Checking Out

While almost all other stores provide tasjes or sacks, grocery stores typically do not provide either bagging services or bags.  You can choose to bring your own bags, buy them there, or scrounge around near the cashier’s checkout for excess cardboard boxes the store is throwing away.  You probably want to start stuffing your purchases into something about as fast as they are rung up because as soon as you pay, the cashier will take a big metal divider and squish all of your purchases into a space half the size they were in before so she can begin ringing up the next client.  Of course, if you are American, you will also be doing this quickly and efficiently because you are concerned about the people standing behind you in line.

Which is why you will be surprised, even though it happens every time you arrive at the end of your ring up, when the cashier blurts out two questions.  These are:

“Spart u zegels?” and
“Heeft u een bonus kaart?”

except that when they say these things, they sound more like machine gun fire:

“spar-two-ZAY-guls?” and

“Hey-ffttt-oo-n-bonus-cart?”

And, of course, there are variations on these:

“Spart u airmiles?”

“Heeft u een klant kaart?”

They are asking whether you are collecting airmiles or stamps and whether you have the card from their store.  If you are doing neither, say “nee” to whatever they are saying and pay the cashier.