Minimum Wage Workers Reveal What They're Not Paid Enough To Worry About

Low-wage jobs are never people's fondest memories. Working the graveyard shift at the local fast food establishment or cleaning up after county fairs never reeked of "good times." But with such low wages, you're level of caring definitely goes down. People only put out what they get, and since these people were getting so little to begin with, there was a lot they definitely did not worry about.

That was the goal of Reddit user, u/Edymnion, who asked: Minimum wage workers, what is something that is against the rules for customers to do but you aren't paid enough to actually care?

I worked graveyard at a fast food joint near a community college.

The line would get so long I decided to give out a mystery treat to every passenger in the car. From free orange juice to jumbo Jacks - every one was a winner!

ksharpie

Worked at an auto parts store. If you weren't a douche, I'd warranty anything. We lose no money on it and it keeps the customer happy.

Now, if you were a jerk, "oooh yeah I can't do that, you're at 91 days and the warranty expires at 90 days"

sweetunf-ckedmother

Used to work at a movie theatre. No one cares if you bring your own snacks, although it's super aggravating if you leave your snack garbage in the theatre instead of taking it out with you.

We usually have an hour window where all the theatres are getting out. We tend to have about 10 min per theatre to clean on a busy day. Leaving your garbage in your seats makes everything slower. It's not hard to carry it down to the can.

JuPasta

Using the bathroom if you aren't actually a customer. We are the only place open at 3 in the morning. I'm not gonna tell people to go find somewhere else.

Kiana996

If the item doesn't have a price I let the customer just name it if they're nice.

We're suppose to have someone check the price but that usually takes a long time as everyone's busy.

JayEster

At the movie theater I used to work at, we were only supposed to give free popcorn refills to the people who bought buckets not bags. But sometimes if the person was nice to me and brought a bag up for a refill, I'd just do it.

It's easier than explaining why all the time.

uhhMelvinDoo

I worked at an online diaper bag company, and if a bag was returned, I was supposed to find out if it was a defect or the customer's fault to decide how to issue a replacement.

When a frantic hormonal new mom would call me getting ready to rant and put her foot down, i would always interrupt their story and just ask for their address and what type of bag they wanted, and ship it for free.

No way am I being paid enough to get in that argument. I dont care if they were carrying large bricks in the bag. Take a new one!

lawniedangle

I worked at a deli and had the power to override the price per pound anytime I felt like it.

So if a customer was upset I'd give them half off.

Or if they had a cool shirt. I didn't really care.

CunningMan59

At my pizza place we make large pies for slices. Cheese pies only get 14oz of shredded mozz on them but that's not enough cheese to get decent coverage.

I'm putting at least another three ounces of cheese, ain't nobody getting a sh-tty slice of cheese pizza on my watch.

the_xxvii

People sleeping in their cars overnight, I consistently work night shifts and see it all the time, we're meant to tap on the window and ask them to leave, but really if someone has to sleep in their car and we have a huge empty carpark, why kick someone while they're down

Skorm178

Years back I worked at a local chain restaurant that had a drive-through. One of the owners would occasionally come through and reiterate that we were to only give one ketchup packet out per order of fries at the drive-through. Our fry orders were huge, and one packet was nowhere near enough, so as soon as he was gone, we'd go back to throwing handfuls of ketchup packets into the bags.

AugustaScarlett

Used to wait tables. People couldn't bring their own drinks, booze or just water. I honestly didn't care if I saw them bring their own, ours was way overpriced. one day this obviously broke couple came in to celebrate something and they asked for tacos and a big bottle of beer but were discouraged by the price of the bottle so I told 'em they could buy a bottle from the store on the other side of the street. It was half the price, and if it was warm I could exchange it for one of our cold ones.

I think I was too nice to people though, I've never encountered another waitress or waiter who would be as nice as I was. But meh, it felt good and the bosses could never tell.

aballofunicorns

Worked in retail and while I got paid above minimum, it wasn't that much more.

People aren't supposed to bring their dogs into the store yet they'd would walk their dogs on leashes through the store all the time. I'd see it happen, realize I hated my job, pet the dog then go about my business. I didn't get paid enough to get into an argument with some old rich dude and his equally as ancient wife about why Fluffy isn't allowed to walk around in the store.

Merry_Dankmas

Soda in a water cup

flo-jo

I used to work in a craft store/sewing store.

If you were nice and wanted a metre of fabric I would be really generous with my cuts.

If you were an a**hole (and believe me many crafting people are) I would cut it at the 100cms and give you NOTHING extra.

Same with notions, you need bias binding, buttons, anything that I have to count out and measure, how generous my cuts were depended 100% on your attitude.

It was literally my only bit of power!

moodychurchill

Honestly, shoplifting. We aren't allowed to confront the customer.

We are supposed to follow them around asking them if they need help finding anything in hopes they get nervous and leave. I don't do this, nor do I care to. I don't get paid any more for putting myself in a position where a customer could get aggressive.

wounderflounder

Take more than one trip to the salad bar, I just can't argue with one more Karen or Lisa about how it used to be all you can eat 3 years ago before we changed it in 2015.

Mattayo0995

Hotel breakfast: I wasn't supposed to let the homeless eat there. I did.

un-natural-disaster

In Disney World I worked at Cirque du Soleil. They would throw away all the food at the end of the night but nothing got me more upset then the Cotton Candy. It cost them like 15 cent a bag to make but sold it for $5.50 and they would throw it away. I used to grab bags and give them to the "guests" for free. Also, gave away popcorn and hotdogs and stuff. No use letting it got to waste.

evelez37

Worked at Chucky cheese for awhile when I first turned 16. Came in one week to the entire place smelling awful. Boss told me some kid took his dirty diaper and wiped it all over the machines and asked me to do his mom a favor.

Walked out and have never returned.

m0istmeat

I worked at a hardware store in the garden center making close to minimum wage. We often loaded heavy bags of mulch and dirt for customers in their trucks beds and what not.

We were told that we were not allowed to take tips from customers.

So being the good boy that I was, I turned down a couple tips until one day I loaded up a full customer pickup bed and he handed me a $20.

I told him I can't take that, and he looked me dead the eye and said, "Do they really pay you so much you don't need it?"

I stopped being an idiot that day. Why the f-ck I let someone pay me so little and tell me I'm not allowed to make more and I listened is just embarrassing now.

HatGuysFriend

H/T: Reddit