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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To not want to be lectured by security guard in Tesco

50 replies

MardyFish · 20/08/2012 23:06

So I went into Tesco yesterday having driven three hours in horrible traffic to get there (at seaside). Starving and had only got some plantain chips I'd brought with me in the car, so I ate those as I walked in.

Went to the fish counter and asked for some fish kebabs, while still eating these banana chips, finished them, did some shopping bought wine etc., paid, whole trip took about 20 minutes or so.

When I was walking out the exit and the security guard said 'Can I have a word', I said 'Yes what is it', and stopped with my trolley, he said 'Let's walk and do this?', but I stopped there.

He said 'I heard from one of the members of staff you were eating and I don't know if you brought it with you or it was from here.'

I said 'I brought it with me I walked right past you eating it when I came in'

He said 'In future could you please let me know when you come in that you are eating.'

I said 'I'm sorry but I'm not going to notify you, if you see me eating and you want to ask me that's fine, but there's no point asking me now is there, and I'm certainly not going to ask your permission to walk in eating something I bought elsewhere.'

OP posts:
fivegomadindorset · 20/08/2012 23:07

YABU

workshy · 20/08/2012 23:08

who's going to be the first to link to the other thread????

CaptainVonTrapp · 20/08/2012 23:08

yanbu

SoleSource · 20/08/2012 23:09

YABU

Cynner · 20/08/2012 23:09

The bloke was just doing his job, and it seems he was most polite about it.

Tartymuffin · 20/08/2012 23:09

Bless him - he's only doing his job - but YANBU in that he could have been slightly less "officious" about it - I tend to match tone for tone, and it sounds like you did the same.

OldGreyWiffleTest · 20/08/2012 23:09

YABU - he's doing his job. FFS - what sane person takes something INTO a supermarket to eat while they are shopping?

NameChangeGalore · 20/08/2012 23:10

Seriously?! Dd is always eating an apple or something in Tesco, no one has ever stopped us.

Socknickingpixie · 20/08/2012 23:11

yabu and very rude

WorraLiberty · 20/08/2012 23:11

YABU

I've lost count of the amount of times I've told my kids that if they buy something in one shop and then go into another, they must put it in their pockets or in a bag.

The security guard has better things to do than note every single person who enters carrying something in their hands.

FutTheShuckUp · 20/08/2012 23:25

He sounds like a jobsworth

Original poster
MardyFish · 20/08/2012 23:26

It would have been more polite if I hadn't been eating while buying my fish, but if they were really bothered they should have had Security come over there and then because it's just pointless asking me about it when it's already consumed.

I've many times encountered rude/disinterested staff on the counters in supermarkets and you kind of say well it's not the best job in the world, and just let it go, but if they are going to start reporting ME for being less than polite on one occasion, well perhaps I should reciprocate and go tattle-telling to the Customer Service every time I encounter a surly deli worker.

The worst case was that I consumed about 50p worth of their produce (I didn't), it wasn't as if I was glugging down a bottle of Krug or something.

Wouldn't happen in Waitrose...

OP posts:
cornybootseeker · 20/08/2012 23:30

It wasn't really a lecture.
I would never walk into a shop eating. I always tell my ds's to put stuff from other shops away to avoid mistakes being made. He actually sounds quite reasonable based on your op.

Socknickingpixie · 20/08/2012 23:31

if they bother you that much use a different store.

UniS · 20/08/2012 23:32

it wouldn't happen in waitrose because.... waitrose customers are polite and know one does not eat while in a shop?

Redbindy · 20/08/2012 23:39

OP So consuming 50p worth of somebody else's possessions is OK, how abot £1 or £10. Where do you draw the line. The simple answer is to behave reasonably.
And why on earth would you drive 3 hours to go to a dodgy supermarket?

Cynner · 20/08/2012 23:40

This gentleman was only doing what his job required of him. He might have gotten in trouble if he had not enquirer about your plantains

Cynner · 20/08/2012 23:40

Damn it..ENQUIRED!

Redbindy · 20/08/2012 23:43

Bollox "about"

crazynanna · 20/08/2012 23:44

awww bollocks! This is a piss take about another thread,innit?

And I had a well good reply lined up...some of my best frigging work Sad fuck bollocks

my2centsis · 20/08/2012 23:47

Yabu rude and stuck up

Original poster
MardyFish · 20/08/2012 23:48

"if they bother you that much use a different store."

I do. I really hate Tesco. I go in very rarely, on this occasion it was because we were 100 miles from home and there was a sign saying 'Superstore' and we needed food, I would have preferred any other shop to be honest.

Actually I was approached by a security guard in Tesco at Christmas a year or so ago, I was eating a Marks & Spencers sandwich (because Tesco sandwiches are rank), from the adjacent M&S, and he asked, and I pointed out that the sandwiches did say Marks & Spencer on them, and that was fair enough.

But if you are going to come up and ask me about something I ate ten minutes ago, well I'm sorry but you're wasting your time - and mine.

OP posts:
Morloth · 20/08/2012 23:48

He sounds like he was quite polite about it and just going about his job.

And yes, we just did this (with bells on!) over in chat, feel free to come on over...you can bring your chips if you like. Grin

Krumbum · 21/08/2012 01:56

Yanbu you can take in what you like.

Chubfuddler · 21/08/2012 02:00

Don't walk about eating, it's common. Problem solved.

Who is it ok for you to be lectured by, if the security guard in tesco isn't good enough?