why would this be ok-grocery store rules

[disneyfav4ever]

I don't think they still do it, but I was in a local supermarket on a Saturday afternoon several years ago - and they had ONE line snaking over to the last (frozen foods/dairy) aisle and all the way to the back of the store. They were sending customers in order to the next available register (well, except us express lane people we just got to get in one of the four open - and short - lines).

My local CVS does this, whether by intention or because the customers take it upon themselves. If there are two or more registers open, there's just one line of customers - and all but the active one/s are standing a couple of feet back from the counter. When a cashier becomes available, the next waiting customer steps up.

I really wish more stores did this. That would be the fairest way to handle lines, and then if someone in front of you goes slow, it doesn't affect your wait time.

 

[traviesojmt]

I don't think they still do it, but I was in a local supermarket on a Saturday afternoon several years ago - and they had ONE line snaking over to the last (frozen foods/dairy) aisle and all the way to the back of the store. They were sending customers in order to the next available register (well, except us express lane people we just got to get in one of the four open - and short - lines).

My local CVS does this, whether by intention or because the customers take it upon themselves. If there are two or more registers open, there's just one line of customers - and all but the active one/s are standing a couple of feet back from the counter. When a cashier becomes available, the next waiting customer steps up.

This is how military grocery stores (commissaries) work. There is one line and then you go to the next available cashier. Most have a number board where the available line's number lights up letting you know who is ready for you. I have always thought that it works very well. They do still have separate line for 20 items for less.

 

[KristaTX]

I am usually too busy thinking about where I am going to leave my shopping cart in the parking lot.

Either that or just zoning out and not even considering pulling out your checkbook and writing your check (gasp!) until the whole thing is rung up??

 

[Micca]

I never really thought about it - because I just stay where I am.. I really don't mind waiting in line..

Same way here...If I'm in a big rush, I don't go to the grocery store.

 

[JessicaR]

I usually poitn out to the person in front of me that the lane is open before I head over.

This is what I did too. If they dont want to move, I do.

 

[tabby1881]

meh

I never change, usually because when I go grocery shopping its on a day off and I don't have a schedule to keep. I figure the moms with kids and the others shopping may have to get it done and get somewhere else.

besides, in reality you are only waiting a few minutes, I like to read the covers of the "newspapers" while waiting..


did you know that alien babies from outer space have taken over the government and are using military bases to repair their spaceships?

And brad and angelia have adopted an orphan alien baby!!

why rush and miss all that info?

Great sense of humor!!!

 

[MaryAnnDVC]

Sometimes this...

in my experience, whenever a cashier says "i can take someone" a lot of people just don't move. they're too wrapped up in their own stuff to notice people talking to them, and if no one else moves (or only a few people) i'll go to the new line.

And sometimes this...

I usually poitn out to the person in front of me that the lane is open before I head over.

meh

I never change, usually because when I go grocery shopping its on a day off and I don't have a schedule to keep. I figure the moms with kids and the others shopping may have to get it done and get somewhere else.

besides, in reality you are only waiting a few minutes, I like to read the covers of the "newspapers" while waiting..


did you know that alien babies from outer space have taken over the government and are using military bases to repair their spaceships?

And brad and angelia have adopted an orphan alien baby!!

why rush and miss all that info?

That's why I don't mind waiting in a doctor's waiting room either...that's where I get the REAL news from People magazine. Unless it's one of those crappy offices that have Time or Newsweek or something.

I am usually too busy thinking about where I am going to leave my shopping cart in the parking lot.

Either that or just zoning out and not even considering pulling out your checkbook and writing your check (gasp!) until the whole thing is rung up??

 

[Free4Life11]

Well I admit I always dart to the open line. I rarely buy more than 10 items at a time at the grocery store and hate waiting in line. What can I say, I'm impatient. It all evens out in the end...sometimes you get lucky other times you don't. It can be a hassle having everyone move out of the way so the exact next person in life can be helped. I don't see this as an issue about fairness...it is what it is.

 

[KirstenB]

I was the next person in line a few days ago. Everyone behind me stampeded to the newly opened line. Then a cashier walked up to me, and whispered to go to checkout #3 and she'd ring me up. I could have hugged her!!!

This is why I love our local Food Lion. I'm in there twice a week at least, and always get help when I need it.

 

[fergibabies]

I move if I am last, and Idon't get offended if I am not the one who "gets" to move. It's just a line at a store,nothing to get upset about but I suppose everyone has their littlepeeve. OHHH what really used to get my blood boiling when my twins were little and I would try to shop with them and their my oldest son (he's 18mos older) I always needed one of those double kid seat jobbies. Usually there are only a few, so when I saw a mom with one kid using them just because their child wanted to sit in it. It would make me wanna spit nails! Ino longer need those and sometimes the biys will ask for them but I say "No, those are for people who need them."

 

[Becky2005]

I was just reading this and then just the thought of "or they could just do the ring it up yourself" check-outs. Our Meijer chains now do that, I know they aren't national but they have self-check out no limit lanes, they have the conveyer belt for your groceries after you have scanned them, so then you can bag them yourself & re-load it all back into your cart.

I never use that though unless I only have 1 or 2 items, then will do the express ones they have, mostly because they haven't lowered the prices in general (plus I figure it has people losing their jobs), even Aldi still rings you up! It goes faster if the cashier is ringing & bagging while I'm still unloading. At least it feels that way to me.

I never gave it much thought but usually they do take the last few customers in line because the next customer is usually blocked in between the impulse buy racks. I know several stores around here do the one long line to wait for the next available cashier. I have never seen that in the grocery store but I have had it where there is a person who will direct you. I've also had in Target where if there are lines/lots of merchandise being bough and you only have 2 or 3 items, they will send you to the food court area to pay. I always feel weird doing that since I'm not buying anything from there but the cashier there never blinks an eye about it.

