Line etiquette question 

"Funktheduck" (funktheduck) 04/13/2016 at 08:41 • Filed to: None

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Last night I went to Publix for a sub. There were two people currently being helped and one lady waiting. One man was getting 3 subs and the other set being helped was an elderly couple so you can imagine things weren’t super quick. The woman ahead of me grew impatient, said “this is gonna take too long” after I had been there a few minutes, walked away and looked at some pre made sandwiches in a cooler, and then came back into the same spot in line ahead of me.

Is this allowed? My initial reaction is to say no. Once you leave the line and make a statement like you don’t intend to return; you lose your spot. Right? I didn’t argue because I was too tired to really care. It wound up not mattering anyway because both people getting food already finished about the same time and we both were served and finished at about the same rate.

I almost touched the baby closest in the picture. These geese did not care about the massive amount of people around.

Extraneous information: the woman was extremely rude. She stood uncomfortably close to the man ahead of her. I initially thought she was with him. He was clearly not happy about her practically touching him. He kept shifting to get some space and she kept moving closer like someone at a red light that thinks inching up means you’ll get going faster. She barked orders at the woman making her sandwich. Wanted everything extra for the same price as a normal sandwich. She tried the complain until the person gives in approach but it didn’t work. Anyone who has worked in food service knows the type I mean. She was the type of woman that probably has her food spit in a lot.

Ash78, voting early and often > Funktheduck 04/13/2016 at 08:45

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At a Publix around here, she would get the stare-down. We frown on that shit. However, in most of Florida, that would be something I like to call "Snowbird License." (ie, She got her way at her local deli in New Jersey for 60 years, why should Publix be any different? Come on, Flaaahrida!) Don't poke the bear. Naturally, she should have turned to you and said "I'll be right back, would you mind holding my spot?" That would be perfectly ok if she was only gone for a minute or less.

iSureWilll > Funktheduck 04/13/2016 at 08:50

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I would think if she didn’t say something to you like, “Hey I want to check out the premade sandwiches real quick. Can you hold my spot in line?” then she gave up her spot but... meh. If she didn’t slow you down then no harm no foul right?

On a related note... Line etiquette? Should you use a 1 dollar bill, a 50, or a hundo? I prefer to use hundos on my lines.

GhostZ > Funktheduck 04/13/2016 at 08:50

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You ask the person behind you to hold your place while you do something quickly, but if you take so long that person ends up in the front, you’ll lose your spot.

You should also let someone back in front of you if they leave without asking, but ask first when they come back, again, so long as you aren’t up at the front already.

If they leave without asking, and then cut back in without asking, allow them in but say they should tell other people when they’re going to cut back in line, unless that would make a scene enough to hold up the rest of the line. In which case, the best thing to do is to let the management deal with it, since any other option is just going to inconvenience everyone else. If the management doesn’t make her go to the back of the line after they make a scene, then just endure, it’s not your business and you’ve done what you can to help. Some people are just stupid.

The reason is because etiquette is about showing awareness of other people’s needs, such as asking for permission and being polite, as well as recognizing when you’re a serious inconvenience (such as leaving and then holding up the ENTIRE line trying to get back in.)

jariten1781 > Funktheduck 04/13/2016 at 08:50

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Meh, I wouldn’t exit the line and reenter unless I checked out with the folks behind me to see if they’d mind...but it’s soooo not worth engaging those jackholes that do. They’re like disease carriers of misery and any interactions with them spreads their illness. Let them to wallow in their bubble of anger and share an eye roll/chuckle with the cashier when you get up there.

TheBloody, Oppositelock lives on in our shitposts. > Funktheduck 04/13/2016 at 08:51

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She does that because she couldn’t do it in Jersey. Try that bullshit here and you get put in your place real quick.

buford-t-justice > Funktheduck 04/13/2016 at 08:52

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Screw those geese, I always have at least 3 families by my house every freaking spring, bloody pests. I almost want grab my baseball bat and have supper for the next little while.

CalzoneGolem > jariten1781 04/13/2016 at 09:01

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This. Don’t let them spread their misery around.

Funktheduck > buford-t-justice 04/13/2016 at 09:05

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I know so many people who have issues with geese. I’ve never had an issue. At my gf’s work they waste money relocating them. They always come back. They chase people and apparently killed a bunny.

Funktheduck > TheBloody, Oppositelock lives on in our shitposts. 04/13/2016 at 09:08

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When I worked in food there was always at least one per shift. They're used to companies bending to their complaints because they're scared of bad reviews or employees don't care enough to enforce policies.

Funktheduck > jariten1781 04/13/2016 at 09:10

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Pretty much how I feel. On more than one occasion I've had fun making fun of rude people with the employees after the fact.

