What would you do?

[Ree]

So, my daughter was moving Saturday, and my friend from work offered the use of her van and teenaged kids to help us. I offered to supply the morning coffee and meet at my daughter's place while my BIL stayed with my granddaughter at my place.

When I stopped to get the coffee at my local "Timmy's", I had a huge list.
They were really busy and it was really hectic, so, as soon as the counter girl finished with one order, she was taking another, and the girls behind the counter put all the orders together.
I rhymed it all off to the girl at the cash, and I paid, but as soon as I finished, I realized I hadn't ordered anything for my granddaughter.
I asked the girl who was putting it all together if I could add a small chocolate milk and a small box of "Timbits".
She got the girl at the cash to ring it in quickly and I paid, and she continued packing my order.

As my friend was taking the box to the car, I noticed a large box of "Timbits" I hadn't ordered, as well as the small box I had asked for, but one of the beverages I had ordered was missing from the box.
I knew there was no way I had paid for the large box, but I had paid for the missing beverage. I had done the math. I was pretty limited with my cash. I knew how much money I had and how much I was spending.
Because my money was so tight, my friend wanted me to just go back in and ask for the drink I had paid for but didn't get, and just shut up about the free stuff.

I couldn't do it. I had been considering ordering the "Timbits" anyway, but at the last minute I didn't bother, so I decided, rather than taking the box back in, I would just keep it and pay for it. I figured, because of health and safety rules, once it left the store, they couldn't give it to another customer anyway, and they would just get wasted.

I paid for the extra box, got the beverage I did pay for but didn't get, and I left there with a clean conscience, even if I was a few dollars down from what I had originally planned to spend.

It turned out, the young girl who was packing the order got confused and grabbed the box belonging to the person right after me. They were still standing there, waiting for their stuff.

My friend thinks I am a total sucker. He laughed at me.
I just knew there was no way I could walk away and not pay for it.

My daughter used to work there, and she says there is a camera. She said the girls on the counter would get in trouble for the screw up.

I did just happen to know the girl on the cash, and I would have felt bad if she got in trouble, but even if I didn't know her, I would have done the same thing.

That's just how I was raised.

I know I am not wrong, but I am just curious how many people would have just kept quiet.

(Let's be honest. Just curious. No judgement.)

[BlaqueKatt]

My friend thinks I am a total sucker. He laughed at me.
I just knew there was no way I could walk away and not pay for it.

He laughed at you because you didn't take advantage of another person? How rude.

I've been in the wal mart parking lot and noticed I was only charged for 7 tension rods rather than the 8 I had, went back in and waited in line again to pay the $1.97. I just don't like cashiers possibly getting in trouble because they're human and made a mistake.

[Greenday]

I don't think I would have paid for it, but I wouldn't have kept it. I certainly wouldn't have just kept it and said nothing.

[Ree]

If I hadn't already been considering the purchase, but changed my mind at the last minute, I probably would have just taken the box back.

I figured it would be a nice treat for the kids because they worked really hard on their last weekend before school started.

I just don't like cashiers possibly getting in trouble because they're human and made a mistake.

Exactly.
Mistakes happen, but when a store loses money because of a lot of confusion, especially when I may have helped contribute to the confusion when I added "just 2 more things" after I had already paid and she had started on the next customer, I would have felt really bad.

[Peppergirl]

I would have done the same as you, Ree.

And, like you said, you didn't want the girl to get into trouble.

Although - I will admit: The evil 'stick it to the man' side of me would have probably wanted to keep quiet if there was zero chance the cashier could have gotten in trouble (), but I still think my conscience would have made me do what you did.

Not to mention that, selfishly, I'm a big believer in karma and I'd be scared it would come back to bite me in the ass.

[Andara Bledin]

If I'd been waffling on a big box of 'bits and ended up getting one loaded in with my order, I'd have done the same exact thing.

Sounds like the fastest and easiest solution.

^-.-^

[AdminAssistant]

This thread is just making me want Tim Horton's.

(I would have done the same thing as you, Ree, especially if I were a regular at that place and/or knew the cashier.)

[HYHYBT]

There's also the other customer to consider, and how they're likely to treat the staff over being "forgotten." I've certainly been chewed out often enough by people who've been waiting forever for something I know full well has already been made. And one of the meanest was when I'd asked the three or four people waiting which had ordered the blahblah, exactly one claimed it and left, and it turned out really to belong to one of the others. Never mind I couldn't rationally be expected to know the difference, or that he either wasn't paying any attention when it came up or had temporarily forgotten what he'd ordered, of course it's all my fault and continuing to yell at me rather than letting me get a replacement order started was, to his mind, the best way to get the situation remedied.

[Fire_on_High]

of course it's all my fault and continuing to yell at me rather than letting me get a replacement order started was, to his mind, the best way to get the situation remedied.

