This time, I guess that floating employee knew that it would take a good long time for those groceries to get bagged. Thus, her help.
The other line had one man. He had a lot of groceries, too, but not as many as the other couple. He had meat, like maybe for a holiday BBQ. And staples. And several kinds of soda in 12-packs. I got in his line, because he had fewer groceries.
The cashier was efficient. She had all his stuff rung up, and pushed down the counter. I had put the rubber thingy on the conveyor, and set out my stuff. Not a lot. Bananas, lettuce, slaw mix, shredded cheddar, pie crust, cereal, and toilet paper. Of course the cashier flipped the divider, and sent my purchases to the other side of the counter.
That's where the problem lay. The guy ahead of me was one of those weirdos who leaves his cart BEHIND him! So it blocked my access to the card scanner. I angled my cart (that was in front of me, like a normal person) so I could insert my card and pay. Then I was stuck waiting. Waiting for that guy to get done and move his cart. I could not get out of the checkout line and move around to bag my groceries. He was blocking it with his cart. Which he could have easily pulled through and put at the end, like a normal person does to bag their groceries.
Even the cashier was looking at him askance. "You have a nice day." Encouraging him to LEAVE already!
That guy finally put his last bag in the cart, and left, allowing me to leave the checkout line and pull around the end to get to my groceries and bagging area. I was efficient. But I'd been delayed! The next customer's groceries went to the area that guy had just vacated. But the customer after him was held up. Waiting for ME to get my stuff out of the way. And then the cashier turned to me, and said, "You have a nice day!"
I cry shenanigans! Not my fault that I wasn't done. I had very few groceries to bag! But I was delayed by the guy who was ahead of me blocking the aisle!
I don't so much think that guy did it deliberately, as a rumpushole would. But that he was just an ignorant rumpus, not understanding the ways of the grocery store self-bagging routine.
Ha! Ha! Val. I've had the same thing happen to me and feel the same way you did. I'm glad I'm not the only one to have this happen:)
ReplyDeleteIt was so unfair! I got a late start bagging, because of waiting on that guy to let me through. And THEN the cashier had to tell me to HAVE A NICE DAY! Everybody knows that means, "Get on out of here already!"
DeletePeople can be so inconsiderate. That & no patience typically leads to grumpy people. Hopefully you'll have better luck next time you're in that store.
ReplyDeleteI usually choose the cashier on the end. I could have gone around the guy there, but I figured the other line would go faster.
DeleteThose people who drag their cart foul up everything! But, your groceries diverted to another side? Like a train being switched? Never seen that.
ReplyDeleteYes! They are the rebels of the grocery-shopping society!
DeleteThere's a lever/board thingy that the cashier pushes over, to close off the main counter, and let them shove the new groceries down the other side. Both sides end up at the little table at the end that has the racks of bags, two for each side. There's a big flat button you can push while bagging, to bring your items further down the conveyor so you can reach them.
Do all of your supermarkets have the same deal where you bag your own groceries? Here in Australia we bag our own when using the self-serve checkouts, but at regular checkouts the cashier scans and bags and all the customer has to do is pay and lift the bags into her trolley.
ReplyDeleteNot all. Just the "bargain" stores. 10Box has it, and Save A Lot and Aldi just set the items back into your cart, so you take them over to a counter at the front of the store, for boxing or bagging. Country Mart has the cashiers bag your items. I would think Kroger and other brand name stores do the same, though I don't shop there.
DeleteWhen I used to do the shopping, it was often quite a lot of groceries, so either way, far side or side near the aisle, I would start to bag my groceries while the clerk was still ringing then through. When I was on the aisle side, it was obvious that I was bagging my stuff, and when the clerk was done, I would run my card through the scanner and continue to bag. The clerk would come to me and hand me my receipt and I'd be done before she/he had started on the next order. However, when I had the misfortune of my groceries being sent to the other side, it was often difficult to get past the person who was bagging off the aisle side and when I did finally get through, there would already be several items on the belt heading my way. I would bust my butt trying to get caught up a bit before the cashier was done and needed me to run my card. Unfortunately, 90% of the time, the next person would be standing in front of the card scanner, not realizing I needed to get closer to it to pay. Often times I would have to reach across their cart, in order to access it. I only did any of this to get out of everyone's way and yet people acted like I was some kind of oddball, bagging my items before the transaction was complete. I wasn't the only one who usually had a lot of groceries. The rare example of a few items had the option of 15 items or less to checkout at a separate cashier. If it wasn't open, I would offer people to go ahead of me. The nice ones would ask if I was sure, and I'd point to my cart and tell them that I was definitely sure. The scandal for me was when 2 different transactions took place on the aisle side, while I was still trying to get my stuff all bagged up, on the far side, only because I was blocked from being able to get started early. I was always happy when I got the aisle side because it was so much easier to get started right away and I usually didn't have any trouble reaching the scanner to run my card. I rarely had to move to let anyone get around me. It was all a personal thing. I did not really begrudge other people's methods, but it would keep me from my personal goals of getting bagged and out of the way before the next order came through. You were in the right. But then, are there really any rules? My husband does the shopping now. I rarely go to the grocery store. He shops at Aldi, so all his own work. Shopping, loading onto the belt, and bagging. I go with to our other grocery store, occasionally, for items unavailable at Aldi. I liked it when I was ordering online and had them delivered, but it got too expensive. Most of the shoppers I had were very conscientious about the quality of fresh food items, so I was satisfied with almost every order. My husband was happy he didn't have to shop and would help bring the bags in from the front steps, into our kitchen to be put away. Days of the pandemic. We had so much going on in our personal lives, it was nice to not have to worry about grocery shopping at that time. Ranee (MN)
ReplyDeleteI commend you for your efforts! I would be afraid to try that, because I am certain that the people behind me would forge ahead and block the card scanner. They always seem to ram their cart into my hip or rumpus when I'm just minding my own business, taking my turn. People are reckless here!!!
DeleteI have encountered similar situations and have actually moved the cart over to the end and while saying, "Here, let me get your cart closer, so I can get my stuff out of the way of those behind me." All the while smiling my fake perky, helpful smile. Gee, maybe I am an actress at heart. Oops, I think they are all called actors now, if I am being politically correct!
ReplyDeleteHeh, heh! No way I could have done that, even if I had the gumption. To get his cart to the end, I would have needed to ram it into him and shove him out of the way. The aisle is narrow. I could imagine YOU doing that, though, with your same perky smile...
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