"Hello, welcome to (insert grocery store name here). How are you doing today?"

Everywhere you go to grocery shop, you will hear this phrase and it is the same ordeal. "I'm doing good, how about you?" or, "I'm alright" and then an awkward silence follows. Truth is, we don't want to be there any more than you guys do. Some of us need a part-time job to get us through college; others have fallen to the store as their career. It's not a fun job, and you don't need to keep reminding us of that. Next time you visit your local grocery store, or any for that matter, think of these things that are mentioned, things that you don't understand unless you are a cashier.

From your cashiers on a lane:

First off, when we ask how you are doing, that does not mean we want to know your life story. There may be some people who do, but you take up our time, and you are holding up the line. If you want to chat while we have no one in our lane, then go on ahead. It makes our time go by faster and since we may or may not know you then it's nice to vent to someone. But when we ask how you are doing and you reply with "fine," I will be honest, that kind of makes us want to smack you with some asparagus because that is awkward.

Another thing: What makes you think it is OK to yell at us because you are having a bad day? We're just here to scan your groceries, exchange a brief conversation, and move on to the next person. To yell at me because your favorite ice cream is not in stock, is completely not my problem. Do I look like the store owner? If I was, I sure would not be up here scanning and dealing with whatever smart comments you want to give to me. Smart comments like, "Do you really need to see my I.D.?" Yes, I do need to see it, if you look under 40 years old then, yes, it is the law, I have to see it. Sorry for the inconvenience.

Also, if you are expecting me to scan and bag your groceries then let me scan and bag your groceries! There is nothing more annoying to us than when we are bagging your groceries and you sit there and pull them out. If you don't want me to bag them, bag them yourself.

When my light is off, that means my lane is closed. That does not mean sneak your way into my line so you don't have to wait in another. I do have a life outside of this cash register, so can I please go live it? on time.

From your cashiers on a self-scan:

All we do here is we walk around, make sure the machines are working right, and check for I.D.'s when you are purchasing alcohol. There are some other little things that we do, but usually anything wrong that happens is between you and the machine, so yelling at us does not solve anything.

We are running around scanner to scanner trying to help each of our customers; for you to come up to me and yell while I am dealing with another customer is rude. I see your light; I will get there when I get there. If you can't handle yourself at a self-scan then you need to go elsewhere because that is just ridiculous.

Not to mention the new chip readers; I know that they are annoying. Trust me, I know. But we cashiers didn't invent them; we are not the ones who told your banks to switch to them, so why get angry and annoyed with us because it's not working? Realize who the fault is on, please. The reader clearly says not to remove your card; learn how to read. Please.

When the light is off on a lane, that means it does not work! I didn't just feel like shutting it off for fun; there is a purpose for the light, and that is to tell unobservant people (probably like yourself) to not go to the lane because it needs maintenance.

Everything in the bagging area is weighed when you put it on the scale. It goes off for security purposes. Why are you at this lane if you are going to throw a tantrum about it going off?

In general:

I am not in stocking, so I have no idea what prices are what or what something should be ringing up as. I don't. There are people who have the job to do that for me, so let me call them for any confirmation. I have it handled no matter what.

There is a lot going on behind the scenes of your local grocery store. There's a lot of things to deal with, and there's a lot of stress behind it all. Please just think about how you treat your cashiers and how they feel every so often. Remember we have feelings too. Our job is to make your visit welcoming, and to keep getting more and more satisfied customers. It is not to be your personal servant for an hour or less of your day. Thank you.

- Your local grocery store cashiers and me