14 Rude Things Pennsylvanians Do at Target

A trip to Target can feel like retail therapy… until a customer ruins the vibe with obnoxious behavior.

Whether it’s blocking aisles, ignoring basic etiquette, or treating workers like assistants, rude acts at Pennsylvania’s Targets are more common than they should be.

Here are some of the worst offending behaviors that turn a Target trip into a frustrating one for everyone else.

Hogging the Price Scanner

Target has those little red price scanners tucked around the store. Super helpful—unless someone camps out there scanning 40 items like it’s inventory day.

Most customers just need to check one or two things quickly. But then there’s that one person scanning 17 clearance shirts while reading every tag out loud.

If you’ve got a mountain of stuff, maybe consider using the Target app or asking a worker instead.

That way, others don’t have to stand nearby, waiting their turn like it’s the DMV line.

Opening Products Before Buying Them

It’s one thing to sneak a peek at a shade of foundation. It’s another to fully open a sealed item and leave it used or messy.

Makeup, snacks, even socks—some Target customers will tear into just about anything “to check it out.”

That leaves someone else (usually a worker) to deal with a tampered product that can’t be sold anymore.

Even if you think you’ll buy it after looking inside, if you change your mind, the damage is done. And someone else pays for it—literally.

Leaving Half-Empty Starbucks Cups on the Shelves

Target and Starbucks go together like peanut butter and jelly. But once that iced vanilla latte is gone, some folks think the nearest shelf is the trash can.

You’ll see empty cups tossed next to greeting cards, makeup brushes, or even folded T-shirts. It’s like people forget they’re in a store and not their own living room.

Employees aren’t janitors for your Starbucks habit. Leaving trash behind makes more work for workers who are already juggling carts, restocks, and spills in aisle 7.

Worse? When the cup still has liquid in it and leaks onto the merchandise.

Blocking the Main Aisle

Target’s main walkways are built wide, but that doesn’t mean they’re meant for small group gatherings or parking a cart sideways for 10 minutes.

Some shoppers stop right in the middle of an aisle to scroll their phones, chat with friends, or slowly inspect a package of snacks.

It clogs the flow for everyone else. Especially when there’s a bottleneck around the endcaps—the spot where all the discounted and seasonal items are stacked up.

Even worse is when such folks make eye contact and still don’t move.

Letting Their Kids Run Wild

Kids love Target, especially the toy aisle. But that doesn’t mean it should become a jungle gym.

Some parents let their kids rip open boxes, throw plushies, or sprint up and down like it’s recess at school.

There’s nothing wrong with letting kids explore. But there’s a fine line between curious and chaotic.

Employees often have to clean up after the chaos, and it’s not fair to the families who come in after and find toys scattered or damaged.

Arguing With the Return Desk Over Clearly Used Items

Target’s return policy is generous, but some people push it way too far.

Trying to return clearly worn shoes or a makeup set that looks like it survived a sleepover isn’t just tacky—it’s disrespectful.

The employees at guest services aren’t the ones who make the rules, yet they often take the brunt of the yelling.

It’s even worse when customers make a scene, holding up the line for people with legit returns. Nobody needs that kind of drama at 10 a.m. on a Tuesday.

Walking Away From Their Cart Mid-Trip

You’d think Target’s carts come with parking brakes the way people abandon them in the middle of aisles.

Some shoppers leave their carts right in front of popular shelves—like cereal, cleaning supplies, or toilet paper—while they wander off three aisles away.

Others just park and scroll their phones while taking up half the floor space.

It’s like they forget anyone else exists. No one should have to do a 10-point turn just to grab a roll of paper towels.

Letting Items Fall and Not Picking Them Up

Accidents happen—something falls off a shelf, or a bag of popcorn slips from your cart. No big deal.

But it is a big deal when you just leave it there and walk away.

Whether it’s broken glass or a spilled bag of pretzels, someone has to clean it—and it really shouldn’t be the next customer who walks into it.

It takes two seconds to alert an employee or at least pick it up yourself. Leaving it is lazy and inconsiderate.

Using the Dressing Room Like a Dumping Ground

The fitting rooms at Target get messy fast, especially when folks leave behind giant piles of rejected clothes.

It’s one thing to not want something. It’s another to toss it on the bench like it’s laundry day.

Even worse are the people who shove everything into a ball or leave it half-hanging off the hook.

Employees don’t have time to reorganize every shirt you decided not to buy. Clean up after yourself, just like you’d expect in your own home.

Sneaking Extra Items Into Another Customer’s Cart

It sounds like a joke, but it really happens. Some folks at Target sneak something into someone else’s cart—either as a prank or because they changed their minds and didn’t want to put it back.

Imagine reaching the checkout and realizing there’s a pack of men’s underwear or a frozen pizza you didn’t pick up.

It’s rude, lazy, and potentially embarrassing.

Just return the item to its shelf like a grown-up. Or ask a team member to restock it. Don’t shift the responsibility to someone else.

Holding Loud Phone Calls on Speaker

There’s something uniquely obnoxious about hearing someone’s entire life story echoing across Target’s shoe aisle.

Speakerphone shoppers treat Target like their personal conference room. And it’s rarely anything urgent—it’s gossip, drama, or dentist appointment scheduling.

No one else wants to be part of your conversation.

Earbuds exist for a reason. Or, here’s a wild idea: wait to call someone until you’re at home.

Sprinting Around the Clearance Section

We won’t deny it: Target’s clearance shelves are exciting. If you’re lucky, you find a killer deal.

But some people treat the clearance area like a competitive sport, pushing ahead, elbowing others, or hoarding half the rack before other customers can get a good look.

It kills the fun for everyone else who just wanted to snag a discounted throw blanket.

Good deals aren’t worth bad manners. There’s (usually) enough discounted toothpaste and tank tops to go around.

Bringing a Full Family of Browsers for a Single Errand

A Target run doesn’t need to turn into a family field trip.

Sure, bring your kids or a friend. But bringing five people to look at one thing clogs the aisles and creates chaos—especially when everyone wants to wander in different directions.

Big groups also tend to stand and talk in main walkways, oblivious to shoppers trying to maneuver past.

The more people, the more noise, and the more likely someone is to knock over a candle display. Just saying.

Treating Employees Like Personal Shoppers

Target team members are usually friendly and helpful. But that doesn’t mean they’re there to walk you through every aisle like it’s a guided tour.

Some shoppers expect workers to fetch items, suggest alternatives, or practically push the cart for them.