 

[golfgal]

I don't think they still do it, but I was in a local supermarket on a Saturday afternoon several years ago - and they had ONE line snaking over to the last (frozen foods/dairy) aisle and all the way to the back of the store. They were sending customers in order to the next available register (well, except us express lane people we just got to get in one of the four open - and short - lines).

My local CVS does this, whether by intention or because the customers take it upon themselves. If there are two or more registers open, there's just one line of customers - and all but the active one/s are standing a couple of feet back from the counter. When a cashier becomes available, the next waiting customer steps up.

This makes the most sense--especially since I ALWAYS get stuck in the slow lines Most retail stores around here have this set up but none of the grocery stores do.

 

[mjkacmom]

I move if I am last, and Idon't get offended if I am not the one who "gets" to move. It's just a line at a store,nothing to get upset about but I suppose everyone has their littlepeeve. OHHH what really used to get my blood boiling when my twins were little and I would try to shop with them and their my oldest son (he's 18mos older) I always needed one of those double kid seat jobbies. Usually there are only a few, so when I saw a mom with one kid using them just because their child wanted to sit in it. It would make me wanna spit nails! Ino longer need those and sometimes the biys will ask for them but I say "No, those are for people who need them."

I still remember when our shoprite got the double carts - 3 of them. I'd have a few kids shoved into the single, and see a mom with her 1 little snowflake in the double. Or when our Acme got those shopping carts with the little cars that held 2 kids, and someone used it with 1. These were the days when I'd go to Target or Costco just to get out of the house, because they had plenty of double carts (my 2 oldest are 20 months apart, and there is only 22 months between #3 and my twins).

 

[Mermaid02]

I shop at the same grocery store every week- often more than once a week- and have since it opened when I was 6months pregnant (my son is almost 13 now) sometimes I look up from a line and the head of the front end gives me a look and I know it means, "I'm opening a new lane" and I follow her... Customer loyalty....

 

[DMickey28]

In grocery stores when I have a toddler and full cart with me, I usually don't care. I rarely see the "mad" rush that people talk about until one day a few weeks ago in Staples. I was holding 1 thing, was the 3rd person in line with about 7 people behind me. One woman opened a new line and the person two people behind me (older woman) literally ran over to the new line and the people behind her all followed in the only time I have ever actually seen a mad rush.

I looked at the woman behind me and said "I guess I"ll just stay here". I was annoyed big time because I was also in a rush.

 

[DMickey28]

I still remember when our shoprite got the double carts - 3 of them. I'd have a few kids shoved into the single, and see a mom with her 1 little snowflake in the double. Or when our Acme got those shopping carts with the little cars that held 2 kids, and someone used it with 1. These were the days when I'd go to Target or Costco just to get out of the house, because they had plenty of double carts (my 2 oldest are 20 months apart, and there is only 22 months between #3 and my twins).

What's wrong with my son sitting in the car in the front of cart? He is 2.5 and LOVES to drive the car. I don't think they are reserved for people with only 2 or more kids with them.

I don't know what you mean by double carts but we have the carts with the cars in the front and then ones with the car in the back where you push and the actual cart in front.

I never thought, in a million years, that I was offending someone when using those with my ONE child because he loved them. I have seen plenty of people using them with just one child.

 

[Mermaid02]

What's wrong with my son sitting in the car in the front of cart? He is 2.5 and LOVES to drive the car. I don't think they are reserved for people with only 2 or more kids with them.

I don't know what you mean by double carts but we have the carts with the cars in the front and then ones with the car in the back where you push and the actual cart in front.

I never thought, in a million years, that I was offending someone when using those with my ONE child because he loved them. I have seen plenty of people using them with just one child.

You go right ahead and put your munchkin in the little "car cart" those are NOT reserved for people with 2 little kids.... "Sorry honey, since you're an only child you can't ride in the fun car" puh-leeeeeeeeez!

 

[Mouse House Mama]

I had a woman see me going for the cart with the car attatched and she ran past me at breakneck speed with her child and threw him into it. I had 3 little kids (under 3) and it wasn't like I was expecting special treatment but she knew we were walking over to it, heard us talking about it (hold hands we are going to the car cart etc.) and then she made a mad dash for it. We were literally 3 feet away from the cart. There were no other carts in this area. She knew exactly what we were doing. My kids started crying. I tried to make the best of it but because it was so deliberate it really pissed me off. Of course we kept seeing them and my little ones kept asking why that lady took the cart we were going to? My answers although juvenile let her know that I saw what she did and karma is alive and well.

 

[jrmasm]

At my grocery store someone pulls the last one or two people out a line and directs them to a new line.

 

[Mermaid02]

I had a woman see me going for the cart with the car attatched and she ran past me at breakneck speed with her child and threw him into it. I had 3 little kids (under 3) and it wasn't like I was expecting special treatment but she knew we were walking over to it, heard us talking about it (hold hands we are going to the car cart etc.) and then she made a mad dash for it. We were literally 3 feet away from the cart. There were no other carts in this area. She knew exactly what we were doing. My kids started crying. I tried to make the best of it but because it was so deliberate it really pissed me off. Of course we kept seeing them and my little ones kept asking why that lady took the cart we were going to? My answers although juvenile let her know that I saw what she did and karma is alive and well.

Nothing you can do about someone like that- although if she were running at breakneck speed- how can you be sure she heard you? Here 3 little kids wouldn't fit in those cars. 2 is the max- if you tried 3 no doubt someone would fall out.