# When (and why) the fuck did checking out at a store become such a goddamned stupid ordeal.

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-and-why-the-fuck-did-checking-out-at-a-store-become-such-a-goddamned-stupid-ordeal/654803>\
**Category:** The BBQ Pit\
**Created:** [April 4, 2013, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-and-why-the-fuck-did-checking-out-at-a-store-become-such-a-goddamned-stupid-ordeal/654803 "2013-04-04T04:07:51Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 8

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**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\
**Post date:** [April 5, 2013, 5:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-and-why-the-fuck-did-checking-out-at-a-store-become-such-a-goddamned-stupid-ordeal/654803/141 "2013-04-05T05:08:51Z")

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> [@Lynn\_Bodoni](#):
>
> Yeah, it could have been corporate policy, but she was claiming that it violated labor laws.

Well, that was my misunderstanding then, because I was only going by what I was told at the time.

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**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\
**Post date:** [April 5, 2013, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-and-why-the-fuck-did-checking-out-at-a-store-become-such-a-goddamned-stupid-ordeal/654803/142 "2013-04-05T05:09:40Z")

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> [@needscoffee](#):
>
> Does somebody need a hug?

Does he have enough punkfaggot points to get one, though?

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**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\
**Post date:** [April 5, 2013, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-and-why-the-fuck-did-checking-out-at-a-store-become-such-a-goddamned-stupid-ordeal/654803/143 "2013-04-05T05:11:25Z")

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> [@Dag\_Otto](#):
>
> I blame his wife for not marrying someone who would just man up and change the fucking tire.

Wifes. Plural. Double-check the OP. 😉

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**Author:** ![Dag\_Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@Dag\_Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dag_Otto)\
**Post date:** [April 5, 2013, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-and-why-the-fuck-did-checking-out-at-a-store-become-such-a-goddamned-stupid-ordeal/654803/144 "2013-04-05T05:15:02Z")

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That poor bastard.

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**Author:** ![crypto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b3f665/32.png) [@crypto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crypto)\
**Post date:** [April 5, 2013, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-and-why-the-fuck-did-checking-out-at-a-store-become-such-a-goddamned-stupid-ordeal/654803/145 "2013-04-05T06:05:00Z")

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> [@pkbites](#):
>
> From the [Urban Dictionary](http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=punkfaggot)
> 
> Punkfaggot  
> _Either meaning emo or prep. **In no way shape or form does it mean gay or punk**. it is one word, punkfaggot. not two separate ones, punk and faggot._

> [@woodstockbirdybird](#):
>
> Well, that settles that!

My feelings exactly!

I’m asking this because I read the entire first page and feel I can try to get something out of this pitting.

Can you explain, in your own words, what a “punkfaggot” is? I don’t even understand the UD definition you quoted… “Meaning emo or prep.” what the fuck does _ **that** _ mean?

I went to the UD, via the link you posted… And there was one definition for punkfaggot, and at the time I checked, there were less thumbs up (meaning agree with the definition) than thumbs down. So no one seems to know what it means, and no one can even agree on a definition.

So please… Define it in English. Because when someone in the UD called Kyle a punkfaggot, the poor bastard killed himself.

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**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\
**Post date:** [April 5, 2013, 8:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-and-why-the-fuck-did-checking-out-at-a-store-become-such-a-goddamned-stupid-ordeal/654803/146 "2013-04-05T08:33:11Z")

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> [@Broomstick](#):
>
> They can’t stop talking because according the the corporate dickheads sitting in their nice, quiet, insulated offices who never have to deal with the asshat public _their job is not done until the entire pitch is delivered_. Their ass is NOT covered…

Og, how I hate that damn “Ask 3 times and give at least 2 rebuttals” rule. 😕

> [@Ludovic](#):
>
> My experience at S Mart is exactly the opposite: several times an employee has forgotten to remove the theft avoidance tags and I’ve walked out while tripping the alarms. One time I didn’t notice until I wore the same shoes I bought to that store, and the alarm went off when I was walking through…

I had that happen at Dick’s Sporting Goods _with a fucking jockstrap_! Only the alarm didn’t go off when I left so I didn’t realize the tag was still attached until I got home & opened the package. It never even occured to me that a jock would have an anti-theft tag. I tried cutting it off myself and managed to ruin it in the process (along with the kife I used). So I went back to the store with the reciept. Only this time the alarm did go off as I entered. The manager was incredulous when I told him it didn’t go off when left. He was really sarcastic too. I’ve never shopped there again, at least in person.

