The main thing I see now is attitude. They never have to think, talk, except to their friend and put stuff in bags any which way. Never keeping frozen/cold together. eggs/bread on the botton.
Thank you checkers who did and some still do care.

I used to work in a grocery store as a cashier many years ago. They taught us how to pack bags back then, I sure wish they would now. I have to find my own cashiers when shopping or my groceries get smashed. There is no time to do it yourself.
Yes the attitude stinks nowadays, they could care less about you. JMO

I miss the old checkers. They knew their stuff and could multitask.

As for bagging that is a pet peeve of mine. I never worked in the industry but I do know how to "box" a bag well and quickly.

I've often ended up re-bagging right in front of them in hopes that they will learn something. When they see me transform their 3 paper sacks into one nicely squared off easy to carry one they look at me like I'm from Mars. I've tried to show them No interest in learning. I get that blank "HUH crazy lady" look. So I just bag my own whenever possible.

I did feel bad for the checker and the baggers last night. A greenie came in with about a dozen of those "green" fiber bags from China. They were pretty grungy and she had a whole cart full of groceries. The bags were too worn to stand up and it took the 3 of them (one extra worker joined in) forever to bag these things. I almost felt like asking the checker to wash his hands before touching my stuff but I felt too sorry for him. I asked for paper and bagged my own.

I still find quite a few pleasant, knowledgeable checkers when I go shopping. Oh, there's always some who will never be nice, no matter what. I had a really nice one today that when I asked her how she was today, her answer, with a huge smile and a bubbly voice, "Peachy keen". As I was leaving, I told her to have a nice day, and added "I -really- mean it". The smile got even bigger.

Shirley

Hi again Marxcy,

May I make a suggestion ... instead of " ... old checkers" ... how about " ... former checkers"??

In the discount groceries here, most of them have a bin just past the checkout lines where they put the empty cartons and I like to get, preferably a tray of about the right size, while waiting in line, then when my turn comes, stick it on the cash-out belt to be filled ... and since I live alone, I seldom have over half a dozen items.

I like to get the trays in garden season, as I use them to carry the various veggies to the two churches, or, after that, the leftover ones to a local social service agency.

ole joyful

The checkers at my grocery store are mostly friendly and quite efficient. But I do remember the checkers who called prices aloud as they rang up items. Remember that? 29cents.....59cents.....they were fast too.

I was a cashier for Kroger Supermarkets for 6 years starting when I was a senior in high school and continuing until I completed my Master's degree from college. It was hard work at times dealing with the 'public' but I learned so much through that experience. I worked 25 hours a week while attending college full time and in the summers I worked 40 hours. I was there so long they gave me a set of keys to lock the doors at 10 pm when we all went home.

I remember handing out the yellow Top Value stamps, taking back soda bottles for redemption and even cranking the cash register when the power went out. This was in PA during the Blue Law period - when we first opened on Sundays the stores were only open from 1 to 5 and I always volunteered to work so that I could get paid double time.

Old checkers never die, they check out!

Old checkers don't drink socially, they get bagged!

I tried to stop myself but.......I got away again.

LIL

OMG some body stop me!!!!!!!

13 years as a checker, but the scanner was in there and had computerized before that, but I DID know how to count back change.

There are a rare few who can do the same work a former cashier did. I don't think counting change back is even taught in schools any more. On the bagging issue...... grrrrrr.......Considering I put my purchases on the belt in the exact way I want them to go in bags. I give harsh bag packing lessons if they mess it up. If I'm paying for the service it has to be good and I have no problem letting them know what and how I want my purchases bagged. I pack them back into my shopping cart when bagged. My reusable cloth bags are cleaned at least every other time I go shopping and always sprayed with disinfectant before handed to cashier, just to make them feel better.

LIL

Old checkers may change but they can still change back!

NOOOOOOOoooooooo! I'm outta my till!

My father owned the local grocery store. That was before grocery store chains.

My grandmother was a checker, and after school, I bagged. Definitely learned how to bag the right way and in of course paper bags.

Later, when I became older, I was a checker after school/

That was when you had cash registers, and with keys on them.

Certainly developed skills for counting change.

As I was a fourth grade teacher, I worked with my students on counting change, telling time.

we find ourselves looking for the same clerk every sunday, at costco...one we had few years ago would remember if we hadn't been in! to me that's awesome, considering the thousands they see everyday...

