I mean, the only time I talked to a cashier at a German Grocery Store was when I fucked up and hit the wrong button on the self checkout and my "barely passable" German Reading Comprehension wasn't enough to un-fuck the situation.
I wear hats with frogs on them and as soon as someone comments, BAM! you triggered my trap and I start talking like the goddamn ray of fucking sunshine I am.
The teenagers working evenings and weekends who understandably don’t want to be there won’t acknowledge you at all. The few 9-5ers will talk your ear off. I enjoy both kind of service.
Every time I check out: hi how are you? Good, yourself? Good thanks...beep beep beep boop do you have (loyalty card) that will be ($ amount). *hands over receipt* thanks.
I get it from both sides: I totally understand cashiers that just wanna do their jobs while old men demand they smile, and I get it when a customer just wants to pay and go without hearing my jokes.
Some people, though, treat me like an ATM. No greeting, no eye contact, don't answer questions. They just hand you their card, snatch it back, and take off. That's almost always a "sports dad," someone in athletic gear of some sort with kids and no manners.
When we visited last year the store workers would barely speak at all. We did make the mistake of trying to be "overly friendly" at first, as a German local put it. But, we quickly learned not to smile too much (can be suspicious, I guess) or make light, friendly conversation (seems insincere I think?). What worked best for us was just a neutral-to-coldish facial expression, moderate eye contact, and no talking other than to respond to questions if asked and *maybe* a quick "danke" as we left.
Also American and I'd like to point out that we have a not small number of people in this country who genuinely think they're being insulted if you don't make small talk with them
I don’t think this skit is about the customer asking questions. No customer really does that. It’s about the cashier asking the questions, which is why the customer here is expecting to be asked questions
And I would love it if the checkout clerks and baggers at my supermarket were to engage in small talk, but then I would have to have something to say to keep the conversation going. There's the rub.
Meh, most Germans are like this but many will try to be nice if you were the annoying customer. It's a transaction, the employee wants their break, not a chat
The funny part about "German efficiency" is that it's a complete myth, which I learned after visiting last year. "German predictability" would be a better term. As a neurodivergent with AuDHD, I can appreciate predictability and structure. What I learned, in large part from Germans themselves, is that societally they really like bureaucracy and adherence to protocol. They tend to have convoluted processes, but people especially adhere to them anyway because the outcome is predictable.
As a German, its not. Maybe not with the Germans today but my people left about 300 years ago and made their own little Germany here in the US. Plus I'm also ADHD (the real thing, not what they're calling ADHD today) and Asperger's (yes it still does exist).
Sorry, but I don't understand your point(s) whatsoever. Or why your ADHD and ASD is relevant to mine. Neurodivergence presents differently in everyone. Yes there are some similar traits in many, but not all people. Routine and structure is one of those things. I still don't understand your point and apparent disagreement given the downvote. I had GERMAN NATIONALS tell me it was a myth too. The ones I could get to engage in conversation. Multiple Germans agreed it was a myth, so???????
As an american, I hate how common it is for random people to ask what my weekend plans are. 1. That's none of your fucking business. 2. It feels like the only reason they're asking me isn't "to be friendly" but because they want to judge me based on the answer I give. Like, I don't even know you, why should I be trying to impress you with amazing "plans"? What's cool to me might be boring to you, or vice versa. Ugh, fucking americans.
"because they want to judge me based on the answer I give". I assure you there is nobody asking you about your weekend because of this. Literally nobody.
That's highly possible. My default assumption is that nobody wants to hear a fucking thing I say. Sometimes I'm actually wrong, but it's hard to lower a mental shield brought on by mental health issues. So, I get it.
Of course, nothing says you need to answer honestly. This could be the weekend you're meeting up with your cousins to re-forge the family poop knife, for example.
It's not always the bosses. One of my coworkers had doc's orders to sit due to a broken hip. Managers accommodated but it was the customers who would constantly complain about how "lazy" she was being even after having it explained to them.
As someone who works in a supermarket id ripe all those fucking dumb machines out if I could. A human cashier has no bill recycler to jam because the bill had a kink in it, or a coin dispenser to get jammed because of whatever the fuck a customer dumped in with their coins. They also never randomly reboot. If you can guess I am who gets called from the cash office to unfuck the damn machines when they get fucked up.
