This Is The Self-Entitlement Aisle

(I work the self-scan registers at my local grocery store. My job is to show customers how to use the machine, assist them if something is not working correctly, clean up the garbage customers leave on the registers, and keep an eye out for possible shoplifters. I am not supposed to scan a customer’s order for them, or bag their groceries. I’m in the process of cleaning up a bunch of half-eaten cookies someone left on the floor when this happens.)

Customer: “EXCUSE ME!”

Me: “Yes, ma’am?”

Customer: “I’ve been standing here over two minutes and you haven’t come to ring my order out!”

Me: “These are the self-scan registers, ma’am. The registers with cashiers are down a bit further.”

Customer: “I don’t want to wait in those lines; they’re too long!”

Me: “I can help you use the self-scan if you’d like, ma’am.”

Customer: “I know how to do it! You guys need to open more real registers!”

Me: “I’m sorry, ma’am, we’re short-staffed today and one of the cashiers is on her lunch break. Please let me know if you need any help.”

Customer: “I’ll be fine.”

(I leave the woman to go back to cleaning up the cookies. The woman rings out her order, bags her groceries, and walks off. A few minutes later, she comes stomping back up to me, my manager behind her.)

Customer: “This is the one! She didn’t ring up my groceries or bag them! You need to fire her right now!”

Me: “I offered to help her.”

Manager: “Ma’am, I’ve already explained to you that at the self-scans you do everything yourself. If you’d like a cashier to ring and bag your order, you need to go to the other registers.”

Customer: “I shouldn’t have to ring out my own groceries!”

(She stomped out of the store. My manager sighed, shook his head, and walked off.)