How to Talk to Girl Scout Cookie Sellers

We truly understand that people sometimes feel inundated during Girl Scout cookie season. So we offer the following tips on how to talk to Girl Scouts to help you avoid awkward, uncomfortable and sometimes inappropriate conversations with young girls. (Yes, these are all real. We cannot make this stuff up.)

Adorable Girl Scout: Hi! Would you like to buy some Girl Scout Cookies?

Potential Customer: Do I look like I eat cookies?

A better response from Potential Customer: No thank you.

Adorable Girl Scout: Hi! Would you like to buy some Girl Scout Cookies?

Potential Customer: No I don’t need cookies.

Adorable Girl Scout: Would you like to donate to Operation Thin Mint? We send cookies to deployed troops.

Potential Customer: I tithe at church, I don’t need to give anything more.

A better response from Potential Customer: No thank you.

Adorable Girl Scout: Hi! Would you like to buy some Girl Scout Cookies?

Potential Customer: I don’t have any cash.

Adorable Girl Scout: We take credit cards

Potential Customer: NO YOU DON’T!

Adorable Girl Scout: Yes we really do!

Potential Customer: NO YOU DON’T. DON’T SAY THAT!

Adorable Girl Scout’s Mom: Yes, actually we do. You have a great day!

A better response from Potential Customer: No thank you.

Adorable Girl Scout: Hi! Would you like to buy some Girl Scout Cookies?

Potential Customer: UGH! You guys got me last week.

A better response from Potential Customer: No thank you.

Adorable Girl Scout: Hi! Would you like to buy some Girl Scout Cookies?

Potential Customer: NO! I don’t support Planned Parenthood

A better response from Potential Customer: No thank you.

Adorable Girl Scout: Hi! Would you like to buy some Girl Scout Cookies?

Potential Customer: I don’t speak English

Adorable Girl Scout: What?

Potential Customer: (laughing) I don’t understand.

A better response from Potential Customer: No thank you.

Adorable Girl Scout: Hi! Would you like to buy some Girl Scout Cookies?

Potential Customer: No, I don’t have any cash.

Adorable Girl Scout: That’s okay, we take credit cards.

Potential Customer: What? You do?

Adorable Girl Scout: Yes we do.

Potential Customer: Well, ummm I’m gluten free.

Adorable Girl Scout: Well, we have gluten free cookies!

Potential Customer: Ummm well, I bought a bunch at work.

Adorable Girl Scout: Okay. Thank you for supporting Girl Scouts.

A better response from Potential Customer: No thank you.

Girl Scout cookie sales are not  really about the cookies themselves. The girls are learning 5 essential business skills that will serve them the rest of their lives.

You as a grown up can teach the girls so much more if you could just take a few seconds to acknowledge them by saying “No thank you,” and offering a polite smile. Those three little words teach the girls volumes about being respectful, friendly and compassionate, not to mention how to be a decent human being. It really doesn’t take much to say those magical words. Try it with me. Say it out loud, “No thank you.” See it’s really not that difficult, say it again, “No thank you.” Easy peasy.  There is no need to be rude. There is no need to be nasty. There is no need to lie. There is no need to make Girl Scout cookies political. The girls appreciate the support, but they would be even happier if you could just say, “No thank you” if you are not interested.

And for those of you who buy cookies every time you are asked, God bless you.  For those of you who share your stories of being a Girl Scout, God bless you. For those of you who support your daughters, granddaughters, nieces, grand nieces, etc, God bless you.  For those of you who truly do not eat cookies, don’t have the extra money, really did buy 20 boxes at work last week, or like me have 500 boxes in your living room God bless you too!  I guarantee that despite having 500 boxes in my house, I still donate when I leave the store and get accosted by those adorable Girl Scouts. I still buy cookies when they knock on my door not because I am cooler than you are, but because I get it.