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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Should families with kids get priority in supermarket queue?

141 replies

GreyGardens88 · 12/04/2020 09:05

So I was going to Lidl yesterday afternoon for some essentials, there was a massive queue stretching nearly out of the shopping centre. I took my place at the back and immediately a woman with family and kids in tow came walking down shouting about how selfish everyone in the queue is for not letting in at the front due to them having kids. Would not stop shouting about it and I think her DH was embarrassed. Whole family was there, the grandparents, the parents and the kids.

Everyone else in the queue stayed silent but in the end an older gentleman let them in towards the front and he went to the back.

IABU in not letting them in myself? Would you expect to have priority if you have kids?

OP posts:

Stellamboscha · 12/04/2020 11:26

If O see a parent with a pushchair I let them in front of me -why wouldn't you? Parent with older kids no older kids should not be shopping.

MorrisZapp · 12/04/2020 11:27

Really? A woman brought her entire extended family to a well known discount chain and shouted at people for not letting her in first, and you're wondering whether or not she was unreasonable?

What makes you think that this action may have been reasonable?

SuckingDieselFella · 12/04/2020 11:27

Why are people taking kids to the supermarket? The last time I went there were two men who each had two kids with them. Middle class dads who were letting the kids go crazy. One kid was even on a mini scooter and was riding up really close to other shoppers. No way should they get priority after behaving like that.

MerryDeath · 12/04/2020 11:27

I'm worrying about this. my DH works away (in shipping, literally is at sea) and i've got a baby and a toddler and normally use ocado but they are letting me down massively. so i've been going to our local drive through farm shop but I'm going to run out of nappies soon I'm dreading a queue.

Boogiewoogietoo · 12/04/2020 11:28

There was a man in Waitrose last week demanding to use the NHS queue because he is a key worker. When asked what he did, it turned out he was in financial services. Very odd.

dontgobaconmyheart · 12/04/2020 11:29

Shame she wasn't removed then, what entitlement.

Friendly reminder that not all illnesses are visible, I'm not able to go to the shop as I'm shielding but couldn't even if I wanted to, I can't stand upright long enough to manage the queue, even a short one would cause me to potentially faint. She, and indeed, nobody else, knows the needs of who is in the queue and has proven herself to be unpleasant and embarrassing. I'd have telephoned the store and asked them to deal with her.

MerryDeath · 12/04/2020 11:29

i will obviously be joining the queue like everyone else but i know it's going to be a shit show as they are awful in the supermarket at the best of times.. hence why i use ocado!!

ChocolateDove · 12/04/2020 11:32

Will her children drop down dead if they can't get their food in under 5 mins? No. So she's a selfish cow. God help her children.

FiveShelties · 12/04/2020 11:33

How would you know that the grandparents were there?

HunterHearstHelmsley · 12/04/2020 11:35

Stellamboscha - you shouldn't let them in front of you unless you're at the back of the queue. Swapping with them would be ok.

frillyfarmer · 12/04/2020 11:35

Surely if her DH was with her, he could have stayed at home with the children? You couldn't pay me enough money to risk my children's health by taking them to the supermarket unless I absolutely had to.

LakieLady · 12/04/2020 11:38

@Boogiewoogietoo, my DP works in financial services for one of the emergency services. He's deemed a key worker because the frontline staff need to get paid, and he's a payroll manager.

I'm a benefits adviser and I've been deemed a key worker. My clients are all vulnerable people who already receive services from the organisation I work for.

I was quite surprised. I was expecting to be furloughed and slightly disappointed when I wasn't!

Carbosug · 12/04/2020 11:40

You'd have people deliberately bringing the kids so they could skip the queue.

That's all we need, more children running around the shops.

morecoffeerequired · 12/04/2020 11:45

Why don't we give everyone priority?

What could possibly go wrong?

Pipandmum · 12/04/2020 11:52

I thought only one person per family? Unless kids are very young or single parent. There was a guy with a child about six and a couple in the queue Friday - man and child were let in but husband left his partner and returned to car. Impossible to maintain social distancing if you travel in a group.

WeBuiltCisCityOnSeeingSouls · 12/04/2020 11:54

A. Do you really think people are going to say this is reasonable behaviour?

B. Surely it would have been better if someone (in a favourite MN word) confronted them and then the whole queue clapped?

weliveincrazytimes · 12/04/2020 11:55

I was under the impression that it was only one person who could go to the shop (unless it's a single parent). DH and I usually go together, but he went alone Thursday as we were trying to follow what we thought were the rules and he was shocked to see family groups (2-3 adults with several children) waiting in line. If there is more than one adult surely they would stay home with the children?

Sounds like she was looking for an arguement OP. Best you stayed out of it but I feel bad for the poor edlerly gent who gave up his spot for this twat.

WeBuiltCisCityOnSeeingSouls · 12/04/2020 11:56

I really wonder if half of these threads are started by people with a vested interest in encouraging the public to support total lockdown. Possibly you are Pritti Patel

(No skin in the game myself, I'm shielded so on total lockdown already!)

clareOclareO · 12/04/2020 11:57

The security guard should have thrown her out. The only reason to shout in a supermarket is if there is an emergency of some sort. Shouting for any other reason is aggressive and threatening, and the people responsible should be "encouraged" to shop elsewhere.

bumblebeefairy · 12/04/2020 11:58

Absolutely not. I get that of course sometimes bringing children cannot feasibly be avoided (e.g. one adult household with young children) but I worry this would encourage children to be brought along where there are alternatives available.

Rubyroses3 · 12/04/2020 11:58

Maybe it's because I haven't seen or experienced it for myself, but I just find it hard to believe these stories.

Original poster

GreyGardens88 · 12/04/2020 12:00

The security guard let them all in no questions asked. Wondering if I should now complain on Lidl's facebook page?

OP posts:

pudcat · 12/04/2020 12:01

This can't be true because they would be turned away at the door. Bloody woman needs reporting

Willow2017 · 12/04/2020 12:05

No they wouldn't if the staff member on the door didnt want a load of abuse they might gave thought twice about confronting them all.

Welshmaenad · 12/04/2020 12:08

I've had to queue to shop several times, I'm disabled and on one occasion had my mobility scooter as the queue was long, other times just my walking stick. I took my place at the back and queued with everyone else. So if I can manage it, I think a family with able bodied children certainly can.

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