Long queue in the supermarket cashier today
By hexebella
@hexebella (1136)
Philippines
November 8, 2011 8:09am CST
At around 11am today, we went to the supermarket for the weekly shopping. The people inside was not that much but surprisingly the queue to the cashier was really long, averaging to 20 full carts per counter. When it was our turn, a fellow filipina approached us and requested if we could include her items as the queue was really long, it was only 2 bottles of coke and we accepted without hesitation. I normally accept those kind of requests from whoever regardless of nationality. After the transaction, I reflect on the incident and thought that I might have not been fair with the other people on queue. Have I been unfair? What do you think?
5 responses
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
7 Nov 12
This is the danger with offering that kind of assistance to someone, other people in the queue may feel that you are simply helping someone to jump the queue.
I realise that only a couple of items will not make much difference to the length of time that other shoppers have to wait, although that would not necessarily make them less annoyed by the act.
It is never easy to decide how to react in such a situation, but in reality there was very little harm done.
@hexebella (1136)
• Philippines
7 Nov 12
Yes you are right, I just hoped that the didn't have a negative perception on the scenario and that they didn't mind at all.
@greenline (14838)
• Canada
9 Nov 11
Well, I assume people around you and her saw what you were doing, and I am pretty sure that they understood you were giving her a helping hand. That was not really unfair, just 2 bottles of coke ! Good neighbor !!
@hexebella (1136)
• Philippines
12 Nov 11
I hope too that they understood my gestures, and 2 bottles of coke won't take 5 minutes for the cashier to punch in the cash register. Also considering the items bought, it is to satisfy an immediate need of thirst not for a week food stock at home.
@omchesunche (1755)
• Indonesia
8 Nov 11
well, I observed same thing happened to most of the supermarket or mall at beginning of the month..It seems everyone just get they monthly salary payment..However, those kind of incidents ever happened if the supermarket not open many counters or dedicated counter for buyer who bought less than 5 items.. If that's happened, maybe tommorow they will be left by their valuable customers like us..
@hexebella (1136)
• Philippines
8 Nov 11
Today is the last day of the eid holiday and the cashiers are all locals (muslims). Most of them do not come to work during this holidays and they do not care if the business is affected or not. So the customers buying few items are affected, we stayed in the queue for at more than half hour.
@sunli123 (538)
• China
9 Nov 11
Now I try not to go to the supermarkets on weekends or holidays to avoid crowds of people. Sometimes I just quit the stuff if there're too many people before the cashier. So if someone asks me to include his/her few items first and check out, I would agree.
@hexebella (1136)
• Philippines
12 Nov 11
That's what I do too sunli....I never refuse with those kind of request as i understand that 2 items is not worth to wait, and the person bought it for immediate need. Only after I did it that at the back of my mind, came the thought that people on queue might have got annoyed. I just hope that they also understand the situation.
@WakeUpKitty (8694)
• Netherlands
8 Nov 11
I don't have a problem with that, if people ask me it's fine with me and there are times to I offer someone to go first if I have a lot of shopping.
I think what you did is just a friendly gesture and next time you will do it to someone else. You can't stay friends with everyone. Although.. if there are 20 people with just 1 item you can't let them all go first too or?
@hexebella (1136)
• Philippines
10 Nov 11
Yeah, your right.....that was only my intention, it all just crossed my mind that the people on queue might have been annoyed after I accommodated the request....but all of them has a full cart load of groceries and same with us while this lady got 2 bottles of coke....if they got annoyed with me...well, they don't know me and they won't see me anymore LOL!
