I think we're missing the most obvious thing we have working for us when gaming a cashier: She's bored! I've worked many of these jobs. Four to eight hour shifts repeating the same artificial "Hi, how are you? Paper or plastic? Price check. Swipe here. Next." over and over and over again. Not to mention the fact that most people treat cashiers as mindless automatons or refuse to get off their cellphone while at the counter. The most exciting part of her shift will be the fifteen minute break she'll spend sitting in her car wondering why the assistant manager is such a tool. Why not "pattern break" her monotony by being the happy thought that gets her through the day?

Yesterday I was at Borders Books and did this. I took one of the sparkly high bounce balls they had at the counter and pretended to read her mind. "You are here physically, but mentally you're already on your break." As others have said, "demonstrate authority over her world".