I stopped into a Shell station tonight to grab a couple things. Quick in and out. That was the plan.

Instead I walked into one of those forced self checkout setups. No regular checkout. No cashier. Just this open area with cameras hanging over it where you’re supposed to set your stuff down and trust that some mystery system scans every barcode at once. It is not a normal self checkout with a screen and a scanner you control. It’s just awkward. Confusing. And honestly a little uncomfortable.

I asked the person behind the counter if I had to use it. She said no, she could check me out “over there,” pointing at the regular register. The same register that was blocked off and covered in signs telling everyone to use the self checkout. So clearly that was not the plan.

She was visibly irritated that I even asked.

She rang me up manually. Didn’t ask if I needed a bag. I had four items that were not exactly pocket sized. Didn’t offer a receipt. The whole interaction felt like I was a problem for simply wanting to pay for what I was buying.

What happened to basic customer service?

Nobody asks if you need a bag anymore. They just assume you don’t. You get side eyed if you want to use cash. And more and more, it feels like asking someone to do the core function of their job is some massive inconvenience.

I work in customer service every day. Different space. Software, podcast hosting, support tickets, real technical problems. But the principle is the same. When someone asks for help, especially something completely reasonable and within scope, you help them. You do not act annoyed. You do not make them feel like they are in the way.

And you definitely do not expect applause (A Tip) for doing the bare minimum.