17 Shameful Things Your Grocery Cashier Sees You Doing (Could #9 Be an Honest Mistake?)

From kale to ketchup, dish soap to dubious delights, grocery clerks witness a kaleidoscope of our culinary choices.

But do they silently judge your quirky combos or frequent forgetfulness? Probably not.

So ditch the anxiety, grab your favorite cash back credit cards, and let's explore what actually raises eyebrows at checkout.

“It doesn’t have a price tag, so it must be free!” They’ve heard that one before.

Considering that retail establishments lost $112.1 billion to theft in 2023, according to the National Retail Federation, the joke isn’t really funny.

Don’t forget that grocery store workers put a lot on the line to keep toilet paper, hand sanitizer, and other essentials in stock during the pandemic.

They deserved our respect then, and they still do. Be polite.

No one will judge you for asking for a rain check on a really great deal. But you will get a side eye if you come in asking for one every week.

Whether or not you return your grocery cart is widely regarded as a litmus test of morality. It’s the kind, proper thing to do.

While there’s no punishment for returning a cart, the grocery store employee in charge of rounding up carts in the rain may curse your name if you don’t park yours in the return stall.

Unless that’s literally all the money you have, do the poor clerk a favor and exchange them for bills at the bank rather than forcing the employee to count the contents of your couch cushions.

Exact change is nice, but paying for anything besides a candy bar in coins is obnoxious.

While not as onerous as paying in coins, paying with a check isn’t much better. The grocer has to wait while you make it out, ask for your ID, process it, and pray it doesn’t bounce.

Sometimes, nature calls unexpectedly, but make sure to heed it before you get in the checkout line.

Leaving everyone behind you waiting isn’t going to win you any friends among grocery clerks or your fellow customers.

Nobody will bat an eyelash if you’re one or two items over the limit. But if you stretch it too far, it’s rude to the cashier (who probably has a smaller counter to deal with your purchases) and the other customers who want to check out quickly.

Every toddler alive has thrown a fit in the grocery checkout line, so the kids aren’t the real problem.

It’s when you do nothing to mitigate the situation (or you escalate it by yelling or threatening your children) that earns you judgemental looks.

Grocery store employees have enough to do without cleaning up the clutter customers create.

If you decide later that you don’t want an item, give it to the cashier when you check out rather than leaving it on a random shelf.

This selfish practice is rude not only to the people behind you but also to the grocery clerk.

You’ve now made them the referee who has to tell you to review what you learned in second grade and wait your turn.

We all love a good deal from a stellar coupon or an ad.

However, if you come in with a fistful of coupons — or worse, haggle with the employee to get them to accept expired ones — you’ll probably elicit a scowl from the cashier.

The grocery store clerk doesn’t want to hear about your kid’s soccer game delay or the work call with your client.

Treat the cashier like a person and pause your conversation to be alert enough to respond to “Paper or plastic?”

Here's something most of us can relate to these days. With everyone trying to fight inflation and the rising cost of groceries, it's common to feel frustrated when you see how much higher your weekly grocery bill is.

But maybe you don't need to talk about how shocked you are at the prices every time your cashier runs an item. It could be seen as rude and almost as if you're blaming the cashier.

The jury is out whether wearing pajamas in the grocery store is tacky or just your own business.

Just don’t be surprised if an employee snaps a pic to submit to the People of Walmart blog.

Nobody will judge you for bringing a legitimate service dog or emotional support animal on your shopping trip.

But they will giggle behind your back if you bring a Chihuahua in your purse while you get milk and eggs.

The lights above the registers indicate whether the employee can serve additional customers. If it’s off, the cashier is probably waiting to go home, go on a lunch break, or use the bathroom.

They won’t be very happy to serve you when they’ve indicated they’re unavailable.

Forget worrying about the cashier judging your shopping cart contents.

The true measure of your character at the grocery store lies not in what you buy or your smart shopping hacks but in how you treat the people around you.

Be kind, patient, and respectful — that's what will truly leave a lasting impression.