Grocery store etiquette

[jennielynn1970]

I'm so tired, I have to post tomorrow about the whole, load/unload the cart for the customer, bag the whole order, take it to their car, drive them home, cook for them, and then go back to work kind of thing I was thinking about.


I'm just getting the feeling many people today want it all done for them, and they want to pay as little as they can to get it done, show as little courtesy to the person they are expecting to do it all for them as well, and then bitch and moan when it's not done exactly to their liking.

I can't stay awake long enough to give a sufficient answer to that whole deal.

Let me just say that whoever Trader Joe's is, he may have many people sucked into that whole scenario, but thing would run smoother if it would just be 1. do your shopping, load your cart appropriately and in the way you'd like it to be taken out. Unload groceries in the way you like them bagged (it does happen like that you know... I do it all the time when I shop for myself), then if you do want things bagged in some obscure way that, if someone else bagged it, you will not be happy with no matter what, bag your own crap and help save time. Otherwise, let the baggers (who are trained to bag appropriately actually) do what they are supposed to do, unless there are no baggers available, then help out the cashier and bag if you have a free hand because more than likely there are 20 people in line behind you waiting to get their crap done.

If we all work together, it gets done quicker, and easier, and you get out, and we are done with you and we all move on. It makes for a happier experience all around.

Eat before you come to the store. If you come to the sotre with a child who will need to be fed or amused, bring things for him. My mother would have been appalled if we actually ate what we were going to be buying before buying it. I know things have relaxed in society, but there are social norms and expectations, and usually one refrains themselves from eating in the store before buying what they have in their carts. It is NOT a restaurant. Unless you are stopping at the deli and salad bar, and are dining IN THE STORE IN THEIR OWN DINING AREA you should not be eating while shopping. That's just not cool. I never did it before, I don't do it now, and i don't plan on doing it in the future. It's just poor manners. And if that's what "mr. walmart" was thinking, then he grew up backwoods with no manners either.

We had hand sanitizer as our Pick of the Week at the store, and they are always on top of our registers and also next ot our registers, and it says what they are, and if there is a special deal on buying more than one of them. One lady came up, took one, squirted it in her hand and started to walk away. "Excuse me," I said, "but that is an item for sale, it is not for public use. It's our pick of the week item." Well, she thought it was jsut there for everyone to use, isn't that what we usually do? No, I told her, when you see candy bars, tick tacks, seasonal candy items etc.. up on top of our register, its so that you buy them, they are freebies.

Seriously. What is going on with our society.

[king2005]

The last few days have brought out the cranky old people for some reason. I had one woman at my lane tonight, and I swear on my grandmother's grave, this lady had to be atleast 65 or 70. She had badly dyed black hair, chunky eyelashed and thick and nasty looking eyeliner and silvery shiney eyeshadow on. There was also the fire engine red lipstick that got you if the rest didn't. She was very snotty. Very "I'm just above all of you, and you are my servants, so kiss my feet" kind of attitude. I was not in the mood for it, and I was hungry too cause break time was late, lol.

So, I'm ringing through the order. She's tap, tap, tapping, her ugly long nails that are painted some electric blue color, and she's tapping her feet as well. I was a bit annoyed. I'm scanning, then bagging what would go together, and she's standing there doing nothing, and the guy she was with seemed hardly to be coherent. I thought he was drunk. So, I'm ringing up more stuff that he plunked down, MADAME actually puts a few things in a bag, and then while I'm waiting for the man to pull together the cash to pay the bill, the lady says, loudly, "Well, you can finish this now honey." in a not very nice tone. I stood there, looked at her husband, and said, "I am guessing she's speaking to you, as I don't know her well enough for her to call me honey." He just kinda smiled at me like, yeah... sorry bout her. She tapped her foot and said that she most certainly did not mean for him to finish bagging groceries, as that's my job. I just said, fine, but the next time you address me, I prefer Miss, or Ma'm, and not a term of endearment when it's certainly not meant as one. I smiled, told her to have a nice night, and to drive safe.