> [@Guinastasia](#):
>
> I remember we had to push this one charity, and being told if we refused, that we would be “fired for insubordination”. I’m not kidding. They’d schedule just enough people to barely get through the day, leaving most of the registers closed, so if someone called off, you were screwed. People would naturally take it out on us…

Yeah, I had that happen at a place I worked at in college. Only [del]instead of[/del] in addition to delaying breaks they were making people stay late. I’d told the front-end supervisor, manager, and the store manager that I needed to go to no avail. I was getting pissed off, had 5 customers in line, and had a class to go to. :mad: So after I finished checking out the customer I was on I just told the next that my shift was over, walked away from my register and clocked out. Surprisingly I _wasn’t_ fired it. :dubious:

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**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\
**Post date:** [April 5, 2013, 8:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-and-why-the-fuck-did-checking-out-at-a-store-become-such-a-goddamned-stupid-ordeal/654803/147 "2013-04-05T08:49:32Z")

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You do know the reason the poor sods working at the stores do all that annoying stuff is because it works. My mom can’t stand the bakery tout at the Publix in her hometown and is always complaining to the manager about the tout’s bike horn and other attentin-getting techniques. The manager just nods and tels her, “Monty’s Mom, the fact of the matter is that our bakery sales have skyrocketed since we started this routine.” In short, if it’s making money for “corporate,” it’s not going away.

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**Author:** ![3trew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/3/13edae/32.png) [@3trew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/3trew)\
**Post date:** [April 5, 2013, 9:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-and-why-the-fuck-did-checking-out-at-a-store-become-such-a-goddamned-stupid-ordeal/654803/148 "2013-04-05T09:36:06Z")

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> [@Dag\_Otto](#):
>
> So slow that it took you by surprise. Got it.

Yeah, that happens if you’re as big a toddlertoucher as the OP.

The word toddlertoucher, by the way, has nothing to do with toddlers, or touching them, or being a toddler-toucher (ew), it just means “someone who has a slow leak take them by surprise”.

It’s regional slang. Very regional right now, but hope springs eternal.

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**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\
**Post date:** [April 5, 2013, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-and-why-the-fuck-did-checking-out-at-a-store-become-such-a-goddamned-stupid-ordeal/654803/149 "2013-04-05T12:42:18Z")

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> [@Nzinga\_Seated](#):
>
> Of course you would be offended. As I said, I wouldn’t call you that, and my style of slang doesn’t include the word “fag” in any variation. I am just trying to explain how the word is being used.

You forgot the words “among a particular subset of the population” at the end of that sentence.

> [@](#):
>
> Whether it offends or not, the facts are the facts.

Don’t know for sure, but I’d put money on the facts being that “fag” and “faggot” are still regarded as anti-gay slurs by most Americans.

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**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\
**Post date:** [April 5, 2013, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-and-why-the-fuck-did-checking-out-at-a-store-become-such-a-goddamned-stupid-ordeal/654803/150 "2013-04-05T12:54:13Z")

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Oh yeah: props to **Ms. Pumpkin** and **Broomstick** for their rants in this thread. Thanks to both of you for saying what needed to be said.

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**Author:** ![Nzinga\_Seated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)\
**Post date:** [April 5, 2013, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-and-why-the-fuck-did-checking-out-at-a-store-become-such-a-goddamned-stupid-ordeal/654803/151 "2013-04-05T12:55:49Z")

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> [@RTFirefly](#):
>
> You forgot the words “among a particular subset of the population” at the end of that sentence.

No, I didn’t forget. I had qualified my words plenty already and didn’t feel the need to do it again…I have already pointed out that the slang is used among certain kids, mostly gamers or kids from 4chan or nerds or geeks or “hackers” or whatever. I’ve said it and it is silly to keep saying it again just to head off posts like the one above.

> [@](#):
>
> Don’t know for sure, but I’d put money on the facts being that “fag” and “faggot” are still regarded as anti-gay slurs by most Americans.

Yeah, totally agreed. I don’t know if some posters think I am all about the OP calling reward points punkfaggot or something, but no. My post was a simple response to a poster who seemed to think that the word ‘fag’ wouldn’t be used without the speaker actually meaning to slur gays in some way. I disagree with that based on my observation of the way I’ve seen the slang used tons of times. That’s it. I won’t post on the topic again because it is starting to look as if I am more concerned with the word ‘fag’ than I really am. I was simply posting a fact, and then responding to responses to that.

