Vent - the checkout clerk is not your psychologist... - Page 2

bri20 · ‎03-10-2016

A lot of people have the "gift of gab". LOL

It's annoying when you're behind them.

missy1 · ‎03-10-2010

Paper, plastic or therapy?

HappyDaze · ‎06-13-2012

Omg no doubt!! It happens all the time here and is so rude to all us other customers that would like to get going!

homedecor1 · ‎03-09-2010

You must have gone to the Publix in our area!!! I swear they talk and talk and talk.....both cashiers and customers....on the other hand the young cashiers are just the opposite .. they're talking via text on their phones or to the bagger whose their friend!

Go to a WM and get ready to wait -- not for chit chat BUT those paying using their credit card with a CHIP....its disasterous!!!

Burnsite · ‎03-10-2010

It's a matter of degree. A little chit-chat is OK for me. Many of the people who talk to the cashiers in my Publix actually know the cashier. In my neighborhood we tend to know each other. The cashiers from foreign parts, from Peru to Latvia to Brazil to Russia, have their language peers from church and they chat briefly. I like it.

The older people who talk too much are (I speak as a former caregiver for my dad) perhaps getting sick with dementia and and it may take quite a while for them to get through the whole process, but they stay marginally independent this way and it's OK all around. (These are the folks who take assisted housing shared vans to do their shopping.)

Many people who take a long time are younger in my grocery store, and as far as I can tell, they are just some variety of egomaniac. There was a lady of middle age, maybe her forties, who took a long time because she was disputing a charge that the checkout lady told her would have to be cleared by the front desk. She had already left the line to get extra items and recruited her daughter to seek other forgotten items in distant aisles.

It's not only old people. Young, middle and old ages to me get to have their bad days.

Chatting within limits is OK with me. I begin to seethe when people jump the line or over-reach in the Express lane by bringing in 50 items, coupons, and then writing a check.

chickenbutt · ‎03-09-2010

HappyDaze wrote:
Omg no doubt!! It happens all the time here and is so rude to all us other customers that would like to get going!

I'm like you. I definitely consider it poor manners to not be considerate of all the rest of the people in line. I understand the notion that some folks are really lonely and want, so much, to have somebody to talk to. But, for me anyway, that doesn't negate basic common courtesies. I will talk with lonely people when I encounter them. But there just has to be a limit so that I can live my life, too!

I said 'hi' to this, seemingly, nice little old man one day and oh boy did that start the massive stories and I also learned that this guy (a total stranger) was not so nice a man, in the process. But I hung as long as I could and diplomatically ended the convo so I could get out of the parking lot and get my groceries home in good order.

I'm just massively big on manners - to the nth degree...times a million...to infinity! I guess it was just beat into us growing up that it stuck big time. So I do have to work really hard to not let loose on somebody. It probably comes out my face, though. That one is harder to control. hehe

151949 · ‎03-09-2010

@Moretofollow wrote:
@151949 wrote:
This OP would be VERY FRUSTRATED if she lived where I do. Most of the people in my town are elderly and I am pretty sure the only human contact in their lives are the waitresses and clerks who wait on them. They seem starved for someone to have a conversation with. Don't go to the store here or out to eat unless you have plenty of time - not to mention all the people who live in our plan and sit outside on the sidewalk all day just waiting for someone , anyone to talk to them. Just getting from the house to the car is like running a gauntlet. You have to leave yourself time to stop and have all these conversations along the way. You don't want to be rude but GEEZ PEOPLE - I have somewhere to be.
Comical but sad.

yes it is sad. However you do tend to wonder why some widowed people have activities and friends and are not alone very much at all while the others don't. It seems to be their CHOICE to hang around at home instead of making some effort to improve the situation by getting out there meeting people.It isn't right to expect that every time your neighbors walk out the door they should feel obligated to come over and have a conversation with you despite that they are trying to go somewhere, or when we get company the guests call from the gate for us to open it for them so we usually come out to greet them in the driveway. Inevitably our across the street neighbor will come over and insert herself into our conversation with our guests. What do you do about that? It's so rude.

colliegirls · ‎05-13-2012

It is OK to chat while being checked out but when the food is bagged, GET OUT!

Frosted Cake · ‎02-01-2016

What I don't like is when a checker totally ignores me and is carrying on a conversation with another checker in the next lane or with the person who bags the groceries. If I have a question or need a raincheck or something that I need to talk to the checker about, it's hard to get their attention.

Some people may live alone and converse with waitresses and checkers, etc. when they go out or it's a frequent customer who knows the check out person well. I don't mind it unless it really stops the llne and holds people up for more than the time it takes to check out their items.

If I talk to someone who is checking me out, I just do it during the process and am cognizant of others behind me.