Would you let an elderly person carry your groceries for you?

[JayhawkMomma]

I've done it once but only because I was about 5 days out from my gall bladder surgery and wasn't cleared by my doctor to lift anything over 5 lbs. I was very apologetic to the lady (who wasn't elderly, probably around 65ish) and tipped her a few dollars. Other than that one time I always load my own groceries.

 

[java]

The only time I had help with groceries was when I was 9 months pregnant and had 2 other kids with me. He wasn't elderly- he was probably around 55. When I wanted to tip him- he wouldn't accept but he did give me a card to email someone to tell them he was helpful. Which I did.

Obviously they like to work. Perhaps they prefer being outside? I personally wouldn't use the service as I don't need it. But I do wonder if so many would have jobs if they didn't provide that service? Around here is someone goes out to help you to your car another person jumps in to bag.

 

[Kath2003]

I've never had anyone take my groceries to my car. I've never had anyone bag my groceries. We don't have baggers at supermarkets in the UK. The cashier will bag them for you if you ask but then it takes twice as long to scan everything through. Plus I like bagging it myself, that way I know where everything is!

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I am not judging the baggers, I am QUESTIONING why a healthy person would want/need someone to carry their groceries for them.

And AGAIN, this wasn't a post about an elderly person being CAPABLE. I know many are capable. I simply couldn't sleep at night allowing someone to do such a simple task for me that I can do myself and I can't even tip them.

It isn't age discrimination because I clearly stated that I wouldn't even let a young person do it for me.

You can be offended all you want about the guy that doesn't speak English. I know the one older man personally. He lives in my neighborhood. The other guy does not speak English. It is his pet peeve so this is where I got the info from.

Honestly--you sound downright bigotted with your attitude. You VERY CLEARLY have an issue with old people carrying your groceries and the health of a person utilizing the service is none of your business what so ever.

If you didn't like the service, your post would be about that. But so far--you've got the old guy, the woman, and the "non-English speaking" individual whom lives in your neighborhood and thus you find it okay to pick him out of the bushel. Why not mention the 15yo male bagger on Saturdays?

Did you know what language the female spoke and why she may not have been talking to him?

A service is just that--a service. You are entitled to not use it--but there is no need to be on a high horse and condemn others with your pompous attitude that you couldn't stand yourself if you stooped so low as to permit a paid employee to assist you.

But your post reeks of bigotry and a condescending attitude especially to those whom you do not know but probably feel are lower than dirt for utilizing the service.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

Last post for me for the night because I can't keep my eyes open at the moment.

3. I never should have used the word elderly in the title.

4. If I force them into secretly taking a tip and they get caught, I would really not be able to sleep at night. I wouldn't risk that but that is just me.

5. For those that say that another bagger comes to replace them when they take groceries out, you are so wrong. Maybe your stores employ more people but at this store the cashier has to take over bagging. No biggie unless the next person needs help with their groceries. My store is not full of tons of baggers.

6. This comes down to me feeling funny about someone doing something for me that I can do for myself and not being able to compensate them for their service.

Let me reiterate that I think it is a fabulous service and I am very happy that they offer it.

3. But you did and your refusal to change it when you can speaks to your intentions.

4. I agree with you--I would not do anything deliberately to cost someone their job. Utilizing a service does not do that.

5. Have you ever been a cashier? Do you know why the registers are designed in the manner that they are designed?

I was a cashier for several years and not only was I trained on how to bag--but I was expected to assist in the bagging process. The cashier isn't just the "ringer upper".

Also at several Publixes--a manager will help bag and tag your stuff to your car if you would like if they get slammed.

6. You have compensated with prices. They make at least minimum wage if not more. Their pay is contingent upon their work and as long as they are clocked in--they are being compensated.

Do you refuse delivery from your UPS driver since they cannot accept tips?


You do not sound like they are happy they offer it--b/c you still come across as judgemental. It isn't a service offered b/c of ADA--it is a service for the overall atmosphere of the store.

