Manners in the supermarket

Bad manners or in the case of the OP no manners really make me cross.

It costs nothing to say please and thank you, along with being polite and a smile (even when it’s difficult) can make all the difference.

People do seem to forget their manners in places where they are being served, either supermarkets, restaurants, bars, etc., perhaps they think they pay for such a service so it should be available without a 'please' or 'thankyou' being necessary.
It is always necessary.
When I volunteered in a charity shop I was shocked at how rude customers could be when I serve them on the till. I would always start with a smile and a 'hello', nothing more unless the customer spoke to me, but some would simply throw their purchases in front of me and continue talking on the phone or to whoever had come in the shop with them, treating me as invisible. One customer asked I would wrap what she had bought, I said we don't do wrapping, and the customer then proceeded to swear at me until I called the manager who told her to leave. I was so shaken I refused to go on the till again preferring to help in other ways. And this is in a 'charity shop', goodness only knows how rude/hostile some people are in larger retail outlets/supermarkets.
Good for the supervisor for reminding the customer about her manners in the OP. Luckily she didn't get a mouthful.
I really despair when I see how rude and inconsiderate some people are.

Manners cost nothing, but are a measure of a person. There's no excuse for rudeness like that.

My son worked at a chip shop. A man came in and said' fish and chips'. My son said 'pardon'. This was repeated 2 or 3 times until the customer realised he was expected to say please!

It’s the ‘phones that get me!
Customers come to the till staring at their ‘phones, chuck stuff in your direction, never making eye contact or even acknowledging your existence and expecting you guess how they are paying.
They sigh when they have to change the screen so they can “pay by card”.
The woman who didn’t even notice I had fallen and needed colleagues to help me up because she was on her phone was an exceptionally poor excuse for a human being!

It is a sign of the times that there are often notices up in shops and other spaces used by the public requesting that people do not disrespect or abuse members of staff, or words to that end.
We shouldn't need to be told.

I’m assuming that the young woman was British?
If not there are cultural reasons for this.
A lot of cultures around the world do not thank people for doing the job they’re paid to do.
I found this in South Africa and mixing with Zimbabweans.
Also when I lived in an Eastern European country they did say thank you.
But once we started using it to waiting staff they loved it.

Her forced “ Thank you” sounded British. But in any case this is Britain, not South Africa.

Manners Maketh the Man.

When you hold the door open for someone and they stride in often on a phone and no thanks. Or when someone pushes their shopping trolley into you there is no sorry. I am sad to see manners have disappeared but thankfully not by all. I am always reminding my little grandchildren of their pleases and thank you’s ……

Manners do cost nothing but poor manners are often on the part of retail staff. All too often we used to get to the checkout at the supermarket, load up the conveyor and then move toward to till where a grumpy operator never made eye contact, didn't acknowledge our 'good morning' greeting, and practically threw everything aside as they scanned the bar codes...........thank goodness for self scan shopping! And there is a lovely young lady on there that helps if there's a problem with anything or to do random checks. How different people can be!

Oh I’m with you. I cannot abide bad manners and rudeness. I hate it when ordering food in a restaurant and hear people saying ‘can I get’ instead of ‘please may I have’.

I’ve told this tale before, but as it’s relevant I’ll do it again.

I was buying sweets with two of the grandsons at their local corner shop. As the young assistant took the money and handed the bags over, I said to the boys “Now what do you say?”. And the assistant swiftly replied “Thank you”.

A well brought up assistant there Maggiemaybe lol.

Astitchintime - we have the opposite experience with supermarket staff. Always do my weekly shop in Tesco in the next town from here, lovely ladies on the checkouts. Always a good morning and chat as they serve. Same in the Lidls. Last week I needed something extra so went to our towns Sainsbury, not realising they don't have checkout staff until 9am. So we had to negotiate the self service and had a couple issues with it. Two elderly staff members stood in their own little area and they were both reluctant to offer any help and neither spoke more than a couple words. As I left I said I wouldn't be back unless there was someone offering customer service.