We all watched as they walked out. Her in her knee high leather boots, her skin tight leopard print spandax pants (or something not so shiney), and her tight tank top and black leather short jacket.

And yeah, again, remember the age adn face description. It really didn't go well together. Quite scary.

Are you trying to give us nightmares???!!!

[RICHARD]

http://petoftheday.com/talk/showthre...ighlight=peeve

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People that do this SUCK!

Walk around items on the floor.

I have this complusion to restock items on the floor that have fallen.

FOR YEARS it bugged me as to why I did it.

My first real job was working in a records room. I always thought to treat each folder with respect because they are patients and god knows if they need a chart for a patient and we could no find it because it was lost, misfiled or tossed aside.

Pull a magazine out of a holder and not put it back correctly or in it's place.
Same with the items like gum, candy, mints.....
People that stop cashiers and ask, "How much was that?" THEN REFUSE TO PURCHASE IT!
People that chuck stuff on the side as the unload the baskets!

We have some higher end supers here in El Lay, Von's and Ralph's. I walk in, scruffy looking because I am going to a friend's house for dinner. I get to the conveyor and the cashier is talking to a regular customer because the are trading gossip and talk.

She is all bubbly and smiley, but when she gets to me the look on her face is one of being confronted with a six foot, two inch turd, shopping in her store.

SHe never makes eye contact, doesn't answer my "Hi, How are you!" and puts my change on the counter/check shelf.


I got my change and I told her that I hope her day would get better.

I did notice that they closed down the store soon after!

Biatch!

[Cataholic]

Eat before you come to the store. If you come to the sotre with a child who will need to be fed or amused, bring things for him. My mother would have been appalled if we actually ate what we were going to be buying before buying it. I know things have relaxed in society, but there are social norms and expectations, and usually one refrains themselves from eating in the store before buying what they have in their carts. It is NOT a restaurant. Unless you are stopping at the deli and salad bar, and are dining IN THE STORE IN THEIR OWN DINING AREA you should not be eating while shopping. That's just not cool. I never did it before, I don't do it now, and i don't plan on doing it in the future. It's just poor manners. And if that's what "mr. walmart" was thinking, then he grew up backwoods with no manners either.

WOW. Sounds like you have things pretty well summed up! I guess what is "wrong" with society these days can be attributed to eating in the grocery store. I guess I should start telling those stores that give out free samples how totally poor their manners are!

[NoahsMommy]

And because I'm so ridiculously nice, I apologize. I don't even mean to but I'm usually startled and then say 'sorry' and then THEY glare at me.

HA HA!! Thats me too! I walk away thinking, "what the heck? Why did I apologize!!??! That lady was the one that nearly ran ME down!!"

My peeves:

The grocery bag thing too. I always put my items together how I'd like them bagged: dry with dry, wet with wet, warm with warm, cans with cans, produce with produce, forzen with frozen and light with light/breakables
Then, its takes 5 minutes for the bagger to get there and my system's all screwed up!!! I used to BE a bagger and that's how I bagged!! I mean, come on, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to bag groceries correctly!

And the asking if we need help to the car thing? Um, there are 2 of us and 1 bag....yea, sure, walk me out and hold my bag, and my purse for me too. In fact, want to come home and put this stuff away for me too??? When I was a bagger, we asked people if they needed help, IF THEY NEEDED HELP! Do their brains fall out when they enter work???

The carts. I will always get my cats from the parking lot - I will never understand the laziness of not putting a cart AT LEAST in the cart corral thingy. I used to be a bagger, and therefore a cart chaser, so I have the utmost sympathy!!!

Carts part 2: how about when someone goes through the line with a cart and then once bagged, they grab the bags ONLY and leave the cart there. Hello??? Put that where you got it!!

