Woolworths Atteridgeville (Food)

On Sunday, the 2nd of March 2025 around 14h00, I encounted a very unpleasant and unprofessional treatment from one of the employees at this Woolworths (food section). Never in my life have I been addressed as though I am a child, to make it worse, at a Woolworths.

1. We had to wait in line for over an hour (some for over two hours) for chicken that was in the oven. Some customers were not able to receive the chicken special due to the limited stocked.

2. During our wait, one of the employees whom was preparing the food came to the customers ahead of me and told us we needed to move backwards as we are blocking the way for the trolleys and for other people to pass. Bare in mind, these trolleys that she was talking about never arrived and we did not block the aisle for anyone. As a matter of fact, the trolleys are never there when one comes to the store. Only 1 trolley was returned there during my wait. Her tone was so unpleasant and condescending. We advised her to start communicating from the back of the line so the move is swift however she got arrogant with us and told us to tell the people, ourselves. The manner of unprofessionalism from this lady was shocking and funny, because how do you freely speak to customers like that? Her reasons held no water.

3. The same lady informed us that if we do not move backwards, no customer will receive the chicken. I even asked if this was part of the Woolworths policy to a lady whom was behind me as she is also an employee of Woolworths. How do you deny service to a paying customer and blatantly treat us like children? She started handing out numbers during the wait and as soon as she came to me and my brother, she handed a number to him. I informed her that we are traveling together so I won't need a number. In her rude tone, she told me to get out of the line. I asked her why, and she informed me that she needs to know who she is giving the cards to, in order to avoid duplicating. Once again her reasoning held no water, because never have I stood in a queue and was told to get out of line due to duplicating. Her response was so upsetting and it was evident that she was trying to prove a point that it's her way or the highway. I further asked her where should I stand because earlier she reprimanded us that we are blocking aisles, she rudely said she does not know.

I myself work in a customer service environment and I must say, the encounter experienced at this store by this specific employee, is extremely saddening and unprofessional. If this is how employees treat customers, then a system has to be put in place to correct such actions, either by form of customer service training and/or disciplinary actions.