Trader Joe’s employees are so friendly and helpful! That’s what makes it so confusing when the hot checkout dude looks deep into your eyes and says, “These are really great,” when he sees your latest snack choice. Is he flirting with you, or has he just been trained to provide a genuine connection with everyone who passes through his lane? Here are some clues to whether he’s into you or just into those snacks:

How good was your snack selection?

The snacks at TJ’s are good, and when you know the ropes, it shows. Is it possible that your choice of solid standby’s and promising new seasonal offerings was really enough to pique his interest in you as a person? Or was he just interested in the snacks themselves? Hard to say! Watch his line of vision to see how long it lingers on you versus the snacks. It’s entirely possible he just really loves dried seaweed!

Why is he asking about your weekend plans?

When he says, “What are you up to this weekend?” does it seem related to the four packs of hot dogs and six bags of tortilla chips you’re purchasing for a barbecue? Or does it seem more like he’s interested in getting to know you and is wondering about your availability? If his eyes are grazing your KBC Porter, he might just be wondering what kind of party you’re throwing. Damnit, these employees are so well trained in kindness!

Does he offer to open up a snack for you so you can try it?

When you spot a new product by the checkout, does he offer to open one up for you to try? This is a cool thing Trader Joe’s employees sometimes do in order to feature new products for customers. But he may be trying to share a brief moment with you that might end in a meet-cute and a forever kind of love. Again, he might just be very focused on the snacks.

Did he ring the bell?

One of the greatest gifts a TJ’s employee can bestow on a customer is to inexplicably ring the bell during check out. Maybe he’s letting other employees know that you “ring his bell.” But then again maybe he just needs more bags or something. You really shouldn’t be reading into it this much.

At Trader Joe’s it’s hard to know what spell you’re under – that of the hot checkout guy or that of a well-stocked store. So ask yourself some questions to get to the bottom of this!