Does the express line really live up to its name?

[greensinestro]

The local Publix stores used to have the "no cigarettes" rule in their express lines, so the customers had to go to customer service. This is where all cigarettes are located in most grocery stores I've been in. They even had a huge sign that said it and cashiers would enforce it. But, in the end, the customers always defeated this rule, saying it was discrimination against smokers to have to go wait in one line for cigarettes, then go shopping and wait in another line to check out with their groceries.

What's really painful about this is usually a bagger is sent to get a pack of menthol lights cigarettes, then the customer blows up at him because he got the soft pack instead of the flip top box. Or, the customer really wanted 100's but failed to say that.

Gimme a break!

[danegrous_21]

The local Publix stores used to have the "no cigarettes" rule in their express lines, so the customers had to go to customer service. This is where all cigarettes are located in most grocery stores I've been in. They even had a huge sign that said it and cashiers would enforce it. But, in the end, the customers always defeated this rule, saying it was discrimination against smokers to have to go wait in one line for cigarettes, then go shopping and wait in another line to check out with their groceries.

What's really painful about this is usually a bagger is sent to get a pack of menthol lights cigarettes, then the customer blows up at him because he got the soft pack instead of the flip top box. Or, the customer really wanted 100's but failed to say that.

Gimme a break!

well the grocery store i worked at you can buy ciggeretts at any checkout since every checkstand had a overhead holder for that, only express people have to go get it from the regular, and i understand the feeling about soft pack or box, after a while i ask for myself.

[Jester]

Hell, they need to have a three-item express lane. No belt, no bagger, no alcohol, no cigarettes. No telephone numbers, either. Remember your card. I just came in here to get some candy, gods damn it.

No alcohol? Hell, the majority of time when I am using the express lane, it is because I am just buying a twelve-pack!

Here's a little hint my Mom told me years ago. If express has a long line, go to a regular checkout that has mostly men in it. Doesn't matter if they have a cartfull. They almost ALWAYS pay cash. This has served me well.

Guilty. 95% of the time, I pay cash. Not sure if that is because I am a man or because I make tips at my jobs, so often have cash on me. But I do pay cash most of the time.

[AFpheonix]

No alcohol? Hell, the majority of time when I am using the express lane, it is because I am just buying a twelve-pack!

Pretty much. A bottle of wine, some bread bowls, and some Safeways soup....Mmmm...

[Retail Associate]

The "manager" will tell me she will look into it and that she is sorry it happened. Then nothing changes.

Having been in retail for close to 7 years, I know that our mangers will tell customers whatever they want to hear JUST TO GET THEM OUT OF THEIR FACE! That's the main goal - make the customer think you give a damn - then get them the heck outta there.

Nothing ever changes because it takes effort to effect change. We can't have our managers putting forth any effort without there being something in it for them. Management doesn't care anymore about the customers than the peons do. All management cares about is the bottom line. Period.

[South Texan]

Having been in retail for close to 7 years, I know that our mangers will tell customers whatever they want to hear JUST TO GET THEM OUT OF THEIR FACE! That's the main goal - make the customer think you give a damn - then get them the heck outta there.

Sadly, managers are the same all over when it comes to acting like this. They are not limited to retail only.

Either the manager never does anythng but give lip service to a customer's complaint and wanders off thinking everything was made wonderful by the "I'll look into it" comment OR has a knee-jerk reaction to every and any comment or complaint thereby constantly changing policies to suit the whim of whatever the "problem" might have been. In my opinion, both types are spineless and either unable to think for themselves or too scared of corporate.

[cheese]

I work at 2 stores and one of these has a till which is 10 items or less, and this isn't too bad in general. However, the other store I work at the express till just says "Basket Only."

So then you get lots of people through who have only a few items in a trolley, and expect to be let through. You can't really turn them away, because they'd be entitled to go through if it was 10 or less, and its normally the excuse "I have a bad back, I can't carry a basket." This is fine until someone else comes up with an overflowing trolley, and won't go away because I let someone else with a trolley through.

The other problem is people can sometimes fit a lot of items into a basket. Both of these problems together means the basket only till is no faster than any other.

[MystyGlyttyr]

I'm one of those vigilante customers who goes out of her way to embarrass line cheaters. Usually using my "loud quiet" voice.

"GEE. I THOUGHT I GOT IN THE EXPRESS LANE."
"THAT SIGN SAYS TWENTY, DOESN'T IT? IN SUCH BIG LETTERS, TOO."

And my personal favorite that I used on a guy just a couple days ago...very idle conversation, too...making it obvious I had in my hands a box of pads and a bottle of Aleve.

"God, these cramps are just getting awful!"

