I haven't ever worked a paid job at all before, but I like how the people on this website write. Today, i checked it and one of the posts I saw was this:

http://www.retailhellunderground.com/my_...l#comments

I usually try to smile and say hello to cashiers, servers, etc. But sometimes I am either angry or anxious (or a mix of both) and I don't want to talk to anyone. So I don't. I don't see why it's so hard to just finish the transaction and let me go.

If you read down a bit you will see that the OP has a bit of an "awakening" when it is pointed out that it may be social anxiety.

Yeah, I saw that after I posted this.

My mom complains when employees at a cash register or a restaurant don't look her in the eye and engage her. I remind her they may be like me and people can easily think the same thing about my lack of eye contact. she says they are different and they aren't like me.

I think that if you have an Aspie in the family, you know the difference. But unfortunately a lot of people do not, so they confuse Aspieness with bad manners.

I have no solution to this, other than to keep telling people about Aspieness, that Aspies are just a bit different, and that everyone would gain if they just gave Aspies the space they needed. But I can see in school that it is very hard for people to accept that their neurotype isn't the only valid one. Even people like teachers, who ought to know better.

And until more people know about different neurotypes, try to adapt outwardly in order to have an easier life - or not, but then you have a more difficult life.

If you are working in retail, then you are indirectly working for the customer.  No customers, no job.  So if the customer doesn't want to talk, what's the big deal?  If the customer wants to talk on their cell phone and ignore the retail associate and look like a total ***, it might be phenomenally rude, but it isn't the customer's job to be nice.  

I'm not saying that's OK, I wouldn't want to associate with someone like that, but having worked in retail in the past (*shudder*), I never let this sort of thing bother me.  I dealt with far greater injustices than rudeness, such as being locked inside a department store and having all the alarms go off!  That was unnerving.  

Then again, I'm not a social creature, so it was actually a bit of a relief when a customer was on a cell phone or occupied with something other than making small talk with me.

I worked in retail when I was a teenager. After a week or so of working in the deli section of a large supermarket they figured out I was better off out in the carpark (it was an enormous carpark - the supermarket was built on an old drive-in theatre site) collecting trolleys. Win-win.

sounds horrible! were you locked in on purpose or on accident?

Why do people make such a big deal of rather or not you look them in the eye or look grumpy or refuse to talk to them ? I hope mangers or employer's don't fire Aspies or Auties because of this?
I mean where does it say in your employment that you have to be happy 24/7 ?

Why do you work retail or at the cash register with a big ole smile on your face and be all chit-chatty ?

Employers in retail prefer that customers have a positive experience. That is why they like their employees to be nice to customers.

If that's the case, then my best bet is to find a job somewhere else if it is completely necessary.

Then again an employer firing someone over this would be discrimination.

It was accidental.  I was staying a little late to help my manager wrap things up so she could go home.  I guess they thought everyone had left the building, so they turned off the lights and set the alarm.  

I quit shortly after that!

I feel that people should understand that not everyone is going to look them in the eye, and make small talk. They really shouldn't take this personally. Its just lots of effort to have to do that at times.

Many times, I'm just interested in making the transaction and leaving. Friendliness is ok, but I usually don't go out of my way to speak to strangers.

I really don't think you are wrong to get offended, but it is unfortunate part of society's attitude toward social norms.

True.

Part of the job as a retail clerk or restaurant server is to talk to the customer.  They are supposed to do that.  If they do not talk to customers and ask them questions, give eye contact etc, they will get in trouble.  I think that the comments on that link as just frustrations.  Also people worry about "mystery shoppers" coming in and giving them a bad rating, so they have to be careful.  

You do not have to engage in friendly conversations with store clerks and servers but do the minimum to be polite.  They are probably trying very hard to do their job.