If it weren't for an incident today I would rate the store higher. Probably four or five stars. The store is well stocked with a variety of items. The staff are prompt and attentive. I usually drop by after work for snacks and drinks on the way home once or twice a week. It's fast in and out with no fuss. Tonight about 7pm I grabbed my snacks and checked out with the only cashier Muhammed Ali. The gentleman with shaved head and thick black beard. He rang up my items and asked me if I wanted a bag. I normally don't ask for one as I have a backpack but this time my bag was nearly full. I answered "Yes, please". He asked if I wanted to use my phone number for the purchase and said no. I paid and after I was waiting for my bag it didn't come. I asked and he said I didn't ask for one. I said I did need one and Mr. Ali said that he "asked you (me) twice if I wanted a bag and you (me) said no both times". At this point I was frustrated and just wanted to leave but my bag was still full so I just asked for a bag. He just stood there and complained that "Bags are not free" and "I (Mr. Ali) asked me repeatedly if I wanted a bag and I said no". I offered to pay for a bag but people started to come in the store so he packed my items and I left. Now, I work retail, I can understand that days can be frustrating, customers can be difficult, and he was alone at the register and in the store which is also not ideal. I would normally just chalk this up as a fellow retail worker on edge after a long day. But I was really annoyed by the time I got outside. I didn't care about the bag, or the 5 cents, but at the end of a long day, It was the disrespect, the disregard of my words, and Mr. Ali lying to my face about what just occurred. I went back inside and tossed the bag on the counter and told Mr. Ali that "When you asked me for a bag, I said "Yes Please". If you (Mr. Ali) are so concerned about it, keep the bag but don't lie about my words". I was hoping for some recognition that he had made a mistake and apologize, or even wordless acknowledgement. But instead he doubles down on his lies. He says that "I (Mr. Ali) asked you (me) for bags and you said you didn't want any". He then complained that "it's only 5 cents, why are you being rude about it?" which only made me more angry because not a moment before, he was complaining about the bags being 5 cents. I repeated that I did ask for bags, that he ignored me, that he lied about it, and he's lying about it again, that the 5 cents doesn't matter to me but he complained about it multiple times when he was the one that forgot to give me a bag. It's completely infuriating to deal with someone that asks what your preferences are, ignores your answers, gets angry at you when you point out that they ignored you, and then calls YOU rude when you expect accountability. I'm ashamed to say that in repeating this argument with Mr. Ali, I raised my voice. I realized that I would not be making any progress and was holding up the line so I asked to see the manager. Mr. Ali said the manager was not available so here I am. I'm not normally confrontational, but I work with customers in the same manner as Mr. Ali every day and acting like this is unthinkable to me. I some small make mistakes every day, I just acknowledge my mistakes, apologize, and fix them. I can't fathom how someone can be this rude to a customer about a bag to the point they have to lie, insult, and gaslight the customer. If I were running the store and saw my employee willing to lie, insult, and escalate arguments with customers over "only a 5 cent bag", I would wonder what he would be willing to do that for. read more
