Grocery store Check-out pet peeves...

[Poohbear123]

As of 2 weeks ago, I am a cashier at my job now. (Publix). I swear I get the WORST customers at least 1-2 a day! I have to make "eye-contact" with these paople and say "Hello how are you today?" Some don't acknowledge me at all, some answer, some mumble something back. I than have to ask if they want to donate to "such and such" organization. Some of them say "NO. Others say "not today" and the majority of them say: "It depends on what my bill comes out to today." OK, so like if you have a budget, put the Twinkies back, donate that cost, and there you have it! So thats my gripe, more to come, discuss.

 

[Marseeya]

I love grocery peeves!!!

Mine (since you brought it up):

Cashiers who ask me to donate money! Sorry, but it's true.

Most of the time, they're more than happy to take my "sorry, no" and leave it at that. But every once in a while I get a nasty eye roll or a "but it's just a dollar" or some sort of shame tactic.

Don't be eyeing up my twinkies! Just because I'm not giving you my dollar doesn't mean I don't donate very generously to the charity of my choice.

Now, how about those grocery carts?

Kidding! Please don't let us go there!

How about the dividers?

 

[Eeyore'sthebest]

Hmmm, maybe I like my twinkies and didn't know you were going to ask me to give some of my money to you for something else.
Seriously though (because I don't like twinkies), I don't agree to give to the cashiers every time they ask. We are in the grocery store several times a week. Am I supposed to give every time I'm in there? Just because someone doesn't give to you doesn't mean they don't give to other cashiers. I also don't particularly care to donate at the grocery store for a couple of reasons.
1) I like to donate to the charities of my choosing - not A&Ps
2) I donate to the charities I choose in larger dollar amounts than $1s and $5s and
3) I want a receipt for tax purposes.
I guess that would make 3 reasons.

I will however treat all cashiers with respect.

 

[Carl]

I go to the grocery store to shop for groceries, not to give to charity. I go to church for that.

 

[MouseWorshipin]

I love grocery peeves!!!

Mine (since you brought it up):

Cashiers who ask me to donate money! Sorry, but it's true.

I know! It isn't enough that you are buying things from these stores, now they have the cashiers hitting you up for donations to the charities of their choices!




For the OP, have you considered a job where you didn't have to work with the public? It can be difficult, and isn't for everyone, that's for sure.

 

[Keli]

Actually I hate it when stores require cashiers to ask for donations. I don't mind jars or whatnot sitting on the counter but I don't like being asked for a donation every time I purchase something.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

I also don't donate to the grocery store charity, but I will simply say "no thank you" and I'm always polite. If I had a cashier make a comment about me not donating I would complain to the manager!

While we're complaining, I have a complaint. There is a cashier at our local grocery store who complains to the customers. Not a little bit or occasionally, but every time. About the policies of the store, how rotten her day is, how she hates working there, how she has to work a second job to make ends meet, etc, etc. I really should have complained a long time ago, and I can't really give a good reason why I haven't. I guess I'm intimidated by her, I figure that she needs the job to live on, and that the store knows what she's saying (how can they not hear her?).

I try to avoid her lines, but sometimes am only paying attention to the shortest line and end up in her line--gee, wonder why hers is the shortest... I was in the store recently and I had another cashier and the rude cashier was walking along talking to herself. My cashier (someone who is very nice and who as been there awhile) kind of got this funny look on her face and I made a comment about the other one talking to her self, and then said that I've probably been known to talk to myself, too (not really defending the cashier, but trying to keep the mood light and trying not to gossip about the other cashier) and my cashier said, "yes, but do you do it when you're walking around in the grocery store?" and then rolled her eyes. The way she said it led me to believe that the other cashiers don't like her, which is understandable--she's likely a downer to them, too.

 

[diznygirl]

Sorry if I don't make eye contact - I've got one eye on my son, one eye on my daughter, and one eye on the way the bagger is bagging my groceries.

Sometimes I'm just there with my daughter, and then I have an eye to spare for the cashier!

My pet peeve is the baggers. I used to work in a grocery store and had to sit through the video about how to properly bag groceries. Don't think they show that video anymore. I'll get one item in one bag, and twenty cans on another, and my bread packed with two boxes of cookies. I can NEVER get my bread home unsquished!!!!

Is there a charity for bagging-lessons? I'll gladly donate!

 

[Beth76]

I'm following along and saying why should someone put back twinkies (or anything else) to give to a charity. I give to certain charities and I wouldn't give at the grocery store line. If the clerks were required to ask me everytime I would complain to the management. If they didn't stop, I would shop elsewhere. Sorry, people should not be expected to give to every single charity.

 

[DisneyGirl2005]

My personal all time top pet peeve in the grocery store check out is the people who can not/will not get off their cell phones. Actually anywhere someone has to deal with another person. I mean that is just rude. It is as if the person helping them is a second class citizen, not good enough to even be acknowledged.

 

[Saffron]

LOL! Maybe they want their Twinkies, it's their budget to spend the way they want.

Maybe they all ready gave hundreds of dollars to the organization yesterday and would rather have Twinkies today.

Maybe they donate on a regular basis to the organization and don't want to do it at the grocery store.

Maybe they don't care about the organization.

Maybe they just gave to the organization at another store and at your store they're buying Twinkies.

Maybe they want to see if they have lots of money left over to give to the organization instead of just giving a few pennies.

