# Is this a dickish move at the grocery store? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 17, 2018, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-dickish-move-at-the-grocery-store/809028 "2018-02-17T23:59:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [February 17, 2018, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-dickish-move-at-the-grocery-store/809028/1 "2018-02-17T23:59:00Z")
I was in a moderately busy grocery store today. As I was in line, I overheard a couple behind me debating whether to get in line behind me or the line next to me. “You stay here”, says the man, “I’ll wait in that line”. He slides over, and they each occupy a place in a line, each ready to jump ship when it becomes clear which line is more desirable. I thought it was quite the dick move, and I’m curious if I’m in the majority on this. mmm ---
**Author:** ![Asimovian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asimovian/32/172_2.png) [@Asimovian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asimovian)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2018, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-dickish-move-at-the-grocery-store/809028/2 "2018-02-18T00:06:06Z")
I don’t consider it dickish. I guess I’ve never thought of it that way. I realize that it may throw off someone’s perception of how long I’m going to take, if my wife and I have split up the number of groceries we have, so I can see how that might be annoying. But it’s never bothered me when other people do it, either. The only somewhat analogous situation I can think of where the behavior bothers me is in a fast food/concession line, where you think there’s only one person in front of you, but as they get to the front of the line, all of a sudden, it’s a group of four, _and they’re all ordering separately_. If they’re ordering as a group, then I don’t think of it as a big deal. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2018, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-dickish-move-at-the-grocery-store/809028/3 "2018-02-18T00:09:08Z")
Not dickish but it would certainly get a big eyeroll from me. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2018, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-dickish-move-at-the-grocery-store/809028/4 "2018-02-18T00:24:52Z")
Moderately dickish but eyerollingly so rather than “Let it ruin the afternoon”. I’ll probably forget about it by the time my car is started but I’d be thinking they’re a couple of selfish putzes at the time. Edit: Really, I’d say “obnoxious” rather than “dickish” ---
**Author:** ![kayT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayt/32/3633_2.png) [@kayT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayT)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2018, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-dickish-move-at-the-grocery-store/809028/5 "2018-02-18T00:30:05Z")
I fail to see why this is “dickish”. If they both got in one line and it was the fastest, no foul. If they both got in one line and it was the slowest, they’re stuck because they guessed wrong. So, they split up and get the fastest. Who have they harmed? ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2018, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-dickish-move-at-the-grocery-store/809028/6 "2018-02-18T00:48:27Z")
Nah! Whatever gets you through your day. Instead of the number people in a line, I try to ascertain which people may have problem in a particular line. You can bet a well dressed little old granny is gonna have an issue, 1st she will WRITE a check, 2nd she will argue about some pricing of an oddball item. The welfare/snap Mom with 3 kids in tow is going over her limit. Young couple whose card is denied. Woman with 50 coupons. It’s a fun game. Generally I do self check-out. I have trouble EVERYTIME. I am allergic to electronics. ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2018, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-dickish-move-at-the-grocery-store/809028/7 "2018-02-18T00:51:56Z")
This has never bothered me. I thought it was something that everyone did as a basic survival technique for shopping. ---
**Author:** ![cornflakes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@cornflakes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cornflakes)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2018, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-dickish-move-at-the-grocery-store/809028/8 "2018-02-18T00:52:22Z")
Heeheehee… I would wait until she moved to the other lineand then let the person behind her go in front of me. ---
**Author:** ![Not\_a\_Platypus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/d26b3c/32.png) [@Not\_a\_Platypus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Not_a_Platypus)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2018, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-dickish-move-at-the-grocery-store/809028/9 "2018-02-18T00:58:23Z")
Eh. It’s rude to whoever is behind them in the line they decide on, since people frequently pick a line based on how much the people ahead of them are buying and it’s annoying as hell to think you’re behind someone with a couple of things or maybe they’ll just be buying stamps or something and then their partner rolls over with a full cart. Standing in line is already annoying, though, and this ultimately isn’t that big a deal. ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2018, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-dickish-move-at-the-grocery-store/809028/10 "2018-02-18T01:19:52Z")
They were in a line before anybody who came after them, so why should they not be served before anyone who came after them? Anybody behind either of them came later, and has no right to complain. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2018, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-dickish-move-at-the-grocery-store/809028/11 "2018-02-18T01:30:52Z")
