Grocery Store Pet Peeves

[sbell111]

This is my major peeve. I've seen people hit by carts that were rolling around the lot (I even saw someone knocked down once) and I've seen lots of cars scratched or dented by carts.

with all do respect. I believe that you are exaggerating. First, I find it very hard to believe that people are being knocked about by stray carts. Second, while it is true that a wandering cart is certainly responsible for the occasional scratch or ding, I find it unlikely that a person has actually witnessed this lots of times.

 

[Philagoofy]

Funny story about retirees and "visiting" in the aisles. I rarely shop there, but the local Winn-Dixie near a retirement community (complete with golfcart parking) has a long table & chairs between the deli and wine area where a bunch of old guys hang out. My DH swears he once heard them talking about which widows in the community were easy!

 

[Scurvy]

with all do respect. I believe that you are exaggerating. First, I find it very hard to believe that people are being knocked about by stray carts. Second, while it is true that a wandering cart is certainly responsible for the occasional scratch or ding, I find it unlikely that a person has actually witnessed this lots of times.

With all due respect, you can think what you want but if you had ever shopped at one of the Targets in my town you would not be accusing me of lying right now. The entire parking lot is built on a slant, and if people don't put their carts away they roll until they hit something or tip over, whichever comes first. On one rainy and windy day I not only saw an older woman knocked down by a runaway cart, I saw multiple carts roll and slam into cars - including my own, that I had owned for less than a month. I rarely shop there any more, and only park on the upper end of the lot when I do have to go there. But when I do go there, it's rare that I don't either see a cart roll into a car or see one resting against one it already rolled into.

 

[sbell111]

With all due respect, you can think what you want but if you had ever shopped at one of the Targets in my town you would not be accusing me of lying right now. The entire parking lot is built on a slant, and if people don't put their carts away they roll until they hit something or tip over, whichever comes first. On one rainy and windy day I not only saw an older woman knocked down by a runaway cart, I saw multiple carts roll and slam into cars - including my own, that I had owned for less than a month. I rarely shop there any more, and only park on the upper end of the lot when I do have to go there. But when I do go there, it's rare that I don't either see a cart roll into a car or see one resting against one it already rolled into.

I'll stick with my prior post.

 

[canopynut66]

Kroger--and their buy ten get $5.00 off and if you buy 11 of those items the 11th one is "full price" makes me want to scream. and NO cashiers in there either .. so only thing to do is go someplace else and I intend to do just that.

 

[MarineVet]

Yes! The worst is when they finally whip out a check! A check, really? I always want to say "your next stop should be the bank to get a debit card!"

I also hate when people just stand there while there stuff is being rung up. Start bagging, please and move this line along!

both of my kids were trained very young to hit the end of the counter and start bagging. They also know what can go in what bag...no mixing meat with other things! LOL

Before we used credit or debit cards, we did regularly use checks. When I got the last of my groceries loaded onto the belt, I whipped out the checkbook and had everything written (date, to, signature) except the amount so I was done rather quickly. But I was glad when my Credit Union finally started debit cards, they are MUCH quicker.

 

[2girls4me]

I don't think not letting someone with less groceries then me go ahead of me is rude. (worlds longest sentence right there)

I've waited with my cart, you can wait with yours.

I think what bothers me the most is people in the express lane with about 30 items. Clearly, you must know you are way over the limit.

 

[cornflake]

I've seen a lot of complaints about this, but I don't think I've ever seen a store where it was wrong.

Where do you live that the signs are right?! Here SOME Whole Foods get it right and a couple other places, everyplace else has 'X items or less.' I'm interested in moving to the land of proper grammar.

People that park in the "customer with child" spots .... without children. My favorite was just last week. A car pulls in and from behind the wheel a teenager gets out. I'm thinking stupid kids think the rules don't apply. Then from the passenger side out comes, their mother. Luckily there was another close spot so I didn't have navigate my 4 yo through a busy parking lot in 105 degree heat.

You know that's not a rule though, right? I mean they're just parking spots. I couldn't care less if the store wants to label 15 'courtesy' spots for people with various whatever, makes no nevermind to me.

 

[sbell111]

You know that's not a rule though, right? I mean they're just parking spots. I couldn't care less if the store wants to label 15 'courtesy' spots for people with various whatever, makes no nevermind to me.

