A quick checkout line move I thought was smart is actually a huge pain for everyone

I was at the big Target on Elm Street yesterday, waiting in a long line. I always used to unload my cart onto the belt, then push the empty cart forward and use it to corral my bagged groceries at the other end. I thought I was being efficient, keeping the area tidy for the next person. But the cashier, a woman named Sarah who I see there a lot, gave me this tired look and said, 'You know, that cart blocks the whole bagging area for a solid minute while you load up.' I looked behind me and saw three people waiting, their stuff piling up, because my cart was in the way. I felt so dumb. I'd been doing this for years thinking I was helping, but I was just creating a bottleneck. It never occurred to me that speed at the bagging spot matters just as much as speed on the belt. Has anyone else had a moment like this where your 'helpful' habit was actually making things worse?

2 comments

2 Comments

abby_chen3d ago

Oh wow, that's actually a really good point. I always thought leaving the cart at the end was the right move too. But you're totally right, it just locks up the whole station. I guess the real trick is to unload fast and then get yourself and your stuff out of the way as quickly as possible. Thanks for the heads up, I'm going to stop doing that.

oliver_anderson3d ago

My buddy Dave used to "help" at potlucks by taking everyone's dirty plates straight to the sink. He thought he was being a great guest. Turns out he was stacking them in a way that made them impossible to sort for washing, and the host had to redo the whole pile. He found out years later when someone finally snapped and told him he was creating more work.