Community Chat

[cherry]

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@Witchy Woman wrote:

@QVCkitty1

@Meowingkitty

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@QVCkitty1 wrote:

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@Meowingkitty wrote:

Yesterday I was behind a woman with a cart full and two screaming kids. The cashier finishes ringing her up. Then she proceeds to pay so much in cash, another amount on her food stamp card, another amount on her debit card. Then I guess she ran out of money and had to root through her bags to put some stuff back. 

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That poor woman. 

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I've had my share of frustrating episodes at the store, but this sort of thing makes me sad and uncomfortable.

I might quietly offer to help pay for the amount she was short and hope she wasn't offended.

I've seen this happen with older folks, too, and that also breaks my heart.  Again, I would step up and offer to pay.

Not that I'm an angel, but the idea that people cannot afford food really upsets me.

Yes, I know that they might squander their money elsewhere, but I try not to judge and try to be helpful when I can.

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My husband and I shop together. This has happened to us once.  The mother was going to put back a  treat ,her child had asked for.  My husband asked her ,if he might be able to buy the child it's treat. She was not offended at all

I was so proud of him. 

[Pqfan]

I must admit I do have a soft spot for people that have a hard time shopping either because of physical conditions or having to shop with children.

It really can be hard.

I watched my mom and grandma try to shop and it was so hard for them but they enjoyed it so they didn't want to stop doing it.

I used to do all of the bagging, and lifting for them it was not easy for me either.

[Moonchilde]

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@KingstonsMom wrote:

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@akaburtonfan wrote:

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@KingstonsMom wrote:

My grocery store 'rant', is the person with a full cart in the 'Express' line (10 items or less) and the cashier says nothing, while I wait behind them with 2-3 items.....grrrrrr.

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Or like me you have a full cart and the person at the express lane says I'll take you. I say to her are you sure? She says yes. Then when a couple of people get in line behind me she says nothing to let them know that she told me to get in her line. Now I look like the bad shopper. Some days grocery shopping is such a pain.

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@akaburtonfan

@kdgn

I agree that if the express lane is empty and the cashier calls you over with a cart full, when people with a few items line up behind you, it would be nice if the cashier let the line know that she called you there, so you don't look like the bad guy!

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Honestly, I wouldn't care. Most grocery stores I go to tell a customer who clearly has a lot more in their cart than 10-12-15 items (the usual cut-offs) to please go to another checkout, they have too many items, and won't check them out. So if I saw a cart with more items, I'd probably look around the checkout area, see the store wasn't busy, and figure the checker called them over.

I have sometimes wasted more time in the quick checkout line than in a regular line. The checkers seem to work slower, talk more, check things more and just waste more time. I have gotten in a short check line with 2-3 people ahead of me and it takes *forever*, with the lines around me moving, and you wonder WT* could take that long with 8 items?

[Tallgal]

At my grocery store there are self check out lines but they are not meant for small item shoppers.   Typically one of the self checkout lines is 12 items or less.   There is an employee assigned to the lines to assist with problems and if your are purchasing alcoholic beverages.   The biggest problem I have is usually the person behind me is in a big hurry and wants to start scanning their items before I have bagged and paid for mine.   I prefer to use a line that has a cashier.

[homedecor1]

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@Snowpuppy wrote:

I get fooled in the full service checkout standing behind the shopper with 2 items.

She wants to chat for 20 minutes with the clerk, tries to use an expired coupon for 1 item and writes a check for her $3.95 purchase.

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@Snowpuppy

We must shop at the same store! My goodness 🙄 Some people think their cashier is their best friend...I know the ladies at my store BUT geez I don't hold the line up for "idle chit chat"....my solution - if peak or busy I pick the "kid" (younger) cashiers.  They never talk just tell you the amount and out the door I go! (Their bagging skills leave a lot to be desired cat food in with meats, frozen with bread, fruits with cans🤔🙈😊) yet I'm in and out!

[MickD]

Ya just can't win at the grocery store.  I feel the more patient and kind-hearted I am, the better.  I really do think that there are people out there that are just nebulous or unthinking or rude or mean.....My son is a bagger at the store I shop at and almost every single day someone calls him dumb or stupid (he has learning disabilities).  I tell him to ignore the comments as they must be very unhappy people to say that.  This happened again last night, and I suggested he say - please don't say that to me....have a nice day.  Breaks .....my......heart.....every....single ......time.

[tansy]

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@MickD wrote:

Ya just can't win at the grocery store.  I feel the more patient and kind-hearted I am, the better.  I really do think that there are people out there that are just nebulous or unthinking or rude or mean.....My son is a bagger at the store I shop at and almost every single day someone calls him dumb or stupid (he has learning disabilities).  I tell him to ignore the comments as they must be very unhappy people to say that.  This happened again last night, and I suggested he say - please don't say that to me....have a nice day.  Breaks .....my......heart.....every....single ......time.

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I am so sorry to hear that @MickD.  ☹️

[judEve]

 We have a neighborhood email system called NextDoor.  Recently a lady posted a big thank you to the kind people at the grocery store that allowed her and her screaming, out of control toddler to get in front of them in line, offered to help entertain the child while she tried to pay and gave her words of encouragement and offered to help her get her groceries to her car. She said she was embarrassed her boy misbehave so badly as normally he is a good boy. She went on to explain that it had been a long day, the boy had an ear infection, they had been to the doctors, on way to get prescription filled she had car trouble which diverted her almost an hour, then while waiting for his prescription to be filled she did some much needed shopping as her husband was out of town on business and they just moved here and she hadn't had a chance to meet anyone yet so she had no other help, the boy had missed his lunch and his nap so he was overly "hangry", and had just had it with his long stressful day on top of not feeling well and she was to the point of tears herself. She said their actions, kind words, understanding and helpfulness really helped her in a very stressful time and she would forever be grateful.  The man and the woman that offered to help weren't together and allowed her to go ahead responded to her post and said something to the effect that they too had young kids once, saw she was trying her best, had her hands full and they could relate. There were many other posts that followed about how nice it was of them to be so helpful as we never really know what all is going on, and those in that situation previously would have thought it might just be a mother who couldn't manage a child would now think twice, and all stated from now on instead of getting mad and or frustrated they would reach out and try to help and remind themselves they have no idea what else could be going on. I never had children but that post certainly opened my eyes and I now try to look at frustrating situations with that woman in mind.

   Thank you for letting me share.

   Peace....

[Venezia]

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@occasionalrain wrote:

Magazines are assembled by machines. Workers don't handle them except in packing and putting into store racks. Inside they are free of fingerprints, germs, saliva...There are magazines at the library for those who don't mind ones that have been pre-read, fingered through but if one is paying for a new magazine, it should be unused.

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Like I said...........buy yours by subscription!

(ETA:  I didn't realize you were so familiar with the inner workings of a publishing firm.  You worked in one at some point, I assume?)