As I said, there was probably a very good reason for her to charge that. I highly doubt she was "jacking up the price." If you think the people here are passionate about their preferences, imagine how a LQS owner would feel! If they believe, as I do, that tearing is the right way then having a customer want to do something else that could have a negative affect on all the other patrons after her, is well within her rights to impose a fee for that.

When I began in retail the philosophies were: "The customer is always right" and "Give the customer what he wants." I have never been to a 'Jackie the Ripper' shop but I have had some salespersons cut some pretty strange angles. I usually get an 1/8 yard extra, just in case.

I think a 'Ripper' shop should accommodate you without charge if you prefer a cut edge. If tearing is a really hard core policy they could cut from the other end. The end of the bolt IS already cut, I think. It's not that hard to rewrap with plenty of counter space. Shops need courteous staff and satisfied customers to stay in business.

Just tell them you prefer it cut. People are usually quite helpful if you ask nicely!

Think of it this way, if the fabric has been ripped, then you want it cut, take a look at the ripped edge. If the ripped edge is fairly straight, then no problem. If the ripped edge is off by to many inches, then you are getting a lot of free fabric, or be charged for it. Then there can be some hard feelings on one side of the table or the other.
Also, if the policy is not posted somewhere, it should be.

Ripping the fabric means it will REALLY be on the straight of the grain but it doesn't LOOK so good.

Oh! I remember that too. I remember going to the store with my Mom and seeing it. It thought that machine was so clever.

OMG!!!!! I remember that little machine also!! I guess once we all started using rotary cutters, this little piece of nostalgia went the way of "the good old days"!

I had forgotton about that little machine...remembered the tearing but now I remember that little cut the machine made. Another memory of my mom - lovely.

If you go back to Home EC 101; tearing the fabric will establish a straight grain. How many of you lay the salvages together on cut fabric and see the ends off by considerable amount? Pre-washing will show this distortion more clearly. This is true in batiks especially, that have been cut. You still lose fabric when you true it with a ruler. If the fabric is woven well, the main body of fabric will stay strong. Your fabric will lay flatter and sew easier and be a prettier quilt unit in the long run.

One more thought, you should be trimming your edges anyway. So all those raggedy edges become straight and clean...I love rotary cutters.

After reading some of the comments again...those of you finding you lose significant amounts of fabric when you straighten, think about how many other cuts were made before yours from that same bolt of fabric. Look at the ends of fabric bolts someday; you will see 8-12 inches of crooked fabric. If the edges were ripped or grain straightened when the bolt arrived in the store, we wouldn't see so much waste. Straight grain is present in every yard of fabric; the store should make it correct when they sell the first fabric off the bolt. Think about it...