Can I help who's next?

[nekocat]

In what part of English speaking world can you hear "Can I help who's next?" in, for example, fast food shops?☝

 

[nice gaijin]

It's like conbini keigo; not really grammatically correct but not necessarily polite. It can be heard almost anywhere that has a line waiting to be helped.

 

[Elizabeth]

"Can I help who's next?" is actually somewhat rare. It's more likely to be truncated to "NEXT!" or "Who's NEXT?!"

 

[pugtm]

the proper way of saying it would be "can i help whoever is next" your way sounds not only incorrect but also abrupt and rude.

 

[Kinsao]

I'd see that as two separate sentences that just got run together as the person serving is really busy and trying to get through things fast like a production line. The general impression being:
"Can I help?" [standard 'meaningless' greeting to the customer but rattled off because it is allegedly 'polite'] + "Who's next?" [who is next in line?]

That is how I would interpret it, rather as "Can I help [the person] who's next?"

 

[nice gaijin]

the proper way of saying it would be "can i help whoever is next" your way sounds not only incorrect but also abrupt and rude.

This is a great example of how people are comfortable ignoring proper grammar. Your example is no more correct and no more polite than nekocat's, though I'm sure people still use it thinking just that.

 

[nekocat]

Thanks for your help, everyone! Enjoy the rest of summer!