07-25-2025, 03:50 PM
This post was last modified: 07-25-2025, 04:17 PM by AlroyFarms. 
Self-checkouts. I can’t stand ‘em. That annoying machine voice:
“Please make sure to scan all items”
“Be sure to enter your club card or phone number”
“Help is on the way!”
Just shut the hell up and let me go on with my life!
For some reason the camera always red-flags me and I have to wait for someone to come verify my purchases. I always opt to talk and work with humans whenever possible. Well a lot of the time there is exactly one human at the register and everybody does the self-checkout.
There is a little frail old lady that works the morning shift at my grocery. I didn’t want to wait in her line because she had a long queue, so I decided to face The Machine.
“Help is on the way!”
“Help is on the way!”
Cool. Now there’s a queue backing up at the self-checkout line. At least 10-12 deep at self-checkout (there’s 4 stations and all four of us are waiting for help on the way,) and another baker’s dozen at her register. She’s totally alone and running back and forth like a linebacker while I just wait patiently and quietly. What a freaking mess. Let me emphasize, this lady is well past retirement age and taking it like a champ, but what a mess.
Even better there’s plenty of young, healthy associates moseying around from time-to-time well aware of what’s going on at the checkout. I see them seeing us.
For the second time in my life I decided to Karen up and ask to speak to the manager. I said hey what gives because this isn’t fair to anybody. Not fair to this lady, not fair to any of us that are waiting on the stupid machines when all it takes is an employee to go check my bags and override it.
In full Karen Mode I say, “You know in my day we helped each other out. We didn’t just watch someone else struggle. Can’t you guys have a meeting and get some of these kids on the ball?”
The manager simply asked what store I work at.
Oh I don’t do retail or grocery anymore. I work a skilled trade. I haven’t dreamed of working retail since I was like 20.
“A lot’s changed in 15 years. These kids don’t have it in ‘em. They don’t care. We can’t even get them to do their own job let alone help someone else with theirs. You’re thinking of the past.”
Karen Mode deactivated!
I just opened my mouth slightly as if to say something, stopped, and nodded in complete understanding.
I just realized at that moment…I’m old now.
“Please make sure to scan all items”
“Be sure to enter your club card or phone number”
“Help is on the way!”
Just shut the hell up and let me go on with my life!
For some reason the camera always red-flags me and I have to wait for someone to come verify my purchases. I always opt to talk and work with humans whenever possible. Well a lot of the time there is exactly one human at the register and everybody does the self-checkout.
There is a little frail old lady that works the morning shift at my grocery. I didn’t want to wait in her line because she had a long queue, so I decided to face The Machine.
“Help is on the way!”
“Help is on the way!”
Cool. Now there’s a queue backing up at the self-checkout line. At least 10-12 deep at self-checkout (there’s 4 stations and all four of us are waiting for help on the way,) and another baker’s dozen at her register. She’s totally alone and running back and forth like a linebacker while I just wait patiently and quietly. What a freaking mess. Let me emphasize, this lady is well past retirement age and taking it like a champ, but what a mess.
Even better there’s plenty of young, healthy associates moseying around from time-to-time well aware of what’s going on at the checkout. I see them seeing us.
For the second time in my life I decided to Karen up and ask to speak to the manager. I said hey what gives because this isn’t fair to anybody. Not fair to this lady, not fair to any of us that are waiting on the stupid machines when all it takes is an employee to go check my bags and override it.
In full Karen Mode I say, “You know in my day we helped each other out. We didn’t just watch someone else struggle. Can’t you guys have a meeting and get some of these kids on the ball?”
The manager simply asked what store I work at.
Oh I don’t do retail or grocery anymore. I work a skilled trade. I haven’t dreamed of working retail since I was like 20.
“A lot’s changed in 15 years. These kids don’t have it in ‘em. They don’t care. We can’t even get them to do their own job let alone help someone else with theirs. You’re thinking of the past.”
Karen Mode deactivated!
I just opened my mouth slightly as if to say something, stopped, and nodded in complete understanding.
I just realized at that moment…I’m old now.