You are free not to use it--but the fact that people felt compelled to post of their ailments of why they needed to use the service is pretty crappy on your part and illustration of how you came across.

 

[LuvCuteBoys]

I almost always decline. In a couple instances, I have used the service, but tipped them well despite the policy. They refuse and I keep insisting.

It does really bother me to see elderly seniors in Wal Mart , at the grocery etc. doing hard work in their golden years. Disgusting what our country does to them. But then that is a politics thread that I won't get into !

When I see such things, I try to remember to get the person's name. I write it down and once a month when I do the bills, correspondence, mail, etc. I write a letter to the company and say that the person did great . I have a form typed and just modify it a bit so it takes all of five mins. I do my complaints too at this appointed time. Some months I don't bother but usually there are a couple. Currently, I'm on a crusade to complain about fast food workers that don't speak english.

I think too often we take time to complain and don't take enough time to commend. I try to balance.

So you're complimenting the "elderly" people on the good job they did because you don't think they should be working?! Wow. Do you ever compliment the 19-year-old who might be working to put himself through college?

I'm not sure what our country is doing to retirees that is so disgusting. I hated working at Wal-Mart, but loved a lot of my coworkers. Including the elderly ones who worked there because they loved spending time with the public. Of all my complaints about WM, hiring elderly people would not be one of them. Those people enjoyed their job (a heck of a lot more than I did) and their customers loved them as well.

I am simply amazed at how quick everyone is to judge everyone else around them.

 

[LisaR]

Honestly--you sound downright bigotted with your attitude. You VERY CLEARLY have an issue with old people carrying your groceries and the health of a person utilizing the service is none of your business what so ever.

If you didn't like the service, your post would be about that. But so far--you've got the old guy, the woman, and the "non-English speaking" individual whom lives in your neighborhood and thus you find it okay to pick him out of the bushel. Why not mention the 15yo male bagger on Saturdays?

Did you know what language the female spoke and why she may not have been talking to him?

A service is just that--a service. You are entitled to not use it--but there is no need to be on a high horse and condemn others with your pompous attitude that you couldn't stand yourself if you stooped so low as to permit a paid employee to assist you.

But your post reeks of bigotry and a condescending attitude especially to those whom you do not know but probably feel are lower than dirt for utilizing the service.

This is perfect. You rant and rant about my judgmental attitude and yet you have done nothing but judge me! Enjoy yourself on that mighty high horse.

As for pointing out the guy that doesn't speak English:
If you read correctly, he does not live in my neighborhood and I don't know him. I know the 72 y/o who speaks of his fellow employees....... often.

I pointed out who was speaking and who wasn't because I thought the thing people would come back with was that they love going out to the car with the baggers because they have such good conversations with them. In the case of this one guy, unless they speak his language (and since they weren't speaking, I can assume this wasn't the case), they aren't having a conversation with him.

As for my "pompous and condescending attitude" toward those that use the service, thanks! You are so kind and not at all condescending.

Good God, I questioned if I am the only one that would use a service for no other reason except for the fact that it is free. I am not talking about people that have a true need (whether that need can be seen or not). I am talking about a person that is perfectly capable of taking out their own groceries and putting them in their car without any medical condition. It seems like an entitlement issue for you. It is a free service and you are entitled to it. Don't feel so guilty about it that you have to call me pompous and condescending. You apparently love the service. Knock yourself out. I will continue to do for myself.

3. But you did and your refusal to change it when you can speaks to your intentions.

4. I agree with you--I would not do anything deliberately to cost someone their job. Utilizing a service does not do that.

5. Have you ever been a cashier? Do you know why the registers are designed in the manner that they are designed?

I was a cashier for several years and not only was I trained on how to bag--but I was expected to assist in the bagging process. The cashier isn't just the "ringer upper".

Also at several Publixes--a manager will help bag and tag your stuff to your car if you would like if they get slammed.