> [@jtur88](#): > > They were in a line before anybody who came after them, so why should they not be served before anyone who came after them? Anybody behind either of them came later, and has no right to complain. Never thought I’d say this, but I completely agree with jtur88. It should be obvious to anyone in line behind a person with zero groceries that they’re holding a spot in line for someone with groceries, not just killing time. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2018, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-dickish-move-at-the-grocery-store/809028/12 "2018-02-18T01:50:18Z")
> [@needscoffee](#): > > It should be obvious to anyone in line behind a person with zero groceries that they’re holding a spot in line for someone with groceries, not just killing time. They could also be buying something from the checkout line, with the person in front of them or buying stamps, etc from the cashier. ---
**Author:** ![Two\_Many\_Cats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8dc957/32.png) [@Two\_Many\_Cats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Two_Many_Cats)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2018, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-dickish-move-at-the-grocery-store/809028/13 "2018-02-18T01:52:09Z")
No, not a dick move. You know what is a dick move? Using an order ahead app. You know, you drop into a Starbucks and it looks like there’s just one person ahead of you, but you get to the pick up, and you wait while the barrista makes fifteen special orders for the assholes that use the order ahead app. Yeah, you heard me, assholes. Wait in line like everyone else. ---
**Author:** ![DooWahDiddy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9bcb4/32.png) [@DooWahDiddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DooWahDiddy)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2018, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-dickish-move-at-the-grocery-store/809028/14 "2018-02-18T02:33:52Z")
I voted yes. Not a _dick_ move, but dick…ish, just like it says. I put it in the same category as those jerks you play Dirty Santa with who are married, and choose a gift they know their spouse wants so he/she can steal it so they can steal it right back. It’s like, just play the game, Frank. It’s not fair to those who are single, and I’m not even single, so nice try. ---
**Author:** ![That\_Don\_Guy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/that_don_guy/32/538_2.png) [@That\_Don\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/That_Don_Guy)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2018, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-dickish-move-at-the-grocery-store/809028/15 "2018-02-18T02:42:56Z")
Only a dick move if either (a) one of them is in an express lane and their combined take exceeds the limit, or (b) you let one of them ahead of you, not aware that they were with somebody that also had items. ---
**Author:** ![Manlob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Manlob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manlob)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2018, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-dickish-move-at-the-grocery-store/809028/16 "2018-02-18T02:45:21Z")
Dickish. Did they have a grocery cart that they were going to squeeze in front of others if they decided to change lines? ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2018, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-dickish-move-at-the-grocery-store/809028/17 "2018-02-18T02:49:37Z")
Honestly, the queue lines for supermarkets are incredibly stupid. It should work more like Kohl’s when things are busy, where a single queue feeds to all the lines. So no, I don’t think what the couple did was dickish at all. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2018, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-dickish-move-at-the-grocery-store/809028/18 "2018-02-18T02:59:12Z")
I’d rate it at “jerk move” rather than “dick move.” It obfuscates the line situation and so keeps me from making the most informed possible decision about which one to get into. Anybody who gets into line behind the ‘placeholder’ is reasonably expecting that the wait will be for a value of _x_ groceries rather than for a value of _x_ groceries plus some other person’s shopping cart. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2018, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-dickish-move-at-the-grocery-store/809028/19 "2018-02-18T03:00:17Z")
Surprised by the responses here. Definitely on the side of dickish here. Not as dickish as someone immediately finding a place in line while the other person shops (and just letting one person after another go by until the shopping is finished), but a bit of gaming the system. Some people find it clever. I find it annoying. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2018, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-dickish-move-at-the-grocery-store/809028/20 "2018-02-18T03:02:39Z")
> [@What\_Exit](#): > > Honestly, the queue lines for supermarkets are incredibly stupid. It should work more like Kohl’s when things are busy, where a single queue feeds to all the lines. So no, I don’t think what the couple did was dickish at all. That doesn’t seem at all feasible to me. At some of the grocery stores I shop at, when it gets busy, each line may be 5 or 6 shoppers deep, spilling over into the aisles. I cannot fathom how large the queue would have to be so, instead of having 10 queues of 5 or 6 people each, to have a single queue 50 to 60 people deep. (I don’t shop at Kohl’s, so I don’t know how they handle it, but it seems to me that it would require a dedicated area for lining up. I’ve seen it at Fry’s Electronics, but that queuing area is HUGE.) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-this-a-dickish-move-at-the-grocery-store/809028.md?page=2)