How is it less of a 'rule' than 'twenty items or less'?

 

[LBIJim]

So I'll add one that hasn't been mentioned before.

People that park in the "customer with child" spots .... without children. My favorite was just last week. A car pulls in and from behind the wheel a teenager gets out. I'm thinking stupid kids think the rules don't apply. Then from the passenger side out comes, their mother. Luckily there was another close spot so I didn't have navigate my 4 yo through a busy parking lot in 105 degree heat.

Ehhh....only one supermarket near me has those kinds of spots and it wouldn't bother me to see some teenager park in it. Moms with kids or pregnant women are quite capable of walking from a normal parking space.

The main grocery stores I go to are the kind where the customers bag their own groceries. The cashier rings up the groceries and sends them down a conveyor belt and you go down to the end and bag them. Does no one else have these types of stores? I mean, we have plenty of the other kind (where the cashier or the baggers bag for you), but I rarely go to them anymore because the groceries are considerably cheaper at the "bag your own" stores. I actually prefer to bag my own anyway because then you can be sure that they are bagged properly.

Pathmark markets have one register designated "for customers who prefer to bag their own order" or something like that. It's extra wide and divided and there's an arm the cashier swings back and forth so that she can start ringing up and sending down the next person's order if the first customer hasn't finished bagging yet.

I prefer to bag my own groceries. I'll always start while the cashier is scanning my order. Don't like those carousel things or other methods where the cashier bags as she scans.

Funny story about retirees and "visiting" in the aisles. I rarely shop there, but the local Winn-Dixie near a retirement community (complete with golfcart parking) has a long table & chairs between the deli and wine area where a bunch of old guys hang out. My DH swears he once heard them talking about which widows in the community were easy!

There's a Stop & Shop in a retiree heavy area not far away. There's often groups sitting there drinking coffee and socializing. I'm not sure if they're actually buying any groceries. I wouldn't doubt the guys talk about the widows.

I like going to this store because I'm usually the only customer there under 70 Make me feel young.

I think what bothers me the most is people in the express lane with about 30 items. Clearly, you must know you are way over the limit.

The local Shop Rite has one express lane with a sign "35 items or less" !!!! Even my heavy shopping trips usually don't have that many items.



Haven't seen my minor pet peeve mentioned. The unnecessary overuse of plastic bags for produce. Come on, do you REALLY need a plastic bag for one grapefruit? I've seen a woman struggling to get a personal sized watermelon into one of those bags. Or the old guy who put a pre-wrapped bags of carrots into a plastic bag.

I rarely use them. Only if I buy 4 or 5 or more of a particular item, and sometimes not even then. But for one or two tomatoes or apples or a bunch of bananas, why bother? They don't "protect" the produce and you just end up throwing them away.

Jim

 

[cornflake]

How is it less of a 'rule' than 'twenty items or less'?

What? One is grammar, one is parking spaces meant to make customers think the store is "family friendly" or whatnot. How do these have anything to do with one another?

 

[sbell111]

What? One is grammar, one is parking spaces meant to make customers think the store is "family friendly" or whatnot. How do these have anything to do with one another?

Fine. How is it less of a rule than 'twenty items or FEWER'?

 

[cornflake]

Fine. How is it less of a rule than 'twenty items or FEWER'?

Oh, I thought you meant how is it less a rule than the rules of grammar.

It's not enforcable? It's also inane and not meant to do anything but make them look 'family friendly' but it's not enforceable, thus not any kind of rule at all.

A cashier may tell you they won't check you out with 50 items, or to get out of the express line and into a regular one, and refuse to serve you in the express, but they can't come out and tell you not to park in spot X. They can tell you to leave their property (if they own the lot, which many don't, they share with other businesses in a complex or etc.), but they can't force you to move your car over a spot.

Buildings here but out nice standing, brass signs that say 'please do not block the entrance' and paint the curb and etc. There are always people parked there.

Cashiers will toss you right out of the express line if you dare come near it with a cart tho. That's their purview.