Dude... in the last 2 years using the self-scan-self-checkout I had zero, as in 0, of the problems you mentioned. The only hold up is if you get the random check by a person. That's usually done in 20 seconds. And paying with coins? C'mon dude, it's 2026! :-)
I was gonna say, here in Sweden the self-scan-as-you-go-checkout registers dont even take cash. If you pay with cash you HAVE TO use a human register and even then there is usually only one cash register in the bigger stores.
It is short for "sag mal", which you would probably directly translate to "tell me" in most circumstances. Like, for example, "Sag mal, magst du Horrorfilme?" ("tell me, do you enjoy horror movies?"). It very much depends on context, though, and can be used in other ways. In this case it is an expression of annoyance and disbelief towards the customer and closer to "are you kidding me?" because the thought of a cashier packing your bags is fairly outlandish in Germany.
Samma is a contraction of “sag mal” I don’t know the correct idiom for it, but it’s like “are you sure”or “is it possible” directly it means “say one time”
As I am German, I do not consider Bavaria as a part of Germany, nor do o recognise their guttural noises a language. :) just kidding. She is not Bavarian, tho (in the vid)
I had this one dude who would just repeat "NO RECEIPT!" basically the whole time he was in the store. But I suppose he was an outlier, the other customers just grunted and stabbed me with a puukko.
Jeg bor i Kbh. Kommer som regel til at sige "ellers tak", hvilket virker kluntet, men "nej tak" virker lidt groft, så jeg har sgu ikke regnet den ud. Endnu
WhenInDoubtC4
Also ehrlich...
hfctom
I mean, the only time I talked to a cashier at a German Grocery Store was when I fucked up and hit the wrong button on the self checkout and my "barely passable" German Reading Comprehension wasn't enough to un-fuck the situation.
ChelChehalem
I wear hats with frogs on them and as soon as someone comments, BAM! you triggered my trap and I start talking like the goddamn ray of fucking sunshine I am.
vericon151
No talking…and they are so fast at scanning. Need a 2 person team to bag ( better be your own bags) and get out before you are pushed along.
I like it.
Also, they are super friendly and can be quite chatty if you ask something pertinent. How much does this cost? Or where is item x?
Crispo
God bless self service checkouts
Volpe42
I'm an American and never expect to be asked how I'm doing. But then I'm a Pennsylvania German. So I guess that really puts me in the Germany shoes.
Polymathena
The editing defies hearing it fully. Intonation/expression inscrutable. Is there etymology?
AdventurousDonut480
It's terminal.
theobituator
She was sooo flirting!
AdventurousDonut480
But she has a boyfriend!
Bombe
SAMMA!
GiganticBaby
The teenagers working evenings and weekends who understandably don’t want to be there won’t acknowledge you at all. The few 9-5ers will talk your ear off. I enjoy both kind of service.
Schlumpfi
Sachma!
Twinklepot
In Ireland just be prepared for an extended conversation about the weather
SirSmackBottoms
Samma!?
KaptainObveeus
Every time I check out: hi how are you? Good, yourself? Good thanks...beep beep beep boop do you have (loyalty card) that will be ($ amount). *hands over receipt* thanks.
richardstinks
I get it from both sides: I totally understand cashiers that just wanna do their jobs while old men demand they smile, and I get it when a customer just wants to pay and go without hearing my jokes.
Some people, though, treat me like an ATM. No greeting, no eye contact, don't answer questions. They just hand you their card, snatch it back, and take off. That's almost always a "sports dad," someone in athletic gear of some sort with kids and no manners.
mjperk
When we visited last year the store workers would barely speak at all. We did make the mistake of trying to be "overly friendly" at first, as a German local put it. But, we quickly learned not to smile too much (can be suspicious, I guess) or make light, friendly conversation (seems insincere I think?). What worked best for us was just a neutral-to-coldish facial expression, moderate eye contact, and no talking other than to respond to questions if asked and *maybe* a quick "danke" as we left.
gonzar09
I'm American, and I don't ask questions; prefer to just scan, pay and go home.
