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How long would you wait for a cashier?

June 07, 2026 01:27AM
Today I was doing a gas station and convenience store shop. This place also has a full kitchen setup and an extensive Mexican food menu. It’s all made to order and mostly takeout. There are a few stools and a counter. Today at 6:30 pm I was in the store to make a small purchase. Unfortunately while I was looking around and picking out an item another customer came in and ordered food. The lone employee disappeared into the kitchen to make his meal. I waited for six minutes but she never came back out to the register. At that point I put my item back, and went outside to take required pictures. When I was done I could see the guy who ordered the food still waiting. So I left without making the $1 purchase. ( is if anything only costs $1!) anyway, what’s a reasonable amount of time to wait before just writing up I could not make a purchase?
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June 07, 2026 02:12AM
Alas, unless the MSC specifies a time after which you can leave, the answer may be "forever". Since you did not technically complete the shop, it might be rejected, especially if that is the only proof of visit (as is the case with Citgo). I have several Citgo locations without convenience stores and I have to gas (not normally reimbursed) to get a receipt.

Shopping South Jersey, Southeast Pennsylvania, and Delaware above the canal since 2008
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June 07, 2026 02:40AM
I'd probably wait about 20 minutes. I'd probably wait as long as it took. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

When a flower doesn’t bloom, you fix the environment in which it grows, not the flower.
Alexander Den Heijer
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June 07, 2026 04:35AM
Myst is probably right. You didn't complete the shop, you probably won't get paid.
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June 07, 2026 05:13AM
Yeah, unless you waited like 30 minutes or something, they will probably reject the shop. The best case scenario would be a closed location fee, and even that is unlikely. SIx minutes at the counter isn't really long, from their perspective. At a certain point the question becomes how much longer are you willing to wait before just abandoning the shop.
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June 07, 2026 11:57AM
When things like this happen I make sure to include it in my report and rate accordingly. The more of my time they waste, the lower the score. If zero is available I'm not afraid to use it. So satisfying!
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June 07, 2026 01:32PM
Well I submitted it with detailed information about the clerk disappearance and will see what happens. I don’t mind waiting in a long line if there are a number of people in front of me…but when the staff person is out of sight and basically ignoring the people standing in line I decided to give up.
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June 07, 2026 03:12PM
I just did a restaurant shop that did not allow reservations. They say you must be willing to wait for 90 minutes. We were quoted 40 and the hostess seemed surprised we said ok. Luckily, it only took 20.

I know some others I’ve looked at say to browse for 20 minutes before approaching a salesperson if you weren’t already approached. I may have seen 30 minutes too.

This has me flashing back to trying to pay once. Server disappeared and we sat with our check and card ready to go for over 20 minutes. First time I ever seriously considered a dine & dash. (Whole meal had been that way. 3 hours for a chain restaurant meal.). Possibly lowest score I’ve ever given though still not a 0/1. I did recommend retraining.
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June 07, 2026 07:15PM
I would like to know what they have said..

Hope it turns out well
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June 07, 2026 07:17PM
@Loribe wrote:

Today I was doing a gas station and convenience store shop. This place also has a full kitchen setup and an extensive Mexican food menu. It’s all made to order and mostly takeout. There are a few stools and a counter. Today at 6:30 pm I was in the store to make a small purchase. Unfortunately while I was looking around and picking out an item another customer came in and ordered food. The lone employee disappeared into the kitchen to make his meal. I waited for six minutes but she never came back out to the register. At that point I put my item back, and went outside to take required pictures. When I was done I could see the guy who ordered the food still waiting. So I left without making the $1 purchase. ( is if anything only costs $1!) anyway, what’s a reasonable amount of time to wait before just writing up I could not make a purchase?


Wonder why there was only one employee at 6:30 PM? Unless the shop is allowed to give so many hours for the week and they could only have one/two employees at that time?


You could prob get a cup of ice for $ 1.00 . Might be between $ 1.00 and $ 1.20 depending on taxes and where you live?

Some of the convenience stores around here have their fountain drinks on special for .79 cents during the summer

If some asked me for a receipt for an .79 drink (If they don't by anything else) I would not think anything about it..

I know a-lot of people that like to keep a record of what they spend or the company that they work for requires it and they need to turn it back to the payroll lady or whoever

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/07/2026 07:25PM by Isaiah4031a.
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