Grocery store etiquette

[caseysmom]

Plastic bags have now been outlawed in San Francisco. I never did like them - the crackling drives me nuts! The few times my store ran out of paper bags, I ended up with 20 bazillion little plastic bags that just flop around all over my trunk.

When S.F. made the switch to no plastic, the stores were handing out cloth bags for us to reuse. I learned my lesson there - the baggers thought they were being oh-so-helpful trying to load my whole order into one bag. They became so heavy I couldn't lift them! So now I reuse the paper bags and the stores are using sturdier paper bags that can be reused many times.

I miss the old days when the clerk unloaded your cart, counted the change back to you properly, bagged your order and offered to help you out to your car. Now only Trader Joe's will unload your cart for you.

Here in the sacramento area we have bel air/raleys and their customer service is really great ...the prices suck though... they do unload the cart and ask you about ten times if you need help out

[Medusa]

They hardly ever ask if we need help loading our groceries into our car. We have to ask them. I hardly ever ask for help because it's usually teenage kids who are so slow that they make me look like the Roadrunner. If I have an unusually large order and the weather is brutal, I may ask for help but I usually go it alone. I don't even care about that, really. It isn't the store employees that give me cause for complaint. It's always been shoppers who are oblivious to the fact that other people exist.

[shepgirl]

Another big one that I forgot is when I'm trying to get my groceries done and parents have these wailing kids in tow who run into people until they are put in the basket, then the screaming starts, so to quiet them down the moms take a bag of cookies, chips, or whatever off the shelf, open it and let the kids help themselves. This disgusts me to no end.

[sumbirdy]

the moms take a bag of cookies, chips, or whatever off the shelf, open it and let the kids help themselves. This disgusts me to no end.

Actually Sam Walton likes people to do this in Wal-Mart (as long as you pay for it of course) Supposedly makes them shop longer. We learned that from a cashier. We sometime let Nathan eat some goldfish crackers in Wal-Mart if we run over time and shop through lunch. The only thing I find disgusting is when parents do this and then put it back on the shelf half empty. Don't even pay for it or anything. But if you're going to pay for it anyway, and no one's dropping it all over the floor, then why not?

[Catlady711]

Dang!!! That would never be allowed at our store! At our store, you don't even get a "warning" any longer, if they are caught texting or talking on the phone, they just get sent home. It is mostly the teens who have issues with this.

Actually the one I distinctly remember doing this was in her mid 30's or so. But then again now-a-days age and cell phones doesn't matter. Recently I saw a lady at a park walking around (not watching traffic and other people of course) yabbing away on her cell phone....age??? Appeared to be about 55-60 years old!

Bagging is an issue for me. You can't please anyone any longer. I have some people who insist on using paper bags, which we are "discouraged" from having out. I have others who insist on paper in plastic. Fine, whatever. I have others who insist on double paper and double plastic together. That one, I don't get. It's a waste.

BTW when I was working the grocery store we were told to hide the paper bags and not ask 'paper or plastic'. However on the night shift we didn't have a big supervisor there so we put them out anyways for our customers we knew wanted paper to make our lives easier not having to rummage under the counter for them. If more stores would give the discount for reusing bags or bringing a canvas one in, I think it would solve alot of those problems. Only one store I shop at actually gives a 5 cent per bag discount, the rest sell the canvas bags but you get no discount for using them.

As for the bagging requests you get, I can explain a couple of those to you because my mom and I have requested a few of them ourselves.

The paper bags in plastic is because paper bags stand up, hold more stuff, the plastic bags have the handles. If they still made paper bags with handles this probably wouldn't happen much.

The double paper or double plastic is for those people who have way too many times encountered the cheap made bags that like to bust all over in your car on the way home, or the worst busting just before you get to your door with them causing your eggs to break and milk to spill everywhere.

I'm not quite sure what the double paper in double plastic is except a combo of the first two. Never heard of that one before.

I have some people who insist on putting the frozen foods in a paper bag. UMMMMM.... is it just me, or do the thawing packages not make your paper bag a big soggy?

Ok I and my mom have done that one freqently. In our case, by asking for frozen in a special bag we don't get people putting the frozen mixed in with cereal boxes. The paper is a better insulator than the thin plastic and keeps the food cold longer if it's well packed. Unless you have a long drive home and it's hotter than hades, neither mom nor I have ever had a soggy bag when we got home.

've had other people take a bunch of folded paper bags home because they needed "recycle" bags. I've had others who take a bunch of the plastic bags that haven't been used, just rip them off the bagging area. Ummm... can you say cheap. Everything extra adds up to higher prices that the stores are going to charge.

This is a similar problem in fast food places where people scarf up handsfull of napkins, ketchup, straws ect. I was recently in a KFC and the sign on the wall read 'extra condiments will now have an additional charge'.

I could see where something is messy you might need an extra couple napkins or maybe an extra straw or fork, but a whole handfull? That's just rude and cheap.

[RedHedd]

If they still made paper bags with handles this probably wouldn't happen much.

