Pwning a line-jumper

[Dave1982]

My mother related this tale to me.

She was shopping at Kohl's and was fifth in line at the register (only one open at that moment). Just as an older gentleman was getting in line behind her, another register opened and the cashier said "I can take the next customer in line!"

Of course, the guy behind my mother scoots over to that register.

Cashier: I'm sorry sir, but I have to take the NEXT customer in line.

Old Guy: What?

Cashier: You weren't the next in line, sir.

So the guy backed away from the register, shooting eyeball daggers at the cashier. My mother ended up being served next, because the over people in front of her declined the offer to go to the next register. After she finished checking out, the cashier said to the old guy "Alright sir, you can come up now."

He didn't move, and continued to glare at her.

"Are you SURE, this time?!" he asked, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

What an ass.

[edible_hat]

"Are you SURE, this time?!"

"Now that you mention it, maybe not. Excuse me! You, behind Mr Grumpybum there, it's your turn."

[sarahj]

I always go over to a customer in another line and invite them to my about-to-open register. It's fair, an easy way to make customers feel appreciated, and it was how I was taught by my supervisor. (I don't suck up to customers but I do know that great service = repeat customers, and what's good for sales is good for keeping up my department's alloted hours.)

I can understand if there's one line for several express registers, then a new register wouldn't change the order in which people get served. But opening a register with a separate line sucks - someone gets no wait in line while others are there for 5 minutes, which seems like 30 when you're standing in line.

[Sandman]

I usually count ten seconds when I hear "i'll take the next customer in line" if the cashier said it in a loud enough voice. It's not my fault if people aren't listening.

[Jbball]

When I worked at a movie theatre back in the day (when I first started), our theatre was insanely busy. We had 10 registers in the front concession and 6 in the back, usually open all the time with lines.

Well, this one Saturday I was working, we only have 6-7 registers open on the front and lines 20+ people deep in each. My manager opened up another register to my left and once everything was set, announced for the next in line.

Someone from the back of the line closest to me, literally SPRINTED as fast as they could and cut off like 12 people, almost getting into a fight over it. Of course, our manager didn't care and took off. Nobody complained to us, just gave the cutter a lot of grief.

Funniest thing I've ever seen!

[Pagan]

I always go over to a customer in another line and invite them to my about-to-open register.

That's the way they're supposed to do it at Hasting's, at least that's the way I was trained. But, after the chick that trained me left, a lot of that kind of thing started getting left out. Since I haven't been in there in 7 months (Really? It's been that long? Wow!), I don't know what the hell they're doing....nor do I care.

[Gawdzillers]

I don't think what he did was that bad, but the way he acted was childish and sucky.

[marasbaras]

I wish employees would do that ... bring over people rather than just opening and let those who should be in front get stampeded.

[Becks]

I don't see why it specifically has to be the next person in line who is automatically called to the newest open register.

[Primer]

I don't see why it specifically has to be the next person in line who is automatically called to the newest open register.

because they would have been the next person to be helped had the new register not opened. so it was their turn, anyway.

[Chanlin]

Count me in with the crowd that says the old guy was not the first one to be sucky here. Maybe a bit childish afterward. Unjustified in being a bit miffed by the situation, not in the slightest.

[Peppergirl]

I guess I'm confused. If there is a line of, say, 8 people. And I'm the second person in line and obviously waiting a hell of alot longer than the 7th or 8th person in line, why should the 7th or 8th person get served before me when a cashier opens up another line and asks for the NEXT person in the line?

I'm not trying to be a bitch, but it floors me that people don't seem to realize that it's SC behavior to run over to the register ahead of the people who have been waiting before you.

[Chanlin]

My thinking here, and probably the old guy in the post is that the OP's mom was next in line on the register she is on. Granted we have no idea from the story how close the person in front of her was to being done with their transaction. I don't see where the suck is on the old guys part for moving to the register that just opened up. He did not cut in front of the OP's mom and she was still next in line in the line she was in.

Granted the old guy could have offered to let her go before him.

I am curious to know if the situation had been different, say the old guy was just approaching the queue when the new line opened up and he chooses that line since it just opened. Would you as a person in the next line over and next in line expect to be served before him? Or would you just shrug and say oh well, its not that much more of a wait for me to stay right where I am?

Thats my line of thinking on it. I suppose it all comes down to number of items, how long the person in front of me is going to be etc, but 9 times out of 10 I would have no problem with the old guy in the OP going to the other line ahead of me even if I were next in line in the same line he had just been waiting in.

EDIT: As an afterthought I suppose I'm just more laid back and more often than not I'm not in a huge hurry if I am out shopping so my place in line really doesn't bother me. Not to mention the cashier will still be there even if someone manages to get there before me. Unless the person who just gazzumped what could have been my spot in line has a HUGE order then I generally don't care.

[Beckpatton]

My thinking here, and probably the old guy in the post is that the OP's mom was next in line on the register she is on. Granted we have no idea from the story how close the person in front of her was to being done with their transaction. I don't see where the suck is on the old guys part for moving to the register that just opened up. He did not cut in front of the OP's mom and she was still next in line in the line she was in.

The thing is Chanlin, she wasn't next in line, she was 5th in line, so there were several people ahead of that old guy already, that's where the suck comes in. I get your point that if she was going to be next on that register, and the person in front was finishing up, then sure old man go for it.. but when a group of people have been waiting already, for whatever amount of time then they should have the chance to go next, not Johnny come lately at the back of the cue.

But that's just my opinion....

[Chanlin]

, she was 5th in line,

Suits me for paying attention

So yeah, the guy was being a bit of a dick then