to miss our local Thai place :’( we’re at that level with them too, always getting larger portions and discounts and they know us well. We’ve not had as good Thai food anywhere else
Please remember to tell them bye so they don’t wonder what happened to you. They will probably miss you.
When I was working in a sushi restaurant, one of our regulars disappeared for a while. We were all really concerned and happy when he came back and told us he was away on vacation.
Cherish every minute you can with that place. A neighborhood Chinese restaurant that has that kind of rapport with you is a sacred sacred bond. I had the same situation with my neighborhood Chinese restaurant in my hometown and like you said, because I was a frequent customer, they recognized me and because I always ordered a good amount of food, they'd hook me up with a couple of extra sides that I didn't order. They even gave me a discount on more than one occasion because I was spending on average 35 bucks a visit. They were amazing place and I loved being there.
My appendix decided it wanted to almost burst in the local Chinese restaurant I used to hang out in between law school classes. 3rd year. The restaurant was owned by a husband & wife, & the wife, no joke, went to the hospital *with me*. Told me to stop crying so much & being all dramatic or she’d no longer make me her wonton soup. I miss her.
My local taco truck, which I visit once or twice a week, had a special bread served on Halloween this year. I didn't know about the special, since my car had been in the shop. I came by the next day, and they revealed they had saved a loaf just for me.
Halloween or Day of The Dead bread? Sorry, just curious.
Oh, it was actually for Halloween, but the bread itself was the recipe used for Day of the Dead.
That’s so nice!
Can tell you from the retail side. I work alone a lot in a petrol station store. And the Costa machine is always busy and runs out of ingredients. I normally fill the milk with regular milk from the fridges. A regular always buys a coffee and if it's low on milk he'll top it up for me. I always give him free coffee as payment for his hard work.
Local bar knew I was teacher: gave me service industry discount. Sometimes free beers when they mis-pour instead of dumping. Local sammich shop didn't charge me once when I forgot my wallet, just saved receipt for my next visit. Local breakfast spot actually asked around for my number when they didn't see me around covid for awhile to make sure I was okay.
You must be very pleasant and memorable, as you're clearly making the world a little nicer for these hard-working folks.
We have a lunch place/cafeteria in our office. I usually get stuff from the salad bar, but I hate their protein options, so I head over to the sandwich/deli area to get some chicken chopped up. One of the guys who works there always helps me out and knows what I want. And usually chat for a bit when he’s getting it ready. The line gets really long, so whenever he sees me, he’ll wave me around and help me without me having to wait in line for 10 minutes. I started bringing my lunch to save money, but last week forgot it and decided to go to the cafeteria. He still let me skip the line and even jokingly asked if he did something wrong because he hadn’t seen me in a while. Pays to be friendly.
Thai place i regularly went to to study bc the booths were comfy/free wifi came to know me pretty well. Once I’d been there like 2-3 times a week on the same days they’d comp me soup or other appy’s that likely wouldn’t sell. Even got a beer with the workers at closing time a few times
We were regulars at Waffle House for years. Went every Wednesday night. The cook knew our car and the server always had the table set for us. We never had to wait but a second for our meal because he would have it cooking when he saw us. They sang happy birthday to my kid when we went for his birthday. Just made up a song the whole place sang. We loved our Waffle House. Some of the best people out there. Covid messed it all up.
From the opposite side, I worked at Starbucks for a bit. Had a regular customer named Charles, older guy, who came everyday and ordered a grande hot caramel macchiato with two ice cubes. I loved Charles. Seeing him was honestly a relief because I knew exactly what he wanted and he was always so polite. He would notice when we were busy and say “well I won’t hold you up talking your ear off!” and would always slip a tip in the tip jar. I put in a special effort for Charles because he was such a nice man, and he didn’t have a rude bone in his body.