While again, I was a high school girl bagger with some cute hottie boy checkers, I would at the very least, acknowledge my customers!!! Now, the bagger and the checkers ramble on and on and flirt and laugh and barely notice your existance. Ugh, rude!!

[IRescue452]

One thing that bothers me most is that so many people complain about being unfit or fat, and then so many people can't walk a extra few feet from a further parking spot or put a cart away. People take an extra ten minutes searching for a close spot when they could have been in the store already, sometimes holding up a whole line of cars to wait for somebody to back out.

The other thing is not putting something back. The other day I found a half gallon of milk in the chips aisle. It was still cold so I took the time to bring it 3aisles down to put it back. How lazy can you be?

And, if a kid ever runs into me with those heely shoes with wheels in them, I will not hesitate to be in their way or trip them. How'd these people like it if I put on some rollerblades and skated into them int he store.

I hate the self-serve checkout and never use them, they always take a million times longer when I'm with my sister who only uses them. First, something won't scan and we have to wait for an assistant; then, something needs to be confirmed for weight or something like that, another wait; then, something won't work in the machine; another wait for the assistant; and lastly she needs to check the receipt for something. Good lord, by the time she's done checking out a handful of things I've slumped down on the floor dead of exasperation of why after this happening so many times she still used the damn self-checkout! I could have use a regular checkout half a dozen times already. And there's always some boxo waiting in the self-checkout line behind you when this happens, even when the regular checkouts are open. Why would you wait half an hour to checkout when the regular ones are open? Maybe if you had something embarassing like a box of condoms, but I've yet to see the person waiting behind us with something seemingly embarrassing.

[jennielynn1970]

WOW. Sounds like you have things pretty well summed up! I guess what is "wrong" with society these days can be attributed to eating in the grocery store. I guess I should start telling those stores that give out free samples how totally poor their manners are!

I wasn't talking about free samples, and I think you could tell that from the post.

Usually when they have a free sample, it's just that, a sample. It's a teeny tiny cup, and you eat it with a teeny tiny spoon or fork, and you throw away said cup and spoon/fork right there in the garbage can at their table. Deli sample items are usually on a toothpick, again, just a mouthful, and you throw away the toothpick in the garbage can located right by the deli sample items.

I was annoyed and tired when posting it, so it was a little bit of a rant. Sorry for the rant part.

I still think it's bad manners to be eating before you pay. Like I said, it's not a restaurant. There are dining areas in some stores, and they are meant for purchasing food and eating there.

[jennielynn1970]

My peeves:

The grocery bag thing too. I always put my items together how I'd like them bagged: dry with dry, wet with wet, warm with warm, cans with cans, produce with produce, forzen with frozen and light with light/breakables
Then, its takes 5 minutes for the bagger to get there and my system's all screwed up!!! I used to BE a bagger and that's how I bagged!! I mean, come on, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to bag groceries correctly!

And the asking if we need help to the car thing? Um, there are 2 of us and 1 bag....yea, sure, walk me out and hold my bag, and my purse for me too. In fact, want to come home and put this stuff away for me too??? When I was a bagger, we asked people if they needed help, IF THEY NEEDED HELP! Do their brains fall out when they enter work???

Carts part 2: how about when someone goes through the line with a cart and then once bagged, they grab the bags ONLY and leave the cart there. Hello??? Put that where you got it!!

While again, I was a high school girl bagger with some cute hottie boy checkers, I would at the very least, acknowledge my customers!!! Now, the bagger and the checkers ramble on and on and flirt and laugh and barely notice your existance. Ugh, rude!!

If I've ever asked someone if they needed help to their car with things, it's been someone who has a loaded cart, is elderly or maybe has a child and ton of bags in their cart. I ask who I think may need help. I don't ask everyone, and I don't always ask what management tells me to ask when it seems like a redundant question, or a moot point. I'm not a machine who is going to spew out stuff just because they say we should. If it seems applicable, I do. If it's not, I don't. So far there haven't been any issues with that.

