Customer allegedly walks into a store one minute before closing and refuses to leave until served: ‘I bet you thought you were going home’

A retail worker claimed that a customer arrived one minute before the store closed and made a pointed comment about his plans to leave. Gabe posted a video on TikTok describing the encounter. In the video caption, he wrote, “Why is it so many customers that show up right before close think it’s funny to point out how much they’re inconveniencing you? It’s like they’re proud to be problematic.” 

He stated that the woman walked in the door and told him, “I bet you thought you were going home.” Gabe said he looked at her and replied that the store closed in a minute, so he did think he was going home.

According to Gabe, the customer then looked him in the eyes and said, “Well, I guess you’re not going to be that lucky tonight, and I don’t think you’re going to make any money off of me either.” He said he responded that he was definitely motivated to help her now and asked what she needed.

The customer demanded a phone transfer that the worker said was not required

Gabe claimed the woman asked him to transfer data from one phone to another phone. He said he told her there was not enough time to complete the transfer right then and offered to start the process so she could leave, explaining that she only needed to keep the phones close together.

He stated that phone transfers are done as a courtesy and that he usually charges for them. Gabe said he was not even going to charge her because he wanted her to get the f–k out, adding that he already had everything ready for the cash-out and did not want to change it.

According to Gabe, the customer looked at him and said, “No, I’m just gonna sit here until it finishes.” He said he replied that she would be sitting with the door locked in the dark because he was going to lock up and go home, noting that the transfer was not something he was required to do for her.

Gabe stated that he gave her the choice to let him start the transfer so she could leave or to come back when the store was open. He said they were not going to sit there for the hour and a half while her phone transferred.

He claimed the customer started to get fussy and asked what he meant, saying she was there before they closed. Gabe said he understood she walked in the door as they closed and was aware of the time, but that helping her was a courtesy and he was not required to help her. He suggested it would be better for both parties if she tried again tomorrow.

According to Gabe, she kept getting fussy and insisted she would just wait there until he did it. He said he told her he was not going to do it and that she did not understand the dynamic, since she did not buy the phone from him and he was not required to transfer anything. Gabe stated that she had already made it clear she did not value his time and that she had 12 hours to try again tomorrow, but he would not transfer anything that night.

He claimed she put her hands on her hips and asked, “Well, what am I supposed to do?” Gabe said he replied that he had great news because Google is open 24/7 and she could ask it a question and follow those instructions. He added that the store was open for 12 hours the next day and she was welcome to try again, but she would pay the service fee, and they would transfer everything for her.

According to Gabe, the customer said she was not going to pay a service fee and asked if he expected her to come back, waste her own time, and pay for it. He said he did not expect her to do that, but if she came back, that is what would happen.

Gabe stated that by that point he had finished cashing out and started walking toward the door. He said she did what every entitled customer does and told him, “I can’t believe you’re not gonna help me right now. I plan my day around this.” He claimed he responded by asking if she planned her entire day around coming in at 6:59, calling it poor planning.

He said he told her he was going to hit the lights and they were all going to head out together, then wished her a good night. Gabe stated that as he hit the lights, he heard her say, “I’m appalled you don’t value my time as a customer.” Customers who blame workers for problems of their own making are a familiar retail story, such as the shopper who held a Walmart worker blamed for checkout wait after he tried to help.

He described her as completely oblivious to the irony of the situation, stopped, and looked back at her. Gabe said he told her, “I value your time just as much as you seem to value mine. Hey, you have a good night now.”

In the video’s comment section, one commenter questioned the customer’s behavior by writing, “why are people like this?” Another expressed certainty about the customer’s intent, stating, “im certain she did that on purpose.” A third commenter wrote, “The way she blocked her own blessing is CRAZY.”

One person shared a workplace practice by writing, “We tell them we don’t do any data transfers an hour before closing time.” Another focused on timing expectations, stating, “it’s not a race to get IN before closing time, you need to be LEAVING by closing time!”