GigiDundas
Also American and I'd like to point out that we have a not small number of people in this country who genuinely think they're being insulted if you don't make small talk with them
3rdoption
https://media2.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPWE1NzM3M2U1b2draGQwa2hxOHVkbWFpanNtcW84YnR2ZGtsYm1ucnBlaGo4aGZuNyZlcD12MV9naWZzX3NlYXJjaCZjdD1n/kSlJtVrqxDYKk/200w.webp
bobdavies7672
I don’t think this skit is about the customer asking questions. No customer really does that. It’s about the cashier asking the questions, which is why the customer here is expecting to be asked questions
Grendels2dCousinOnceRemoved
And I would love it if the checkout clerks and baggers at my supermarket were to engage in small talk, but then I would have to have something to say to keep the conversation going. There's the rub.
scissorxmextimbers
I'd pay more for talk less
MrKNRJ
This is just an introvert and an extrovert
Toqom
Meh, most Germans are like this but many will try to be nice if you were the annoying customer. It's a transaction, the employee wants their break, not a chat
Volpe42
Its not efficient to waste time chit chatting
mjperk
The funny part about "German efficiency" is that it's a complete myth, which I learned after visiting last year. "German predictability" would be a better term. As a neurodivergent with AuDHD, I can appreciate predictability and structure. What I learned, in large part from Germans themselves, is that societally they really like bureaucracy and adherence to protocol. They tend to have convoluted processes, but people especially adhere to them anyway because the outcome is predictable.
Volpe42
As a German, its not. Maybe not with the Germans today but my people left about 300 years ago and made their own little Germany here in the US. Plus I'm also ADHD (the real thing, not what they're calling ADHD today) and Asperger's (yes it still does exist).
mjperk
Sorry, but I don't understand your point(s) whatsoever. Or why your ADHD and ASD is relevant to mine. Neurodivergence presents differently in everyone. Yes there are some similar traits in many, but not all people. Routine and structure is one of those things. I still don't understand your point and apparent disagreement given the downvote. I had GERMAN NATIONALS tell me it was a myth too. The ones I could get to engage in conversation. Multiple Germans agreed it was a myth, so???????
RamanBiot
As an american, I hate how common it is for random people to ask what my weekend plans are. 1. That's none of your fucking business. 2. It feels like the only reason they're asking me isn't "to be friendly" but because they want to judge me based on the answer I give. Like, I don't even know you, why should I be trying to impress you with amazing "plans"? What's cool to me might be boring to you, or vice versa. Ugh, fucking americans.
thebonesofmyancestors
"because they want to judge me based on the answer I give". I assure you there is nobody asking you about your weekend because of this. Literally nobody.
RamanBiot
I freely admit that my own anxiety and other mental issues color my perspective of social interactions.
thebonesofmyancestors
That's highly possible. My default assumption is that nobody wants to hear a fucking thing I say. Sometimes I'm actually wrong, but it's hard to lower a mental shield brought on by mental health issues. So, I get it.
MissingGravitas
Of course, nothing says you need to answer honestly. This could be the weekend you're meeting up with your cousins to re-forge the family poop knife, for example.
flounder35
I want to live vicariously through you. So what are we doing this weekend?
RamanBiot
Scrolling imgur, watching the expanse, cooking spaghetti, and celebrating a nephews birthday. There, are you impressed? :-P
AdventurousDonut480
Depends if you manage to do everything properly.
ItHappenedInThe20thCentury
The temptation to respond with something completely unhinged is very, VERY strong.
ADMNtek
That cashier is standing. German cashiers don't stand.
SatansRepairDroid
In America cashiers aren't allowed to sit because their bosses think it gives the impression they are lazy
ADMNtek
American bosses are retarded.
bobdavies7672
They sit at Aldi’s. They never stand there. But then again that’s a German store or something lol
terajack2048
Also is super fast, your shits flying into the cart at warp speed, if you cans weren’t dented they are now
bobdavies7672
For real. Haven’t even got my card out yet and they’re almost done already lol
DarkfireDragon
It's not always the bosses. One of my coworkers had doc's orders to sit due to a broken hip. Managers accommodated but it was the customers who would constantly complain about how "lazy" she was being even after having it explained to them.
Filanwizard
making it worse its usually old people who act like that, but they sat all day at their corporate office jobs.
spitfires2000
Dude... we self-scan. Shelf-scan-cart/shopping bag-checkout-car.
