If the express lane is the only one open, then it's not express...

[dbblsanta]

A quick stupid customer story that happened tonight. It was 5 minutes before closing, and there were only two cashiers on (me and another guy). The other guy had to shut off his light to count his drawer because he was off right at closing (9:00) whereas I was off at 9:30 to help put stuff away, etc. So my register was the only one with a light on.

I was in the middle of ringing a huge order when a woman comes up to the express lane with only two items. She clicks her tongue and says (with a tone), "I thought this is the express lane."

Me: Well, we're closing in less than 5 minutes and I'm the only one open, so we're not really doing express right now.

She walks off, I assume to the other guy's register, whose light is off. I yell after her, "Ma'am, he's closed. This is the only open register."

She comes back to my line, I process her order, no other words out of her. [a bit anticlimactic, yes, but I mean come on! I was the only register open! Why would you complain about a person with a big order going into express when express is the only one open!!??]

[Jay 2K Winger]

I've had this EXACT same thing happen to me, only in different circumstances.

I may have related this story elsewhere on the boards. If so, bear with me.

So I'm the opening cashier, and due to a scheduling mistake and a call-out, I'm the only cashier. This means I MUST open on express (not a problem, I like working express), since someone has to sell cigarettes, and ring-up tax-exempt purchases.

Tax-exempt purchases, of course, tend to be pretty large, especially for the early morning customers.

So I've got a big line at my register, with a lot of full flat-bed carts coming through.

SC walks up, with an arm-load of maybe five items. "I thought this was the express line!"

I look him right in the eye and say, "Sir, when I'm the only cashier who showed up, there IS NO express line."

He puts his things aside and walks out the door. I just go about my business.