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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Supermarket checkouts: This isn't a thing, is it?

273 replies

DeathStare · 02/08/2016 17:12

I've just been to the supermarket. Did full-trolley shop and went to the check-out with the shortest queue. The person at it was having his stuff go through the scanner and there was about half the conveyor empty.

There was also another man just hanging around about 2 feet back from the end of the conveyor - no shopping with him.

So I went to start unpacking my shopping onto the conveyor and the man hanging around said "Excuse me I'm next". So I apologised and moved and indicated to him to put his stuff on the conveyor belt ahead of me. So he said "Oh I'm saving it for my wife for when she's finished her shopping". I looked around - thinking she had maybe just nipped back for something - but nobody was nearby. I asked if she was coming and he said he didn't think she had finished yet. So I said he didn't think he could save the check-out then and started unpacking my stuff.

He started complaining at me that I'd stolen his checkout but I just ignored him. Then when I'd filled the rest of the conveyor belt his wife turned up and he told her I'd stolen his check-out and she demanded that I remove my shopping because her husband had been saving it for her. When I refused (politely!) she shouted "you are so rude" and the pair of them stormed off.

This isn't a thing now is it? You can't save a check-out can you? Or have I just not noticed it before?

OP posts:

PelvicFloorClenchReminder · 02/08/2016 17:27

'code dick'

LindyHemming · 02/08/2016 17:28

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

PersianCatLady · 02/08/2016 17:28

You can't save a check-out can you?
No you can't, that is well cheeky.

It also annoys me when people "forget" something and disappear to get it while the shop assisstant and the rest of the queue just stand there and wait for them to return with loads of "forgotten" items.

leccybill · 02/08/2016 17:29

Did the cashier say or do anything?
I used to be a cashier and I'd have stood up for you. My checkout, my rules

DecaffCoffeeAndRollupsPlease · 02/08/2016 17:29

code dick

Very funny

Original poster

DeathStare · 02/08/2016 17:29

Well I'm glad it's not just me. They did it with such confidence and certainty that I was beginning to doubt myself.

OP posts:

ILostItInTheEarlyNineties · 02/08/2016 17:30

ha ha code dick is brilliant.

I ask my dh to lie on the conveyor belt while I'm shopping to reserve my place.
He gets some angry looks, but it's worth it to save those precious five minutes in the queue.

Original poster

DeathStare · 02/08/2016 17:31

Did the cashier say or do anything?

The cashier is VERY chatty (I shop there a lot ) and was busy chatting to the man in front of me who was about to pay, and simultaneously wiping up leaking vimto. I don't think he noticed.

OP posts:

WankersHacksandThieves · 02/08/2016 17:32

Nope that's mental. Had a similar thing in H&M on Sunday. Approaching the checkout desk. the girl has a big pile of items on the desk, looks like she is restocking, anyway gets to the desk and she says "Sorry, I'm in the middle of serving someone you can go to the desk downstairs...." I looks about, only other customers nearby are a woman with daughter (about 10ish) who are still selecting items, holding them up etc. then girl goes and adds one to the pile on the desk...

I looks at checkout girl and looks back at woman and daughter, thinking "wtf!" but can see checkout girl looking stressed and uncomfortable so I trotts off downstairs.

In my day, you select your shopping and then go to the till - No? Fair enough when you'd loaded up a pile of groceries and then realised you've forgotten milk so make a dash back while she is shoving stuff through, but not actually saving the till and carrying on shopping - madness!

fastdaytears · 02/08/2016 17:32

This is madness. Well done for standing up to them.

mrsfuzzy · 02/08/2016 17:33

moving code dick at cashier 14 .

LockedOutOfMN · 02/08/2016 17:35

Agree with PersianCatLady.
It also annoys me when people "forget" something and disappear to get it while the shop assistant and the rest of the queue just stand there and wait for them to return with loads of "forgotten" items.
Me too. Even if I'm in an eternal queue and the item I've forgotten is just a couple of steps away I've never dared "save my place" in the queue to go and fetch it. Either I go without and rue my forgetfulness for the next week or so, or I just leave the queue altogether and start again.

