A quick checkout line move I thought was smart is actually a huge pain for everyone
I was at the big Target on Elm Street yesterday, waiting in a long line. I always used to unload my cart onto the belt, then push the empty cart forward and use it to corral my bagged groceries at the other end. I thought I was being efficient, keeping the area tidy for the next person. But the cashier, a woman named Sarah who I see there a lot, gave me this tired look and said, 'You know, that cart blocks the whole bagging area for a solid minute while you load up.' I looked behind me and saw three people waiting, their stuff piling up, because my cart was in the way. I felt so dumb. I'd been doing this for years thinking I was helping, but I was just creating a bottleneck. It never occurred to me that speed at the bagging spot matters just as much as speed on the belt. Has anyone else had a moment like this where your 'helpful' habit was actually making things worse?