As many Dollar Tree customers will readily admit, the store is frequently in a chaotic state.
Shoppers have accused employees of hiding from guests, documented locations that are overflowing with boxes, and shown Dollar Tree stores with only a single employee tasked with taking on all of the location’s operations.
Seeing this, some may take it upon themselves to try to make the store experience better for shoppers. However, this doesn’t always turn out as intended, as TikTok user @iamthetruth1804 recently learned.
Only one register open at Dollar Tree
In a clip with over 1 million views, the TikToker shows himself confronting a worker at Dollar Tree about the lack of staff at the registers. He first asks for the phone number for HR before changing his method.
“Can you open another line, please?” the TikToker frantically asks.
“The line’s not that long,” the employee responds.
The TikToker then shows a line of about 7 people. The employee contends that it’s not enough people to justify opening another register.
“That’s not a long line. A long line is when it’s reaching the freezer. That’s a long line,” the employee starts.
Ongoing issues at Dollar Tree
According to a 2023 piece in Business Insider, employees have long complained about ongoing issues in the store.
Per the article, “[employees have] said staffing issues, including cut hours and poor wages, are at least partially to blame because employees must choose between helping customers and stocking shelves.”
This is evidenced by other internet users’ experiences at the store, which include instances of customers having to ring up their own items, and locations that have apparently been abandoned owing to a lack of staff.
@iamthetruth1804 She orginal came to open a register but once she seen who was asking all that went out the window , so i attempted again this time with my phone out . I work ar dollar tree before was a manager at a store in harriusburg , Pennsylvania @Dollar Tree #fypage ♬ original sound – iamthetruth1804
Commenters side with the employee
While the TikToker may have been trying to garner sympathy with this post, many commenters called him out for his behavior.
“Sir, dollar tree has two employees working at a time, we all know this,” said a user. “Leave that lady alone.”
“When does Dollar Tree ever have more than one line open?” questioned another.
“Hell by the time she counts the drawer and sets it up the line going to be almost done,” noted a third.
Others shared their own gripes from their time working in the industry.
“I worked retail and when people would be like this about opening more registers it made me not want to even more,” declared a commenter.
“As someone who been in this position, being short staffed and by yourself is the worst. People will start complaining and being nasty like it is your fault,” offered a second. “Trust me if could call someone I would.”
The Daily Dot reached out to Dollar Tree via email and @iamthetruth1804 via Instagram direct message.
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