Working at Walmart I have learned that there are a few things that almost all cashiers wish the customers know, but can’t tell you. Here is a list of a few of them.

1. We do not think you are stealing

Believe it or not, cashiers do not automatically assume that you are stealing when we look inside bags and such. We are required to look inside anything that opens. It is not meant to be offensive, it is simply meant to be a precaution that our managers require of us. If we are being completely honest, we don’t like it either.

2. I don’t know where most things are in the store

We may work in this store, but our experience is mostly in the checkout lanes. If I haven’t purchased it myself, I probably don’t know where it is. I will find someone who knows, but please don’t look at me like I’m stupid. I cannot help that my 8 hour shift is spent entirely in a lane, behind a register.

3. Please don’t leave things in the lanes

We understand that you change your mind. You decide you don’t want an item or that you can’t spend the money right now, we get that. That’s why we have a bucket under our register, for those items. When you leave the item in our lane, it is not only bad for the product, but if our manager finds it before we do, we get in trouble for not finding it ourselves. So please, just tell us you don’t want it, and we will take care of it.

4. We really appreciate it when you don’t put your heavy items on the belt

I know that you don’t have a problem lifting your 24 pack of soda onto the belt, but it is not easy to get it over the scanner and into the bagging area. It is very helpful when you leave it in your cart, so that we can come around to scan it. It is much more convenient for us this way, and you don’t have to lift it again.

5. We have to take our breaks at specific times

We really don’t like having long lines, just like you don’t. We have mandatory breaks we have to take at specific times. If we do not take them when our manager tells us to, we get in trouble. I know that it isn’t fun to stand in a long line, but when our light is off, it is because we are going to break or going home, and our managers do not like us to spend extra time on our lanes after we are supposed to be off the clock. We wouldn’t mind checking out a few extra people, but we can’t.

So when you are checking out please keep these things in mind and be courteous to your cashier who is doing their best to help you!