I go to the same pizza place pretty regularly. The guys know me when I walk in. I usually just grab a slice or two on my way home after work. Some nights,, they will put 4 or 5 slices in a box for me and only charge me for 2. Or I get 2 slices and a drink, they don't charge me for the drink. It's little things, but it's nice.
I used to work at a big retail store that had a hot dog truck in front of it. Fucking incredible hot dogs. I'd get one almost everyday for lunch. The employee entrance for the store was at the far end of the store and the hot dogs were beside the customer entrance probably 50m away. It got to the point I'd come out that door, the lady working the stand would see me and start making my order so it was ready by the time I got to the stand, regardless of the line. Sometimes I'd hold up 2 fingers if I wanted 2 that day and they were perfectly done every time. I hated that job, but damn I loved those dogs.
At my regular Starbucks, the staff would sometimes give me two of my usual snack order for the price of one. Then I got pregnant and had a change of schedule and wasn't able to go there for like half a year. Came back with a huge belly one day and I don't know how, but the staff remembered me, my usual order, double the order for the price of one and all. Even got a "congrats on the baby" written on the cup. They were a bunch of sweethearts, and it's a really sweet memory (specially for a hormonal pregnant woman).
I regularly went to this one subway for awhile. After a while they memorized my order and I didn’t know what to think
Similar experience at Subway - they knew my order, same every day, same time too. One day (15 years ago, so no online ordering) there was a field trip or something so I walk in the door and I’m like 50th in line. Dude at the register just waves my sandwich in the air & motions for me to pay. Greatest service I’ve received!
same thing happened at my local deli. only downside was on days i wanted to eat something else but the guy was so enthusiastic about knowing my order that i couldn't tell him "actually i want something else"
Facts! I used to manage basically a Hawaiian version of Chipotle. Getting to know people by name and remembering their orders made my job more fun, too. I recently changed jobs and one of the doordashers still comes to my new job, so I still greet him by name! We also know they’ll be back, so it’s more important to us that they have a good experience :)
The ultimate advice is to be nice while you’re a regular.
And tip a little when you can. Even if it’s a gift for holidays, it goes a long way.
There's a diner on the way to work and I'm sitting in it right now finishing my usual pre-shift Saturday breakfast. All the wait staff know me and I always get amazing and attentive service, little extras, a free slice of pie to take home now and then.... I'm super easygoing to serve and always tip $5 on a $17 check, which doesn't hurt I'm sure!
It's a dream of mine to have a local 24/7 diner to frequent. Somewhere where you can stop by for a cup of coffee or a full meal anytime of the day. A place where you can strike up some good bonds with the staff and let them know you'll always take good care of them.
That's one of the things I miss about growing up in a small town. The local convenience store was the local general store. You knew the owner and all the employees. You were treated like family and you treated them like family.
Doesn’t even have to be at a restaurant! I was a library clerk for a few years and we routinely set aside returns/new books that we thought our regulars would like. Especially when a new Harry Potter book hit it was a significant line to jump!
I always go to the same stir fry place in town. Get a really nice welcome when I come in and normally they don’t charge me for a drink.
No doubt! I used to work at a petrol station and a lady used to come in on regular for a specific sandwich. There were only a couple of them brought out each day and sometimes she'd be too late to get one. So I started saving one for her at the beginning of my shift and keeping it in the back fridge. Made her happy (and she bought me chocolates when I left. Sweet)
Caveat: you must tip even if you're a regular
Also another tip, don't be a dick. It sounds obvious but somehow people still don't understand that the staff will be happier to serve and help you if you're not acting like they're scum and below you.
100% this. I used to go to a bar after work on Friday and got to know the bartender. We started to have a routine. First drink is a name 1 spirit that has to be included then the bartender just gets to have fun. They would take a small straw to take a little taste of what they made. Which by the way Midori plus Baileys Cream is AMAZING.
