A woman has gone viral on TikTok after recounting what she described as an unpleasant—and unnecessary—run-in with a Walmart employee.
Tonyse Dionn (@theonlytonysedion) said she was using self-checkout during a recent visit to her local Walmart. While there, she said she noticed a worker watching her closely.
To make matters worse, the employee offered to scan Dionn’s items for her at the self-checkout station.
“Every time I come in there, there’s always some [expletive],” Dionn added, suggesting this wasn’t her first frustrating encounter at that location.
As of Sunday, her video calling out what she saw as poor customer service at Walmart had racked up nearly 125,700 views.
What happened at Walmart?
In the caption of her video, Dionn explained she was visiting Walmart on her day off. She was hoping for a low-key shopping trip. Instead, she said, the experience turned uncomfortable when a worker began to “stalk” her through the self-checkout process.
“This young lady here stood behind me as soon as I went to the register,” Dionn wrote.
She said she confronted the employee about why she was being watched but didn’t get a clear answer. Eventually, Dionn said, the worker stepped in to scan her groceries—something Dionn found both unnecessary and intrusive.
“I’ve never had this happen to me at my neighborhood Walmart,” she added, suggesting the treatment felt out of the ordinary.
Dionn went on to say she believed she was unfairly singled out—and possibly followed—while shopping.
“I most definitely know they would’ve never been following me in the store at all,” she said, implying that her casual, off-duty look may have led to her being profiled. Had she been in her work clothes or dressed more formally, she suggested, the situation might have played out differently.
But was Dionn actually targeted—or was the employee simply being overly helpful? Viewers were split.
Viewers suggest the worker had good intentions
In the comments section of Dionn’s video, some viewers pushed back on her claims. They said it’s common for Walmart employees to assist at self-checkout and argued the worker, who appeared to be in her 20s, was likely just following instructions from a manager.
“She’s forced to do that. It’s part of a CUSTOMER SERVICE initiative,” one TikToker wrote. “Believe me, it’s not personal toward you.”
“That young lady is only doing her job,” another added. “Whatever happened isn’t her fault!”
“Y’all do realize her team lead made her do that?” a third viewer said.
Others, however, said they’d had similar experiences and felt just as uncomfortable. They echoed Dionn’s concerns, saying the worker’s behavior felt more intrusive than helpful.
“Happened to me. They said it was a requirement,” one woman shared. “After she scanned everything, I tried to hand her the cash. She told me it wasn’t her job to load the cash… I walked out [of] the store empty-handed and went to Kroger. Wasn’t gone stress me out.”
“I would’ve let her finish and then walked out,” another proclaimed. “Ain’t no way I would’ve paid. I stopped shopping there years ago.”
“Shopping at Walmart is so hostile and unpleasant, no matter what location,” a third TikToker wrote. “I try to avoid at all costs.”
@theonlytonysedion The VA HRA, found in Va. Code § 2.2-3900 et seq. On my Day off cldnt even enjoy a little shopping, to grab some things for my daughter birthday, Can’t even shop at Walmart without being stalk by their employees, this young lady here stood behind me soon as I went to a register, I ask nicely why you watching me cldnt answer, ask her do she want to scan my stuff she said sure,I’m confused cse I never had this happened to me at my neighborhood Walmart at all, and mind you it 10am, she thinks it’s funny and was laughing and smiling the whole entire time, this must come to a stop, as you see in the video there is no one else that work at the self check standing over no one but her I was most definitely target and believe it’s cse I came in to the with what I had on if Imwould of came in there with dress properly like in my work clothes I most definitely know they would of never been following me in the store at all. #walmart #viral #foryoupage #viralwalmartfinds #walmartviral #walmartemployee #walmartemployeesbelike ♬ original sound – theonlyTonyseDionn
Issues with Walmart’s self-checkout
Walmart’s checkout policies have sparked plenty of controversy lately. Some shoppers have complained that self-checkout is being restricted to Walmart+ members at certain stores. Others argue it’s unfair when self-checkout is the only option—especially if they don’t have to do the job of a cashier.
One shopper claimed that, similar to Dionn, a worker began scanning her items without her consent.
At the same time, there have been incidents that flip the script—where customers insist on having employees scan their items at the self-checkout. This happens even when workers say that goes against policy. In those cases, employees said it’s frustrating when shoppers refuse to either use a staffed lane or scan items themselves.
All of it suggests Walmart’s policies around checkout vary widely by store. Moreover, that inconsistency is annoying customers and employees alike.
The Daily Dot has reached out to Dionn via TikTok comment and to Walmart through its online contact form.
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