That's the point at which someone has given up on getting it right and is now focused merely on "getting theirs".

I suppose I'll be the honest asshole...if I feel like I've been particularly cheated, screwed, and abused by others I might just decide fate smiled on ME for once, and about damn time.

But generally, if I don't feel especially shat on, I'll sigh, huff (to myself) at the inconvenience and go make it right.

[agirlfromnowhere]

I probably would have done the same thing.

There's also the other customer to consider, and how they're likely to treat the staff over being "forgotten."

This is a really important point too. One time at my last job a guy ordered a sandwich. I saw the cook make it and I saw it being taken out. 30 minutes later (Much too long to be waiting. Normal time is about 5 minutes or less.) the guy comes to me and says "How long does it usually take?" Turns out the sandwich was taken to someone else, who didn't even speak up or eat the sandwich. He just threw it away.

[BrenDAnn]

As for me, well, I'm an honest person. I'll always give customers back their money if they overpay me, even if it's just a penny. I'd like to think the same applies when I'm not working. Yes, my mom (rest her soul) and my dad taught me to be honest and not to steal. I learned very well.

[Lace Neil Singer]

I would have done exactly the same thing. My parents brought me up to be honest, and I could never screw someone like that, especially in a retail environment when I know what it's like. Here's two examples.

The first example happened back when I was in college. I went to McDonalds to buy lunch; it was jam packed and the staff were rushing around like blue arsed flies trying to get all the orders sorted. I ordered a Quarterpounder with cheese, a Coke and fries to go, as the restaurant was crammed full and I decided I'd go and eat outside on a bench instead. When I opened my bag, there was, as well as what I'd ordered, another box of fries. I went back in and after waiting to catch the attention of a staff member, told him that I'd been given another fries. The manager when she was called over said that it had been a mistake; I offered to pay but she told me I could keep them. I shared the fries with a mate. XD

The second happened after I'd left college. I was shopping in town when I went into a small newsagents to buy cigarettes. There was a sign above the counter which said, "Check change before you leave as mistakes can't be rectified after". The woman serving was surly, and hardly spoke so I got out of there as soon as I could. When I opened my purse to see how much cash I had left, I found she'd given me change for a twenty instead of a ten. I went back in and started off about her giving me the wrong change, only for her to snap, "Can't you read? The sign's right there!" I went right back out and walked away. I had offered to give her the money back; she chose to be rude to me so as far as I was concerned, let her be in trouble.

[Sableonblonde]

That is why I think food places shouldn't rush around. Just relax, take one order at a time, make sure it's correct. I used to work at an amusement park food stand. Whenever the lines would get long, everyone would go into panic mode, rushing around, throwing things together, running into other people, making a huge mess. I was the lone person keeping cool and calm, taking my time, making sure I had everything right.

Yes, it did annoy some people that I wasn't running around like crazy and stressing myself out. But long lines are sometimes just a given. I don't flip out if I have to wait in a long line. It's much better, I think, to make sure orders are prepared correctly so you don't have people coming back all ticked off. Everyone is in such a hurry all of the time....a lot of folks just need to chill.

[wolfie]

When I opened my bag, there was, as well as what I'd ordered, another box of fries. I went back in and after waiting to catch the attention of a staff member, told him that I'd been given another fries. The manager when she was called over said that it had been a mistake; I offered to pay but she told me I could keep them.

I can understand the manager saying to keep them. Re-opening the issue to have you pay for them would be admitting that there was a mistake (would show in the register logs), so not taking payment would be making the mistake "un-happen" so far as her superiors (franchise owner up to corporate) were concerned. Due to contamination issues (the fries had been out of their control while in your possession), if they had taken them back, they would have had to throw them out, so letting you keep them as a "bonus" was the best result for both sides.

The woman serving was surly, and hardly spoke so I got out of there as soon as I could. When I opened my purse to see how much cash I had left, I found she'd given me change for a twenty instead of a ten. I went back in and started off about her giving me the wrong change, only for her to snap, "Can't you read? The sign's right there!" I went right back out and walked away. I had offered to give her the money back; she chose to be rude to me so as far as I was concerned, let her be in trouble.

Classic example of "get all the facts before you make a decision". You tried to tell here you were given TOO MUCH change, she assumed (and I'm sure you know what happens when you assume something) you were trying to get money instead of give it back and shut you down. Her loss when the till comes up short.

[HYHYBT]

I can understand the manager saying to keep them. Re-opening the issue to have you pay for them would be admitting that there was a mistake (would show in the register logs), so not taking payment would be making the mistake "un-happen" so far as her superiors (franchise owner up to corporate) were concerned.

Why should it be so... calculating? Far simpler: they made a mistake in your error, the product is now worthless, so you might as well have it. Surely, not only are errors sometimes made that need correcting, but sometimes people will order just that one thing, so ringing it up by itself wouldn't be suspicious or anything.