Supermarket cashier chit chat

JimmyTheWig

Rockporkchop wrote: »

I've just remembered something else that used to really annoy me about supermarkets. I have triplets and I used to be utterly amazed at how many cashiers and other customers thought it was OK to say to me "are they triplets? Natural or IVF?" or some variation on that question. Why would they even want to know?!

Ooh, it's the first question that would come to my mind, too. Then I'd be interested to know if they were identical, or any pairs of identical twins.

Natural triplets must be pretty uncommon. Which would make IVF a more likely possibility. I appreciate it wouldn't always be appropriate to ask, but I'd still be interested.

flutterby_lil

I always get the same Asda cashier asking how old my daughter is.....I am tempted to say, 2 weeks since you asked me last time!

Sarah715

that does sound very awkward I probably would have just completely changed the subject and asked about their christmas plans or something, but not always easy to do in that sort of situation!

elsien

January20 wrote: »

If I don't feel like talking, I'll go to one of the others, or to a self-serve tills (although the recorded voice shouting instructions at me would make me even more unsociable)

Now you see the self-serve tills get more conversation out of me than the cashiers. Well, I say conversation, more of a monologue along the lines of "no there isn't anything in the bagging area you stupid machine, yes alright I'm doing it -give me a chance, oh !!!!!! now what are you doing....." etc etc.

I don't mind a quick chat or hello with the cashiers, but you can't be rude to them even when they're being inane (- no thank you I really don't need help packing my single item) and it's not their fault that just setting foot over the threshold of a supermarket tends to send me into a fit of trolley rage.

Having said that, it's not a job I could do, all that being nice to people all day, I'd be wanting to kill someone by the first tea break. My neighbour works at Mr T, and is always getting told off for not being chatty enough. Her perspective is that if people want to chat that's fine, but she's not going to gabble away to people who are clearly not interested.

tea_lover

I hate it, it's by far the worst part of shopping for me. I definitely think Asda is the worst for it, but as they're usually cheaper I'm stuck with it.

olias

Hate it, hate it, hate it! I especially loathe when they comment on my shopping......Beer and crisps...'ooh, you just having a quiet night in on your own tonight then?'.......Flowers and a card... 'ooh, who's the lucky lady then?'.......Tofu...'ooh, are you vegetarian? I could never do that, I love my bacon sarnies too much.'...Anusol....'ooh, that must be sore for you'.....Ok, I made the last one up, but you get the drift. I don't want comments about what I buy, or why I've bought it thank you very much!:mad:

Olias

January20

elsien wrote: »

Now you see the self-serve tills get more conversation out of me than the cashiers. Well, I say conversation, more of a monologue along the lines of "no there isn't anything in the bagging area you stupid machine, yes alright I'm doing it -give me a chance, oh !!!!!! now what are you doing....." etc etc.


.

I have to watch myself - and my language :eek: - very carefully when I use self-serve tills too! :rotfl:


olias, you're so funny :rotfl:

miss_independent

I think I prefer them to just get on with their job, don't get me wrong, I'm pleasant enough, say please and thank you etc but supermarket shopping is a stressful experience and I'd rather get out of there ASAP!

I had one woman at Tesco who used to intentionally hold me up and make things as drawn out as possible, examining every item before scanning it very slowly and talking about them, then placing it in a bag. She was always very chatty and pleasant to the people in front of me (especially if they had children) but barely said a word to me and had a hostile attitude, huffing and puffing whilst closely examining my shopping. I noticed she would carry on a conversation after the person in front of me had paid, drawing it out whilst sneakily glancing at me to see if I'd complain that she hadn't started scanning my stuff. Then she would watch them go, slowly turn around, stare at me, huff then as slow as she could pick up my first item. I can honestly say I never did anything to her, I think she just didn't like my face or that fact I was a young woman or something. This was the express checkout, and that was the reason I had so many dealings with her.

But she had no idea what was going on in my life. That the reason I used the express checkout was because I was a full time carer for five years for my Nan who couldn't be left alone for an hour, and she would be waiting at home, getting distressed and meanwhile this lady was intentionally holding me up and making it clear she would do things in her own sweet time and she would make me wait if she wanted.

