The Big Apple
About Archives Categories Index Search
About Archives Categories Index Search

January 27, 2026
Restaurants/Bars/Coffeehouses/Food StoresWork/Businesses

“When you’re at the checkout line and they ask if you found everything, say, ‘Why, are you hiding stuff?’”

When a customer reaches a store's checkout, the customer is often asked if they found everything they were looking for. If a customer didn't find something, the store usually provides…

March 5, 2017
Work/Businesses

“When you’re out of quality, you’re out of business”

"When you're out of quality, you're out of business" is a business saying of unknown authorship. A Georgia business leader called it an "old saying" in 1985. The…

March 16, 2021
Work/Businesses

“When you’re ready for the weekend, but it’s only Tuesday”

Entry in progress -- BP TwitterAakar Shroff@aakarI'm ready for the weekend, but it's only Tuesday7:35 AM · Mar 10, 2009·Twitter Web Client TwitterMarianne Stanley@Marianne70ready for…

December 27, 2025
Work/Businesses

“When you’re late for work, just walk in fast and fake mad. ‘Whatta fucking morning’”

If you're late for work, don't walk in with a smile on your face. Look angry or mad, as if the traffic, or a delayed bus or train, or something else held you back from that wonderful work…

March 2, 2026
Food/DrinkWork/Businesses

“When your ‘bonus’ at work is a pizza party” (“Am I a joke to you?” worker meme)

Many managers see employees working hard and reward them with pizza. The employees, however, really want bonuses. A pizza meme was posted on Facebook by Drew Kamin on October 15, 2019. "When…

July 10, 2019
Work/Businesses

“When your girlfriend comes home in a white suit, smelling of honey…she’s a keeper”

"He's/She's a keeper" means that he/she is relationship and/or marriage material. Or, he/she could just be a beekeeper. "If he comes home wearing an enormous white suit and…

September 4, 2016
Work/Businesses

“When your work speaks for itself, don’t interrupt”

"When your work speaks for itself, don't interrupt" is a popular work saying that has been printed on many images. The saying was printed in an April 11, 1947 Richmond (VA)…

January 8, 2025
Government/Law/Military/Religion /HealthWork/Businesses

“Whenever I have to fill out a form that asks ‘who to call in case of an emergency,’ I always put ‘ambulance’...”

Many forms ask who to call in case of an emergency. "Employment application blanks always ask who is to be called in case of an emergency. I think you should write, 'An…

January 13, 2026
Restaurants/Bars/Coffeehouses/Food StoresWork/Businesses

“Whenever I see an iPad at a cash register, I know that I’m about to tip for something I never had to tip for before”

Many people go to a drive-thru at a place like Starbucks and are confronted with an iPad, and the question of what amount they want to tip. This was posted on X/Twitter by Bobby C on April 1, 2022,…

June 12, 2024
Work/Businesses

“Whenever there’s a fire drill at IKEA everyone has to assemble outside”

IKEA sells furniture that usually requires assembly. "Whenever there’s a fire drill at IKEA everyone has to assemble outside" was posted on X/Twitter by Moose Allain Ꙭ on November 7,…

May 8, 2016
Work/Businesses

“Whenever you see a successful business, someone once made a courageous decision”

"Whenever you see a successful business, someone once made a courageous decision," American management consultant Peter Drucker (1909-2005) said in 1962. The quotation has been cited in…

June 8, 2016
Work/Businesses

“Where are average things built?”/“In the satisfactory.”

A pun about the words "factory" and "satisfactory" is: Q: Where are average things built?A: In the satisfactory. "Where are average things manufactured? The…

April 18, 2020
Work/Businesses

“Where did the Terminator find toilet paper?”/“Aisle B, back.”

"I'll be back" is a famous line from the movie The Terminator (1984), spoken by actor Arnold Schwarzenegger. It shouldn't be confused with "Aisle B, back," but there…

February 15, 2017
Work/Businesses

“Where do animals go when their tails fall off?”/“The retail store.”

A pun about a "retail" store is: Q: Where do animals go when their tails fall off?A: To a retail store. "Where would a dog go to get a new tail? To a retail store!" was…

October 27, 2017
Work/Businesses

“Where do baby ghosts go during the day?”/“Dayscare centers.”

A baby ghost riddle is: Q: Where do baby ghosts go during the day?A: Dayscare centers. The popular Halloween riddle was posted on the newsgroup alt.folklore.ghost-stories on October 31, 1997.…

June 21, 2021
Pets (Dogs, Cats, Horses)Work/Businesses

“Where do cats go to have fun?”/“An a-mews-ment park.”

A cat riddle is: Q: Where do cats go to have fun?A: An a-mews-ment park. "Where do cats go to have fun? A"mews"ment park...." was posted on Twitter by Ravtej Singh on February…

October 30, 2016
Work/Businesses

“Where do fashionable ghosts shop for sheets?”/“Bootiques.”

A popular Halloween ghost riddle about shopping is: Q: Where do fashionable ghosts shop for sheets?A: Boo-tiques. The joke was printed in many newspapers in October 1984. 28 October 1984, Sunday…

June 26, 2018
Work/Businesses

“Where do fishes work?”/“In the of-fish.”

The word "office" becomes "of-fish" in several fish puns. "Where do fishes work? In the of-fish" was posted on Twitter on March 15, 2015. "Where does a shark…

August 14, 2019
Work/Businesses

“Where do homeless accountants live?”/“In a tax shelter.”

An according riddle is: Q: Where do homeless accountants live?A: In a tax shelter! The joke has been cited in print since at least 2008. Accounting funFriday, October 10, 2008Where do homeless…

March 29, 2022
Work/Businesses

“Where do they manufacture smells?”/“The ol’ factory.”

"Olfactory" sounds like "ol' factory" or "ole factory" (old factory), and there are jokes. "Ole-Factory: A factory that manufactures perfumes, or a factory…

First
Previous
170 171 172 173 174
Next
Last

About the Website and Editor

BARRY POPIK is a contributor to the Oxford English Dictionary, Dictionary of American Regional English, Historical Dictionary of American Slang, Yale Book of Quotations and Dictionary of Modern Proverbs. Since 1990 he has also been a regular contributor to Gerald Cohen's Comments on Etymology.

Read more About the Website and Editor
About
Privacy Policy
RSS

© 2026 Barry Popik. All rights reserved.