it happens sometimes. And it happens to Japanese customers too.
Most clerks don’t care if you look foreign or not, they will go through their routine of asking you if need a bag and such. Maybe this particular clerk was having a crappy day, is not comfortable speaking Japanese themself, or perhaps even hired as a disabled person and unable to speak
It’s not uncommon
U lonely?
This reminds me of the thread the other week of the person getting upset because a clerk didn’t use the tray to hand cash back and instead handed it to them directly and thought it was because they were a foreigner.
Yes, and maybe, but probably not.
It always happened at the natural Lawson in Daikanyama across from where I used to work. I usually spoke very loudly to them asking for a receipt and saying thank you even though they never said anything. It wasn’t even the same clerk that always did this. I wonder about their manager..
I’m a Seven Eleven clerck and I have been doing this job for more than 10 years, and the number of clients who will make a transaction without a single word from the beginning to the end is way way higher. A lot of people also will never take their airpods out so they will never understand that I’m asking if they need a plastic bag. I have to wave in front of them for them to take them out, and it’s really disheartening. I mean we have switched to semi automatic cashier, and they can’t even hear what the machine is telling them so they are making a lot of mistakes too. I don’t understand how they can do that, I would never make any transaction without saying a word, it feels so rude.
Maybe you were giving off a vibe.. Cause I’m getting that vibe too.
Definitely because you’re a foreigner. There’s no other plausible explanation for a minimum wage service worker to not follow the customer interaction script to the kana.
When you think this sub got to a low point, a post like this proves you wrong. Next post, why clerk doesn’t exchange eye contact? Dude/dudette, those folks are on minimum wage, just buy what you want and move on with your life.
I liked it when they didn’t talk to me… I had one or two say more than just the usual questions of cash or card and if I wanted a bag… I like it when they don’t really talk to me.
[removed]
Not unusual. I really can’t blame them either. I’ve seen the shittiest behavior from conbini customers
I doubt it has anything to with you and they’re having a bad day/life
You did the right thing, bringing it to our attention.
I personally haven’t experienced that.. luck of the draw mate
It happens to me too a lot lately, especially with younger dudes. Most of the time staff are so friendly and polite that I can’t help but notice. Then I tell myself he’s probably tired, having a shitty week, would rather be somewhere else, and will go home smelling like fried chicken after listening to the same jingles all day. So I say thank you as politely as I can, then ask him if he wants a bite of my tuna-mayo onigiri because maybe, who knows, he’s also hungry.
Oh no.
Anyway…
Sounds perfect honestly
Pretty normal. And will happens more often if you visit late at night when those guys pulling through the night shift.
People are just exhausted and don’t give a sh*t.
You can never know what a person is facing. That said, it really takes almost no effort to be nice. Even just a smile is a night and day difference imo.
Happens all the time. Some people are more chatty than others, and Japanese combini clerks are under no requirement to make conversation.
Consider as well they may have had customers other than you that day that were less than pleasant and may feel reluctant to engage more than needed
What do you expect from a convenience store clerk? They work for an hourly wage that is not high.
Dude I’m a prostitute and sometimes the customers say nothing.
It’s a people thing not a oh fun japan thing
That’s happened to me a few times when a cashier or other staff never spoke but most of the time they’re friendly and speak to me the same as anyone else. The ones who annoy me are those who look at my husband and reply to him after I’ve spoken to them.
I think it’s the not acknowledging the customer is there type of response surprised me the most.
If I were choosing a customer to save my breath on (i.e. I need a break, even for 30 seconds), I’d also go with the one least likely to make an issue out of it.
Next time it happens, give them a smile and an お疲れ。It’s thankless work.
Some don’t speak because you are a foreigner, some are just anxious. There’s a night shift employee at my local conbini who doesn’t really talk. Transaction gets completed so no issues there.
I get a guy like this at my local convenience store but he’s like in his 20s doing nightshifts on the weekend so I can blame him if he’s pissed at the job.
I sincerely hope you told the clerk to lose the racism and complete the transaction.
32 comments
Are you going to cry about it?
it happens sometimes. And it happens to Japanese customers too.