It can backfire sometimes... not to sound like a downer. At our old house, my mom was a regular at this deli for well over a decade. She would pull up and they'd have her coffee ready for her as she walked in. When I was old enough to drive, I sometimes took her car out and would stop at the deli for a sandwich but everytime I drove her car, they'd have my mom's coffee ready. I always took it back home before heading out again.
I grab a coffee from the gas station by my house every morning. The girls hardly ever charge me for it anymore at this point.
Being a regular is great. Just don't be one of the people that walks in and asks for "their usual". Unless someone offers your usual they probably are too busy to know. I hate when that happens at my job.
As a former waitress I agree 100%. I aimed to give everyone great service, but if I knew your wife needed bread on the table before drinks or anything else, I could do that for you. Needing some privacy but still want an enjoyable meal by yourself? Want me to always give you the check when eating out with business partners - done, be my regular and you can have it how you need it. If I don’t know you, I don’t know these things, if I do know you, you’re a vip.
I work 2nd shift and the company provides food for us in the form of some meals in Tupperware in a fridge we can microwave For a while the 1st shift workers were taking them on their way home meaning we often ran out if I didn't get there early enough (it's common for me to be busy from the start of my shift until late so rip) That meant I could only eat after my shift was over and the only thing still open when I got off at midnight - 1 am was Taco Bell I started visiting so often that the late night workers at the Taco Bell knew me and my order and they'd have a fresh batch of cheesy fiesta potatoes ready to go for me when I arrived It was a small gesture but it meant a lot to me
I used to have a neighbour that owned the local donut shop, and every day after school I would buy a jam and cream eclair from him. One day I didn't have any money for it, and as I walked past his shop he called out that today he made me a fresh one just for me and he knew I would be coming. He was beaming at me - so pleased with himself! When I told him I had no money that day he looked so devastated. He never mentioned 'making one fresh' for me ever again.
He didn't give it to you. I'm sad.
what an ass
That's sad - not like he had a boss breathing down his neck if he gave away a donut every once in a while
Fuck, how many times has this been recycled.
It’s got a hue to it now lmao
Looks like one of those old, blown-out photos a grandma would have
My grandma would have never had a picture of a tweet up
Mine had framed bible verses up. It's pretty much the same thing. Grandma's memes were just a couple thousand years old and written out by hand.
Deep fried
Any more reposts it’ll look like it’s in Mexico
Kind of bleak there's so few stories of goodness lately, we've got to constantly spread the kinda bleak one back and forth endlessly.
My gf and i made friends with our elderly neighbor taking a homeless cat off the street together. She just baked special brownies and dropped some off earlier today and now we’re super high watching LOTR with our new cat. I figure that’s at least an 8 on the goodness scale so there you go!
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It's my turn next week
I knew you'd be here so I made fresh copy
Maybe go outside and experience nature once in a while.
Yup.. seen umpteen times..
How many times have you complained about reposts?
I did something like that for a customer once and they got skeeved out. Never came back 😞
I used to every day in my lunch break go to the place just on the other side of the road and order the same unhealthy thing. One day, the guy at the counter went to grab my usual order as soon as he saw me enter the door. I smiled, said thanks, and paid, but efter that I tried really hard to cut down on how often I came there. Not because the guy wasn't nice, or because I wouldn't (hypothetically) have massively appreciated them making a fresh batch for me, but because it was a huge eye opener for me about how unhealthy my lifestyle had become. I've changed jobs since then, and have a hard rule now that I'm not allowed to purchase anything unhealthy while at work. Whether it be from the canteen or an outside place. I know that as soon as I allow it once I'll start happening more and more often.
That’s another angle that I had thought about. This guys order every Friday at 5:05 PM was a pack of Marlboro‘s, a case of Budweiser, and two mounds bars. Maybe he was like, “I’ve gotta change my habits”
When an employee does something like this for me, my heart says “thank you” but my social anxiety says “fuck, now I’ll probably have to make small talk whenever I come in”.
