Grocery Store Pet Peeves

[tvguy]

God forbid some of us not carry cash... It takes the same amount of time for a debit card approval as it does for a cashier to count out change.

Well, I will admit Walmart for one does have darn fast debit machines, faster than any of the other stores, but I still think I can pay cash faster.

We have the cash debate at work all the time. There are things we need to do for work that are cash only. We even have a petty cash box at work, but some of the younger folks just don't think about needing it until it's too late. One poor reporter worked all day on a story, ordered court documents, got the the courthouse 5 mnutes before closing to get them, only to discover they court fee, $5, had to be in cash. Too late to hit an atm.

 

[shoney]

Costco is an exception. Costco will only accept American Express credit cards. Running your debit as a credit will make it "read" like a Visa/Mastercard credit card and thus Costco will not take it so you have to enter your PIN when using your debit there. I should clarify my statement by saying you can run your Visa/Mastercard debit as a credit at any location that accepts Visa/Mastercard.

I use my debit everywhere for everything..my Mom finds it crazy I don't carry cash on me..she always does in addition to her debit card, a check book and credit cards.

ETA-By default when you run your debit it will ask for a PIN..there is almost always an option (how it is worded can vary depending on the reader/vendor they use) to use it as a credit..hitting no, hitting a button that says credit or some other means (if the clerk runs it you often have to specify to them up front you prefer it run as a credit so they can run it correctly). Just because it asks for a PIN doesn't mean that is the only way you can use it..just that default as most will want to use their PIN.

thanks for the info!
costco makes sense. I actually have an am/ex just for them. I forgot to pay the bill one month and got hit with fees. The little points I accumulate on that card doesn't make it worth it to use. Now, I only use the debit there.

 

[msjprincess]

If a debit card is branded with a Visa/Mastercard logo you have the option to run it as credit regardless of amount. I earn cash back rewards on my debit card anytime I run it as a credit so I do..$2 to $200 I don't have to enter a pin but I might be required to sign depending on amount.

Oh I know. I normally just do it as a debit. It usually defaults to debit and it doesn't take me any longer than signing.

 

[njmom47]

Interesting thread, as I work for a supermarket company and have many of the same complaints you do.
I hate hate hate self-check registers; they seem to be theft magnets and are really more trouble than they're worth (from my side-corporate). I won't use them, as I was a store employee for almost 20 years and checked out everyone else's groceries...it's time for someone to check out mine.
Even if people do want to use a check, our registers will do all the printing for you...you just have to ask!
Lots of times our stores have kid's teams bagging (which is fine, my kids are/were part of these groups and we always tip them) but I bring my own bags and am really picky how I want my stuff bagged. If they do a good job I'm ok with it but there have been times when I unbagged everything and re-bagged it in the parking lot. No wonder no one ever wants to go to the grocery store with me!

 

[jrmasm]

I really like Wal-Mart becase of the wide uncluttered aisles. They are the best at this. Every other store I go in there's somewhere I can't go in my wheel-chair.

I'm not a fan of self check-outs I was on crutches once, and had to make an emergency run to purchase a toilette seat. I dodn't need any extra steps that day, so I found someone to show me where the seats were, but he hightailed it out of there so I had to find a second person to reach one for me. When I got to the checkout there was a long line They hired someone to harass the customers in the check-out line, to go use the self serve. Because goodness forbid they open another check-out with the additional staff. The first time I politely told her I was on crutches, and in a ton of pain, now was not the day. But, I must of looked like an easy target, because she kept harassing me untile finally I hobbled over. That still makes me mad, I haven't shopped there since.

My credit card has a PIN

Interesting. I have never been a Walmart that didn't have cluttered, nearly impassable aisles.

 

[Coconut36]

Oh I know. I normally just do it as a debit. It usually defaults to debit and it doesn't take me any longer than signing.

I agree PIN based or signature they really don't delay or take an exceptional amount of time. As I mentioned I always due my debits as credits so I can earn cash back through my credit union..if that wasn't the case I would do them PIN based.

 

[goofinoff]

Interesting. I have never been a Walmart that didn't have cluttered, nearly impassable aisles.

Same here! Drives me crazy!

 

[RayaniFoxmur]

Interesting. I have never been a Walmart that didn't have cluttered, nearly impassable aisles.

What I've noticed that the newest Walmarts or ones they are redesigning have wide wide grocery aisles. The main aisles that you go down to GET to all the grocery aisles still have stuff in the middle though and it's enough to make you crazy if it's busy!

 

[JVL1018]

I actually love grocery shopping, LOL, so I don't really have many pet peeves.

People in my way, happens almost every shopping trip, but 99.9% of the time they move and apologize right away when I say excuse me, and I'm fine with that.

Obviously, the cases here with the people who moved right in front of you, or who didn't move even after being asked, that is rude.