Most clerks don’t care if you look foreign or not, they will go through their routine of asking you if need a bag and such. Maybe this particular clerk was having a crappy day, is not comfortable speaking Japanese themself, or perhaps even hired as a disabled person and unable to speak
It’s not uncommon
U lonely?
This reminds me of the thread the other week of the person getting upset because a clerk didn’t use the tray to hand cash back and instead handed it to them directly and thought it was because they were a foreigner.
Yes, and maybe, but probably not.
It always happened at the natural Lawson in Daikanyama across from where I used to work. I usually spoke very loudly to them asking for a receipt and saying thank you even though they never said anything. It wasn’t even the same clerk that always did this. I wonder about their manager..
I’m a Seven Eleven clerck and I have been doing this job for more than 10 years, and the number of clients who will make a transaction without a single word from the beginning to the end is way way higher.
A lot of people also will never take their airpods out so they will never understand that I’m asking if they need a plastic bag. I have to wave in front of them for them to take them out, and it’s really disheartening. I mean we have switched to semi automatic cashier, and they can’t even hear what the machine is telling them so they are making a lot of mistakes too.
I don’t understand how they can do that, I would never make any transaction without saying a word, it feels so rude.
Maybe you were giving off a vibe.. Cause I’m getting that vibe too.
Definitely because you’re a foreigner. There’s no other plausible explanation for a minimum wage service worker to not follow the customer interaction script to the kana.
When you think this sub got to a low point, a post like this proves you wrong.
Next post, why clerk doesn’t exchange eye contact?
Dude/dudette, those folks are on minimum wage, just buy what you want and move on with your life.
I liked it when they didn’t talk to me… I had one or two say more than just the usual questions of cash or card and if I wanted a bag… I like it when they don’t really talk to me.
[removed]
Not unusual. I really can’t blame them either. I’ve seen the shittiest behavior from conbini customers
I doubt it has anything to with you and they’re having a bad day/life
You did the right thing, bringing it to our attention.
I personally haven’t experienced that.. luck of the draw mate
It happens to me too a lot lately, especially with younger dudes. Most of the time staff are so friendly and polite that I can’t help but notice. Then I tell myself he’s probably tired, having a shitty week, would rather be somewhere else, and will go home smelling like fried chicken after listening to the same jingles all day. So I say thank you as politely as I can, then ask him if he wants a bite of my tuna-mayo onigiri because maybe, who knows, he’s also hungry.
Oh no.
Anyway…
Sounds perfect honestly
Pretty normal. And will happens more often if you visit late at night when those guys pulling through the night shift.
People are just exhausted and don’t give a sh*t.
You can never know what a person is facing. That said, it really takes almost no effort to be nice. Even just a smile is a night and day difference imo.
Happens all the time. Some people are more chatty than others, and Japanese combini clerks are under no requirement to make conversation.
Consider as well they may have had customers other than you that day that were less than pleasant and may feel reluctant to engage more than needed
What do you expect from a convenience store clerk? They work for an hourly wage that is not high.
Dude I’m a prostitute and sometimes the customers say nothing.
It’s a people thing not a oh fun japan thing
That’s happened to me a few times when a cashier or other staff never spoke but most of the time they’re friendly and speak to me the same as anyone else. The ones who annoy me are those who look at my husband and reply to him after I’ve spoken to them.
I think it’s the not acknowledging the customer is there type of response surprised me the most.
If I were choosing a customer to save my breath on (i.e. I need a break, even for 30 seconds), I’d also go with the one least likely to make an issue out of it.
Next time it happens, give them a smile and an お疲れ。It’s thankless work.
Some don’t speak because you are a foreigner, some are just anxious. There’s a night shift employee at my local conbini who doesn’t really talk. Transaction gets completed so no issues there.
I get a guy like this at my local convenience store but he’s like in his 20s doing nightshifts on the weekend so I can blame him if he’s pissed at the job.
I sincerely hope you told the clerk to lose the racism and complete the transaction.
(For those blissfully unaware, here’s the reference https://www.reddit.com/r/japan/s/tdr4vOExiE)