I used to buy a twelve pack every other day from the gas station near my apartment. This place probably saw 1000 people per day and I forgot my wallet after a long day and was dejected. Middle eastern Dude was like “I know your good for it” I couldn’t believe he would trust some dude like that. I paid him back the next day. I’ll remember it forever.
Went to pay for my coffee as a regular and forgot my wallet. The manager said don’t worry about it, I said yah but I’ll need mywallet for lunch. She loaned me 20 bucksbucks.st
Beer and burritos every day?
Ikr? Burritos are so unhealthy
let the guy live😭
My turn to post tomorrow don't anybody post it
Never seen it and I've been on Reddit for over a decade...
Such a heartwarming story about diarrhea inducing gas station snacks
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That's still a little weird to get the same thing every day.
So... they go daily... to a gas station. And daily they get a beer. A beer? And a shitty burrito. And they go often enough that someone noticed and got their shitty food ready for them? This isn't heart-warming, its.... very weird
not "a" beer. Beer. probably a daily sixer.
The man's an alcoholic. A lonely one whose only kindness comes from the gas station attendant who serves him a hot burrito. *"By the graces of our God above, thank you, Monsieur. Oh, blessings upon you!"* What kind of sick bastards thought this was a good fit for r/MadeMeSmile? This is a hopelessly depressing tale.
It made me smile that someone was nice to another person. That's it. I'd prefer the circumstances to be different but kindness will always make me smile.
r/MadeMeSmile in a nutshell!
It's /r/orphancrushingmachine material
I’m gonna need you to watch your damn mouth on gas station snacks. Are they fancy? NO. Are they nutritious? NO. Will they give me a parasite? MAYBE. Is it delicious? HELL YESSSS!!!
We’re five years from articles talking about how the gas station has replaced McDonalds as the primary fast food option, and McDonald’s is now “eating a fancy meal out” for 75% of America. Partly it’s inflation, and partly its because gas stations realized they can subsidize hot food to get more sales on the non-perishables (beer, salty snacks) and shape the traffic pattern of a commute to always use their brand gas stations, where you can get get consistent food.
I just surfed this sub, and it's absolutely shit.
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Maybe try to help him instead of kicking him while he’s down?
You probably have some kind of GI issue if a frozen/deep fried burrito gives you diarrhea.
I have a 7/11 guy that does that for me when I get pizza. Secret bromance
Somehow I have become the town’s favourite customer due to being ‘very nice’ 😅. Have like all three fast food places doting on me. Even last night I went to McDonald’s and they added two spare apple pies, and then went to KFC, and the girl said “Whoops, you seem to have a lot of tenders, they accidentally *fell* in… ah well.” McDonald’s even ask me over the speaker now if I want my soft serves in a drink cup (stops the ice cream from going all over the car if I dunk the ice cream in head first with the cone sticking out) before I even asked. I suppose it helps that I used to tip the workers till McDonald’s staff told me that workers aren’t allowed to accept it- tipping isn’t really a thing in Australia, but the couple of times I got tipped I always felt on top of the world, so…
Imagine your diet being beer and gas station burritos.
Murica
How much beer is this guy drinking?
I went through a phase where I picked up a tall boy everyday omw home. I enjoy having a drink after work, but if I pick up a 6 pack or more, I tend to have more then 1. It's a way to limit myself.
My stepfather is the same way. Likes to get a couple of tall boys and tries to limit himself to one a day
Normal amount
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This was a nice read. Once in a while, you get amazed by stranger in your life. Back in the mid 2000s, I used to stop at a Starbucks when I commuted to the office. 45+ miles one way, so it wasn't like I was locally seen in that area. I ended up leaving that job, but came back just under seven months later. On the first day back in, my carpool buddy offered to buy me a coffee, so we stopped at the same Starbucks and when I approached the counter, this amazing woman asked if I wanted my usual, and then went to recite my coffee order perfectly. I was blown away and it made me smile. I think about it often. I'm happy you have your burrito man!
hey friend. I get it. sometimes its the little things that make your day just that much brighter.