 

[robinb]

With all due respect, you can think what you want but if you had ever shopped at one of the Targets in my town you would not be accusing me of lying right now. The entire parking lot is built on a slant, and if people don't put their carts away they roll until they hit something or tip over, whichever comes first. On one rainy and windy day I not only saw an older woman knocked down by a runaway cart, I saw multiple carts roll and slam into cars - including my own, that I had owned for less than a month. I rarely shop there any more, and only park on the upper end of the lot when I do have to go there. But when I do go there, it's rare that I don't either see a cart roll into a car or see one resting against one it already rolled into.

It says that you live in "Rocket City", is that in FL? If so, then I would totally believe you. We are appalled at how many carts are just dumped in the parking lots in FL.

My biggest pet peeve right now is the self-service checkouts. Not that they exist, but that the stores have DRASTICALLY cut living, breathing cashiers to BELOW a minimum so that no one in their right mind with only a few items would stand in line for one of them. In the biggest grocery store in the city there are only about 6 cashiers and 10 self-checkouts. It makes me mad that they are cutting their staffing costs while making us do their cashiers' job. OF COURSE, I use the self checkout because I can do it faster myself (thereby rewarding them) than waiting for a cashier. It *almost* makes me feel good when I read about people cheating the self-checkouts.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Oh this reminds me of one!!! I hate it when stores have a "20 items or less" or "10 items or less" line. It's "fewer"... please!!!

Publix actually gets it right

I've seen a lot of complaints about this, but I don't think I've ever seen a store where it was wrong.

Odd. I rarely see it right.

It's only wrong if you are a "Conan the Grammerian"

Nothing at all to do with grammar, Grumpy Pirate. It's all about the math.
"Fewer" is measurable or countable; "less" is indeterminate.

 

[bethbuchall]

Where do you live that the signs are right?! Here SOME Whole Foods get it right and a couple other places, everyplace else has 'X items or less.' I'm interested in moving to the land of proper grammar.

Southern Tier of NYS. I know for certain that Wegmans and Weis use "fewer," and I am almost certain that Target and Wal-Mart do as well. I'll try to remember to look next time I am there. It does not bother me one way or another, but I noticed after reading about it on another thread.

 

[bethbuchall]

You know that's not a rule though, right? I mean they're just parking spots. I couldn't care less if the store wants to label 15 'courtesy' spots for people with various whatever, makes no nevermind to me.

Those spaces annoy me, though I do not park in them. I can't see why people with children need certain parking spaces saved for them. (And, yes, I have 3 children.) I tend to park out at the far end of the lot. I did see one that made me laugh the other day. There was a sign out even farther from the store than I was parked, and I had to go find out what it could possibly say. It said that spot was reserved for people who knew that adding steps to their day could help with a healthy lifestyle or something to that effect. I wish that I had my camera with me.

 

[honeydiane1953]

Bringing the whole fam damly with you. The "others" just block the aisle hovering. Oh Lord!!!

 

[mhsjax]

Odd. I rarely see it right.



Nothing at all to do with grammar, Grumpy Pirate. It's all about the math.
"Fewer" is measurable or countable; "less" is indeterminate.

seriously? WE are talking about grocery shopping and how many items you have, does fewer or less really bother you people, I swear the things I see here, boggles the mind. YOu all are going to die young, because of all the stress from hating minor things. I think we all know what 10 or less means, it means less than ten. I do seem to remember greater than or less than signs, in math, was this wrong also? Because it has been taught that way for years. If I can determine that 9 items is less than 10, then I don't need to be grocery shopping to begin with. The is just beyond silly.

Now off to tell all the teachers and text book writers that greater and and less than signs have to be re written and retaught to fewer, because we wouldn't want anyone not be to be able to determine that 8 is less than 10, but it is in fact fewer than 10.

 

[cornflake]

seriously? WE are talking about grocery shopping and how many items you have, does fewer or less really bother you people, I swear the things I see here, boggles the mind. YOu all are going to die young, because of all the stress from hating minor things. I think we all know what 10 or less means, it means less than ten. I do seem to remember greater than or less than signs, in math, was this wrong also? Because it has been taught that way for years.

It's basic grammar. You don't have 'less than' 10 items, you have fewer than 10. Same as you don't ask for fewer coffee in the cup so you can add milk, you'd ask for less.

Math a. has different rules than language, and b. inequalities are generally of indiscriminate quality. If you're using a variable, there's not a way to know what the variable represents, etc.