Checkout This Justice!

(I’m grabbing some groceries. After I put my items on the belt, the cashier closes the checkout by turning off the overhead light and asking me to place a “Till Closed” separator at the end. [Customer #1] then puts her items on the checkout belt. The cashier tells her the till is closed, but as she only has a few items, the cashier agrees to serve her. [Customer #2] then approaches the checkout.)

Cashier: “Sorry, this till is closed. You need to use the other till.”

Customer #2: “Oh, but I only have one thing.” *makes puppy eyes and waves a single packet of ham*

Cashier: *clearly frustrated* “Okay, fine.”

(The cashier then turns away as she starts scanning my items. [Customer #2] waves her husband over with a full trolley and the two of them start firing items onto the conveyor belt as quickly as they can. The cashier notices them, but seems to ignore it. She finishes serving me, and while I’m organising my shopping opposite the end of the till, she also serves [Customer #1]. The cashier then gets up and starts walking away.)

Customer #2: “Excuse me! Where are you going?”

Cashier: “Home. My shift has ended.”

Customer #2: “Okay… So, will someone else serve me?”

Cashier: “No, this till is now closed. If you want to be served, you can go to the other till.”

(The cashier walks around and locks the gate between the end of the till and the exit.)

Customer #2: “Uh, you said you would serve me here! All my stuff is on the belt. I’m not putting it back in the trolley. The other till is really busy now, too.”

Cashier: “I only said I’d serve you because you said you had one thing. You lied, so I’m not helping you. If you had gone to the other till in the first place, you’d be finished by now.”

Customer #2: *fake giggling and playing cute* “Well, when I said one thing, I meant one trolley!” *giggle*

Cashier: “I don’t care. You can put everything back in your trolley and bring it to the next till.”

Customer #2: “This is terrible customer service! Get me the manager.”

Cashier: “I am the manager, and I’m going home. ” *walks away*

(As I was leaving, I saw [Customer #2] and her husband start putting her items back in the trolley. I really hoped they didn’t open another checkout before [Customer #2] had unloaded everything again at the next checkout.)