I used to work as a checkout chap...
..(worst job when hungover), and when asked to re-open my till to relieve the queues, I'd always make a point of inviting the person who had clearly been waiting the longest to the front of my queue. Often some opportunistic queue-jumper would spy me moving toward my till and rush over. I'd politely tell them that someone else had been waiting longer and most saw my point immediately and said fair enough. Every now and again, though, I'd get filthy looks and muttering from some brazen scavenger who seemed to feel entitled to whatever advantage they could steal. One customer even argued with me about it once.

I was the only chick/chap who did it, though, from what I saw.
(filthytruck, Mon 8 Oct 2012, 11:54, 3 replies)

This is how it should work!
Just occasionally, they will open a new counter and say "Who's next please?" but I agree it's the exception.

What they need is one of those "Checkout number 2" type single-queue systems but I guess for trolleys it's a it hard to implement. Makes adding tills much fairer, however.
( Ugi , it's a game of give and cake, Mon 8 Oct 2012, 14:42, closed)

This makes you awesome.
I salute your doing-the-right-thing, even in the face of antagonistic pondlife. Thank you!
(costas, Wed 10 Oct 2012, 21:33, closed)

There's places around here where that appears to be the policy because they all do it. But I thank you for being nice enough to do it without the boss telling you to :)
(xanthine, Thu 11 Oct 2012, 5:08, closed)