Monday, January 7, 2013

Line Etiquette

So let’s say that you’re in line at the Container Store one Friday night after wandering around for hours finding the perfect hanger and other awesome things at your favorite store.

There’s only one employee on a check out line and she calls for back up. You’ve lined up sort of behind the one person ahead of you that she’s checking out at the moment, and wait for the additional employees.

Another customer comes up with their soon-to-be purchases right when the new employee opens up a check out line across from the one you’re in. You could slide two feet to the left and be in that newly-opened line.

Yes, the other customer takes it upon themselves to walk to the new employee and check out. And doesn’t seem to think that’s a problem.

This begs the question – when you’re in line, do you stand in line for the actual check out person or do you stand in a general line for multiple check outs and the first one that opens up is where you go? I am definitely a fan of standing in one and waiting for the next available cashier. It seems much easier and makes more sense for the I-can’t-choose-the-shortest-line-at-check-out-to-save-my-life me.

Or am I the weird one?

4 comments:

  1. I think it depends on how the checkout is set-up. Some stores create the one line for all check-outs and some are designed for a line per checkout. Having never been to the container store (I know blasphemy ;) )I couldn't tell you what it is there. I tend to follow the layout and not get upset by others jumping into a newly opened line, especially if my wait isn't going to be too long.

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  2. I think usually you line up behind the cashier you are going to--but it varies by store and I find it easiest to just go with the flow of the particular store!

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  3. They opened up an extra line like that at Kohls the other day. I waited for the person ahead of me to decide she wasn't going to move before I moved. My worst experience was on Mother's Day. I was buying 2 flowers at a hardware store. They were having issues and when someone else came up to check out a MAN on Mother's Day just cut in front of 2 women who had obviously been waiting there awhile. I stared daggers at him. I was so mad. I wanted to call him out about how disappointed his mother would be that he cut in front of 2 women on Mother's Day. It was so terribly rude.

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  4. I'm with Sonya - the person ahead should get the option to go first! I know it just doesn't happen sometimes, but it's one of those things I think people should make the effort to do!

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