TheVillageGrouch9000
Trapped in Америка here. I bring my own sturdy canvas bags and use self serve checkout.
Filanwizard
As someone who works in a supermarket id ripe all those fucking dumb machines out if I could. A human cashier has no bill recycler to jam because the bill had a kink in it, or a coin dispenser to get jammed because of whatever the fuck a customer dumped in with their coins. They also never randomly reboot. If you can guess I am who gets called from the cash office to unfuck the damn machines when they get fucked up.
spitfires2000
Dude... in the last 2 years using the self-scan-self-checkout I had zero, as in 0, of the problems you mentioned. The only hold up is if you get the random check by a person. That's usually done in 20 seconds. And paying with coins? C'mon dude, it's 2026! :-)
AK90
I was gonna say, here in Sweden the self-scan-as-you-go-checkout registers dont even take cash. If you pay with cash you HAVE TO use a human register and even then there is usually only one cash register in the bigger stores.
LordBrandonTheBold
Samma?
DrVoo
It is short for "sag mal", which you would probably directly translate to "tell me" in most circumstances. Like, for example, "Sag mal, magst du Horrorfilme?" ("tell me, do you enjoy horror movies?"). It very much depends on context, though, and can be used in other ways. In this case it is an expression of annoyance and disbelief towards the customer and closer to "are you kidding me?" because the thought of a cashier packing your bags is fairly outlandish in Germany.
LordBrandonTheBold
Ah. That's what I figured but, I couldn't quite be sure of the implied idiom.
DukeofKMS
Ziehst du Luft oder was?
revooms
Geht's noch?
AdventurousDonut480
It's asking "are we.. ' in Bavarian/southern German accent. It's like "are you crazy?!"
Se7enEvil666
In your Weißwurst fantasy maybe "Samma" is clearly for "Sag mal" BTW Bavarians are the Texans of Germany.
AdventurousDonut480
That's true
LordBrandonTheBold
In a fun way or an annoying way?
AdventurousDonut480
Annoyed. Almost always.
SiebzehnSilben
Yes.
Thorketil
I would consider the Saxons to be the Texans of Germany.
SignedEpsteinsMother
As a Texan, please no. Saxons seem more like Floridians to me.
Se7enEvil666
The Saxons are a weird combo of Alabama and Florida.
DukeofKMS
Samma is a contraction of “sag mal” I don’t know the correct idiom for it, but it’s like “are you sure”or “is it possible” directly it means “say one time”
Volpe42
Come again?
DukeofKMS
/gallery/american-german-supermarket-AlbVSlQ
Volpe42
I'm giving you an English way of saying it
AdventurousDonut480
AdventurousDonut480
It's also "samma fertig?" - "sind wir fertig" und es gibt noch ein paar weitere Anwendungen (there are a couple other uses)
armswoldier
Simma fertig...
DukeofKMS
As I am German, I do not consider Bavaria as a part of Germany, nor do o recognise their guttural noises a language. :) just kidding. She is not Bavarian, tho (in the vid)
AdventurousDonut480
swedeonamoose
In Sweden we know a bit more about social interraction than the germans, we say hi or nod before the silence during scanning
RacecarIsRacecarBackwards
As a German I found that the Swedes are often a lot more like the Americans than they would like to admit.
rezpawner
And that's all I, as a Scandinavian care about. Just say "hi" and "bye".
TvoroyrarButtFella
Do you know of a smooth way to decline the receipt? (Dane)
swedeonamoose
well the cashier will ask you and you say no.
LexiconDul
Ask a Finn.
Howlingowl
Just take out your socialization knife
v
BeelzebobRoss
I had this one dude who would just repeat "NO RECEIPT!" basically the whole time he was in the store. But I suppose he was an outlier, the other customers just grunted and stabbed me with a puukko.
LexiconDul
Kind of surprised they got close enough to use one.
Mncdk
"Nej tak."
TvoroyrarButtFella
Hm.. Never worked for me. But thanks for the input
zombiejedediah
In Copenhagen, "Nej tak" works, but then we are close to Sweden.
TvoroyrarButtFella
Jeg bor i Kbh. Kommer som regel til at sige "ellers tak", hvilket virker kluntet, men "nej tak" virker lidt groft, så jeg har sgu ikke regnet den ud. Endnu