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**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\
**Post date:** [April 5, 2013, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-and-why-the-fuck-did-checking-out-at-a-store-become-such-a-goddamned-stupid-ordeal/654803/152 "2013-04-05T13:44:38Z")

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> [@Nzinga\_Seated](#):
>
> No, I didn’t forget. I had qualified my words plenty already and didn’t feel the need to do it again…I have already pointed out that the slang is used among certain kids, mostly gamers or kids from 4chan or nerds or geeks or “hackers” or whatever. I’ve said it and it is silly to keep saying it again just to head off posts like the one above.
> 
> Yeah, totally agreed. I don’t know if some posters think I am all about the OP calling reward points punkfaggot or something, but no. My post was a simple response to a poster who seemed to think that the word ‘fag’ wouldn’t be used without the speaker actually meaning to slur gays in some way. I disagree with that based on my observation of the way I’ve seen the slang used tons of times. That’s it. I won’t post on the topic again because it is starting to look as if I am more concerned with the word ‘fag’ than I really am. I was simply posting a fact, and then responding to responses to that.

Thanks for clarifying where you were coming from, and my apologies for not having read the preceding sequence of posts closely enough.

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**Author:** ![Nzinga\_Seated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)\
**Post date:** [April 5, 2013, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-and-why-the-fuck-did-checking-out-at-a-store-become-such-a-goddamned-stupid-ordeal/654803/153 "2013-04-05T13:53:27Z")

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No apologies needed. I knew when I started the discussion that it is a sensitive topic. I don’t stand in the kitchen if I can’t handle the heat.

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**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\
**Post date:** [April 5, 2013, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-and-why-the-fuck-did-checking-out-at-a-store-become-such-a-goddamned-stupid-ordeal/654803/154 "2013-04-05T14:31:09Z")

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Now that we’ve gotten past the secondary arguments…

I have to say that it amazes me when someone posts a gripe against a retail establishment with shitty patron policies and worse overall respect for consumers, stacking the deck to suit themselves with a veneer of “customer service” or “efficiency” or (fuckme) hiring cheap incompetent workers under the guise of rehab or workfare… and the OP gets dissed from here to China and back for whining or not manning up or being petty. This is the third or fourth thread in recent days to turn this way.

I redirect this thread into pitting all the gormless pussies who take endless shit from stores like the mindless sheep they are, and think they’re the tough, ballsy ones for doing so… and then have the strap-on balls to pit those of us who don’t care to be treated like cattle who’ve been made into walking wallets.

Seriously, when did you all cave in to the notion that buying stuff from a store makes you the one on the short end of the stick, who has to take it with a smile just to buy your bread, jeans and light bulbs?

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**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\
**Post date:** [April 5, 2013, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-and-why-the-fuck-did-checking-out-at-a-store-become-such-a-goddamned-stupid-ordeal/654803/155 "2013-04-05T14:50:16Z")

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> [@Leaper](#):
>
> Snugglebunnies?

OK, now that’s a little over the top! You need to tone it down some.

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**Author:** ![Tom\_Scud](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@Tom\_Scud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Scud)\
**Post date:** [April 5, 2013, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-and-why-the-fuck-did-checking-out-at-a-store-become-such-a-goddamned-stupid-ordeal/654803/156 "2013-04-05T15:51:25Z")

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> [@EmilyG](#):
>
> **pkbites** , I laughed at you calling Kmart “fucKMart.”

Bear in mind that it has nothing to do with the words “fuck” or “mart”. It’s a completely different word. Altogether.

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**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\
**Post date:** [April 5, 2013, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-and-why-the-fuck-did-checking-out-at-a-store-become-such-a-goddamned-stupid-ordeal/654803/157 "2013-04-05T15:52:09Z")

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It’s a completely different word.

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**Author:** ![Nzinga\_Seated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)\
**Post date:** [April 5, 2013, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-and-why-the-fuck-did-checking-out-at-a-store-become-such-a-goddamned-stupid-ordeal/654803/158 "2013-04-05T15:56:12Z")

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It’s a completely different word.

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**Author:** ![colander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e8c25b/32.png) [@colander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/colander)\
**Post date:** [April 5, 2013, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-and-why-the-fuck-did-checking-out-at-a-store-become-such-a-goddamned-stupid-ordeal/654803/159 "2013-04-05T16:05:51Z")

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> [@NitroPress](#):
>
> strap-on balls

That’s the smartest thing you’ve said all week.

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**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\
**Post date:** [April 5, 2013, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-and-why-the-fuck-did-checking-out-at-a-store-become-such-a-goddamned-stupid-ordeal/654803/160 "2013-04-05T16:10:45Z")

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> [@colander](#):
>
> That’s the smartest thing you’ve said all week.

Chee, tanks.

My smart writing is over on the center monitor. This is a diversion that gets about 20% candlepower.

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