Here is a list of things not to do at the supermarket:

Remember that the cashiers do not make any company decisions, therefore do not yell at them for company policies. If you really want to relieve your anger talk to a store manager or even better ask for the number to the corporate headquarters.

Most cashiers do not care should they lose their jobs. There are tons of other retail jobs out their paying the same pay. Therefore, if you threaten a cashier that you going to tell his boss about his "poor customer service" he probably will not take it too hard. First, they most likely will not get fired, as we rarely do for poor customer service, or and second they won't care if they do. Would that really make you feel good about yourself anyway?

Do not take your personal, family, or work stress to the store with you and express your negative attitude to the store representatives. We are not your shrinks, let loose on them please!

The cashier light: I haven't seen a supermarket with out lane lights to indicate whether a register is closed or opened. It's a simple thing to understand... if the light is on the lane is opened if the light is off the lane is closed. I have people ask me all the time if I am opened or closed. I can be at register with the light on just standing there waiting for a customer and some one will still feel the need to ask me "Are you opened?", use your common sense people!

In a rush? If you do not have the time to shop then don't!! With one flick of a light bulb the lines in supermarket can turn into ones you see at an amusement park! If you are on the rush don't take it out on the cashier, it is not their fault your dumb and can not find a better time to shop.

Friendly hint: A lot of supermarkets are open 24 hours now... pick a better time to shop!

Sale Signs: Sometimes I would like to know if supermarket shoppers can read! Customers are always thinking something is on sale and 90% of the time they are wrong!! To avoid hearing those dreadful words "I need a price check" check if the brand, size, and variety match with what is printed on the sign!

Friendly Hint: Just becuase an item is in the front of an aisle does not mean it is on sale.

Fruits and Veggies: The little plastic bags located in the produce department are there to protect your produce from getting dirty or acquiring germs(SARS). Any unwrapped produce should be put in these bags. Just think about how many things go on the conveyer belt that you're going to place that food on before you check out. Everything from dog food to detergents to meat blood! Do you like eating this stuff? I don't! So wrap it up folks... it helps in more ways than one. Unwrapped produce also makes the register a mess for the next person....don't be selfish thing about the next person (for a change)! If you have quantities of a vegetable wrap them in the same bag so the cashier can ring them all up at once w/o searching for any others. However, do not put two different kinds of produce in the same bag! All produce costs different prices (even two different kinds of apples) therefore they need to be rung up separate especially if the price is by weight.

Friendly tip: putting two different kinds of produce could result in you getting charged the same price for both items. This could mean a higher charge or lower charge depending on your luck.

Would you like Paper or Plastic? A lot of people refer to paper bags as just "bags" like they actually say "oh, Can I have bags please" Can I ask you a simple question if paper bags are called just "bags" then what do you call a plastic one...? Also every cashier has heard enough stories about how the plastic bags are crap and ripped in your driveway and and how they don't make the bags like they.. I'll speak for every cashier and tell you to stop with these damn stories we heard it and we simply do not care.

Friendly tip: Ask the cashier to use paper and plastic for the heavy stuff and plastic for the rest. This is simply the best combination.

Hand Basket: When using a hand basket please kindly remove the items from the basket and place on conveyor belt. Do not place the basket on the belt with the items still in it. You would think people would do this as common courtesy but 30% of obnoxious people do not. This is annoying to the cashier and just plain RUDE! Give the cashier a break ...we are not your slaves ...we do not owe you anything!

Hand coupons and bonus savings cards to the cashier either before the start of your order or after the cashier finished scanning. Do not hand your your stuff to the cashier during the order. It is annoying when the cashier has to stop scanning items in the middle of your order just to grab the stuff from you because it came to your mind at that point.

Friendly Hint: Some stores need the card before the order starts others need it at the end, however most of the time even if their policy is to scan it before the cashier is still able to scan it afterwords.

Conveyer Belt: THE CONVEYOR BELT MOVES!!! Do not place coupons, money, fingers, purses, or foreign objects come on this should be OBVIOUS... Why do so many people still do it? Many times stuff goes through the slot and you'll be lucky if you get it back! Also, many people still think the cashier operates the conveyor belt with a foot pedal.. they are wrong! Welcome to the new millennium!! Most conveyor belts are now operated by sensors.

Division: No not math... I know the average shopper couldn't handle that. I mean use those nifty dividers provided by most supermarkets to seperate one order from the other. Many times a day I ring up the next customer's items on an order because there was no divider and then the customer acts like it was my fault? This is your stupidity, I can not ring up items and keep track of which stuff is yours at the same time!

Giving Change: One thing you fellow shoppers should know is it does not make it easier for you to give the cashier change instead of breaking a dollar. If it is going to take you 10 minutes to get your change do not be bother! I always have customers say "oh I have the change to make it easier for you" meanwhile it takes forever for them to get their change, it only takes me 5 seconds make any combination of change from my register. Maybe in the older days when the register did not tell you how much change to give back to the customer, hauling out your change will make it easier but now it's just a nuisance to have to wait for the customer to gather all their change.

Friendly Hint: Collect all your loose change in a jar and then buy yourself a nice gift at the end of the year!

What did you call me? I never thought I had so many names until I started working at a supermarket. I have been called so many different things it is unbelievable. I had people call me: honey, babes, kid, dude, son, sunny, etc. My real name is on my nametag! You do not have to call me these ridiculous things I'm not your son, your baby your kid or anything else I have a name and if you want to call me by something use my real name! How would you like if I said to you "would you like paper or plastic dude?" or "How are you doing babes?" I do not think you will like it and I know I don't so just use my name or nothing at all!

• Put all the heavy things on the belt first. Big things like bags of dog food and any other things you do not want bag for hand to the cashier at the beginning of the order. This will make it easier for you also, since all the heavy things can go in the cart first and lessen the posibility of crushed items.
• Put all perishables together and all produce together, especially if you want them in the same bag!!!
• Put all crushables last so they do not get crushed!!!

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