This is an additional experience I had at the Santee location of Costco Wholesale about a year after my previous review.
This evening after work I stopped by to pick up a few groceries. For reference, my purchase was very small, about nine items including fruits, cucumbers, nuts, avocados, and salt. Everything in the store was perfectly fine until I reached the self checkout area.
The self checkout setup has two clearly marked waiting lines running in parallel. Customers normally proceed to the checkout station directly in front of their line as it becomes available. I entered from the aisle near the over the counter medicine section and waited at the end of the right side line with my cart.
There were two employees positioned in the middle of the self checkout area guiding customers. One of them was a female employee with the name tag Jackie.
At approximately 7:18 pm, as soon as one customer finished paying and a checkout station opened directly in front of my line, I began walking toward it. At that moment Jackie waved to a customer who was still walking down the aisle behind the lines and directed him to the station that had just opened effectively taking the place that should have been next for the line I was already waiting in.
This confused me because the lines are clearly marked and customers normally move forward in order. I said calmly, "I thought each lane goes to the checkout directly in front of it."
Her response was dismissive. With a hand gesture she said, "You can go wherever you want, honey."
At that point I simply moved to another self checkout station and paid for my groceries. The interaction itself, however, felt unnecessary and disrespectful.
While paying, I also noticed that two other customers waiting nearby both people of color were still standing and waiting while the customer who had been called ahead of the line was white. I sincerely hope this was simply poor judgment or inattentiveness rather than something more concerning.
Because of the situation, I asked to speak with a manager. The manager came over, listened to my explanation, and apologized respectfully for the experience. I appreciated the professionalism and the willingness to listen, even though the issue itself was not caused by her.
My intention here is not to attack the store. I enjoy shopping at Costco and that is why I continue to come back. However, interactions like this create an uncomfortable experience that should not happen in a place where customers simply expect to be treated fairly and respectfully.
If the employee genuinely did not notice a customer already waiting directly in line with a cart, that suggests a lack of attention in a role specifically meant to guide customers. If it was intentional, then it raises a more serious concern.
Costco has built a reputation for professionalism and fairness. I hope store management takes a moment to review situations like this so that every customer is treated with the same level of respect and attention.
It is also worth noting that this experience occurred almost exactly one year after my previous review describing another uncomfortable interaction at this same location in Santee. I continue to shop here because I genuinely like the store and the value Costco provides, which is precisely why I believe situations like this deserve attention and improvement. read more