We do have a few baggers who are special needs, and some of them do take time to do the bagging. There are a few baggers I work well with, and they are the ones who are not chatty with me while working. When they are chatty, I can't concentrate, and then I end up not paying attention to what I'm doing and make mistakes. I don't like making mistakes, so I'd rather have no bagger at all, or a bagger who doesn't just stand around and talk all the time.

I think bagging items is kind of a logical task. It's not like it's rocket science. Bag what goes together, together. Cold with cold, cans with cans, raw meat with raw meat, chemical with chemical. Don't overload the bag. I do get some people who tell me to either make it all fit in two bags (umm... yikes! when I see their order), or make it light (usually the elderly, and I have no problem with that at all), or you'll get the ones who want to bag all on their own and they bag anything with everything. Raw chicken with the fruits and veggies, the bananas with the canned stuff.

Many times I've offered to have a bagger get someone a new loaf of bread because it was mushed by the time it got to the check out line. I have a method to my madness when I shop, and I get my bread and eggs last, but that's just me.

Leaving the carts blocking my lane gets me annoyed. It hasn't happened much, but the last time it was one of those carts with the "car" at the front for the kids to sit in. There were two young women shopping with their kids, and they only got a couple things and they left both of them in my lane and were starting to leave so I did stop them and said "Oh, I think you forgot your carts, they're still in my lane." The one looked a bit embarrassed and mumbled that they just forgot about them, and the other girl just said they didn't want them and she walked out. Yeah... nice.

I had another girl give me attitude the other day because I wasn't clairvoyant and didn't see that she was paying with a foodstamps card. If I'm ringing your stuff up, and you're swiping a card and I can't see what card it is, how am I supposed to know?? Should I just judge by the way a person looks and think "oh, that's a foodstamps person/family"??? The computer gave some line about mismatch of payment, and so I asked if she used American Express, because we don't accept that. "No, it was foodstamps!" Very loud, very pissed off. Um... I didn't see that, and you don't have to yell it at me. I don't ever try to point out someone using foodstamps, or try to make them feel embarrassed, and as I said, I'm not clairvoyant and can't just see through the card reader to what you just used when I'm in the middle of ringing up items. Just flash me the card when I give you the total, and I know what you're using, and we're all cool, and we're done.


I did have another "test" last night from the one front end manager. We have to treat them like a customer, ask them if they brought their bonus card and any coupons. Would like to try my pick of the week (which I never ask, cause if you want to buy it, you'll pick it up). He sat on the handrail and put his feet up by my register. I asked him to get off because it was a hazard to his well being. He laughed at me, and I said, "What??? I'd say that to a customer." and he says, "Yeah, you would, knowing you." Sorry, but if a customer would do something that could potentially injure them, I'll ask them to not do it, or something like that. Kids climbing on the bagging shelf, banging on the registers that aren't being used.

Eh... I'm sure there will be more to come, lol. Glad I had off tonight, lol.

[jennielynn1970]

Oh, and I always ask each customer "Hello/Hi there! Do you have your bonus card and any coupons?" I greet everyone. I say hello. I ask them how they are doing. Some love to chit chat if it's not busy. Some will tell you what they are buying and scared to try to cook. MOST of the time, it's great. There is always someone in the day who refuses to answer any question, will not look at you or just ignores anything you say. I had one of them the other day. She was a young black woman with an older white guy (not that race has anything to do with it, just describing the customers). I asked them how they were, did they find what they were looking for. Nothing. Will that be debit or credit. Nothing. The bagger asked if plastic was ok. Nothing. The bagger looked at me, and I just shrugged. I told them to have a good night, and come back again soon. Nothing.

They were not hearing impaired. I've gotten hearing impaired customers. Normally they let you know they can't hear.