The parts of the job that they screw up these days are the easiest parts too! Refrigerated & frozen pack together. I like to separate them so refrigerated is separate from frozen when I bag it but as long as it's together I don't mind. But not showing caution with eggs, bread and stuff, that's inexcusable. Making change? Not tough - simply requires 3rd grade (or less) math skills. The toughest part is dealing with the people and their quirks but it seems they often have more quirks than the customers.

I would be remiss if I didn't point out an event last week. Stopped into Target and picked up a few things. Most all the Targets around here are being converted to have a larger grocery department now and have some good deals. Anyway I was checking out and the cashier was an "older" lady and she took such caution with things it was impressive. Held the eggs till the end and asked what I wanted to do with them. She bagged things so they wouldn't be too heavy, didn't mix things. It was really nice. I've checked out with her before and she's always that way. I'll certainly look for her whenever I shop there and I need to remember to make a phone call or at least stop at the service desk and make a comment.

My mother always had her favorite checker in the store. The one who packed everything properly, all the canned goods together, frozen together and bread always on top. They only had brown paper bags in those days, not these flimsy plastic things. And she could do math in her head. Lesse, 3 for 79 cents is how much for one ? The checker knew my Mom and they'd have a conversation-how's your son in college? And always a smile.

Slightly off topic, but, has anyone else noticed that people have no idea how to make change anymore? Example: the total is $4.78 and you hand them a ten. Then, after they punch the ten into the register say, "Oh, I've got the three cents and hand them three pennies. 19 times out of 20 you get the classic 'deer in the headlights' look.

Ron

I was a checker in high school in the 60's. I remember taking the newspaper to study hall to learn the specials and the coupons for the week. It was a great part time job. It paid well and I still had plenty of time to hang with my friends. It taught me a lot about how to treat people, how to make change, how to bag groceries and it was fun working in other departments, like produce. I agree that today with the bar code scanner some checkers can't think for themselves. I have my favorites at my Kroger store and they are always friendly and do a good job. I'm in there so often, they know who I am. I like that too. Can't fault them too much.

Yep, worked at Winn Dixie during high school/college. We did have to figure out tax, amount of change and count it back to the customer from the total of their bill. We also had to remember that if something was 6/$1.00 and the person didn't have all 6 together, what we had charged and what we should change for the remaining ones.

Plus we had to know how to bag the groceries in paper bags without smashing items. Plus we had to know how to weigh the produce in some cases so that we would know how much to charge and we had to know the sale items.

Boy, do they have it easy now!

I had a really nice checker today....I shop at a market with low prices so people need to bag their own.
I also get a nickel a bag if I bring my own.
And I wash mine often.
They are Envirosax......light weight, strong and they roll up so I always have them with me.

Here is a link that might be useful: Envirosax

I shopped for groceries today.

My favorite store is Kroger. Most of the clerks have been there "forever." They are friendly and efficient. I've been told Kroger pays better than some stores, and offers benefits. Today a past, now retired, Kroger manager was there, just helping out by stocking shelves. I think he is paid, but I don't really know if he is or not. I see him there quite often. The baggers are mostly older men, maybe retired early, but they are also friendly and always ask if I need help getting the cart out to the car, or lifting the heavy stuff.

Once in a while I see a young, new checker, but for some reason, they don't seem to last long.

About making change, I see very few people paying with cash, so there isn't much change being counted out these days.

My Kroger is getting ready to add a drive through pharmacy, and gasoline.

Of course it was Senior day today, and I saved quite a bit.

Sue

I got a job as a grocery store checker....customer service. I thought it would be FUN! Just 20hrs a week, I don't need the money, just like people watching and interacting. OMG! What a nightmare! I have a college degree, yes I can count back money. :0)

I had customers AND employees blaming me for their NOT winning lotto...? Said I sold them dud tickets....duh?

They expected me to be "on call" if THEY needed me...? I was berated for NOT answering my phone when I was off...

The employees came to work and "ate" whatever they wanted. Marked down goods to sell to each other for .99cents.....like family packs of steaks....or they'd saran wrap 10lbs of cheese up and put a .99cent sticker on it.
I spent 75% of my shift cleaning the counters, shelves & conveyer belts.....

I quit after 15 months. :0) It was a horrible environment to work in.

