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A frustrated woman uses a self-checkout counter. The girl does not understand how to independently buy groceries in the supermarket without a seller.
inside-studio/istockphoto

At the self-checkout, you scan your own groceries, bag them yourself, load them in your cart, process your own payment, grab your receipt, and usually saunter off without a “have a nice day.” And now, somewhere in the process, the payment kiosk will often encourage you to donate money to a charity. Not surprisingly, shoppers are fed up. 

@pinkypatelofficial

how bout that big box donate instead?!

♬ original sound – Pinky Patel

In a viral TikTok video, user @pinkypatelofficial discusses the absurdity of big box stores like Walmart and Target asking for donations at self-checkout kiosks, noting that when she uses those checkout lanes, she isn’t bothering employees and she’s not getting paid to basically do the job of a cashier, either. 

Big box stores, as the TikToker points out, have about “10 billion dollars more” than she does. And if those stores can’t — or won’t — cut the charities they’re promoting via self-checkout screens a check, they shouldn’t ask their customers to chip in, either.

Plus, as one commenter pointed out: “Not to mention THEY get the tax write-off for the charity donation, not you. So if you want to donate, do it directly to the charity.” Another comment shared a bright idea we’re fairly certain the likes of Walmart and Target would never go for: “They should donate for every time someone goes through the self checkout!!!!!”

TikTokers aren’t the only ones tired of the donation-ask bombardment. A recent Reddit thread

titled, “Yeah. What’s up with the self-checkout lately?” includes a picture that says, “I f***ing hate grocery store checkout screens asking me if I want to donate $20 to end child hunger or whatever. You’re a $10 billion corporation. I’m using a coupon to get 50 cents off a bag of potatoes. Why don’t YOU donate to end child hunger?” 

Hammer, meet the nail, directly on the head.

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Meet the Writer

Rachel is a Michigan-based writer who has dabbled in a variety of subject matter throughout her career. As a mom of multiple young children, she tries to maintain a sustainable lifestyle for her family. She grows vegetables in her garden, gets her meat in bulk from local farmers, and cans fruits and vegetables with friends. Her kids have plenty of hand-me-downs in their closets, but her husband jokes that before long, they might need to invest in a new driveway thanks to the frequent visits from delivery trucks dropping off online purchases (she can’t pass up a good deal, after all). You can reach her at [email protected].