[Emeraldgreen]

One other thing that drives me completely crazy is when people pick up a perishable product and then change their minds about it and then leave it in some other aisle to rot. The other day I found a roasting chicken, still hot, sitting on a shelf with the dried pasta. I took it back to the deli and gave it to one of the staff.
I've found frozen stuff in other aisles and my worry is that one day, I'm going to buy something that has been put back in it's rightful spot, but prior to that it has been dethawing for hours and was then refrozen!! Because of that, I always take the 4th or 5th product underneath the one on the top.
I don't know how people can be so wasteful, to just dump perishable food in some other aisle and not even think that someone might end up getting sick from it, or just letting perfectly good food go to waste.
p.s. the chicken I returned was still smokin' hot so I think it was still safe and that's why I returned it to the deli.

[Catlady711]

Carts part 2: how about when someone goes through the line with a cart and then once bagged, they grab the bags ONLY and leave the cart there. Hello??? Put that where you got it!!

There is one store near me that keeps a cart at the end by the bagger so he/she can start bagging your groceries in it before you've finished unloading your cart. Then when you're done you leave your empty cart there and take the loaded one.

I can see the logic to this, however...

At this particular store they have a teeny tiny area between the bagger and the front windows so it's ALWAYS very crowded with those extra carts there. And when I buy 20 some bottles of soda I normally only put one of each flavor on the belt and let them know how many of each. I have a pop bottle rack in my trunk to put them in so I don't need them bagged and it doesn't make sense to unload all those heavy bottles just to put them back loose in another cart when they're fine where they are.

And, if a kid ever runs into me with those heely shoes with wheels in them, I will not hesitate to be in their way or trip them.

I hate those things!!! I've been smashed into and rolled over by those things. I don't believe a grocery store (or ANY store really) is a proper place to be roller skating. When did adults grow so lax in teaching their kids when and where proper places to do things are?

Why would you wait half an hour to checkout when the regular ones are open?

Because I can bag it the way I want it!! lol

or you'll get the ones who want to bag all on their own and they bag anything with everything. Raw chicken with the fruits and veggies, the bananas with the canned stuff.
.

Maybe they like it bagged that way and that's why there's a grocery store genius somewhere who designed the self serve lanes?

[phesina]

I did have another "test" last night from the one front end manager.
...
He sat on the handrail and put his feet up by my register. I asked him to get off because it was a hazard to his well being. He laughed at me, and I said, "What??? I'd say that to a customer." and he says, "Yeah, you would, knowing you."

Jenn, I am utterly aghast.. Does this manager NOT expect a cashier to say something like that to a customer who sits on the handrail and puts his feet up by your register.. WHA... ?????

What does he think you SHOULD say to this customer? Or should you just act as if nothing out of the ordinary is happening and keep ringing up the items and then take the payment?

Maybe then you should push the customer OFF the handrail, to leave it free for the next customer.

[jennielynn1970]

Jenn, I am utterly aghast.. Does this manager NOT expect a cashier to say something like that to a customer who sits on the handrail and puts his feet up by your register.. WHA... ?????

What does he think you SHOULD say to this customer? Or should you just act as if nothing out of the ordinary is happening and keep ringing up the items and then take the payment?

Maybe then you should push the customer OFF the handrail, to leave it free for the next customer.

This front end manager just turned 19. Not that being young means that all young people would behave that way, but he does. He's pretty lax. Which is why many of the younger cashiers like working with him.

Many of our front end managers are in their late teens to early twenties. Right now our store is having an issue of not having enough front end managers. They have to take a test, do all this stuff and earn a pin, and then that earns them the right to wear the "red vest". OOOOH! So impressive, lol.

I'm not impressed with the younger front end managers who curse at eachother, or behave really unprofessionally. There is one who has the same name as me (although spelled differently, with a Y at the end), and she is just beyond inconsiderate and offensive. She'll start harassing a bagger, just teasing really, but she takes things way too far. Or she'll make a really inappropriate comment (the one guy who is a frozen food stocker backed into her by accident at the register, and she made a comment about how he liked it. I had just started there at that time, and I had no idea who the guy was at that point, but I about fell on the floor. Why would you say that when there are other people around, and there are multiple customers in line???).