That dude BOOKED. It was stupendous.

One of these days I'm going to try it with a bottle of lice treatment and a box of condoms. Just to see what happens. I could probably get through any lane I wanted with that...

[Brighid45]

OMG Mysty, I want to be behind you in line when you pull that one off.

I'm another customer who makes a lot of noise about jerks with huge orders in the express lane. Entitlement whores and their skanky ways have never impressed me, and now that I'm getting older, menopausal and have less time to waste, you can bet I'll say something. The first comment will be polite but loud enough for the SC and the cashier to hear. If I'm ignored or challenged, politeness goes right out the window and all bets are off.

Most of the cashiers at the supermarket where I shop regularly cheer me on in secret. I know how it goes--they are pretty much powerless to stop SCs from behaving like the nimrods they are.

[Amethyst Hunter]

So true!

BTW Greens, where at in South Florida? I'm living (and hating it) in the SW section of the state, currently.

How right you are about the express lanes. I work at Publix's chief competitor as one of those unfortunate cashiers and every so often I get plopped working the express aisle. If I had a buck for every customer who giggled "oh, well I'm one or two items over the limit, can you still take me?" (I have to, yes, because our manager is a spineless twit who gives whiny customers shit for free, therefore it's not worth it to start a fight over a stupid checkout lane because the rule will not be enforced anyway) or who plowed into it with a cartful of 1000 items because it was open and the other lanes weren't to their liking, I'd be, well, rich.

[Mighty Girl]

Around here, they use the express lines to train the newbies with profound issues. Guaranteed, it will take you twice as long as the soccer mom with two cartloads and three screaming kids.

[DesignFox]

MightyGirl brings up a good point- I notice that the express lanes in my local walmart are usually staffed by newbies, or the complete molasses ringers.

Like a lot of you, if I note some dingbat in the express lane ahead of me with a cartload of crap, when all I want is 1-2 items, I get really pissed, and I get loud about it (not at the cashier of course). I also hate when people pretend they dont understand english just to avoid abiding by the rules.

[zzapp the witch]

*sniff* I want to thank you all...*sniff*...for inspiring me...*honk*...to make a complete ASS of myself at the front end of our Fred Meyer (Kroger) here in beautiful Roseburg, Oregon.

SC: The Queen of Hearts, Disney version, with thin fish lips and a butt-shelf you could fit 3 full plates on at a truckstop, and an overflowing cart in the 10 item express lane (this woman must have had stock in Little Debbie).

I was teaching my son why I make him go to school. As we were moseying along, I helped him read the "Express Lane, 10 items or less" sign (he's in first grade). Then I asked him what the sign meant, and he told me that it meant that you couldn't get in that line if you had more than 10 items. (Both of us were talking loud and clear). Then, he says (bless his heart), "But mommy, THAT lady has waaaaaaaay more than 10 items in her cart." At which QoH turns around to look. That's when I seized the open door he'd left me: "That's why I taught you how to count and help you with your math, dear. You'd look pretty stupid going through life not being able to count how many groceries are in your cart so you'd know which line to get in." "Yeah, somebody should make that lady go to my first grade, Mrs. B would sure teach her how to count good." And QoH stood there, mouth opening and closing like a dying fish, while I and my son moseyed on down to another register, discussing how the proper grammatic ending for that statement would have been the word "well."

[EmiOfBrie]

But, in the end, the customers always defeated this rule, saying it was discrimination against smokers to have to go wait in one line for cigarettes, then go shopping and wait in another line to check out with their groceries.

My reply? "Yes, it is discrimination against smokers! last I knew, "smoker" was not a legally protected class.."

After all, restaurants do have the legal right to make their establishment 100% non-smoking....in fact, many municipalities have it in the law that public establishments are to be 100% non-smoking *heh*

[Lace Neil Singer]

I work at 2 stores and one of these has a till which is 10 items or less, and this isn't too bad in general. However, the other store I work at the express till just says "Basket Only."

So then you get lots of people through who have only a few items in a trolley, and expect to be let through. You can't really turn them away, because they'd be entitled to go through if it was 10 or less, and its normally the excuse "I have a bad back, I can't carry a basket." This is fine until someone else comes up with an overflowing trolley, and won't go away because I let someone else with a trolley through.

The other problem is people can sometimes fit a lot of items into a basket. Both of these problems together means the basket only till is no faster than any other.

My workplace was once like that... until the manager decided to make the basket only tills 15 items or less, and the kiosk 10 items or less. And to make the cashiers enforce the rule. Well, that's all well and good, but I don't see the manager there when an SC is bitching about a cashier not serving him/her and their overflowing basket.