Next place there's no line outside, you walk in and see there's no line at the register...

Go to the register. If someone steps up with ice cream to pay for, you let them go in front of you.

Spidercrab, do you see any difference between these 2 pictures, and how somebody who wants to buy gift cards should react in either case?





In the empty first picture, if there was 1 person ordering a dozen bagels with an employee at the Order Here sign, and a separate employee waiting at the Pay Here sign, what would you do?

Having altered my view a bit after reading this thread, I'd probably go straight to the register in the first picture. (I'm very conflict averse, though, so I'd be looking for any sign of the other customer being inconvenienced by me jumping in front.)

No idea what I'd do in the second picture. Probably go home and cry.

Subway is like this over here as well btw. If you want to order a sammich you go to the back of the line, if all you got is a drink you can squeeze in at the front.

And you will probably run into the one ass hole who will tell you to go get in line.

Spider,

At the other ice cream store, you just approach the register from the opposite direction.

I love your mock-ups!

It sort of tilts me that you have chocolate chip and mint flavors but not mint chocolate chip. Unless of course the mint green flavor is, in fact, pistachio. In which case, well done!

Seconded. I think it's weirdly awesome that you spent more time on the diagrams than you would have waited in the long line at the first shop.

Ha, I never even thought of that, but yes diagram must've taken more time than purchase! lol

this was very easy to get right.

Just give cash instead of a gift card and avoid the mental anguish.

I'll check with my wife - I don't think she'd do it. Would you do that in the crazy bagel picture posted above?

Pretty common for mint chocolate chip ice cream to be white, and not green.



Two things:
1. Sure, totally agree with the notion of the deadweight loss of Christmas argument. (I had Waldfogel as a teacher in grad school.)

2. In this particular case, since we weren't giving very much money, I actually like the gift card a little better. Like, getting $5 or $10 in cash is whatever, but getting a free scoop or two of delicious ice cream seems kind of cool. May be just rationalizing a bad decision, though.

Spider,

It's always fun to go to this ice cream place, which often has lines around the block:




And walk right in the front door, grab a couple of pints from the freezer, and go straight to the cashier and pay.

Poor excuse. There's always room for ice cream.
Be honest, your wife didn't want to wait in the ice cream line right?

You married El D? (I honestly don't know.) Spider needs to concede this battle, then turn his focus to winning the war.

Leo,

No, I use that style of arguing in my relationships!

Makes sense. In relationships, every argument is a war. In marriage, every argument is a battle.

Wait for B to be served and step into the C position.

Lol came to post this.

Not sure if serious, then he would just be holding up the real C, D, and E positions!

The clear solution is to slide in between D & E!

/nonsense

OP is obviously an easy question. At the first ice cream store with the long line I would cut straight to the cashier as well. The fact that they have separate employees for the cashier and the serving of ice cream is key.

This gets a bit more interesting. I wouldn't cut this line as I would be straight up stealing someone else's service. I think it's a bit similar to how I wouldn't cut a line at the grocery store when I'm are just buying one item, while the people in front of me have full carts.

I once tried to cut a line like the one in gregorio's example, except it was a cheese store rather than an ice cream store. I was only buying a box of crackers and assumed that not all employees behind the counter were working with helping customers pick out cheese. I was wrong and was impolitely told off by the employee I approached.

There is only one line. You wait in that line.

Or buy the gift card online or at a grocery store like a normal person.

It's okay, these dummies are wrong about so much and social behavior is not an oot strong suit.

There is only a single line. There are not two lines to choose from.

Why should I wait behind the person who wants to unload a cart of groceries when I can just jump right to the payment machine.

In many situations like the one you outlined the person serving would also handle cashier duties. This is not unusual at all, especially during slower periods or short staffed etc. so no just no the goofballs who think cutting in line to get a gift card is okay.

Lol markksman, you couldn't be more wrong. Maybe you should take a look at the pic again. There are two lines, and two separate employees performing different functions for each line.

Your weak attempt at a Jedi mind trick probably won't have much effect here.