Cutting in Line at Super Markets

Well, well, well…. cutting in line is probably the oldest way of showing your lack of etiquette and most of us Sri Lankans are still guilty of this. How shall we overcome this? Let’s start by understanding where we keep violating and learn a few lines to handle the situation well.

Recently, I was at a leading supermarket close to my house when I bumped in to not one but two of these line cutters. I had netted a few things in to a basket and approached the cashier. Being the kid I am, I got distracted by the ice creams that were on display, so I guess I looked like I was not in the queue. A lady marched past me, slammed down a utility bill and proceeded to pay soon after the person ahead of me finished up. I did not do or say anything as I was also at fault for looking more interested in the ice cream than checking out – even though I was physically very much next to the counter.

Anyway, I let it pass. Let the old lady pay her bill – I will gorge over the ice cream freezer for a few more minutes.

When she was nearing the end of her transaction, I started popping the stuff in my basket on to the counter (after keeping the ‘Next Customer’ separator of course) . Once I was done, since the lady was still counting the balance or something, I proceeded to return the basket I used to its place. This is a small supermarket, so I was back in a jiffy only to find a man had happily ignored my groceries which were on the conveyor belt and forced a bottle of juice in to the cashier’s hand and slammed down a couple of other things on to the counter.

Needless to say , I lost my cool at this point. While the man had behaved like a bull, it is the responsibility of the counter staff to not violate procedure. So I took it up with the lady at the counter; I inquired in a sharp voice as to why she had ignored billing my goods and was trying to bill someone who came after me. She looked at me for a moment and was speechless. I went on to explain in a voice loud enough for the offending man to also hear, that I had kept all my goods on the counter and moved to return the basket and that no one had any right to cut in line. The lady at the counter sheepishly laid down the item and looked over my shoulder at a colleague, then she requested this other staff member to man a counter and bill the man for his items. She then turned to the man who was behind me and requested him to move to the other queue.

Let’s get the facts straight – if this man or the lady at the counter had asked whether my bill could wait, I would have obliged. However, I will not allow people to bombard their way in, over me. That is not right and someone has to tell them; if their parents and teachers failed, at least I must try.

How could these instances have been handled better? Did the utility bill paying lady do the right thing? No! She should have inquired from me whether I was in the queue or not before plodding on. If she had been in a hurry, she could have said something like ‘Do you mind if I go before you? I am in a bit of a hurry’.

As for the man and his bottle of juice – he should have first obtained my permission to get his goods billed first.

The lady at the counter should have refused to accept his items before mine and if he insisted, she should have come up to me and checked whether I could wait a few minutes while she completes billing his items.

The least she could have done after the fiasco was to apologise to me; but she did not. This reminds me; I should write another etiquette article on apologies and issuing them at the right time.

Now there are more queues at super markets than usual as all patrons need to line up to wash their hands before entering. Be mindful of your surroundings, avoid cutting lines and imposing on other people’s turns. Always ask for permission – don’t violate these good habits as it annoys and inconveniences others. This will save time for everyone as arguments are avoided.

Did you cut in line or did you not know what to do when someone cut in line? Write to us at fullofetiquette@gmail.com and we will help you be sophisticated and full of etiquette.