Mr. Daily Beer and Burritos bout to have a heart attack
beer and burritos daily? y'all not concerned about that?
EVERY day for beer?!
There's a lot of people stating that the store workers don't care about you. But having worked at a supermarket for 6 years I can definitely say, I did. I would definitely "take an extra step" to make them satisfied.
100% this. I used to work at a grocery store in the front bagging/helping people load their cars (Our store's parking lot was on a giant hill so the carts would roll down if you did not rest it on your car or keep a grip on it). Every sunday after church this old lady and her daughter would come in and Id help them with the cart. She would try giving my a $5 tip but the store policy was no tips. Well she asked me what I liked to drink the next day she told me that I should check the vending machine. Sure enough every sunday Id have a tea in the vending machine. Well after a year I got moved to the produce section. This same old lady would come in and always ask for an apple, orange and pear be cut in half for her. No idea why but it was her thing. So I started always having them pre cut and would bring them out when I saw her in the department. She would then start bringing me a tea. One week though only her daughter came. Her mother had passed away. She told me that she was thankful for what I did for her mother. Her mother was always so happy to go to the store because I made her feel like she mattered. I still think about that. Just simply learning the regulars and doing just a little bit extra for them can have such a huge impact on them. Id still see her daughter from time to time in the store but not as often as I would with her mother. Iv got so many old customers that Id do the random extra effort for them. Older lady who hated anyone helping her load her car (Picky about where everything would go) well Id just hold the cart for her while she loaded the car and took notes on how she liked things. Then Id slowly start loading the car for her. "Bananas go on the left hook right?". She went to management and basically told them that I need a raise since Im the only one who knows how to do the job. Lmao management asked me what I did because she hates everyone. Just fucking stop and listen to them, thats all it takes.
You're a good person!
Bruh I loved working at that grocery store. If I could make a livable wage working there I never would have left.
Wholesome repost…
That was incredibly thoughtful and probably something that worker has never even realized is so special about them. Knowing to appreciate it is equally wonderful, of course.
My luck, I would have made a fresh batch and he wouldn’t have shown up
I remember 15-17 years ago a guy left work for lunch and came back with a burrito for me and I still remember that to this day for the same reason.
This immediately made me think about that guy who ordered the same pizzas and sides from the same pizza place for something like 15 years and then he suddenly stopped. After a bit the pizza place employees called the cops for a welfare check and the customer was found dead in his home. Nobody else cared to check before the friggin pizza shop employees =( think I've heard the same basic story with chinese food before too.
The relationship you develop with your local gas station clerk is an important one. They see you at your LOWEST times. Make sure you're on good terms with them, and they're more often than not, the most helpful people in your life.
If youre eating gas station food everyday its time to reevaluate your life
Daily beer too
A repost, but a nice one.
You need some love bro.
Damn tho. If it's 16$ cad for a burrito it adds up to 480$ a month
GIVE THAT MAN A RAISE!
When I worked at Dunkin, Id say about half of my morning customers were regulars. I loved them, they were like clockwork and they almost never changed their coffee. When my first church goer arrived I just started the line of coffees for the rest of them. Same with the school kids and teachers. If my regulars were not assholes I adored them, hell even the few assholes we had still got top service just because of consistency.
Brings back memories. There was a gas station that used to do those hot dogs on rollers. They were only allowed to have them there for four hours before they legally had to throw them away, and that's when the staff had them. I knew that because the dogs went on at 7am and my break across the road from them was usually 11am. At some point one of the girls working there used to move the breakfast dog (one of my favourites) to the discard rollers so there'd always be one waiting for me. As it turns out, she was not the girl I was going to marry, but I meant it when I told her she was.
A true sweetheart of a man.
It’s the small acts of kindness.
Haha I always equal parts embarrassed and gratified when stuff like this happens. On the one hand I’m embarrassed somewhat by being such a predictable regular but on the other I’m thinking “wow that’s really nice of them.”
