I think people are fooling themselves when they "ask permission" from the (minimum wage) cashiers. Target isn't a mom and pop store where the person behind the counter can give permission for these things.
For those that will say that management doesn't mind I bring the fact that they are stopping people from registering the cards outside of the pilot area from registering the cards as exhibit one.
When you walk in to target, or any other dept. store, the person behind the register is your representative of the upper management, and as far up as the owner.
Furthermore, if the cashier tells you that you may walk out without paying for whatever, you don't need to call the highest manager of the company. You do not need to call the CEO. Or all the shareholders... you can just do as the cashier says.
Your cashier is just as good as the manager... whoever hired the manager, trusts him to represent the company to the customers...