July 18, 2026, 1:42 pm | Read time: 10 minutes
For nearly two years, I worked as a student employee at various Edeka stores, manning the cash register. During this time, I experienced just about everything: stressful shifts, discussions with colleagues, too-short breaks, and of course, a wide range of customer interactions. Most were unproblematic, but some regularly drove me to the brink of madness.
That’s why this list is about the 11 things customers consistently get wrong at the checkout–often without even realizing it. Of course, cashiers aren’t flawless either. Still, their perspective is often overlooked. This list aims to provide a glimpse into the daily life behind the register and highlight which situations can be particularly stressful there.
1. Checkout Belt Issues
Let’s start with bottles. Proper positioning makes shopping much easier. Rolling items should be placed on the belt so that the bottom faces the cashier. This way, they can be easily grabbed and handed directly to the customer. More importantly, never place drinks upright on the belt. Especially with glass bottles, the risk of them falling and breaking is enormous.
A classic issue is the missing divider and the heated discussions that follow. The solution is simple: After your purchase, place a divider on the belt, and everyone sticks to it. It’s a surprisingly uncomplicated concept. Of course, there might be times when no divider is available. However, since there are usually at least two per register, you’ll get one in time. Still, the divider seems to be a foreign concept to some people.
And while we’re on the topic of the checkout belt: Please don’t place deposit slips loosely on it. It sounds harmless but can quickly become a problem. If you’re not paying attention for just a second, the slip can disappear between the belt and the register. In the worst case, you’ll never see it again. It’s best to keep the slip in your hand and hand it over when it’s your turn, or place it on another product.
2. Running Off Again, Even Though It’s Your Turn
You’re practically at the register, your groceries are on the belt, and suddenly you realize: Damn, that’s the wrong cheese. Or the strawberries don’t look as good in this light. No problem, it happens. What doesn’t help, though, is leaving the cart and sprinting across the store to get a replacement. Especially not when all of Neukölln is lined up behind you.
In such cases, there are much simpler solutions. The product can simply be handed over. Either it gets scanned and paid for and then exchanged for a new one after checkout, or you skip it and get a new one later. This is much more relaxed for everyone involved.
3. Returning Chilled Products to Any Shelf
For heaven’s sake, if you decide you don’t want something, please don’t just leave it anywhere in the store. Especially not if the product is supposed to be refrigerated. There are indeed better places for raw chicken than the candy shelf. The amount of stuff that has to be thrown away daily is unbelievable. Not only is it a huge waste, but honestly, it doesn’t look good either.
By the way: For some frozen products, the expiration date is on a sticker. If it’s missing, the product can’t be sold.
4. Please Don’t Build Towers on the Checkout Belt
I know, sometimes the checkout belts are about as long as the patience of a middle-aged suburban Susan. Still, it’s not a good idea to pile your entire purchase into a small mountain of goods. For one, delicate products often get crushed, and for another, everything falls off as soon as the belt starts moving.
Little tip: Large items can often just stay in the cart. For many six-packs of water or store-brand sodas, cashiers have their own numbers. The same goes for large vegetables that have a unit price and no scanner, like cabbage or cauliflower.
5. Suddenly, You Have to Pay at the Register
If you have vouchers, coupons, or cards for collecting points, please have them ready. Ideally, the wallet shouldn’t be opened only when I’m booking my spot in a retirement home. Especially during promotions, there’s a reason for this: Once payment is made, it’s too late for many things. Most additions can’t be applied retroactively.
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At the same time, please be patient with people, especially older ones, if they take a little longer to pay. Don’t start sighing deeply just because Margarete (89) can’t quite recognize her change anymore. After all, she can still shop alone, while you can’t even relax for 20 seconds. And to the slightly older readers: Ask for help. Really. I’d much rather spend 30 seconds helping with payment than watch for ten minutes as someone desperately searches for the right coin.
By the way: When cashiers ask for a parking ticket, DeutschlandCard, Payback, postal code, Ottifanten, or the twelfth additional program, they usually don’t do it because it’s their greatest hobby to annoy customers as long as possible. In many stores, there are guidelines on which questions must be asked. At Edeka, at least in some branches, it was like that. Sometimes the questioning annoys you as much as it does me.
