Question:

Proper response to cashier correcting grammar?

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My husband was at Walgreens yesterday. When he was checking out he paid with his debit card and the machine asked if he wanted cash back. He typed in $10, then asked the cashier, "Can I have two fives?" The cashier replied, "You mean 'MAY I have two fives?" My husband was completely floored and just stood there and she eventually gave him the money. Obviously the cashier was technically correct, as its true that my hubby should have said "may I" and "please," but it was very impolite. I think my husband should have given the cashier a lesson on the acceptability of colloquial expressions, but I know this would not have been proper. The bigger question is how do you respond politely to a person who is outright rude? How polite do you need to be back to the person?

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  1. If you complained about this to me, I would definitely have apologized to you and talked to the cashier the next time I worked with them about proper customer service.

    This is definitely not appropriate.  Our cashiers jobs are not to correct grammar of customers.  And quite frankly, I don't feel that is a proper correction anyhow.  Long ago in our America, we decided that we preferred to use the word 'can' instead of 'may.'  So by popular usage, which you could argue IS proper usage, your husband was correct.

    I bet this cashier is going to go far in life.  Or at least as far as welfare can take them.


  2. May I see your manager would have been the correct answer if it really bothered me but Id put it down to someone just being picky. Sometimes with OCD one of the symptoms is a real need to correct others.  

  3. Politely say, "lesson of the day: get a better job", don't forget to grin ear to ear.  

  4. Don't say anything , keep saying "can I"  that should frustrate her.

  5. Say "How much do you make an hour" and then say you make twice that. That'll put them in their place

  6. well all i can say is, can implies if you are able or not and may implies a question.

    whats the big deal, who cares? you are so overreacting

  7. "It's impolite to correct someone else's grammar, especially a stranger.  Just a tip for next time.  Enjoy the rest of your day." would have sufficed for me.

  8. I'd have said,"No, I mean, 'MAY I see your manager?'" And then rolled my eyes,"No seriously, though. If you're into correcting people, try getting a teaching degree."

    But I'm a big mouth.

  9. I don't like it when the answerers say "you are overreacting" You are simply asking a question.

    It is rude to correct other people's grammar. I would have responded with a "pardon?" and made her repeat it. Then I would have said, "well you're rude." Yes, I've done that.  

  10. I would have took the fives and asked for the manager and explain the situation! that was very rude of the cashier.

  11. I would have pointed out the fact that, although her version was correct, it was not proper etiquette for a cashier to correct a customer. That was just downright rude.  

  12. Wow.  That cashier was rude.  I'm sure he should have replied with something whitty, but he was taken off-guard.  When he recovered, he should have spoken to the manager because this cashier may do this often.  If the cashier is that adamant about correcting grammar, maybe they should go back to school, get an education degree, and teach English to grade school students.

  13. I would have thanked her.  She is obviously educated and knows correct English usage; the fact that she's working in Walgreens has nothing to do with it (and all of you who are using her position as to whether she has the right to correct a high and righteous customer are class-bigots).  I don't think it's rude at all .  Too many people speak horrible English and then have the gall to complain about immigrants who can't speak English--look at the example you set for them, listen to the incorrect English used on tv all the time!  It isn't "colloquial" either, it's laziness!  "Can I" is a question asking someone if you are able to.  If he wants something from someone, "may I" is correct.  If you don't want folks correcting your English, use correct English.

  14. I am from the midwest and that is a very common response to an inquiry with "can I or may I" in the sentence....

    when I moved to the pacific north west years later I have done this very same thing many times...it is not meant to be rude or anything of the short and was horrified at the implication!!

    many regional colloquialisms do not translate well into another area's dialect.  my step son one time used an Innocent term in the pacific northwest that in the midwest was a very vulgar statement....

    there was no offense intended

  15. After she corrected him, he should have looked her square in the eye and said, "I would like two fives, please."  You're the customer - you don't need to ask a cashier for permission for anything.  

    And then I would probably have told the store manager that his grammarian was in need of an etiquette and customer service refresher.

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