Ron, I've seen that for years and years but usually it's the kids that can't handle some simple math. I tried putting out a calculator to help, but nope, caused more problems since some didn't even know how to use a calculator. A few would have to void out a sale and ring it in again with your example. Unreal. I often liked to hire older people. Usually they could handle math better, but there's exceptions to everything, right? I was in a Walgreens a couple weeks back, bought a few things and exactly what you said, I said Oh, I do have a penny here but she panicked and hit the enter key, and it was one of the systems with the coin return and she goes it's too late now, there's your change and gave me the bills. I thought about asking if she knew how to count but I don't think she did.

I worked at a Pic Pac store in the mid 1960s. I remember having to memorize the weekly specials prices each week and we had to review and remember the produce prices each day. It was located in a large shopping center in Memphis and every Friday and Saturday people came from Mississippi and from Arkansas, as well as from Memphis to shop. The lines were so long on those days and it was rare to be able to see the back of the line from behind that counter. I'm left handed, but could keep up with the right handed cashiers and out check many of them. That may have something to do with the fact that it's easier for me to use the computer mouse with my right hand now than my left hand.
The thing that bugs me the most while shopping nowadays is that the bills in the drawer aren't all face up and facing the same direction. I would love to reach into the cash drawer and rearrange them, but I reckon I'd better continue to restrain myself about that.

The other day I bought some Cheez-It crackers. I had a few refrigerated items too. The boy sacking the groceries was new and put the crackers in a bag with the refrigerated items. The cashier saw him and told him the crackers didn't belong with the refrigerated stuff and the sack boy told him they were cheese crackers and did belong there. :)

One of the larger markets I go to has an "express" line and a "bag-your-own" line.

Hey Ole Joyful, this is Marxcy here. LOLOLOL I've been called a lot of things, but .........this is a first.
You all brought back so many memories! In my case the place to work was a union shop. When my husband died, lung cancer at 35, in 1981, I was making almost $10.00 an hour. In 1975 I took a course on
"Checker Training" at the local college. It took 3 months and I earned 23 college credits, . Got an A, too. We learned every kind of cash register, how to 'touch' check" "had to know to get a job at Safeway> read the ads, know how much 1 idiom cost when their in multiples
My first job was at IGA in Auburn, WA. when Safeway called, I went directly to see them, still had my IGA apron on, in fact. I was hired but had to go to their school first, in Seattle, 50 miles away. We'd bought a 20 acre farm in Enumclaw, gateway to MT. Rainier, and Safeway was opening a new store there! When they opened for business, I was there, just in time to walk a picket line! STRIKE anyone?
Ahhh yes, making change. You counted it back to the customer, not just put it all in their hand with the receipt on top. I can see how quick change artist steal our money. Say my bill is $10.43 I hand the checker $21.03. Talk about a deer in headlights! So I tell them, give me back a ten and 60 cents. So they punch it in and look surprised when it tells them to give me back what I told them.
At Safeway we put $1,000's of dollars through our till, especially on Fridays. One Friday the manager told everyone"that's what I call "right down to the penny", Marcy, good job! I worked up to 60 hours a week, in the summer time, especially. We were a gateway to skiing, camping, Eastern Washington, the escape for Seattle to enjoy our hot dry weather,we were in the foothills of MT Rainier. The next big store was in Naches about 90 miles away. It was really annoying to check people out in swimsuits, snow gear "winter> camping clothes,etc, while I was stuck behind the register, making excellent money but no time off, to spend it!
Growing up I was always distrustful of strangers, and thought the world was a hostile place, Until I started checking, that is! People who don't smile for anyone will smile at their favorite cashier. I've learned that 99% of people are basically good. I always talked to my customers, swapped recipes, jokes, you name it. People waiting in my line "usually twice as long as the others> would be laughing and talking among themselves, too. Another checker would say her till was open and invariably they would decline, saying oh I have to tell Marcy about yada yada. or get her recipe for flour less peanut butter cookies.

Our farm was close to a mile or more and I was the only checker who rode a bike to work. The cattle would watch this strange creature, in her horrid, orange uniform, peddle past. LOLOL Not to mention it was an old womans bike with a basket on the front! My kids were mortified! LOLOL
Ahhh, the good ole days!

I've enjoyed all your stories and experiences.

Marxy

Thanks for all the replies!