TheBloody, Oppositelock lives on in our shitposts. > Funktheduck 04/13/2016 at 09:14

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It’s not the employees enforcing the rules, is the other customers lol.

ttyymmnn > Funktheduck 04/13/2016 at 09:15

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If I were in her shoes, I would have exited the line and returned to the back, hopefully to be rewarded by the person who was behind me offering me my place back. It’s a shame that pushy assholes tend to get their way, mostly because the more gentler souls don’t feel like having a confrontation. I wouldn’t have said anything when she came back to her place, but it was somewhat rude of her to simply expect you to hold her spot without asking first. A little bit of courtesy goes a long way, and the fact that the world singles out simple courteous acts as “random acts of kindness” and makes such a big deal out of them just demonstrates that civility is becoming a rare commodity in the world.

Bourbon&JellyBeans > Funktheduck 04/13/2016 at 09:15

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Anger is like drinking poison and waiting for the other person to die. She probably leads a miserable life, let her cut you in line knowing that you are happier than she is.

Funktheduck > GhostZ 04/13/2016 at 09:17

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It was pretty clear this woman thought the world revolved around her. No sense in interacting with people like that. If they had been busier or if she tried to cut back in as it was my turn I would have said something.

Funktheduck > ttyymmnn 04/13/2016 at 09:25

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Yeah. People say the 80s was the “me decade” but I think people are way more self involved and entitled now.

ttyymmnn > Funktheduck 04/13/2016 at 09:28

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What the 80s lacked was “attitude.” Nowadays, people are just plain assholes and wear their assholery like a badge of honor. I blame the Internet. Oh, and Obama, of course.

Urambo Tauro > Funktheduck 04/13/2016 at 09:39

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As was already mentioned, one who leaves the line with the intention to return must either ask one to hold their spot, or fall in at the end of the line.

It seems odd that there was room for her to cut back in. Did you not move forward when she left the line?

Funktheduck > ttyymmnn 04/13/2016 at 09:45

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I think you’re right.

80s: if it’s not about me I don’t care

Now: F**k you! It's all about me. If you don't agree you're evil and wrong and should die a horrible death. (Evidence: see comments section on nearly every platform)

Rico > Funktheduck 04/13/2016 at 09:54

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The etiquette is this, if you/someone is on line and needs to leave for any reason and it seems they will not be next anytime soon it’s appropriate to say/ask: “Hey can I just run over there and grab X real quick” after which I would say sure or if I am asking the person is reasonable to say okay fine.

If you leave without saying anything, you’re deaded off your spot in line.

I just did this at the supermarket, there was 3 people ahead of me and my GF called me to pick up a ginger ale which was 2 aisles away. I told the dude behind me, “I’m going to grab a ginger ale real quick” *points at aisle* guy gave me a nod and that was that, took 30 seconds.

Rico > TheBloody, Oppositelock lives on in our shitposts. 04/13/2016 at 09:57

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Add NYC to that list.

Funktheduck > Urambo Tauro 04/13/2016 at 09:57

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There's not usually a set line. It's informal. I stand back a couple feet from the people being served, especially when they have buggies, so they have room to exit. Check out is separate from the order station since people generally do shopping while they're there. It's also right next to the chicken counter which can add confusion and/or additional shopping.

ttyymmnn > Funktheduck 04/13/2016 at 10:12

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(Evidence: see 2016 presidential election)

beardsbynelly - Rikerbeard > Funktheduck 04/13/2016 at 20:07

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What is a line if not a formal order for showing who arrived first?

If she left the shop completely I’d understand. But really you don’t lose anything by her walking a few steps and then getting back in line. She was still there before you.

I’ve never been to Publix though.

Funktheduck > beardsbynelly - Rikerbeard 04/13/2016 at 21:21

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Yeah. In the long run it was a wash for either spot in line as far as time gained/lost. It was just new to me. Never had anyone leave without a request and come back like nothing happened.

silenceofthemuffler > Funktheduck 04/15/2016 at 10:25

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What’s wrong is that you were in Publix for a sub. No Arby’s or Subway around?

j/k - haven’t been to a Publix as there are none in my state!

PapaKyle > Funktheduck 04/15/2016 at 10:27

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Main question is, are the subs there worth it? I heard they are, but have never partaken myself!

Still, I’d likely still let her in cause confrontation isn’t always worth it, but agree that she had forgone her spot by intentionally leaving. I would pretend to just sneeze a lot behind her or something of the sort.

Funktheduck > silenceofthemuffler 04/15/2016 at 10:49

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I like their subs and they were also the closest food to me.

Arby’s and subway weren’t close to where I was or was going.

Haven't been to Subway in a long while. My favorite manager switched jobs and then the whole Jared thing came out. When it came out that subway corporate knew about what he did but decided not to do anything until after he was arrested, I chose not to support them anymore.

Funktheduck > PapaKyle 04/15/2016 at 10:52

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I enjoy them. I would recommend eating one when you have the chance. The meats and cheeses are much higher quality than most sub places.