There is something that annoys me about not just H-E-B, but numerous other stores with the exact same problem. It just so happens that this particular time, this incident occurred at H-E-B.
Anyone could probably guess my problem if all I said as "X items or fewer."
My problem is what is the point of these 10, 15, or 20 items or fewer checkout lanes if H-E-B (as well as other stores) are just going to let anyone checkout through them.
I had the unfortunate pleasure to be behind a customer in the 15 items or fewer lane and this person had 2 bags of groceries amounting to at least 25 items. I'll be honest, I lost count past 20.
It offends me that H-E-B and other stores allow customers to go through these without telling them, politely, that, "I'm sorry, but this is the X items or fewer lane, you have too many items, you have to use one of the other lanes."
For anyone who says, "Well what about those people who only have 16 or 17 items?"
To those I respond with this, "What's the point of having these maximum item lanes if you're not going to abide by the rules? And where does it stop? It's only a few items over. It's only 5 items over. It's only 10 items over, etc. etc."
Either 15 items or fewer means 15 items or fewer or else it means nothing and you might as well take out those lanes altogether.
I happen to think they really mean nothing. Why? Let me recount this little tale that I was a witness to...
A customer in front of me checked out of the 15 items or fewer lane with a basket full of groceries, at least 50 items. The checkout girl politely told the woman that this was the 15 items or fewer lane. The customer rudely replied, "Well, I've already taken them out of the basket." Said customer then went and complained to the manager. The manager then came over the to checkout girl and told her not to refuse to checkout anyone. (Essentially, it doesn't matter that it said 15 items or fewer, you can't stop them.)
After checking out, I went over to the manager and explained to her that in fact it was not the checkout girl who was rude, it was the customer. I also complained that I don't appreciate that I follow the rules and get stuck behind these customers (and I'm thinking jackasses and assholes) who decide they just use whichever checkout lane they damn well please.
To conclude, either 15 items or fewer means 15 items or fewer or there's not point whatsoever to having those lanes and they should be removed. Checkout people should be able to tell customers, "No you have too many items and need to checkout at another lane" and then be secure in the knowledge that their managers will back them up.
If H-E-B is too afraid to tell people no, then I have an idea. Why not invent a checkout machine that only will checkout X number of items or fewer? After that checkout person scans in item #15 that machine stops accepting items and the customer has to pay. And if someone comes up there with too many items, too bad. They were warned ahead of time when it says X items or fewer.
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