When my Nan died recently, after a week long bedside vigil where I didn't sleep or eat - I had to venture to the supermarket for basics and it's incredibly hard to face the world. Honestly, I didn't want to talk to total strangers - I was a zombie and just wanted to get in and get out asap. I didn't want to hear, "Doing anything nice this weekend?" or bright and breezy, "And how are YOU today?", "ooh that's interesting, are you having a stirfry?" etc etc. As I say, Nan died very recently and Christmas is something I haven't really been able to face very easily this year so it would really help if cashiers would stop asking, "Are you getting excited for Christmas?" or "So what are you doing for Christmas this year?" because the answer is, "just trying to get through it as best as I can". To be honest it makes you want to not go out which leads to more isolation.

You could argue, it's not their fault, they don't know what's going on in our lives. But that's exactly the point, they are strangers! They don't know if you have just been bereaved, or have cancer or have just found out your husband has had an affair and did they know those things they wouldn't be saying, "Got your Christmas tree up yet?". I don't mind if the chat is, "did you find everything you needed ok?" or "is there anything else I can help you with today?" but when it starts to get personal it's a bit annoying. I agree at ASDA it seems very scripted though I doubt, "look at my stump" is part of the script!

Thank God for Aldi and Lidl!

pimento

valkirn wrote: »

So you'd prefer a sullen non speaking slam it all in a bag and get rid of you as quick as possible type of cashier???

Yes please.

Treevo

miss_independent wrote: »

I think I prefer them to just get on with their job, don't get me wrong, I'm pleasant enough, say please and thank you etc but supermarket shopping is a stressful experience and I'd rather get out of there ASAP!

I had one woman at Tesco who used to intentionally hold me up and make things as drawn out as possible, examining every item before scanning it very slowly and talking about them, then placing it in a bag. She was always very chatty and pleasant to the people in front of me (especially if they had children) but barely said a word to me and had a hostile attitude, huffing and puffing whilst closely examining my shopping. I noticed she would carry on a conversation after the person in front of me had paid, drawing it out whilst sneakily glancing at me to see if I'd complain that she hadn't started scanning my stuff. Then she would watch them go, slowly turn around, stare at me, huff then as slow as she could pick up my first item. I can honestly say I never did anything to her, I think she just didn't like my face or that fact I was a young woman or something. This was the express checkout, and that was the reason I had so many dealings with her.

But she had no idea what was going on in my life. That the reason I used the express checkout was because I was a full time carer for five years for my Nan who couldn't be left alone for an hour, and she would be waiting at home, getting distressed and meanwhile this lady was intentionally holding me up and making it clear she would do things in her own sweet time and she would make me wait if she wanted.

When my Nan died recently, after a week long bedside vigil where I didn't sleep or eat - I had to venture to the supermarket for basics and it's incredibly hard to face the world. Honestly, I didn't want to talk to total strangers - I was a zombie and just wanted to get in and get out asap. I didn't want to hear, "Doing anything nice this weekend?" or bright and breezy, "And how are YOU today?", "ooh that's interesting, are you having a stirfry?" etc etc. As I say, Nan died very recently and Christmas is something I haven't really been able to face very easily this year so it would really help if cashiers would stop asking, "Are you getting excited for Christmas?" or "So what are you doing for Christmas this year?" because the answer is, "just trying to get through it as best as I can". To be honest it makes you want to not go out which leads to more isolation.

You could argue, it's not their fault, they don't know what's going on in our lives. But that's exactly the point, they are strangers! They don't know if you have just been bereaved, or have cancer or have just found out your husband has had an affair and did they know those things they wouldn't be saying, "Got your Christmas tree up yet?". I don't mind if the chat is, "did you find everything you needed ok?" or "is there anything else I can help you with today?" but when it starts to get personal it's a bit annoying. I agree at ASDA it seems very scripted though I doubt, "look at my stump" is part of the script!

Thank God for Aldi and Lidl!

Why did you keep going back to her? If she was that bad.