I shop mostly at Stop and Shop, love their self scanners. I go to whichever line has the least people on it, sometimes it's self scan, sometimes not. I feel like everyone where I shop has worked there for years, so they all seem to know what they're doing.
I bag my own groceries because, unless it's super busy, they don't have baggers.
I prefer to bag my own, anyway. I hate standing there watching someone bag my groceries, it feels awkward to me. LOL

Pathmark, which I go to rarely, even though it's closer, has the worst self scanners, but their non self scanning lines are always so busy that I use them and then get frustrated when they don't work properly.

I was a supermarket cashier for a few years during high school and college and FTR, I always, always, when opening up on register, took hold of the cart and walked the next person on line over to my line. And if someone tried to jump ahead, told them sorry, they have to get on the back of the line.

 

[Andtototoo]

Interesting. I have never been a Walmart that didn't have cluttered, nearly impassable aisles.

My Walmart is great. I've only seen stuff in the aisles once.

 

[Mouse House Mama]

Here are my top few. I don't really pay much attention to others when shopping but there are still things that annoy me from time to time.

1. Don't get behind me with 1 item and huff and puff the entire time I am being rung up. It's not like I hid the 2 carts full of food that I was buying. They are in plain sight so you had to see them. Take your item to the express line and save the huffing and puffing for the 3 little pigs.

2. If you are a checker/bagger and are bagging my groceries I do appreciate you. However I would really appreciate you more if you would use a little common sense when bagging. I do not want my bread in the same bag as the dishwasher soap. I do not want my frozen items in a bag with non frozen items. I don't want the bananas with canned goods etc. Put like items together.

3. If you chose not to bag that is fine. I can bag my own but give me a chance to actually do so. Stop ringing and pushing it all down the belt so that everything is a mush. Also, turn off the stupid belt! Everything is getting stuck! Do you not notice that? Really?

4. Groceries cost a fortune. I am not self checking anything. Hire some cashiers. Someone has to monitor the self checkout anyway. Put them on a register. When you give me a discount for doing the job then I will check out the whole store for you.

5. Oh- and those stupid catalina machines. Either they give you one coupon after you spend $600 or they give you coupons for a different brand than you ever buy. I get they want you to try stuff but if I only buy one brand of milk all the time then give me a coupon for that.

 

[Princess Dolly]

Ah, so you're one of THOSE?
The person who comes in and buys a package of Tic Tacs and uses a debit card?

I've been tempted to plunk a dollar down to get people like you out of my way so I don't have to wait for the debit card to be approved.

Yeah. I'm a princess like that, or so I have been told.

 

[phorsenuf]

Yeah. I'm a princess like that, or so I have been told.

*snort*

 

[cornflake]

Ok.. I don't think it's rude to not let someone with a couple items go in front of you at the checkout. However....

If you're at the cheese counter, tasting EVERY cheese in creation, pondering the cheese, discussing what cheese you *might* want but you're not sure because you were really looking for this and... etc., at least ask if the person standing there patiently waiting while you slowly taste half the cheese in the place if they'd like to go ahead.

Generally, there's ONE person working behind a cheese counter. They're attending to you, a they should. However, might be nice if you said any version of 'oh, I'm still deciding, go ahead,' instead of having lunch while I glare at you an the cheese guy rolls his eyes.

 

[sasywtch]

People who go to the store in 2's (either husband/wife or kids) and they have 2 carts side by side instead of behind each other so they block the aisle.

I have to say, I loved shopping at the commissary on base. It seemed the kids were so much better behaved and the adults paid more attention to others. They also had one line like the bank lines and then it was "next".

One thing I learned at the commissary and loved was that everyone parked their carts in the middle of the aisle while shopping for meat and then went looking for their meat without their cart. People tend to linger at the meat section longer debating so it's nice not to have a line of carts in your way so you can actually look at the meat. (meat aisle usually is in the back going a different direction then the other aisles and there was a huge space so everyone left their carts in the middle of the huge space and not blocking anything)

Oh and why is it when I walk into a store, no one is in line but when I'm done shopping, so is everyone else and now there is a huge line???? LOL

Customers who are being rung up , talking on cell phones and the cashier trying to tell them what they owe.

 

[S. C.]

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

Just a thought: Not so sure I should start bagging my own stuff, don't want the store to think they don't need as many workers.

 

[Shmily1]

I may be sorry I asked, but, what are "Grocery store feet?"

People that don't wear shoes in the grocery store usually end up with black gunk on the bottoms of their feet from walking through the parking lot, then in the store and it's just gross.

 

[cornflake]

People that don't wear shoes in the grocery store usually end up with black gunk on the bottoms of their feet from walking through the parking lot, then in the store and it's just gross.

I'm sorry, people do what now?

I saw you said people show up in pj's and I assumed you meant like here, where sometimes someone in a deli obviously just ran downstairs and is in like, sweatpants. I now suspect that is not what you meant.

 

[tvguy]

Yeah. I'm a princess like that, or so I have been told.

 

[mombrontrent]

People that don't wear shoes in the grocery store usually end up with black gunk on the bottoms of their feet from walking through the parking lot, then in the store and it's just gross.

How is this even allowed? What ever happened to No Shirt, No Shoes, No Service