She's been there for a long time, and she knows what she's doing, so she gets away with a lot. She doesn't give me the time of day really, usually says she forgets my name... um... it's the SAME as yours.

If a customer or their child is doing something that I think will harm them, or is a safety violation/risk, I say something. I know we're not supposed to do anything to tick off the customer, heaven forbid, but I'm not going to have some kid fall off a railing and crack their heads open either.

[kitten645]

"I still think it's bad manners to be eating before you pay. Like I said, it's not a restaurant. There are dining areas in some stores, and they are meant for purchasing food and eating there."

I'm afraid I have to agree here. I spend my days sweeping up crushed goldfish and cheerios all over the store. I was taught there was a time and place for everything. I understand the irritable child thing but still...


"One other thing that drives me completely crazy is when people pick up a perishable product and then change their minds about it and then leave it in some other aisle to rot. The other day I found a roasting chicken, still hot, sitting on a shelf with the dried pasta. I took it back to the deli and gave it to one of the staff. "

I was told by health code law, food that who's whereabouts could not be accounted for and therefore temperture controlled must be disposed of. THAT makes me sick. What a waste! I've tried getting the deli to give me stuff they are disposing of for the ferels but I was told they could get into alot of trouble for doing so. Don't know if it's truly a law but at least that's the practice at my store. It's a toss-up..do I really want to be purchasing food that has been contaminated without my knowing or do I put up with the shameful waste?

I won't start on the people that show up in pajamas And I'm talking about NOON! I had the coutesy to get dressed. You couldn't manage THAT?

Claudia

[RICHARD]

If a customer or their child is doing something that I think will harm them, or is a safety violation/risk, I say something. I know we're not supposed to do anything to tick off the customer, heaven forbid, but I'm not going to have some kid fall off a railing and crack their heads open either.

Oh if they do fall down and get hurt you will get reprimanded for not saying anything to have prevented the whole mess.

About young people having 'positions of power'.

Look at these little Hitlers and think about how long they well last at that job?

Not very. Young people these days -NOT ALL OF THEM SO don't get all BOS, if the undies don't fit don't wear them, you'll save yourself the agony of a wedgie- are way too dumb to end up in POPs.

They intimidate the older, more experienced workers by being incompetent and unable to make decisions that are correct or beneficial to all parties involved.

This goes back to the little AHs who get a degree in Marketing then really go work in a supermarket. They are 12 hours away from learning how to clean their rears and now are able to run a store?

Not quite. I don't mind the money they earn and the perks they have-only if they are level headed, smart, consistent and have the ability and judgement to perform to the level of their titles..

If you want to manage and be a leader, act like one. Don't be the manager/boss that everyone hates, doesn't respect and makes people feel like crap.


I worked with a stupid effing nurse that I was talking to when the overhead paging system called for a CODE BLUE- a heart attack victim. I stopped to listen and then she asked me where the call came from. I told her that it was across the street in another building. All people who are detailed for that day are supposed to show up.

She shrugged and said, "I am not going" or some nonsense like that.

I just smiled and thought, "what an effing slob-she wants to be a boss but she can't get off her arse to go help?"

Why should I respect some slob that doesn't want to do her job or at least show some interest

If you have team meetings, bring that up. Don't mention any names just bring up the subject.
Just explain that you have been given feedback about how unprofessional people who should be in charge at the front of the store are behaving/acting.

Then toss in the I have pride in my work and how the store is run and appears to our customers.

If you can't or feel like you will get dumped on over it, don't bother.


Otherwise, the little shiat should be able to take the critique in stride.

He earns the bucks, let him have to correct his behavior.

moron.