19 Things That Annoy Cashiers

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2 days ago

I asked employees from all sorts of different occupations to anonymously share the things that they really wish they could tell customers to do SIMPLY to make everyone's lives easier. Cashiers responded with mind-numbingly and incredibly simple things that we should all be doing.
"Most grocery store cashiers are timed, whether it's items per minute or people per minute. The clock starts when we scan your first item and ends when payment concludes. Have your stuff together. If there is no bagger, the cashier has to do it. Stop pushing stuff towards them like we're gonna miss your rump roast. It's not helpful."
"If you're checking out with a cashier, put your items on the counter as quickly as possible. Please don't inspect each item before you put it down. You should already know what's in your cart. The time to inspect is in the aisle."
"I work at a very popular grocery store chain. Two things: 1. If you want your purchase bagged in such a specific way that you are literally taking items out of my hand and telling me to place them in a different spot, bag them yourself. 2. A lot of times at the chain I work at, the cashiers don't have baggers. If you are concerned about time, it is SUPER helpful to help with the bag. It will go twice as fast. I've had so many people ask if I can move faster because they've had poor time management skills, and they aren't even helping bag."
"I work in a popular Texas grocery chain as a cashier. What makes me the most mad is 'I want my cold stuff together' for two reasons. 1. I've worked here for a long time. I'll tell them I know how to bag, and they'll say, 'Well, last week, the kid didn't do that.' Well, I'm not a 16-year-old kid who started last week. I do this for a living and won't mix hot and cold items. 2. They train us not to do that. Yes, some people bag badly, but for the most part, I will separate all your stuff, not just colds. In conclusion, my favorite customers are the ones who say that they aren't picky about how their stuff is bagged. I do it CORRECTLY and they won't throw a hissy fit and complain and get me talked to. Thanks for letting me vent. In conclusion, don't tell the cashier to bag cold stuff together. Why? BECAUSE WE KNOWWWWWWWW."
"I used to work as a cashier, and it was a major problem when a customer let me ring up all the items, then said I needed to take items off the order because they didn't have that much money to pay for all the items. It took time, effort, and patience on the part of the following customers, each waiting for their order to be processed. When you shop, make an effort to keep a tally of what you are buying and make sure you have the money with you to buy it."
"Please do not come in on Sunday. It's insanely busy. Why must we all shop on the same day? Even if your schedule is tight, you'll have a better experience if you avoid the Sunday crowd."
"Cashier here. Cans first, then veggies, then eggs, and bread. And please, Lord, keep the ginormous water cases, paper towels, and toilet paper in your cart. We barely have enough room to get the other stuff through. We can get those bigger items with the scan gun, or we may have a button designated. Thank you so much!"
"I'm a physically disabled cashier, so I use a stool to sit on during my shift. Please don't ask me to give it to you because you're tired, or ask why I 'get to sit!' It's extremely rude, and standing is a privilege that most disabled people (who either can't stand or can't stand for a long period of time) would do anything for. If you have your own medical issues, I'd be happy to help you get a chair, but don't take mine just because you want it!"
"Retail worker here. When your cashier says 'Hi, how are you?', look at them and respond. Don't look through us, and don't ignore us. We're people, and we deserve common decency. The customer is not always right if they're going to be rude and treat us like we are servants. So use your manners!"
"Quit putting your money down on a moving belt. (Where do you think that's going to end up?) That's why I have my hand out, fool! Cashiers have that courtesy all the time, and then you get a rude SOB like that!"
"Have your payment, whether it be cash, card, Apple Pay, etc., ready. Don't stand there digging in your purse, wallet, or pockets to find it. Also, don't rely on me to tell you how much money you have in your EBT account. You have easier access to this, and I have to wait until payment is declined to have the available balance shown on the receipt. It's rude, and I'm not the one declining the transaction; it's the payment system doing so. Know your balance or know whether your account/card has been suspended/canceled."
"If you change your mind and decide that you don't want a certain product, please don't just put it anywhere on the shelf or in another location. At the very least, give it to the cashier when you check out so that it can go back to its proper place. It's very irritating when you find all of these little items all scattered over the store that you have to put back at the end of your shift."
"Please, for the love of God, don't rummage through to the bottom of a case of product for the one under all the others, and don't bottom feed by leaving the top case untouched while you take from the bottom case! It will, AND does, collapse eventually, and generally on my head!"
— Anonymous
"As a cashier at a grocery store, it annoys me so much when people hold onto their coupons until the end. If the coupon doesn't work, I need to scan the item that particular coupon is for; then, there are people who can clearly see that I'm bagging their groceries in plastic. They wait until the end to tell me they want paper, or they try to show me how to double bag the paper bags. If it's that important, do it yourself."
"I work at a grocery store, and I like most of the people I work with, so we talk to each other and complain about some customers, so I've heard stories. If you don't know where to find something, first look at the signs on the walls and hanging above the aisles. Usually, you can find it by looking at the signs, but if you can't, ask someone who can actually help you. Don't ask someone in the deli where the cheese is and then get upset when they say 'in the dairy section' because it's obvious that's where the cheese is. Asking a stocker AFTER YOU READ THE SIGNS ON THE WALLS AND ABOVE THE AISLES is more than likely the best option."
"Before going to a store, any store that requires you to pay with a card, cash, or even a check, please make sure you have said item on your person before shopping. [Don't] have a full basket, then leave because you forgot, are now embarrassed, and do not return. We have to put all those things you spent thirty minutes shopping for back where they go, especially stuff that needs to stay cold right away. We have many things we are already doing. We multitask a lot. Extra work is not appreciated."
"If you forgot your loyalty card and are unable to look it up, don't get mad at the cashier. It's your job as an adult to be responsible for having this. If you don't want to carry all your cards, there are many apps that store them digitally for you!"
"PLEASE for the love of God, don't pull cash out of your nasty sweaty boobs and expect me to want to handle that. Seriously, if you need to store stuff in there because you're on a motorcycle or something, then fine, but at least get a flat wallet or something. It always grossed me out when they would hand us warm and wet cash to pay from their boobs 🤢."
Finally, "If you shop at a store that allows a lot of coupons and you don't have or forgot your coupon, don't ask the cashier for a coupon or hassle them for a discount."
Do you have something you want more customers to know or follow about your place of work? Answer in the comments or directly below in this completely anonymous Google form.
Submissions have been edited for length and clarity.