Who knows.

I have a pet peeve.

When the cashier makes me feel uncomfortable because he won't stop telling me how much he hates his job, how he got fired from his last job and how it was someone else's fault and it was a huge conspiresy etc., the whole while I'm nodding my head, wearing a fake smile, walking out the door of the store backwards while I push the cart blindly because I don't want to appear rude, wondering why I always get stuck in "his" line!!

And so it goes.

 

[doxdogy]

I have never understood why people just can't say hello to the cashier. That is one of the things I love about Publix. The employees are actually polite to the customers.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

I don't think that Poohbear is saying anything in general about people buying Twinkies in general as much as she's saying that it's strange that some people comment about "it depends what the bill is" when they've bought extras that have inflated the bill. Of course they have the right to inflate the bill however they want and they also have the right to not donate and hopefully she wouldn't say anything to someone about not donating.

I agree that I don't like it when customers talk on cell phones. The only time that I do is when mine rings when I'm checking out and then I answer it, but once I made sure it's not an emeergency, I tell whoever it is (my DH or one of my kids) that I'm checking out and that I'll call them back as soon as I'm done.

 

[Poohbear123]

I have never understood why people just can't say hello to the cashier. That is one of the things I love about Publix. The employees are actually polite to the customers.

Thanks, everyone, especially YOU Doxdogy! My Doxies turned 3 last week, they each had a cup cake to celebrate.! OK, as far as working "not near the public" I HAD a Job like that, but it was getting too stressful, and I wasn't getting enough sleep. (Had to be at the store at 4:00am everyday! ) Did that for 4 years!!! So, I KNEW what I was getting into when I "jumped ship" and went to cashiering. Just was hoping it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be! Granted, I have my good days.......

 

[Poohbear123]

I don't think that Poohbear is saying anything in general about people buying Twinkies in general as much as she's saying that it's strange that some people comment about "it depends what the bill is" when they've bought extras that have inflated the bill. Of course they have the right to inflate the bill however they want and they also have the right to not donate and hopefully she wouldn't say anything to someone about not donating.

I agree that I don't like it when customers talk on cell phones. The only time that I do is when mine rings when I'm checking out and then I answer it, but once I made sure it's not an emeergency, I tell whoever it is (my DH or one of my kids) that I'm checking out and that I'll call them back as soon as I'm done.

Thanks! I HATE IT WHEN PEOPLE TALK ON THE CELL PHONES, I DO NOT EVEN ACKNOWLDGE THEM!!!

 

[C.Ann]

I'm always pleasant to cashiers - unless they are rude to me and start getting waaaay too personal.. However, it does rub me the wrong way when they ask if I want to donate to a charity.. I don't take it out on them, because I know they HAVE to say it - but it makes me feel less kindly towards the store in general.. I'd rather have someone annoying me standing outside of the store (if they must) than right there at the register..

 

[Talking Hands]

As of 2 weeks ago, I am a cashier at my job now. (Publix). I swear I get the WORST customers at least 1-2 a day! I have to make "eye-contact" with these paople and say "Hello how are you today?" Some don't acknowledge me at all, some answer, some mumble something back. I than have to ask if they want to donate to "such and such" organization. Some of them say "NO. Others say "not today" and the majority of them say: "It depends on what my bill comes out to today." OK, so like if you have a budget, put the Twinkies back, donate that cost, and there you have it! So thats my gripe, more to come, discuss.

Please to be too hard on people that don't acknowledge you. I know that if I am not looking at the cashier and putting things on the belt I usually will not hear her greeting. Once I am looking at her I will greet the cashier. You can't tell who has a hearing loss by looking so cut them a break until they look at you.

 

[Poohbear123]

I'm always pleasant to cashiers - unless they are rude to me and start getting waaaay too personal.. However, it does rub me the wrong way when they ask if I want to donate to a charity.. I don't take it out on them, because I know they HAVE to say it - but it makes me feel less kindly towards the store in general.. I'd rather have someone annoying me standing outside of the store (if they must) than right there at the register..

Yes CAnn we actually have a Quota we must meet everyday! We have to sell AT LEAST 20-30 a day EACH cashier! ALL day long! So, sorry about that.

 

[glass-slipper]

My grocery store has self-check-out registers. I love them No more having to deal with grumpy cashiers who don't know how to bag or how to add if they accidently key in the wrong amount or who talk with other cashiers about customers they don't like, or who complain about their hrs., their manager , their personal life-whatever. Sorry, I used to be a cashier for 12 yrs. , last worked 15 yrs ago and it just seems customer service is lacking more now. Self-check-out rocks!

 

[Randi]

I am not proud of it, but I did have one very nasty moment in the grocery line. The cart was in front of me, the previous customer was finishing putting her change away and the bagger was still loading her carriage. The cashier asked me for my "card", OK I told her I had one & I would give it to her once I got closer and finished unloading my cart. Well she wasn't going to wait, just rolled her eyes and asked again for my card. Sheesh, I sarcastically asked if she wanted to wait, or should I throw my keys (with card attached) at her? I felt like a jerk after, but she did start my order.

The bagging issue is a sore spot with me. Why do these young people think a half gallon of milk and a half gallon of OJ needs to be in one flimsy plastic bag? It is so heavy to lift and carry, and usually breaks before I reach my kitchen.