My neighbours 5 yr old daughter did make us laugh a few weeks ago. We were unloading shopping from the car as she came out to go to school. Spotted my OH and said to him "good morning, how are you?" So they ended up having a quick chat before she went on her way.

But it starts early.
I was astonished when a friend was showing off her baby granddaughter and a biscuit was produced; the assorted grannies, mothers etc chorused their version of thank you. The grandmother tossed her head and said proudly, oh she is very independent, she won't ever say thank you, as she grabbed the biscuit.
A voice behind me (I don't think it was me) muttered, she wouldn't get the biscuit then if she were mine.
Now twelve, this baby is extremely independent where manners are concerned.

petra

I’m assuming that the young woman was British?
If not there are cultural reasons for this.
A lot of cultures around the world do not thank people for doing the job they’re paid to do.
I found this in South Africa and mixing with Zimbabweans.
Also when I lived in an Eastern European country they did say thank you.
But once we started using it to waiting staff they loved it.

This can only be acceptable if people have just arrived/are tourists, if people have lived here for any length of time is very much a case of ‘when in Rome…
In Germany people don’t tend to say please or thank you but we have a friend with a German wife who says this quite naturally now.
No excuse really.

I hate going to the local supermarket and finding a male or female engrossed with their phone, blocking the aisle at the entrance or exit. I say quite loudly, "Excuse me, please," and then they realise their error.

I did ask one young lady how she coped without a mobile phone, but the look I received made me think of the dark ages.

I always hold doors open for anyone with a pram/pushchair, I know how much I appreciated that when I was in that position often loaded down with bags attached too. 9/10 times that elicits a thanks, once though, a young woman walked through as I was holding open the door for her without so much as an acknowledgement, I called after her "tbanks is the word you're probably searching for" her "I don't have to thank you" me "I don't have to hold the door open for you" Manners cost nothing.

As my grandma used to say, Don't let other people's bad manners dictate the way you behave. People who let doors swing shut in your face, or don't say thank you when I hold one open for them - they're the ones that turn me into a sarcastic shrew (I always say, "You're welcome," which sometimes elicits a muttered, "Thanks" or an embarrassed (and usually smiling) apology. I think people's preoccupation is largely due to the invention of the mobile phone (which, not unlike the split atom, has managed to bring mixed advantages to humanity).

If I hold a door open and don’t get a thank you I call after them “sorry what did you say?” They invariably turn round and say “I didn’t say anything”, I then gleefully reply “oh sorry I thought you said thank you” and then go on my way chuckling to myself.

I opened a door to go into hotel in New York. As I opened it a young man with a brief case came rushing out through the door I was holding. I definitely forgot my manners and said very loudly "you ignorant pig". Not good manners on my part and definitely not sensible.

I regularly say good morning/good afternoon to bus drivers and thank you when I alight. The same owner has several bus companies in the wider area but only one operator's staff will respond. Same training ? so it is a cultural issue which varies from town to town? I've moved to a town which is well thought of but I find the general population stand offish as they do not respond to hello etc . One supermarket's staff do not say please or thank you. Again I think it is reflective of a town's culture. I deliberately say please etc just to irritate the hell out of the ignoramus

Mogsmaw

It’s the ‘phones that get me!
Customers come to the till staring at their ‘phones, chuck stuff in your direction, never making eye contact or even acknowledging your existence and expecting you guess how they are paying.
They sigh when they have to change the screen so they can “pay by card”.
The woman who didn’t even notice I had fallen and needed colleagues to help me up because she was on her phone was an exceptionally poor excuse for a human being!

I agree with you 100pc...I work in a shop and it is the most rudest and ignorant way to treat someone who is talking to you/ trying to serve you... either that or they'll get to the front of the queue and then decide to ring someone to ask what they want...grrrrrrrrr

Not only do the politeness words, 'please, thank you, you're welcome, sorry and excuse me' seem to have fallen from use but people rarely look behind them and hold the door for someone behind, they have forgotten how to use a roundabout and no-one wipes their feet anymore! (Except me!) Manners maketh man? Not any more.