One time at Kroger the cashier lady refused to let me use the store card, so I had to sheepishly look back towards the line, and the woman behind me let me use hers. I gave that cashier such a look.

This sounds like a different set up to the way things roll down under.

Cashier’s just assume that no one carries their card, and they ask for your phone number to look up your membership. IDK what a store card is.