TL;DR: I was asked to move a heavy flat cart loaded with three long bags of potting soil with a…read morelong shovel to another register. When I said, "I don't want to go to the next register. I want to check out here," no one offered to help. Instead, the cashier at the first register told me I was being rude and then refused to check us out, turning what should have been a routine checkout into an embarrassing public scene that ultimately ended with a manager checking us out. My mother has been shopping at McLendon's in Woodinville for decades and was taken aback by the way we were treated.
We had already spent most of the day buying gardening supplies and had loaded and unloaded heavy items before coming to McLendon's for a few more things. We ended up with two carts, including a heavy flat cart carrying three long bags of potting soil with a long shovel balanced across the top. It wasn't just heavy--it was awkward to maneuver, especially around tight corners.
At checkout, I was directed to another register. I started to move the cart, but the cashier was facing a different aisle and said he couldn't scan the bags from where he was. It quickly became apparent that I would have to maneuver the cart around a very tight corner by myself while keeping the load balanced. The other option was to back up and come around another way, which would have required moving my mother and her cart. My mother has neuropathy in her feet and is very unsteady, so neither option was practical. The cashier did not offer to help move the cart, reposition himself, or assist with the bags in any way.
I went back to the first register and said, "I want to check out here." She again told me I needed to move to the next register. I said, with admittedly some tired exasperation, "I don't want to. I want to check out here."
After I said that, the woman at the first register very loudly told me I was being rude. I asked, "Are you going to check us out?" She simply stood there for a time without responding.
My mother, who is 80 years old, had been standing there watching the entire interaction. She even said to her, "Isn't the customer always right?" By that point, the exchange had drawn the attention of another customer, who inserted himself into the situation and began insulting me.
Finally, after being loudly lectured, the cashier said she would have to get her manager, waved her hands in the air, said, "I can't do this," and left to get him.
The volume of her voice and her visible anger quickly drew the attention of several customers, turning what should have been a routine checkout into an embarrassing public scene. The manager ultimately came over and checked us out. He, in stark contrast to her, was very nice. He looked to see if my mom had any coupons on file, then asked another employee to help load the soil into my car.
What disappointed me most was how quickly this escalated. If either employee had simply offered to help with the cart, the entire situation could have been resolved in less than a minute. We had two carts that were part of the same purchase--one my mother was pushing and one I was pushing. Instead of asking us to move both carts, it would have been far easier to let the customer behind us proceed to the next register.
I understand that stores have procedures, but good customer service also means recognizing when a customer is dealing with heavy, awkward merchandise and offering assistance. I sincerely hope management will use this as an opportunity to remind employees that a calm, solution-oriented approach--and a willingness to help a customer with a heavy load--can make all the difference.
7-6-26 Edit: After taking some time to reflect on what happened, I've updated this review to clarify the sequence of events. My mother remains just as upset as I am about the way we were treated. She would welcome the opportunity to speak with management if they would like to discuss what happened. We would genuinely like to feel comfortable shopping at McLendon's again, but that will depend on how this situation is handled.
