Didn't you do all your shopping yesterday?!

[Dreamstalker]

All the stores close at 5PM on Easter Sunday. It's in the flier, on the website, and it may even be on the phone message although I'm not sure on that last point.

That assumes that customers read and listen. Which, as everyone knows, they don't.

It was a madhouse from about 4PM on. At 4:45, no signs of slowing. I had made a bet earlier with one of the cashiers that everyone would need the red card to clock out. Silly J, he took the bet...

4:55, we lock the entrance door...people come in through the exit. I tell SM (again) that we need to pull at least 2 people off the front end to guard the door and stop anyone from coming in...but we can't because it's too insane. There's nobody free to walk the store and make sure people are out.

5PM. I'm bagging up a large order for cashier J and we both want to GTFO. ASM calls me over and asks if we have grape leaves. I say sure, I'll run and get some, how many jars do you want? (this would have taken me 20 seconds max). SC has a full cart and is already in line.

SC says she needs to 'look at them'...and follows me at a snail's pace to the shelf. Yelling at me all the while that I'm going too fast...she is not elderly or disabled and I know she can walk faster than she is. I find the grape leaves and take down one jar. She grabs it out of my hand (almost dropping it) and starts examining the jar, peering at the label, scrutinizing it. "Well, I guess these will be fine. I will take them." (by this time two purple shirts are lurking behind me; we all want to just get the hell out) By now it is 5:10. "Ma'am, you need to check out and leave; if there's anyone in the store after closing the main office will call the police. They'll know why we're here, but you may be arrested."

"Do you have tomatoes in oil?" Oh hell no. "OK, you don't know. I go look." Then before I can blink, she vanishes. I book it back to the front while manager A goes looking for her. J has started ringing up their order...the husband feels the need to nitpick the way I'm bagging, and ignores my requests to bring the cart through until ASM pushes past him and does it himself. Then she pulls out a stack of coupons, and throws a fit when some don't double the way she thinks they should and others don't scan at all...because she didn't buy the right items. No, we will NOT put it through anyway, and you will NOT go get the right items.

None of the closing hourly staff punch out before 5:15. As I'm leaving, an old guy sneaks in through the door, is confronted by myself, porter A, and manager A all yelling that the store is closed. Which he responds to by smiling and holding up one finger, probably to indicate he only wants one thing. Tough, we are CLOSED. Then he disappears into the store with ASM and both As running after him. As I cross the parking lot I'm seeing cars pull up, park, and people get out with shopping bags...

I should ask ASM tomorrow what happened with that guy.

[XCashier]

You have my sympathies. I hate last minute stragglers. And they know what they're doing, too. They know they're making you stay late, and they love the power game they're playing.

Yes, there should've been people posted at the doors. Hopefully management will learn that lesson and be better prepared next time.

[BowserKoopa1]

Now don't tell me you haven't learned by now that customers don't give a rat's ass if we want to get out at a certain time. Same thing when I worked at a computer store.... A guy would come in 5 or 10 minutes before we close. What do they wanna buy? Something simple like an ink cartridge or something else that takes a few minutes to decide? Nope, they wanna buy a whole new computer, and of course that takes some people quite some time to choose one because they wanna be sure they get the one they want.
I always had to be the closing cashier, whcih meant I could not get my till pulled and counted until every single customer left the building Many a time I politely asked the sales people to drop subtle little hints that we were closed, but they either A. Didn't tell the customer, or B. The customer was informed but didn't give a shit how long they were gonna be, so long as they get their fucking computer. I think we all know the answer to this one folks

[Carsomyr]

Our Easter hours are in giant letters and numbers on a sign that you have to actively avoid at every entrance... clearly they're not big enough. Everyone wants 'Just one thing! I know what I want!". Sometimes if it's a familiar customer they'll be let in for a minute. Otherwise, if they're desperate enough, they'll willingly pay through the door. Once the doors are locked, feel free to tap on the window and say you want one thing. It's surprisingly easy to pick up and show an empty til...

I'm getting a lot better at closing than I used to be. Drinks all around! Although I'll admit, it was a lot quieter this Easter than it's ever been. Totally not my fault.

[ReverendBSB]

We closed at 2 yesterday and were lucky, very few stragglers. The store manager was at the door stopping people at 2.

[Dreamstalker]

The only holidays listed on our holiday-hours sign are Thanksgiving and Christmas (closed both those days; ASM tells me the store used to be closed for a few other holidays too). J commented that we'd better hope none of the dummies reefing on the doors try to complain, else Corp may get it into their heads 'hey, we need to stay open til 6 to accommodate our customers!' (I don't think they'd do that though as the 5PM closing is companywide AFAIK).

