I would have let the person in and started unloading my trolley in the meantime. I have often asked people behind me with only a couple of items if they want to go ahead because I know it is going to take me some time to load my groceries on the conveyor belt. However, I don’t think it was right of the woman or other customers to shame this shopper.

It’s not a given and shouldn’t be expected.
I’ve been the one holding a couple of items standing behind a queue and not expected to be bumped up in line.
I’ve also been the one that has been patiently waiting in line with full trolley load with someone behind me with couple of items.
It’s up to the individual to decide but no one should feel bad about declining and no one should demand to be let in.

I think we go shopping and have to expect to wait in line to pay our shopping. The lady was completely in her rights to refuse the other person to jump the queue ahead. First come first serve. If you don’t want to wait then shop at a different time when it’s not busy and there is no queue. I think it’s rude of her to expect to automatically jump the queue just because she only got 2 items and then make a scene when refused. Entitled people!

There is no obligation to allow someone to go in front of you but I always offer if the person behind only has a few items. I usually have a big trolley full so am happy to let them move quickly through. On the rare occasion I only have a few items I use self serve checkouts, but maybe this store didn’t have them. I think it’s okay to refuse too as you were there first. We all have places to go and things to do , so sometimes you just have to wait your turn too.

It’s a courtesy. Everyone is there for the same purpose. You know there’ll be the possibility of waiting in line whether you have 2 or 200 items. The woman was in her right to refuse for her own reasons. Seems a bit forward for someone to ask to push in, rather being offered the courtesy to go ahead.

Its a courtesy, not a rule. I have never in my life asked to go infrastructure of someone because I have less items. But if I did and they said no, well then thats the end of it.
Not my fault they got to the checkout before me so why should I expect to go first. People are so intitled these days

It’s a courtesy and not expected. But sometimes i find i am that person holding 1 item waiting on a long trolley queue. And it’s different had she already been scanning her items but she was STILL unloading and i would have loved if they offered for me to go ahead!

Thankfully this scenario is a bit of a thing of the past now with self checkouts and the express lane. With only two registers open it would be a little odd to bypass the quicker options for smaller shops and try to go in front of a full trolley. I see both sides, but it’s rude to insult someone because you don’t get your way

I can see both sides. However, I personally would never ask anyone if I could jump ahead. I have been that person with just 2 items and I wait my turn like everyone else. I have also been the person with a full trolley and tell others to go ahead while I unload my groceries, but once they are on the conveyor belt and it is my turn and I have children with my I won’t offer for them to hop ahead as at that point I do need to get it done before the kids complain.

In all honesty if the lines were backed up that bad it’s obviously a staffing issue and another checkout should have been opened until the queues eased off. That being said the lady with 2 items would have made barely any difference to the woman’s wait time. She could have even started unloading on the conveyor belt while the other lady was served. She was just being rude and selfish not letting someone with so little go ahead. In fact, if I noticed someone like that, I would offer it to them.

She was in a rush for whatever valid reason, but with an aching back so were you! I think just because she asked, doesnt mean she automatically gets what she wants. Very few of us are delighted to be in a supermarket and wish we could prolong the experience. I think it was especially mean of the person behind you to lean in and side with the would-be queue cutter.
As with anything, it should depend on the circumstances at that particular time, not a blanket expected ‘i can do what I like’ free pass!!!

No. It was ok for her to ask but its wrong to then bitch and be annoyed if the answer is no.
The truth here is that there should have been other checkouts open as a 15minute wait is not acceptable. The store should also have an express lane.
This is something to take up with the store.

I probably would have let her go in front but I have never really thought of asking anyone that. I have been offered by kind people to go ahead though which was nice.

To be honest, you got there first and also waited in line so she should wait also.

In certain circumstances I would offer. I am 75 with arthritis and osteoporosis. It hurts severely to stand for too long. In this instance After standing for 15 minutes in line I would not have let her in.. she had no right to ask. Wait until it’s offered.. there may also have been others like me further back in the line.

The bigger issue is the entitlement. Just because you have two items does not give you the right to go ahead of someone else. I very rarely let others go ahead of me. If we have a couple of items we do self service, if we have a full trolley we find a checkout. Common sense. If I have been waiting at the checkout and you have a couple of items, I will direct you to self service.

Honestly, I would’ve just let the lady with 2 items go in front. I might have growled beneath my breath but I would’ve just obliged. I don’t like confrontation. To me, saying “no” would’ve been more stressful for me. In fact, if I see someone behind me with just a few groceries and I have a big trolley load, I usually ask if they’d like to go ahead of me.

I do let people go in front if they have fewer items, however, a number of times those people have taken longer to pay than my whole transaction would. You can say no and the other person should just accept it or go to self serve.

Was there a self serve chekout this person could have used , very few places don’t have self serve now and it was exceptionally rude of this person to call you miserable when you chose not to let her in front , poor behaviour from the people behind you as well ,

But why couldn’t this lady with the 2 items go to the self serve checkouts? I live in a small regional town with no late nights trading and only got Sunday trading in the last year. And we have self serve checkouts – at Coles, Woolworths and IGA. So I’m doubtful they weren’t there for her to use.

I’d have not let her on too to her honest. 15 minutes you’ve l waited with a sore back and she thinks she can just cut in cos she’s in a rush and not planned her day well?
The guy behind you who said he thought you should have let her through can let her in if hats how he feels.

The bigger issue when it comes to supermarkets and long queues is the lack of registers being open. It really is not acceptable for there to be so few registers open. I have actually asked for a register to be opened when I have a large load or I see someone elderly that needs extra support.