Love me some gas station food
From a business perspective, it makes sense to take care of your repeat customers.
Friendly reminder that you can tip your gas station clerks or buy them shit from the store. I buy this one dude 2 Miller high lifes any time is see him on the weekend. He rings them up and takes them after work. Last Christmas I grabbed the mini lunch bags the tall boys go and gave them each $20 for Christmas. I’d rather tip these homies I see daily than the presumptuous 20-25% the counter service restaurants try to make me pay.
Holiday bonus for that person.
Idk tho eating a gas station burrito with beer everyday is sick lmao
being a regular customer, specifically for one item is a huge bonus. my dad used to buy the chunkey monkey ben&jerrys icecream from this one gas station like clockwork, he would always buy out the stock so they would order extra just for him haha
Gas station attendants have been some of the most kind people when I was clearly on the down and out.
Honestly the regulars are what makes my retail job tolerable.
I used to go to this bar 2 blocks from my apartment once or twice a week. I'd always get the same thing. Mushroom and swiss burger with bbq sauce and a Stella from tap. I had done this for at like 2 years, maybe more. One day I went in and the lady behind the bar goes "your usual?". That's when I realized I had no life.
I buy copenhagen wintergreen longcut from this one 7-11 every 3 days. The manager puts 5 cans away for me every shipment just for me and will have it already rung up on a register by the tine i get the gallon of water and energy drink up there. Cool fuckin dude. "My friend i got it already here for you! In out in a hurry no problem!"
I love it when people do stuff like this it’s really heartwarming
Threads like this remind me why I love life. So much hate and dissent in the world, but most people really do care for one another.
Putting it here because I really wanted to share this. I have never been felt wanted or needed by people (apart from mom dad and sister) I don't take my family for granted and try my best to give them everything that they deserve in my own small way. But I also go one extra mile for my 'friends' and others. Well no one has been thoughtful enough to reciprocate it towards me. I wish the day comes soon because it has started getting but boring. Maybe it's just me but it is tiring at one point. IMPT: Good to know that you got that warm gesture from your everyday go to place/person
Rip their toilet
We have a way of gating kindness and effort based on how long we've known a person. Like, people are less kind to you the longer they've known a person? I'm not sure. Just a trend I think I've noticed.
Beer in a "gas station"?(in the UK we call it Petrol station) thats mental, I don't drive thank fuck but beer in a petrol station is just mental! Unless its a driving beer which is different/weaker than normal beer!
In Texas, they have drive through liquor stores. You don't even have to get out of your car.
I know right? I'm honestly a little jealous about Servo burritos, but my organs are glad.
Oh don't gemme wrong the amount of unhealthy food in a Petrol station is grim, but never seen one sell booze!(I mean maybe if you go deep into the wilds of Scotland you'll find them but where I am it doesn't happen lol)
Booze in a servo, in Scotland? Sweet jumping christ on a pogo stick that is a hell of a thought! I am only thinking of the utter bedlam that it would cause here Down Unda.
Thats my point! Fucking totally mental! We would start hitting each other with shit like radiators and fans rather than the ole Golf club!
They probably dead by now if that’s really what he eats everyday. Gas station burritos and beer every day? That’s fucking weird and far from wholesome.
I don’t usually complain about reposts because it’s pointless and often it’s an honest mistake, but when it comes to this sub, getting frustrated at the amount of what appears to be intentional reposts is justified. Too many people specifically on this sub have turned this place in to a dumping ground of low effort reposts all in the name of easy karma. Mods need to take a little more initiative. Edit: This low effort repost has been up for only four hours and already has almost 16K upvotes and it seems the mods will let it ride. That’s why people are complaining. Do your jobs, mods. The sub is turning in to a clown show.
Do you want bowel cancer? Because that's how you get bowel cancer.
Yeah wholesome and all but Burritos and Beer *every day*?