“I should warn you,” my co-worker said to me as I came in for my shift and she prepared to leave. “Today is whiner day.”

I wasn’t sure what she meant until moments later an elderly man brought a fruit cup from the cooler to the counter and she prepared to ring him.

“If this is more than $2, I’m putting it back!” he snapped.

Prepare to be disappointed, sir…

“It’s $2.68.”

After listening to the usually bellyaching about prices and ripoffs, he bought the fruit and walked away, returning to ask where the arrival gate was and then returning again asking how to get upstairs (the kiosk is located beneath the stairs/escalator, so he was staring right at it). I think we more than earned the extra 68 cents since we are not, technically, the information desk (though in reality, we function as such).

My co-worker left, and I was off to a great start. I’ve noticed that days go in themes. For example, I might not make a misto or breve for weeks and then suddenly, everyone is ordering breves.

It was, indeed, whiner day; everyone was complaining about the prices. In particular, the older the individual, the greater length and voracity were the complaints.

The scotcheroos were too expensive (they’re huge, they’re good, and I would shell out the $2+ for one). The coffee was too expensive. The soda over-priced. The energy drink was a ripoff (a woman told me that right to my face, which made me want to refer her to the water fountain across the hall which had, at that moment, a little kid all but licking the spout).

There are a few items where general building employees get a discount, but what that does sometimes is make it so that a select few (most are really great about it) of them think everything should be cheaper because they are an employee (and not of my employer, mind you). Upon telling one guy that no, he wouldn’t get a price break on the muffin (probably 30 cents is all we’d be talking) just because he was an employee in the building, he dropped it back on the counter and said “forget it then!”

Whoop-de-do.

A couple of things:

1. You don’t go to a ballpark, concert, airport or other “imprisoned” place where you are a captive audience expecting reasonable or cheap prices because prices are going to be higher since you’re stuck there. We all know this.
2. Gone are the days of Leave it to Beaver, 20 cent coffee, and church bake sale bars where a plate costs a few dollars.
3. You probably could make it cheaper at home; however, you are not at home, and the business owner has to pay taxes to the airport, wages, and supply costs. Due to the evil nature of capitalism, the cost to you must reflect all that. As soon as the government gets around to subsidizing such businesses (which it may, at this rate), perhaps you’ll see a break in the price since we would no longer have to worry about that pesky thing called “profit.”
4. Why are you complaining to the minimum wage earner behind the counter about the prices? What can I do about it? Why make me feel embarrassed or stupid over something out of my control? I can’t afford it, myself, so stop making it out to be my duty to give you a price break.
5. Why should my employer give discounts on everything to employees in the building she’s paying rent to that aren’t even on her payroll? Will I get a discount on airline tickets because I happen to work in the same building? I don’t think so.

There ain’t no free lunch, but everyone who has yet to learn that seemed to show up at the counter and clamor for it, anyway.

It was, indeed, whiner day.