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

[DeathStare]

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?

Had someone try something similar on me, a while back.
I was unloading my stuff when she arrived, and revealed that she had concealed items under the stand at the checkout. In her mind, that apparently meant that she had held a place in the queue. She wasn't best pleased that I didn't agree with her unique understanding of queues.

I have had this happen to me op!
I queued up, as per usual thinking it was a couple doing a big shop as he was stood so close to the woman in front of him.
I was about to unload when he turned round and said "No - wife!" just as a very stroppy woman with a full trolley pushed in ahead. I should have argued, but they were already chucking stuff on the belt.
I went to the next till.
But, things worked out well. The two customers ahead of me went through quickly but the one ahead of them had about fifteen coupons and had a set of long winded questions about each one. They were held up for a long time. I was scanned, packed and paid when they'd only just started.
Aaahh!

Similar entitlement. I was queuing with DH and 2 kids to check in at an airport. The queue snaked so we were shoulder to shoulder with people further down the queue.

I happened to notice that every time there was a corner a lady 'overtook' on the inside and was managing to queue jump past loads of people all waiting their turn.

I wasn't having it and had my kids and DH spread across the width of the aisle thus preventing her slipping through. She tried and tried.

Finally when we got to the top of the queue she tried again - nope, not happening, we are next. She said she needed to get checked in for her flight. I asked her which flight it was - it was after mine (and probably most of the people she had just queue jumped). She then said 'but it's just me' and I replied 'and it's just my family and we are going next'. She huffed and puffed but couldn't do a damn thing about it.

Cheeky mare.

Had a bloke with a couple items in a basket ask if he could go in front of me and big trolley recently. Sure, I'm nice.
He then nips off to get a couple more items, returns. OK...
He disappears again, and Lidl checkers being quick, I move his basket behind mine and load the belt. He doesn't say anything on return, but puts basket on the belt and then goes again!

So next couple just put the basket on the floor, I start packing my items, and when the guy returns about four people all refuse to let him in front of them. He tried arguing that this is how it's done in this country, people with manners let people with a couple things go first.

No mate, you had a couple things. Getting one extra would be OK. Three times is taking the wotsit. With half a dozen of us all agreeing, he slunk to the back of the queue!

I had elderly queue jumpers at the airport - the bloke honestly asked why it was so important to me - to which I replied "if it's not important, why can't you take your turn" and stood back in front of him and his wife - nothing more was said.

Does anyone get the absolute blood boiling rage when you spend ages queuing and when the person infront of you finally gets to the till and you then have to wait until they pack everything, rummage around to find their purse, then forever to find their card/cash. They then have to carefully put the change back in their purse in a careful manner, same to their purse, before finally loading their bags back into the trolley. However they don't just walk off, they have to stand there for a bit trying to think and make sure they have everything

Checkout person here - yes need, I keep threatening to offer shopping lessons to all those people who don't seem to realise that you have to a) queue and b) have your purse ready and pay money for your shopping.
My pet hate is the ones who let me unpack their basket onto the other side of the till (small shop, no conveyor belts) and just stand there, refusing to put it into their bag until I've finished, and they've paid.
Grrrrr...

No that's just you, Needa

I do get the rage when I've been queuing in my car to get petrol and the person in front returns from paying, gets in their car and doesn't drive off.
They put their purse away, check themselves in the rearview mirror, look at their phone, brush their hair, then start the engine and go.

“This is something that has been puzzling me for years. Women will stand there watching their items being rung up, and then when the till lady says, ‘That’s £4.20, love,’ or whatever, they suddenly look as if they’ve never done this sort of thing before. They go ‘Oh!’ and start rooting in a flustered fashion in their handbag for their purse or chequebook, as if no-one had told them that this might happen.”
― Bill Bryson, Notes From A Small Island

It makes me more cross when there is 3 people infront of the person in front, that person is huffing and puffing and still doesn't get their purse out ready!