TutanKaDashian · 02/08/2016 17:36

To answer the question OP, they were total idiots and you did the right thing. This is not a 'thing'

I would like to query this:

'We all know the 'RULES'. If you have a huge trolley load and someone behind has four things, you let them skip. Otherwise you just wait in line.'

So, you let one person in with four things, what if there is now a person behind you with one thing. Do you let them in too? Etc etc. You could be there all day potentially.

I do not abide by this rule of letting people skip ahead, call me a dick if you want but I've queued and my time is precious. I'm not waiting any longer than I need to.

DerelictMyBalls · 02/08/2016 17:37

What a wally. That is bonkers and hilarious.

Scrumptiousbears · 02/08/2016 17:38

I'd love this to happen to me. I'd have a good ore or two for dick husband and loon wife

MrsEricBana · 02/08/2016 17:39

Blimey. Heard it all now. Well done for standing up to them.

WankersHacksandThieves · 02/08/2016 17:41

'We all know the 'RULES'. If you have a huge trolley load and someone behind has four things, you let them skip. Otherwise you just wait in line.

Ime there are other options usually available for the 1-5 item people such as self checkout or basket checkout - none of those options are available to trolly people (without being a dick at the self checkout). So i'm with just carrying on regardless unless there are exceptional circumstances or I am feeling overly generous.

stouensbay · 02/08/2016 17:43

I once lived for a short while in a small community abroad which had a "village" shop. The system was everyone put their basket (no trolleys, if I recall correctly) at the front by the till in a line and proceeded to fill the basket sporadically after choosing items.

Most odd! I forget what happened if person 3 completed shopping earlier than person 1!

LockedOutOfMN · 02/08/2016 17:47

I would let the person immediately in front of me go in front with 1, 2 or perhaps 3 items, (if I had a big shop). If I'm doing a big shop, I won't be a in a mega rush so another 30 seconds or so won't hurt. A few times I haven't realised that the person behind me has fewer items and then been super embarrassed and felt the need to apologise upon noticing the situation too late to let them pass in front.

When I have 1 or 2 items I tend to count out the exact cash slightly ostentatiously and adopt the posture of "I'm going to be so quick", which has proved successful; people offer me to go in front. One time I was desperate to catch a train and buying some water and actually asked the old couple in front of me doing their weekly shop if I could push in front. They were very sweet and let me do so. I literally threw the coins at the cashier in order to show I wasn't delaying them.

RavenclawRemedials · 02/08/2016 17:48

I used to be a checkout assistant and this sort of behaviour would not impress me. If I had had a customer like the one a PP mentioned, constantly adding to a pile on the counter, I would have had no qualms about advising them to finish their shopping before getting to the checkout. I've put people back in the queue when they've disappeared for too long and there are others waiting.

Farmmummy · 02/08/2016 17:49

Haha code dick definitely should be used in that situation!

ratspeaker · 02/08/2016 17:50

Next time maybe he'll bring some parking cones to cordon off " his" checkout.

If he starts installing penguin bollards do let us know

I8toys · 02/08/2016 17:50

PMSL at code dick!

WankersHacksandThieves · 02/08/2016 17:51

When I shop, I hate when there is no one in front as I like the slow moving conveyor so I can properly add the items in the order I want as space appears, it being all the quicker to pack and unload at home as well. I never go if they offer to open up a new till for me and I never go to the empty ones where I get all hot and bothered trying to get it on the belt as quick as possible and then get straight to packing at the other end. I go for systematic rather than fast. Obviously I am not delaying anyone behind me by going slowly, and they have the advantage of the nice empty till I've left for them :)

taytotayto111 · 02/08/2016 17:53

Would you believe it the same thing happened to me in lidl this weekend in Ireland. He wasn't a local. He was just standing in the queue looking lost. I got fed up waiting behind him so very loudly asked are you in the queue. He calls the wife over who has a huge trolley full of shopping. I was hopping mad to say the least. I'd never come across it before.

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