I had an extremely unpleasant experience today Friday 8/21/2026 around 4:30pm, at the UPS Store located on 56th Street, and unfortunately, it was bad enough that I do not intend to return.
From the moment I walked into the store, the experience felt uncomfortable. There were two female employees working. One employee, who was wearing a head wrap, was exceptionally pleasant, kind, and helpful. I want to make it clear that I had absolutely no issue with her and appreciated her courteous demeanor.
Unfortunately, my interaction with the other employee was completely different. She wore her hair pulled back in a short pigtail, and her tone and manner toward me were rude, confrontational, and, in my opinion, highly unprofessional.
While I was preparing my package, I used packaging tape that I had personally brought in with me. After taping the package, I balled up the small piece of tape that I had removed. The employee then yelled across the store, asking, “Did you pay for that tape?” I explained that, of course, I had, because it was my own tape. She then told me to make sure I picked up the trash near me.
I was taken aback by the way she addressed me. I have absolutely no problem cleaning up after myself, and I had already gathered the material I had used. What bothered me was the assumption that I would intentionally leave trash behind and the disrespectful manner in which she spoke to me.
What made the situation even more frustrating was that the store itself appeared to need attention. There was stains, paper, and other debris on the floor, yet the employee chose to publicly confront a customer over a small piece of tape that came from the customer's own packaging materials.
Customers should be treated with basic courtesy and respect. If an employee has a concern about trash or store policies, there are professional ways to communicate that concern without yelling across the store or making a customer feel accused or belittled.
I left the store extremely disappointed and frustrated. The interaction was unnecessary, and the employee's attitude completely overshadowed the otherwise pleasant interaction I had with the other employee.
I would rather go significantly out of my way to ship a package than return to this location and have another interaction like this. I hope management takes this complaint seriously, identifies the employee involved based on the
description and time provided, and addresses the situation appropriately. No customer should leave a business feeling disrespected over something that could have been handled calmly and professionally.