Express Checkout
We have 2 different express checkouts where I work, 20 items or less and 10 items or less. It’s posted above each checkout and these checkouts don’thave the moving belts on them. To me it’s obvious which ones they are. I knew before I worked here which lanes were the express lanes. How on earth can people be confused if they’re express or not?
What posesses people to take not only a full cart full of groceries to an express but 2 carts? What ARE people thinking? These express lanes aren’t set up to take more than 20 items at a time. The space to put your groceries is small with no conveyor belt, the area we place the bags can litterally only hold 4 bags, not the 20 it takes for a full cart. I see people stack 3 or 4 items high on these tiny spaces, just to get their groceries scanned. In fact once I had a stool fall on my hand. I’ve seen tons of bottles of soda or jars of pickles fall because people stacked items there or the bag carousel. It’s a proven fact that these lanes can’t scan your items as fast as on a belt non express lane. So if getting out fast is your excuse for piling up 50 items on a 20 item or less lane, you’re out of steam.
Not only is it dangerous, takes more time and not set up to take more than 20 items, it’s completely defeating the purpose of having express lanes. Express is there for people who only have a few items that we can get through quicker. It’s not for people with 21 items, wic checks, hand keyed ebt cards. It’s suppose to be SPEEDY. If you have a special need for gods sake go to a belt equiped lane where no one is standing behind you trying to get to their son’s soccer game or mother’s funeral or cousin’s wedding. The express lane is to get people with FEW items through fast.
And the excuse “well you don’t have a customer now.” is complete bull shit. It’s like saying “well I only speeded when there was no one around.”. Rules are rules. Besides that consider murphy’s law of express lanes; If I take someone with over 20 items within 15 seconds of rining the first item up there will form a huge angry line behind that person.
Now the CFH of express lanes. Wic checks and EBT cards that don’t scan. You folks KNOW it takes longer for wic checks to be confirmed, scanned and rung up. If you have a special need like with wic checks, take it to a belt. Normally I have no problem with ebt cards, but anyone who works with them knows that they lose their magnetic charge a lot and have to be hand keyed in by the cashier. If you have one of these cards don’t even look at an express lane. Not only do I have to hand key in the 15 number card twice, I have to wait for a supervisor to come and approve it, which during a busy time I’ve seen take up to 15 minutes. Just go to a belt for farts sake.
I had this lady once come up to me when I was at a express lane that is known to be THE busiest express lane. We weren’t slamming busy but busy enough to where I always had a customer or one approaching the lane. Then this big, fat, sweat clad lady comes pushing a full cart up to my lane and I politely tell her “I’m sorry ma’am but I can only take 20 items or less.” She starts ranting about how I’m refusing her service and since when have we been able to refuse customers. As I’m trying to tell her that it’s been like that since I started working here she keeps interrupting me with angry remarks. I offered to take her to a belt that could accomodate her. She stomped off, turning to a man behind her pushing another cart and headed for another express lane. She not only had 1 full cart of groceries, but 2! And she expected service at a 20 items or less lane?
That’s it for now, rant off. But there have been plenty more CFH at the express lanes and there will be plenty more. Boggles me that people expect special treatment.