"Me, personally." I asked.
"No," the customer said.
I took her to the aisle where the cutlery and knives were usually kept and she thanked me.
I very rarely joke with the customer. When I do, it's usually well timed and the customer appreciates it. On a day a couple of days before a major holiday, the joke was not too well received although at least the customer wasn't mad about it. At times like this I find it's best to just help the customer find their item and wish them a good day.
You hear so many stories about the customer being rude, or the customer being a "karen". But hat happens when "Karen" works at your favorite grocery store? There's nothing more frustrating than a power hungry door greeter, a rude librarian, or a dismissive store manager, because often times the only thing you can do is refuse to go there. That's not always an option either because sometimes your choices are limited for where else to go and what else to do and you shouldn't have to feel uncomfortable when you're shopping or enjoying one of the many public services that are available to you.
Talking to the manager or making a complaint through the customer service line does not make you a "karen". Most of the time, nothing will improve at all if you don't speak up. Doing those same things with the sole intention of getting one person fired for a single incident, or harassing a store employee every time you see them because they disappointed you one time is what makes people less likely to empathize with you, or go out of their way to help you in the future.
And if you are an employee at one of these establishments, no one expects you to work miracles and do what cannot be done. You can't please anyone and some customers, coworkers, and supervisors are not worth the effort. But that doesn't mean you have to go out of your way to make their lives miserable. Remember you're the one being paid to be there.
Read the room. It's the best advice I can give. And when something blows up in your face, or someone takes what you said out of context, own it and move on with your life.