Another straggler before the woman:

Predictable last-minute price check on two boxes of graham crackers (Honey Maid and store brand). We have a price checking scanner at the head of one of the aisles, so I use that. HM is $3.49, store brand is 2/$4 (or $2). So I tell the guy this. He tries to take my arm (oh no you don't) and goes to the shelf saying "That price isn't right, it should be two dollars!"
*recordscratch* Um...2/$4 IS two dollars each.
Gestures at the shelf tag. "How much is this? Is this two dollars?"
Me: "Yes, this *holds out store brand* is two dollars."
SC: *points at tag*: "Says four dollars?"
Me: "No, it is TWO boxes for four dollars. Two dollars each." *I can't believe I'm actually explaining this to an adult...well, around here, maybe I can*

[BowserKoopa1]

Predictable last-minute price check on two boxes of graham crackers (Honey Maid and store brand). We have a price checking scanner at the head of one of the aisles, so I use that. HM is $3.49, store brand is 2/$4 (or $2). So I tell the guy this. He tries to take my arm (oh no you don't) and goes to the shelf saying "That price isn't right, it should be two dollars!"
*recordscratch* Um...2/$4 IS two dollars each.
Gestures at the shelf tag. "How much is this? Is this two dollars?"
Me: "Yes, this *holds out store brand* is two dollars."
SC: *points at tag*: "Says four dollars?"
Me: "No, it is TWO boxes for four dollars. Two dollars each." *I can't believe I'm actually explaining this to an adult...well, around here, maybe I can*

Hey now, give the poor customer a break. He was obviously 1 of those idiots who went to school and never actually paid attention in math class. Based on this story, I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if he didn't know what 1+1 is Or maybe he never learned to read properly, or maybe both

[starsinthesky]

My husband insisted on getting salad on the to my parents yesterday instead of Saturday. There was a very nice cashier who took us at her station even though her light wasn't on. We thanked her for it and then someone just starts dumping her stuff on the counter. The cashier was visibly annoyed, so I made my kids be super cheerful and thank her for taking us when she didn't need to.

[Pipthepirate]

I find it perplexing so many people are shopping at dinner time on Easter?

Maybe my family is odd but we always ate around 4 or 5. Who is just doing their shopping then?

[blas]

I saw nearly everyone I work with after work at Wal-Mart Saturday night. Even if they didn't have Sunday off, they were doing their last minute Easter shopping then, so right after work Sunday, they could go home.

[Teskeria]

Maybe my family is odd but we always ate around 4 or 5. Who is just doing their shopping then?

4 or 5 am or pm? in my house breakfast is between 2 pm and 4 pm and dinner is between 2am and 4 am. so yeah, if we are off we could be shopping at 4 pm or so. difference is, if it says store closes at a specific time, we get there early. or if we really only need one or two things, I stay up front and my daughter runs and grabs them. (being physically handicapped I move slower than cold molasses on a freezing cold winter day.) we are in and out in less than 5 minutes if there is no line.

[taxguykarl]

SC's that's who shops at that hour on Easter, Taskeria.
On your other point, 5-ish is about when I served dinner--yes it all turned out quite well.

[mathnerd]

Holiday dinners at my house are usually between noon and 2pm, with leftovers served at a more normal "dinner" time.

That said, I have been guilty of making a near-closing store run on holidays, but I have made sure to trip over myself in gratitude for the employees who've had to deal with my inconsiderate, disorganized behind. I really try not to, but occasionally I've forgotten something important and found myself racing to the store to try to beat the closing time.

[Dreamstalker]

We've been guilty of near-closing store runs as well when I'm visiting the relatives for holidays (big cooking production in a small kitchen and she isn't the best at organizing ingredients beforehand). If that happens, dad and I go to the [mystore] location as I have a pretty good idea of where everything is and can get in and out quickly. For some reason Auntie hates [mystore] and we need to justify why we went there (I know the aisles and her preferred store is a longer trek).

I don't have a problem with people who only forgot ONE thing (if they know what they need I will offer to get it for them), it's the SCs who get a cart and all their bags for a leisurely shopping trip that baffle me.

[Jetfire]

Yeah, I was one of those last minute shoppers. In my case, I was driving around my town, looking for sausage at any store that was open. The big grocers were closed (though I'm sure they would have been open if they could have been) but I finally found the small market in the middle of town was open. They didn't have the type of sausage we wanted for the dressing, but they did have one type, so I grabbed it. Certainly gave the stuffing a different taste than we're used to. (Oktoberfest instead of Hot Italian)

We usually have our big holiday meals around 2PM. We had to have it at 2 this past Sunday, because dad had to be down at the Bingo Hall to prep for Bingo by 5. (Games started at 7).