In San Francisco most of the papers bags DO have handles and they're very sturdy bags.

[Catlady711]

But if you're going to pay for it anyway, and no one's dropping it all over the floor, then why not?

I personally don't have a problem with that as long as the kid is not making a mess or anything. But technically until you've actually paid for it, it's not yours to eat or use. The store has no way of knowing which people are going to pay and which ones aren't. Plus alot of people do that with things that are priced per pound like grapes/produce. As a cashier I had people hand me an empty grape bag full of stems and expect me to ring it up. Oh I rang it up alright but I guarantee you it was priced as if they had about 10 pounds of grapes.

[sumbirdy]

I personally don't have a problem with that as long as the kid is not making a mess or anything. But technically until you've actually paid for it, it's not yours to eat or use. The store has no way of knowing which people are going to pay and which ones aren't. Plus alot of people do that with things that are priced per pound like grapes/produce. As a cashier I had people hand me an empty grape bag full of stems and expect me to ring it up. Oh I rang it up alright but I guarantee you it was priced as if they had about 10 pounds of grapes.

I've never done it with any pay by the pound item. I can understand how that's a definite no-no.

[shepgirl]

I personally don't have a problem with that as long as the kid is not making a mess or anything. But technically until you've actually paid for it, it's not yours to eat or use. The store has no way of knowing which people are going to pay and which ones aren't. Plus alot of people do that with things that are priced per pound like grapes/produce. As a cashier I had people hand me an empty grape bag full of stems and expect me to ring it up. Oh I rang it up alright but I guarantee you it was priced as if they had about 10 pounds of grapes.

Forgot to mention the fact that when the kid is finished with whatever he or she is eating the mom puts it back on any shelf - NO...it never is paid for it. I wouldn't mind the kids doing this if it kept them quiet and the parents rang the items up but I remember having to go back to the store with a bag of half eaten cookies that someone put back on the shelf.
I have yet to see any parent bring the item to the cash to have it paid for.

[smokey the elder]

People hogging the middle of the aisle, and who can't keep their kids under control.

Some points about bags: I find if I don't double-bag heavy or dense items like liquids, the belly (bottom) seam often fails or at least gets holes in it. Also, I re-use them to deal with the pre-owned kitty litter that 18 cats and kittens generate!

[Cataholic]

Another big one that I forgot is when I'm trying to get my groceries done and parents have these wailing kids in tow who run into people until they are put in the basket, then the screaming starts, so to quiet them down the moms take a bag of cookies, chips, or whatever off the shelf, open it and let the kids help themselves. This disgusts me to no end.

I am single (by choice), work a full time job, and have a 4 year old. There are times that mandate I shop for food. I can't always judge my child's hunger level appropriately, and sometimes that little bugger wants some crackers/juice/water you name it, with no regard for a schedule!

I find it much easier to plunk the little one in the bascart, give him the juice and a light snack and shop away. Works for me, works for him, I am spending the money at the store- so, I presume it works for the store, too.

I am proud to say that in 4 years, I have *never* not returned a cart to the corral when out shopping. I just park right next to the the corral and putting the cart away, while safely keeping an eye on my child, isn't an issue. I don't understand the whole, "I have a child so I can't be concerned about your property" issue.

On the issue of cell phones in the store- I use my phone with courtesy. That might mean I hang up, it might mean I don't answer the phone, etc. But, what gets me is how the cashier can't hardly lift her eyes to meet mine, or open her mouth loud enough to issue an audible, "hello". The paying customer is often times the reason you have a job!

[Taz_Zoee]

I usually shop at Safeway and they ALWAYS ask if I need help out. I take it depending on where I parked and how much I bought. The parking lot is slanted in some places and it's difficult to hold the cart and load groceries in the trunk at the same time. I try not to park there, but sometimes have no choice.
Oh, and if it's busy I'll bag groceries and/or load the full bags into the cart for the bagger.
I usually return the cart, because I try to park as close as possible to it.
Now, I am guilty of the being on the phone thing. BUT, I have an ear piece and I told my mom (on the other end of the phone) that I was checking out. So while I was checking out I didn't talk to her on the phone. She just waited until I was done to resume the convo. And that time I included the cashier and my mom in a conversation. It was funny! The girl was very nice.

I don't have too many of the issues described here. Not too often anyway. People are always fairly polite, at least that I notice. Maybe I just ignore the rude people. LOL

[shepgirl]

Cataholic do you not pay for the items you give your child, or do you return a half eaten bag of whatever to the shelves when he's done with them? That was the only thing I meant by that comment...absolutely nothing wrong with buying the kid something to eat when he's hungry, I would do the same...but pay for it and not return the crums on the shelf...

[Cataholic]

Cataholic do you not pay for the items you give your child, or do you return a half eaten bag of whatever to the shelves when he's done with them? That was the only thing I meant by that comment...absolutely nothing wrong with buying the kid something to eat when he's hungry, I would do the same...but pay for it and not return the crums on the shelf...

Not until check out time...kind of like a restaurant. Jonah eats first, and pays later. (not from the produce section...)