Monday, August 17, 2009
Good advice What's My Line?
Posted by Nicki Wood on Mon, Aug 17, 2009 at 11:01 AM
It happened AGAIN--at the store, we picked the line with only two people in it, rather than the line with four people. It seemed like the logical choice, but when we hadn't inched forward in 10 minutes, I craned my neck to find that one of those two people was using her own bags (can't begrudge that) and the clerk didn't know how to account for that. And that person was also buying groceries for someone else, so there were really two transactions involved. Even when I'm in the express line, I pick the slow line. So advice, please--how do you select your line, at the bank or the grocery, and does your tactic work?
Comments (11)
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I try to pick the line with the most competent looking cashiers. You can usually tell within 10 seconds if they know what they are doing or not.
If that fails, I go based on cashier looks. That way if it takes longer I have some type of distraction. Sometimes you just have to wait it out, happens to everyone at some point.
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The *only* time I ever think that there may be a higher being out there is when I pick my line at the store.
I can go to Publix, pick the line with only one other person ahead, and only get out after 4 others do so before me on the other line.
I'm behind the guy who will has to find his wallet to show proof for some Bud Lite. He then puts the wallet back in his pocket. Has to fish out again for his debit card, which he cant find and then tries 9 times to remember his PIN. Then then remembers he needs cash back......
It's called Karma
I hate to give away my secret...
Self-Checkout
Almost never a line. And your bread never gets bagged under your ice cream.
Not even the Self-Checkout is fool proof. I've stood in line behind people Self-Checking what appeared to be $300 worth of groceries. That, or its their first time using the Self-Check and each item takes 45 seconds.
I'm with Tob, sometimes it takes me longer to get through the self-checkout. Either there is a line or first-time-users during rush hour.
I have noticed that Kroger's service in the self-checkout have seriously improved since they updated the machines and the service people carry little PDA-type thingies that help override the problems with ID or too much weight in the bagging area, and they don't have to be tied to one computer.
I always tell people getting in line behind me at the store to leave and get in another line because I always pick the wrong one. Once I was behind a lady that paid in all loose change-over $36 worth.
Anyone else enjoy using the Self-Checkouts in Spanish? I love it, the voice is always a few decibels louder than the english version. I guess they are trying to say Spanish speakers have widespread hearing loss.
I'm dying laughing at this. When we would get a good line or a good parking spot at the Grocery store, my mom would tell me it was because "Jesus loved us".
HA!
my method is simple - take someone with you, have them stand in another line and whoever gets their first gets the cart...
still, not always fool proof.
I personally prefer self-checkout, but only because it's like a zen moment where time stands till. I always bring my own bags, which makes everything mad to start with, and I can't read the little produce stickers half the time. (And how do you know if you have bulk garlic or elephant garlic anyway? ) And when the beer trips the light fantastic the earth hesitates for one split second in its rotation. I swear, somewhere salmon stop running, and someone somewhere no doubt wakes up with their pajamas turned inside out.
I'm a fan of the U-Scan, but it always freaks out with my Baggus. And the attendant is slow to clear the error message.
The real secret? Go to Trader Joe's. Doesn't matter how packed the place is, I've never had to wait more than 30 seconds to get to a register. They're fast and always on the lookout if they need to open another lane. It is insane how fast they get you out of there.
