Excuse me, do you work here?

[tlmusic]

These posts remind me of this observation:

Many people in the U. S. feel they are entitled to dress however they please, but they want their servants looking good.

The older guy with the cheap navy blazer, chinos and rubber-soled tassel loafers feels like he's all dressed up. Yet, he wants his waiters to wear tuxedos!

The guy in the mall feels fine in his backwards baseball cap and crocs. But, he expects a suit-wearing sales associate to fawn all over him.

Certainly, not everyone has this attitude. But, I've observed it plenty.

 

[tlmusic]

Originally Posted by j

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Nice, j!

 

[j]

Originally Posted by tlmusic

Nice, j!

"Thomas Crown Affair! Thomas Crown Affair!" - some security person

 

[Master Shake]

Originally Posted by j

"Thomas Crown Affair! Thomas Crown Affair!" - some security person

Hahahaha

 

[acidboy]

I had a similar experience years ago, when I brought my wife to a play. Of course I wore what I deemed appropriate, a suit, and the rest of the people are in their jeans and t-shirts. A guy approached me and asked if I was the usher... and that guy happens to be an old classmate of mine.

 

[stilmacher]

May I offer a different twist? I was in Virginia two weeks ago. Considering the heat I wore a linen/cashmere jacket, white trousers, Ed Greens and a straw hat. In a group of four, the two ladies wearing summer dresses, in lack of a better place we decide to have lunch at an Olive Tree.
When we approach the girl who is supposed to seat us she smiles at us happily and says "are you guys in a play?". My girlfriend and I were simply dumbstruck but our American friends understood what just happened and took us outside to explain.
The same girl later remarked that she liked my accent because she though "it made me sound smart".

 

[merkur]

..

 

[Mr. Potato]

Never happened to me, but I did mistook someone for an employee. He was wearing an odd jacket get up like the other employees, and looked like he was arranging the racks. He stormed after saying that he doesn't work there.

 

[ozonemania]

I get asked fairly often for some reason, and in different places. Usually, it's when I'm wearing a suit and tie... I will get the standard questions. I will actually answer their question if I know the answer and then tell them I don't work here. Otherwise I just tell them I'm a customer like they are, but try and help them find someone that can.

Another twist on this... I said usually when I'm wearing a suit and tie. I have to tell you that at one time my girlfriend gave me this blue safari vest for a gift and of course I had to wear it (yuck, although the design was inbelievably practical for carrying stuff). So one time we just happened to stop by a WalMart and while there I got mistaken as staff by a customer there. I ran to find my g/f in the store to tell her the funny story. Anyway she freaked out on me and wouldn't talk to me for over a week. She thought I made it up so that I wouldn't have to wear that vest anymore.

I kinda wish that I had made that up, after having worn it around town for a few weeks. Man, I really hate that vest.

 

[Bob Loblaw]

"Yes I do. 10% discount for cash today!"

 

[TheGreek]

Ive been asked the question " Can you help me find so and so " in a waldbaums supermarket, and when my answer was," sorry I cant help you", the little old lady told me:" well, arent you the store manager?"
Personally, Ive never seen a supermarket manager wear double breasted suits, or dress half as good as I do, but I laughed about it, and chalked it up to the lady being old.

 

[Asch]

I get this constantly, and often when I'm wearing only jeans and a tee-shirt. No idea why, though it probably has something to do with my purposeful, methodical manner when shopping.

 

[houserichichi]

Yesterday someone mistook me for a bus rental shop owner. Over the phone. Wrong number. Sigh.

 

[Lafont]

I'm rarely asked if I work in a store, but sometimes in a more stylish type of store, at least on my lunch break from work when I typically wear at least a tie and depending on the weather usually a sportscoat, I might be asked.
As for my making the mistake, it's generally when I seen someone without outerwear and most customers are wearing it, or when I see someone with a tag of some sort and can't easily make it out from a distance. Then there are the one who stock shelves in a pharmacy, for example, but aren't the store's actual employees and don't know anything, etc. Just the usual stuff, I'm sure.

 

[clarity]

Had it happen to me in Journey's, I eat lunch sometimes near that store so I poke my head in once in a while to see if they may have a shoe I like. Was in nudies, cp shoes and a basic t.