'How self absorbed can you be?': Grocery store Karen annoys entire checkout line while ignoring cashier

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Remy Millisky • Writer and Editor
May 16, 2023 12:00 AM EDT

One cashier was rolling their eyes at this incredibly unaware customer who just couldn't seem to focus on the task at hand. Wake up, Karen, it's time to pay for your groceries, not blab with your friend! 

On the r/Talesfromretail subreddit, one frustrated grocery clerk shared the daily struggle of just getting customers to listen to them. On an unexpectedly busy day at the store, the cashier wasn't able to leave their post for a second due to the massive influx of customers. But still, when this Karen spotted her friend in another line, she didn't waste any time. Instead of paying for her groceries, she chatted it up with her friend. This certainly puts the cashier — and everyone else in line — in an awkward spot. They have to get her to just pay for her darn groceries. How hard could it be? 

Then, check out this article for sleepyheads who love to stay up late every night, and have some regrets and strong coffee the next day. 

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  • 01
    Plant - 'EXCUSE ME! There are people waiting here, PLEASE!'
    via Thomas Le on Unsplash
  • 02
    Font - r/Tales FromRetail Posted by u/bopalop01 1 day ago Customer completely ignored my existence, and made my job more difficult
    via r/TalesFromRetail
  • 03
    Font - This happened the day after new years. For some unknown reason we got SLAMMED, pretty much equivalent to before Thanksgiving. Endless lines, customers needing help on the floor constantly, etc. I was cashiering, which I hate doing as it is but this rush was just stressing me out. One hour felt like 5. I couldn't even take a drink of water. I'm not one of those people that gets ticked off if someone is on their phone, or not being chatty, I don't care. All I ask is if you're checking out t
    via r/TalesFromRetail
  • 04
    Font - It wasn't like I could just take the customer behind her because our lanes are narrow. So I walk out and grab her cart (we unload the carts). A minute or 2 later she takes the 2 steps forward. I say hello to be polite. Her and her friend are still lost in conversation she either didn't hear me or ignored me, whatever. Other people are still looking back and fourth between them. With a look like "seriously?". Now while I was emptying her cart I noticed she had reusable bags. I already star
    via r/TalesFromRetail
  • 05
    Font - NOPE. She stands there and keeps talking to her friend getting in other customers way. Then her friend finishes and they stand in the walkway talking, getting in everyone's way. Someone later told me two people were blocking the door. I assumed it was her. Usually stuff like this doesn't get to me but it's like how self absorbed can you be? It's annoying when people block aisle because they're talking, this was like a whole new level.
    via r/TalesFromRetail
  • 06

    Under the post, commenters were in agreement that this Karen had to go.

    Human body - I_Shared_Too Much 20 hr. ago If I was in line behind her my cart would've 100% connected with her ankles
    via r/TalesFromRetail
  • 07
    Human body - Rambo-Brite 1 day ago People like this are why I feel polite folks should be issued cattle-prods.
    via r/TalesFromRetail
  • 08
    Font - EricKei 1 day ago Our psychic powers only work if the cust... You know that if you politely asked her to clear the aisle/door, she would have regarded you as the rude one.
    via r/TalesFromRetail
  • 09
    Mammal - moobiemovie 3 hr. ago Not necessarily. Some people lack social awareness, but recognize when they've violated societal norms.
    via r/TalesFromRetail
  • 10
    Font - hadriangates 21 hr. ago As a customer waiting behind her I would have intervened. I have done so in the past and I really do not care if they think I am the rude one. Some days it makes my heart sing to do this
    via r/TalesFromRetail
  • 11
    Font - shweatyshweatpants 10 hr. ago Yup. The employee may not be able to say anything, but I sure as f can. 15 Reply Share RambleMan 19 hr. ago "Oi! Wake up!" .
    via r/TalesFromRetail
  • 12
    Font - Empathetic_Orch. 1 day ago. edited 18 hr. ago You're way more professional than I am. I'm nice to everyone, but I value the collective good over individuals. Same as when driving, just do your thing and move on, don't slow everyone down, don't gunk up the machine. I would have politely but loudly talked to her, tried to push her along. Often I have to go to people and tell them that "Hey I'm sorry but you can't block the path, sorry, could you please move over there?" I swear people will
    via r/TalesFromRetail
  • 13
    Font - Bee-chan 13 hr. ago . I've had people do this all too often when I was still a cashier. Got to the point where I honestly did not care if they were in the middle of a conversation with someone else, I used my outdoor voice and did my greeting LOUDLY, and repeatedly. And if they weren't loading their stuff on the first belt, yep, I'd wait, and KEEP repeating my greeting until the customer acknowledged me and started putting their ish on the belt. Been in retail far too long to put up with
    via r/TalesFromRetail
  • 14
    Font - or Plumb789 5 hr. ago · edited 3 hr. ago People are just so selfish and self- absorbed. Just the other day, I was in WH Smith's (in the U.K.), when I (to my horror, as a long-time, though retired retailer), saw there were NO staff whatsoever on the shop floor (!!!!). However, there were 2 self-service tills. A woman with a young child was taking up both of them. She had placed her shopping in one booth, where she had already scanned 3 or 4 items. The child was in the other booth, and moth
    via r/TalesFromRetail
  • 15
    Font - People were starting to queue behind me. "Excuse me, would you mind just finishing putting through your basket?" No reaction whatsoever. "EXCUSE ME! There are people waiting here, PLEASE!" We had been fully 5 minutes (DON'T ask me what I think of the management of that shop!) She turned to me with a look of such withering hate-such an unpleasant snarl-that I was astonished. Even when she saw the whole queue looking back at her, she was still furious. Taking the maximum amount of time, she
    via r/TalesFromRetail
  • 16
    Font - clumsythumbs 20 hr. ago I work at a department store, so it's a different set up. But I dream of walking away when they do this. Like everyone else, we're short staffed and I have 100 things to do that aren't cashing them out. When you say you're ready to check out, you better be ready to check out.
    via r/TalesFromRetail
  • 17
    Font - Islandcat723 hr. ago I work in a grocery store in a small community, and everyone knows everyone. The "social hour" aisle and door blocking happens often.
    via r/TalesFromRetail
  • 18
    Font - Greedy_Result_2699 13 hr. ago As I have said many times in different places and yes I know the correct spelling "You just can't fix stoopid"
    via r/TalesFromRetail
  • 19
    Font - Ryebread2203. 8 hr. ago I have a regular that does this all the time. He'll have a line of like 12 people behind him but he'll stay and try to chat with the employees while making his purchase for sometimes upwards of 20 minutes. I give him a pass because he says his wife just died and he's lonely but it's still awkward/rude for the other customers
    via r/TalesFromRetail
  • 20
    Plant - Green Bow 3 hr. ago They're the bane of retail along with the absolute idiots who push past the line to exit sorry 'squeeze by'
    via r/TalesFromRetail
  • 21
    Font - Shadrixian 22 hr. ago And then they block the drive-in still talking Why does it sound like the deep south 11 Reply Share bopalop01 OP 21 hr. ago It's actually not in the south.
    via r/TalesFromRetail

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