NOS88

We're out of coffee this morning. So, no big deal. I strap on the helmet and ride to the grocery store 3/4 of a mile away. Once I have my SINGLE bag of coffee and head to the checkout I see two lanes open. One with three folks with carts full of goods, and the other is the "Express" line with the sign that reads "Ten items or less". I step into this line only to see the man in front of me with a cart full of items (I counted 42). Since I've not yet had my coffee, I don't censor myself and say, "Hey, this is the express line. You belong in the other line." The guy never responds or even looks at me. AND the clerk begins to check him out. I ask to see the manager when it's my turn to be checked out. Manager comes over and I ask why they have the signs if they aren't going to honor them. He gets all huffy and says they attempt to serve all of their customers equally well. I point out that I sure don't feel this "equality" thing of which he speaks. Then he says I can always choose to shop elsewhere. At which point I say, "You're right. I can.", and walk out of the store without paying for or taking the coffee. So here I sit at my keyboard and still haven't had my coffee yet. I'm feeling very cranky right now. I'd best stop posting until I'm in a better mood.

Suzie Green

Go back in, get a cart with about 100 items, go through the register. When it comes time to pay, say "Oh darn, I forgot my wallet" and leave all the stuff there and go home.

RonH

Next time bring your bike into the store and see what kind of "attention" you get.

linux_author

i'm curious - what grocery chain?

you could always report the manager to corporate (most chains don't want to employ managers who tell customers to shop elsewhere)...

Allegheny Jet

And be sure to put the bags of potato chips under the case of green beans and the deli sliced meat on top of it all. Or, you cold just email the coporate office with your concerns about the management running the store you will be leaving.

Suzie Green

My store puts the eggs on the bottom so that when they break, they don't run all over everything else.

Timtruro

Encourage your friends not to shop there either. That kind of thing drives me nuts You should complain to whatever the next level of management is. Forget the local dumb ass, he may not care but that attitude will eventually put his employees jobs at risk. Chain name?

maddmaxx 

On the other hand, when I shop at 7am on Sunday morning and have about 60 items in my cart and there is only one register open with a line.................I appreciate it when the clerk at the unused express register says.............."I can take the next person over here...

Life is relative..................and short

europa

I'm still trying to work out what the problem is

Richard

pennypue

I'd still shop there. Just that I'd fill my cart FULL of stuff, head for the 12 items or less lane, then just pick out the few things that I really need and leave the rest right there.

Ok, really, I wouldn't.....but sounds fun, doesn't it?

Cone Wrench

Sometimes, one's indignation can lead to actions which are not in one's best self-interest.

pop's

Let's just face it some people are really stupid and should not be alowed to reproduce. 50% of the world has hemmorids, the other half are perfect A-holes. You really have not seen a grouch until you see me with out my coffee.

Don't pick a fight with an old man, he will just kill ya!

Pop's

Digital Gee

What an opportunity for that manager to take his team to the next level, change a few paradigms, and do some thinking outside the box!

gcottay

I've found feelings of entitlement cause only problems. Gratitude, however, is always sweet.

Rick@OCRR

I don't understand why you didn't stop at Starbucks . . .
It seems like there's one (almost) on every corner.

Rick / OCRR

Billy Bones

In These Times, it's beneficial to just expect bad service, disdain, and offense. Make a game of it by staying cheerful and calm, beatific even. You win the match if your heart rate stays withing 10 beats of normal. Yeah, go ahead and contact "corporate" (I did it this AM, myself.), but don't live in the least expectation that "corporate" cares much. After all, they'll still sell groceries to saints, sinners, trolls, and troglodytes in profitable abundance 'cause they all gotta' eat.

Oh, and for Jove's Merry Sake, stockpile a tactical reserve of coffee.

Here endeth the lesson.

Retro Grouch 

Wrong approach.

Since the clerk hadn't started checking out the 43 item guy, why didn't you ask if they'd let you go ahead? That's what I would have done and I'm a grouch.

roadfix

Without asking, a sharp, observant clerk would have taken you ahead of the 42 item guy.

Tom Bombadil

IMHO, the manager was definitely in the wrong. And I have several years of retail management experience. Even if he tells his cashiers to go ahead and process everyone in any line, he should have apologized to you, gone to a register, rung you up, and thanked you for your business.

If it came to my attention that a manager did what you said that manager did, I would have them in my office to explain their actions and do a little customer service coaching.

Cone Wrench

Aha! I think we now have come to the crux of the problem. It seems that NOS88 is using this talk of express lanes, managers and grocery items to distract us from the heinous crime of allowing the house to run out of coffee.

How do you answer these charges, NOS88?

maddmaxx 

Nolo Coffendri

jiminos

where have i seen these phrases before?

be well,

jim

Old School

Spoken like a true organizational consultant!!

BengeBoy 

Absolutely!

I once walked out of a store after an encounter like the one above and I realized that *I* was losing the war because I had to go to another store. I went back into the store, explained that I didn't want my frustration to make my day worse, asked the manager for his name and store number, asked him to ring me up, and then went home with my purchase. I then emailed corporate HQ w/my version of the story.

Managers of big chain stores don't really care about losing one sale if they're having a bad day. They *do* care about a phone call from the district manager asking what was up with the letter that came down from corporate HQ.

Hask12

The store manager gave you the best suggestion. Now write a letter to the corporate headquarters and tell them why you are following that suggestion. And be damn sure you never run out of coffee again.