I love all the ritualized behaviour, secret meanings and unexpected taboos - standing up when someone of higher status stands, elaborate rules for serving and eating, tapping the table to thank the server, never refuse a toast from a superior, stuff like that.
Whether it’s about meals or anything else, I’d love to hear about any uncommon politeness standard or similar social behaviour that goes on in your location, culture or restaurant!
This is just a small thing and I don’t know if it’s exclusively Swedish (or even done in the entierty of Sweden) but anyways. In the grocery store all customers generally turn all products so that the barcode is facing forward, aka the way that’s the most convenient for the cashier. Partially done to pay respect I guess but also makes the whole thing go faster.
Our cashiers are pretty fast for having to turn the product.
But If I have seen it correctly, our cashing systems in Germany can scan the EAN from two sides through a mirror.
Also you can’t compare to a cashier scanning vs packing anyway so making them even more fast would be hell. Also older folks would be thrice as overwhelmed as usual during regular lunch hours… :|
in Vienna they usually have some sort of table near the checkouts so you can just grab everything, put yourself there to free up the space for other people, and slowly organize your stuff into some bag/backpack
We also have that.
But the pressure is high so you better be quick while the transaction is going through ;)
A bit of a memey example: https://youtube.com/shorts/D5Qip1N1FIc
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you’d be surprised to know that in many places there’s no such thing and you either stuff everything in as it comes or pack on the ground
Or you prepare you groceries on the belt before it goes to the cashier and sort it into your bag as it’s being scanned. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Not common here in the US, but I’ve worked in retail, so I do it. I know how annoying / slow it can be.
Americans often don’t also bag their own to groceries, which also slows the line down. Checkout lines become much shorter if you ready things for scanning and help with bagging.
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This guy shops.
Because I’m neurotic, I always place items on the belt grouped in the order that I plan to bag them: first comes cold items, then pantry items, then hygiene & cleaning products, and lastly produce.
I routinely beat the checker :)
Bygg inte varuberg.
Don’t make mountains with your stuff on the conveyor belt.
Was written on like all conveyors in sweden.
I didn’t do this at ICA, but I certainly learned the habit at Systembolaget.