TheGoq:
When I choose a checkout line after shopping, I try to pick the line with the fewest groceries as opposed to shoppers, since it usually takes longer to scan and bag the groceries than it does to pay when there are no glitches. Therefore, from my perspective, it would be far worse for a person to hold a place in line for another person coming in with a cart full of groceries than for someone to quickly leave a cart of grocieries to grab one forgotten item. I have left my cart to grab a forgotten item when it was not yet my turn to check out, which causes no time loss for anyone behind me (since I would otherwise just be standing there in line) and saves me up to 15 minutes, depending on the lines. I will usually say something to the person behind me such as “I will be RIGHT back, just forgot one thing! Please go ahead of me if I’m not back by my turn.” and I usually get a smile in response when I return, out of breath, when it is still not yet my turn.