I think this is becoming a thing as just today a woman pushed (quite rudely I might add) past me in the queue where two young DC were waiting for her, obviously just "saving her place". I just sighed internally

The other week, there was a presentation at my DDs' school which parents were invited to. We all queued up outside, I was in the front. As I was on my crutches, when we were allowed in the hall, I was slow and people literally pushed past me to get to the limited number of seats. There were three left by the time I got there as a woman was telling people attempting to sit down they were "saved". I asked her if she was expecting me to stand on my crutches while she "saved" said seats and pointed out she was behind me in the queue anyway. When I sat down I half expected a round of applause or a punch in the face from SEATGATE (as DH called it) woman

I had this in the supermarket a few weeks ago! I got to the till and I only had a basket. There was a woman standing nearby but not actually at the conveyor with a full trolley. I assumed she was waiting for someone or something so didn't pay any attention and started putting my stuff down (and I didn't have a lot anyway). She immediately launches into self-righteous mode and tells me that she was there first.

I was a bit confused and said 'but you weren't even standing here or unloading' and she snapped that she was waiting for her husband. I decided to ignore her, unloaded, paid and bagged up and her husband still hadn't come back. All the time, she was huffing and puffing at me and muttering. As I walked away, she barked 'you're extremely rude!'. I wish I'd thought of a decent comeback at the time but I couldn't so just smiled at her.

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.

I do that too. Mainly because I usually shop at Lidl and there is no self check out and because, by the time I have finished unpacking my stuff, they'll have gone through and paid anyway (ie it's not longer for me iyswim).

There are a few people on this thread that seem to have a 'till rage' though.

I've used the self scan for a full trolley. There was one till open with a queue trailing back up the aisle. I thought fuck that! And used the self scan. Still bloody quicker than using that till.

this is why I like to online shop. Another thing is the people who creep in front of you. They start off behind you then slowly edge forwards first next to you then slowly in front. I just keep moving forwards and not let anyone but in. People who say they saw the empty checkout first - how?! lol

Haha!! Entitled Or what?

That is bonkers Supermarkets definitely have a strange effect on some people!

I was in the supermarket while very heavily pregnant, crippled with SPD and having wicked Braxton-Hicks contractions (I actually thought they might be the real deal at the time). It was in the daytime but coming up to Christmas so it had been horrendous - full of people who expected me to leap (lumber) out of their way. Got to the checkout and queued behind two women - an elderly mother and her daughter. All their shopping was stacked together on the belt. They waited as it was all put through, and only then started asking the checkout assistant whether they could split the bill between their two credit cards, then dithering mightily about how best to do so Why on earth they didn't separate their shopping out, or settle up with each other afterwards is beyond me, but I think it is testament to my patience that I didn't scream 'I'm in labour!' Or indeed just ram them aside with my trolley

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

The likes of Aldi, Lidl etc don't have self serve or basket check out.

Does anyone get the absolute blood boiling rage when you spend ages queuing and when the person infront of you finally gets to the till and you then have to wait until they pack everything, rummage around to find their purse, then forever to find their card/cash. They then have to carefully put the change back in their purse in a careful manner, same to their purse, before finally loading their bags back into the trolley

No. Why would you get mad at that? It takes them about a minute, if that. You're not that busy, chill out a bit.

I don't shop in Aldi or Lidl so I don't know what the etiquette is there.

Never experienced this in our sleepy town however, on a similar note; I become incensed when people hog tables in cafes and fast food places, before they've purchased their food!

I almost did battle with a group of 20 French students, spread over several tables, when they refused to give up one stool for us. I was standing with a loaded tray and nowhere to sit. I had to go and get a member of staff to assist

The onus is on the person with the full trolley to offer not the person with a few items to assume. In aldi a few weeks ago I was queuing and the light went on to say another checkout was opening. Me and the woman behind went to it. She got there before me and started to unload. We were then told it wasn't opening. So we went back to our queue in our original positions. She asked if she could have her place back. I explained she had, she'd shoved me out the way to get to the "opening" till and we were back in formation, and she was not impressed. We then got to the point of putting things on the belt and she then said "oh I'll go in front, I have less things" and just went for it. She was so determined to go in front of me. I had a shallow trolley with maybe two bags worth in it. I let it go, but her time is no more valuable than mine and i regularly let people in front. Just not rude presumptions people.

Place marking in any queue is plain rude and not the system so I feel free to ignore them. If you aren't ready to transact you are not in the queue.

I hate it at tills when the person behind doesn't stay back and encroaches on your personal space. I have been known to edge their trolley back. I am quick and always wait patiently behind for my turn

Years ago someone told me proudly that they regularly put his mother in a long (Saturday morning) queue with a couple of items in a basket. When she got near the conveyor belt he and sons would appear with heavily laden trolley or two.

beez expect they shopped in 'moronsons' then ! what a bunch of knobs.