Tensions in the express lane

[Despina83]

So the store was absolutely packed today, and I was purchasing just one Nintendo DS game, so I headed for the express lane, which said '12 items or less'. There was a girl, maybe in her late 20's there with who I assumed to be her mother. The girl went through first, and she had aprroximentaly 25 items. Then the mom started unloading about 30 or 35 items from her cart. Behind her were an elderly couple, followed by a woman who was holding about three purchases. The woman in front of me started talking about her, quite loudly. The woman who was buying all the stuff was watching and listening. She held up her hands and said, "I'm sorry, I know I shouldn't have, but..." then the lady in front of me said, a bit nastily, "Well then put your stuff back in your cart and go to a lane that's for more than 12 items!" I'm not sure if the woman heard her or not. Well, then the woman had the guts to actual follow her order up with a SECOND ORDER. I wasn't in any particular hurry, but I'm surprised someone didn't explode. For the rest of the time, the woman in front of me sighed loudly, scowled, and tapped her feet, but didn't saying anything more until the woman had paid and left. I just waited calmly and patiently, I'm not one to start a confrontation with someone. However, if it had been at my store and I was grabbing a soda and candy bar on my fifteen minute break, and someone like that had been at the express lane, I probably would have done some heavy sighing, maybe some exasperrated groaning before having the girl at the customer service desk check me out instead.

[Boozy]

I'm always reading stories like this here, and I always think the same thing:

Are cashiers not allowed to enforce the item limit? Why do customers always have to be the ones who say something?

[Becks]

Are cashiers not allowed to enforce the item limit? Why do customers always have to be the ones who say something?

Don't you know? Customers are the reason the stores are in business.

Also, throw in "The customer is always right".

Uh huh.

[Boozy]

Don't you know? Customers are the reason the stores are in business.

But when stores allow people with a cartload of groceries to use the express lane, they are making that one customer happy at the expense of pissing off five other customers in line behind them.

I guess that's what I don't understand.

[Midnight12]

i was told by my supervisor at the time that if its NOT busy (like five people to every register and the line never goes away) I can take people with up to 20 itmes. If its slow as hell i can turn them away....we were only super busy as described and worse during holidays. So unless a cashier is in a rushed hurry and not paying attention its ok? Correct me if I'm wrong?

[Can I Help Your A$$?]

I hate that, 25 items in the express lane thing, and the two or three orders in inexcusable, but don't you hate it when people in line near you sigh loudly, tap their feet and comment? I mean, what does it accomplish but make people more upset?

[Becks]

But when stores allow people with a cartload of groceries to use the express lane, they are making that one customer happy at the expense of pissing off five other customers in line behind them.

I know.

I was being sarcastic in my previous post, and I apologize.

[Boozy]

I was being sarcastic in my previous post, and I apologize.

Oops! Of course I recognized that you were being sarcastic! (Its sort of what you're known for around here...)

My response must have sounded like I had taken your joke out of context. Sorry about that.

[Becks]

Now all is right in our world(s), Boozy.

Let's go celebrate by having frosty chocolate milkshakes.

[BookstoreEscapee]

Now all is right in our world(s), Boozy.

Let's go celebrate by having frosty chocolate milkshakes.

Ooh, can I come?

[Becks]

Sure.

Can you pick me up on the way? No car. I'll give gas money AND pay for your milkshake.