I haven’t used a human cashier in years at my local grocery stores.
But when the self-checkout machine starts commenting about my choice of goods, that will be the last time I shop there.
Now that’s just plain rude. I might be tempted to reply with either “Mind your own business” or “Fuck off, asshole” depending on my mood.
Intone “If you buy it, they will come!” You’ll either get a laugh or confused silence, either way you’re done.
I’ve been a cashier in a number of stores and found that it helps to have a mental file of generically pleasant/amusing lines to break out in order to personalize the interaction. It also helps a LOT to just roll with the endless repetitions of tired “jokes” and comments, let them slide off like water off a duck’s ass. You go crazy if you don’t master these crucial cashier skills. Same with any job that requires you to have interactions with shit tons of people every day–if you don’t figure out how to let it all go you’re gonna go crazy and/or get fired.
That being said, when I’m really stressed out I have dreams I’m back working in a call center and it’s never pleasant. Gah.
That’s perfect! Bolding mine. I needed a name for this – it’s like a behavior-based version of code-switching in speech.
I don’t enjoy the smallest of the small talk in office break rooms, but I’ll do it.
‘’Mmmmm, that smells good!!!’ says the chatter.
‘It’s umm some Lean Cusine’ says me
I know they’re just making small talk and I understand that’s part of office life, I’d still rather use the three minute microwave countdown to check the news, sports scores and any texts on my phone. In the pre smart phone era, I’d often be flipping through a newspaper.
I’m the person standing behind the person buying a bunch of yummy stuff, “I’m coming to your house for dinner!”
Here’s the most annoying comment ever on my food.
In a grocery store and they have a vendor giving away sugar cookies (not a Costco, think Kroger). She of course wants us to take the sample but we say no, we are on a sugar free diet. A few feet later, Mrs Cad suggests we grab one for our son. Sure so I go and get it. Walking back to Mrs Cad, the vendor storms over, says, “You said you were on a diet. You’re a fucking liar.” (yes she used the F word) then slapped the cookie out of my hand.
Good heavens. I hope and trust we’re all in agreement here that on the rudeness scale that goes WAY beyond a mere “comment about your food”.
It’s assault. At the least, whoever’s employing her, as well as the store, should have been notified.
While leaving a Costco, having purchased a big box of diapers and big box of condoms, the receipt checker remarked: “little too late, dont you think?” Normally, I don’t care for small talk, but i had to tip my hat to her on that one.
We need to buy some cinder blocks to put a basement freezer on.
I’m thinking of rolling a shopping cart up to the Lowe’s cashier with the cinder blocks, along with a couple rolls of duct tape, a bottle of bleach, some zip ties and a hundred feet of electrical cord.*
“Going to have a party?”
“Why…yes. Yes, I am.”
*paying cash and of course, wearing my mask.
Tell her it was for your son, than make a show of writing down the brand of cookie while commenting you won’t be buying anything in that line, even any diet goods they might have.
This would not annoy me in the least! I would chuckle and say, “Why yes I am, and where I’m from it’s customary to bring a bottle of wine for the hostess. I love Super Tuscans!”
Cat person eh?
< snerk >
Sorry, that was rude of me. 
I worked at a supermarket for a long time and I never really engaged in any chit-chat with the customers unless they insisted.
I actually had a lot of customers who appreciated that and intentionally went through my line even if it was longer because I was fast, I bagged in a sensible and logical manner, and with very rare exception I didn’t talk to them except for my corporate-mandated spiel just to check that box for the mystery shoppers.
About 6 years ago I moved from Chicago to Kentucky. At some point soon after I realized that my bizarre level of discomfort with chatty cashiers had more to do with everyone else instead of myself. I was pretty sure that the extra time taken was about to cause some kind of altercation with the people behind me in line. It for sure wasn’t, in fact I appear to be the weird one. So maybe it’s a little regional. I’m trying not to be shocked and appalled by weird questions but they just keep coming.
Welcome JD, its good to have you here.
I don’t get annoyed when strangers comment on my food, I get confused, so ask why they are paying attention to what a stranger is doing or why they are eating/buying such and such.
Usually they realize they have been kinda rude and leave, but sometimes someone wants to explain just why they think they have any input on my food which is when I turn my back and walk away.
I think I’ve eaten in work break rooms maybe 10 times in my life. Eating in my car and reading with nobody fucking talking at me was the best part of my work day.
^ This.
Pre-covid I had a coworker at my current job who seemed compelled to try to draw anyone reading a book during break into a conversation. It was fucking annoying.
I had the same problem. What part of “I am responding in mono-syllables or less and am positioning the book my face is buried in between us” means “yatter at me more and louder”?
There’s a sort that absolutely does NOT want you to read. I told my coworker point blank “I am reading my book and I’d rather not be disturbed, thank you very much.” Which did nothing to deter her. Grunts and monosyllables simply won’t cut it.
In my experience these folks are almost always women. Why is that?