Is it normal for people to ask complete strangers out on a date?

This is a leftover communication method from decades prior to the internet becoming standard in first world countries. It most often means that the person wants to sleep with the other individual.

Think of it as the adult version of "Hey, can I have your number?" For decades this was seen as the go-to way to possibly get a date if you didn't land someone in college or highschool. Before the internet or text messaging, if you didn't know someone you were interested you had to put in effort.

You're basically asking why this was the social norm for much of the 1900s and not anymore. The answer is that the internet has changed dating. We've both changed the social expectations and our level of acceptable standards. (Seriously, most average or ugly people have their standards way too high thanks to social media and overall access to photography and filters.)

I grew up where you met people in person - or someone connected you. Way before the internet, and way before cell phones. My family did not even have a telephone in the house.

It would be considered rude just to ask for a date up front.

You would 1st make some general small talk about weather, sprots, interesting events, etc... and have at least some kind of conversation.

Then, if you were interested in pursuing a date... you would inquire if the other person was available (there were multiple ways to ask that question).

Then you could ask for a casual date (no sex) - so the two of you could get to know each other.

If that casual date went well... you would do that a number of more times before you got to considering sex. Sex often did not happen for a month or two.

I believe that the reason you experienced this is the person is desperate... is not having any luck with internet contacts (that's rather rare for them to work out: I estimate that I had over 10,000 internet contacts before I met my wife via the internet. I only met perhaps 50 of them once, and only dated a few of them - and none of them more than a few weeks other than my wife).

As a person of the internet age - they have also not learned how to start a conversation with small talk and build from there.

Well what gender are you and what gender was the employee?

hey baby wanna play army?

ill get under cover and you can blow the hell out of me

That is very unprofessional

Not like that

No...