Manager Keeps Breaking Store Rules For Customers, It Backfires And He Tries To Pin It On Worker

A manager at a store tried to “help” customers by breaking the rules in real time, and it immediately blew up in his face. The post starts with a simple line to a customer, “This meal doesn’t come with cornbread; that’ll be an extra dollar fifty,” and you can already tell the math is about to get messy.

Instead of following the store’s protocol, he kept overriding what should have been standard, right in front of customers. OP watched it happen, customers noticed it too, and the whole thing turned into a workplace mess where authority and policy stopped lining up, so everyone ended up confused and tense.

Then the manager tried to pin the fallout on the worker, and that is when the comments started getting brutal.

OP writes

Reddit/moshthepoundsaway

"This meal doesn't come with cornbread; that'll be an extra dollar fifty."

Reddit/moshthepoundsaway

He wasn't fired or anything, but he stopped folding in front of customers.

Reddit/moshthepoundsaway

Right away, the manager’s cornbread price speech sets the tone, and then he started “fixing” policy anyway, right in front of customers.

This situation highlights a common conflict in workplace dynamics, where a manager's authority clashes with established protocols. Research published in the Journal of Applied Psychology indicates that when employees perceive inconsistency in leadership behavior, it can lead to confusion and decreased morale. The manager's attempts to override store rules may reflect a misguided effort to enhance customer satisfaction but can also undermine employee trust.

The post got hundreds of comments, and here are a bunch of them.

Reddit/moshthepoundsaway

My answer was going to be the same.

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It usually doesn't get back above them.

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That’s when it got complicated, because OP says he wasn’t fired, but the manager also stopped folding in front of customers, like the scene itself was the problem.

Moreover, the psychological concept of 'role conflict' becomes relevant in this scenario.

This redditor has a different take on the whole thing.

I have a different take on this: you have to have some sort of balance of leniency on store policies. If not, then people will identify you as soft and manipulate you for their own gain. It's sad; it happens - 80% of customers are fine, 20% are difficult. I learned from one of my first managers (in retail) to basically treat it like a game. The customer huffs and puffs because they aren't happy, and they bring the manager over to placate them. They might not get what they wanted, but they do get satisfaction from having talked to a manager and getting something out of "causing a scene" (most times just self-satisfaction). Sometimes you can talk a customer down; other times, they have "I want to speak to a manager" bloodlust in their eyes. This works if there is a good relationship between the manager and the direct report, and the manager wasn't an asshole to begin with.

It echoes the coworker who kept stealing a meticulously packed lunch, and the coworker who confronted them.

Old Navy was this Redditor's favorite.

Reddit/moshthepoundsaway

The lady was throwing a fit.

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They don't pay my staff to get yelled at.

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The comments spiral from there, with people calling out how inconsistent leadership makes employees look like the ones who are actually breaking rules.

A study from Harvard Business School emphasizes that organizations with well-defined guidelines experience fewer conflicts and higher employee satisfaction. When employees know what to expect from their managers and the organization, it fosters a sense of security and trust, ultimately leading to better performance.

Having horrible managers.

Reddit/moshthepoundsaway

Management has the authority to bend the rules.

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Having a good manager is rare.

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And once the manager tried to pin it on the worker, the whole thread basically turned into a “you can’t do that” pile-on, especially after the “they don’t pay my staff to get yelled at” line.</p>

To address conflicts stemming from managerial authority, organizations should prioritize training for leaders on the importance of following established protocols. Research has shown that effective leadership training can enhance decision-making and reduce workplace conflict. Additionally, creating channels for employees to voice their concerns can empower them and promote a culture of transparency within the workplace.

You know that saying, "the customer is always right"? It's a pretty annoying sentence, as many Redditors agree that whoever said that has probably never met a customer. Most of them also agreed that they have never encountered a group of people who are more consistently wrong than customers.

Tell us what you think about this story by dropping a comment below, and don't forget to share this post with your loved ones as well.

Conflict Resolution Strategies

When conflicts arise, utilizing conflict resolution strategies can be beneficial. Training employees and managers in these skills can foster collaboration and understanding, ultimately leading to a more harmonious workplace atmosphere.

The unfolding situation in the store highlights a critical lesson about the importance of adhering to established policies and procedures. The manager's repeated disregard for these rules in favor of accommodating customers may have initially seemed beneficial, yet it ultimately backfired, leading to confusion and blame shifting. When organizations prioritize consistency and transparency, they not only cultivate a healthier workplace culture but also strengthen employee trust and satisfaction, preventing the kind of fallout witnessed in this scenario.

He wanted to look like the hero, but he ended up looking like the reason the store rules stopped meaning anything.

He tried to skirt the rules, so you may want to read about a sandwich theft investigation after someone refused to share their special lunch.