6. Paying 1.39 Euros with a 100-Euro Bill
When we say we can’t break a large bill, it’s usually not because we’re too lazy to do the math. Well, maybe sometimes. But most of the time, there’s a different reason. Cashiers receive a limited amount of change at the start of their shift, and it has to last for several hours. Especially at the beginning of a shift, there might be enough money in the register, but mostly in small change.
And just because it’s afternoon doesn’t mean the register has been open all day. A shift can also start at 2 p.m. If I break the first 100-euro bill right away, a large part of my change is gone. Then, shortly after, I’m stuck with the next customer and can’t give the correct change.
Tip: Convenience stores and kiosks can sometimes change money more effectively. Especially if they don’t accept card payments.
7. “Can You Finally Open a New Register?”
When it’s really busy and no additional register is opened, it might be because there isn’t another register available. If colleagues call in sick in the morning, it’s not always possible to organize a replacement in time.
From my time at Edeka, I know that additional registers either had to be called for, or the store management or a responsible person had to be informed first. The problem is: This doesn’t always happen within ten seconds. Maybe we’ve already asked for another register. Just because you didn’t see it doesn’t mean it didn’t happen. Maybe the responsible person is in the warehouse. Maybe they’re stocking shelves. Perhaps they’re in the restroom.
So the same applies here as with the other points on this list: Have a little patience. You’re unlikely to miss anything in the next five minutes. And I’m about 99.9 percent sure you’ll survive the wait. If not, please use a self-checkout.
8. Self-Checkouts Are Every Cashier’s Nightmare
Speaking of self-checkouts. If your store has self-checkouts, do us a favor and use them only for smaller purchases. Ideally without alcohol or tobacco. Many customers think the self-checkouts run entirely on their own. In reality, someone still has to keep an eye on them. In some stores, an employee is ready for this. In others, the person at the regular register is also responsible for the self-checkouts. This means: While I should be checking out, I’m also running over to confirm age verifications, resolve error messages, or help with scanner issues. It’s not just extra work for me. It also means customers at the regular register have to wait.
Don’t get me wrong: I think self-checkouts are great. At least as long as they’re used as intended. For people who want to quickly buy margarine, they’re a real asset. It only becomes problematic when Steffi shows up with twelve different types of vegetables and Hannes next door tries to unlock his two bottles of vodka. Then everything suddenly comes to a halt, and the time savings the self-checkouts were meant for is gone.
9. If Something Falls, Quietly Walk Away
If something falls or breaks in the store, please let someone know. Really, no one will bite your head off. Most cashiers have cleaning supplies nearby or can call someone to take care of it. It only becomes problematic if you pretend nothing happened. Then the next five customers walk through the spilled liquid or crumbs, spreading everything around the store, and a small mishap turns into a big mess.
10. Shouting Prices Helps Immensely
When I’m looking for a product on my list at the register, I’m not searching for the price but for the product number. The register usually knows the current price based on that number. So, unfortunately, it doesn’t help when three different people shout at me: “It costs 1.99 euros!” That might be true, but it doesn’t help me find it any faster.
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It’s also tricky with fruits, vegetables, or other products that need to be weighed. It’s not enough to just enter any price. The register needs the correct number to record the weight, price, and item accurately. When the cashier asks for the price, it’s intentional.
Little tip: If you notice a missing price tag or a smudged barcode on a product while in the store, quickly photograph the tag or take a second item to the register. This often saves several minutes of searching.
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11. No Money After All
Forgot your wallet at home? Don’t panic. It happens more often than some might think, and honestly, it’s probably happened to most cashiers too. We can simply set your purchase aside, and you can come back later. Alternatively, we can put the items back. Yes, it takes a bit of work, but that’s okay.
Conclusion
I’ve learned at the register that most annoying situations don’t arise from malice. Often, they’re just habits, inattentiveness, or things customers never had to think about. And that’s perfectly okay–after all, you’re not on the other side of the checkout belt every day. But please understand: Most cashiers are underpaid students or people who have been doing the job for 20 years and have heard every original checkout joke about 500 times. No, Stefan, the toast isn’t free just because the barcode doesn’t work.
A friendly “Hello” and “Goodbye” actually make a bigger difference than many think. It’s also helpful to take out your headphones or pause your phone call for the few minutes at the register. The world will keep turning without you.
I hope this little insight has shown why some things are much more exhausting for cashiers than they might seem at first glance. Maybe some of you recognize yourselves. Maybe someone feels caught. And if you have to think of this article at one point or another during your next shopping trip, I’ve already achieved my goal.