h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

This question is asked because if you just assume that someone sitting at a till is available, you will be told 'Sorry, sir (insert title according to gender), this till's being used for training.' or they will point to the microscopic sign hanging 20 feet above the ground that says 'Baskets only'

I always figured it was one of those things people say which have no meaning - like "hi", or "nice day", or "wassup". You don't expect an answer - it just seems a bit rude to go up and start unloading items without making some form of verbal contact, however limited.

I often use the "Are you open?" line due to my complete amazement at finding a checkout without anybody at it, while millions are standing at others. I would guess the "Are you free?" is a derivation of it.

Just saw "Clerks" on Sunday and in addition to the rants about stupid customers, there is the rather more subtle joke that despite the "I ASSURE YOU WE'RE OPEN" sign, every single customer asks "Are you open?"

What about the customers that ask 'Are you open?' when it should be obvious you are not? If the cashier has a till on the counter and is counting the contents, THEY ARE GETTING READY TO LEAVE. (Sorry for raising my voice, but when I was a cashier, that really annoyed me, especially when the customer would imply that I should drop everything and ring them out...)

As long as it hasn't left you bitter in any way.

No, not bitter... Just thought that particular rant was relevent to this thread...

I'm not certain that it's possible to spend any amount of time working as a cashier and not be bitter about it.

amen to that!

I always find that customers ask 'are you open?' when they try to open the door of the shop and find it locked, just after we've closed up and have turned the lights off.

I remember working in a supermarket where the outer doors had electric security barriers that rolled down to seal off the door. I recall, one night, the barrier being halfway to the ground when a customer poked their head underneath and asked if we were closing.

Frightening...