6. You have compensated with prices. They make at least minimum wage if not more. Their pay is contingent upon their work and as long as they are clocked in--they are being compensated.

Do you refuse delivery from your UPS driver since they cannot accept tips?


You do not sound like they are happy they offer it--b/c you still come across as judgemental. It isn't a service offered b/c of ADA--it is a service for the overall atmosphere of the store.

You are free not to use it--but the fact that people felt compelled to post of their ailments of why they needed to use the service is pretty crappy on your part and illustration of how you came across.

I won't change the title because people would be all over that. You know darn well that is what happens when someone changes a post yet you expect me to do it. Nice.

I am not sure what being a cashier has to do with a person taking your groceries out? I didn't say a cashier couldn't bag. You seem to read a whole lot more into my posts. I said when a bagger leaves MY store to take things out to someone's car, there isn't a replacement. The cashier bags. If you need help out, I assume they would pull a bagger from another register but there aren't baggers waiting in the wings just ready to jump into a lane when someone takes groceries out. You must shop in much larger stores because that does not exist here.

Do I feel bad for the UPS driver? No. How ridiculous. I can not deliver a package myself. I can take my own groceries to my car. I already covered those examples earlier but you were too wrapped up in my bigoted and judgmental ways to notice.

I will continue to pass on the service. I will continue to do any work that I am capable of doing on my own - especially if I can not tip extra for the service. I don't take advantage of something just because it is free. Never have and I hopefully never will. Perfect example. I just posted the other day about tipping a guy that was delivering my RX. Nobody has this medication in stock and I found a place about 25 minutes away. They told me they had free delivery service. How great is that? The guy got here and I tipped him. The service is offered for free. I guess I didn't have to tip him but the thought would never cross my mind. If the driver said he couldn't accept tips, I wouldn't use the service again. I would drive there myself unless I couldn't get out of my house for some reason. Just because they offer the free service to their customers doesn't mean that I don't feel they are going above and beyond and need some additional compensation. I would feel totally different about the Publix service if I could freely tip.

I do agree that some of the employees probably love the break. I see the kids out in the parking lot texting while they are walking back into the store. Some of the elderly people probably love the break, too. The 72 y/o LOVES his job. I have never asked him about carrying out groceries. Never crossed my mind until yesterday. He LOVES, LOVES, LOVES working at Publix. But he also tells me about his incredible pain. My mom has similar pain and I truly feel sorry for him. When I watched him putting groceries into the person's car while she was lifting her toddler, I thought of nothing more than his pain. That is what motivated me to post this. Just like you say there are customers with underlying conditions, there are workers that are suffering as well. If I can carry out my own groceries just to save one person a tiny bit of pain, I will do it. Sorry that makes me such a pompous, condescending, bigot.

 

[RadioNate]

I am not judging the baggers, I am QUESTIONING why a healthy person would want/need someone to carry their groceries for them.

And AGAIN, this wasn't a post about an elderly person being CAPABLE. I know many are capable. I simply couldn't sleep at night allowing someone to do such a simple task for me that I can do myself and I can't even tip them.

It isn't age discrimination because I clearly stated that I wouldn't even let a young person do it for me.

You can be offended all you want about the guy that doesn't speak English. I know the one older man personally. He lives in my neighborhood. The other guy does not speak English. It is his pet peeve so this is where I got the info from.

Well DUH, the answers is clearly that every person who has had used the grocery carry out service is LAZY. Isn't that what you are really getting at??

Either that or they are just so incompetent that they can't manage to get their groceries to the car.

We have an upscale grocery store in San Antonio where the checker unloads your cart, (no conveyor belt or turntables) , the bagger bags and totes, as the free valet brings your car up from the underground parking (where it stays cool). They are more like an old-fashioned grocery store, very few pre-packaged meats, you need to see the butcher and the fish monger for most items, and a full service hot deli with pre-prepared full meals, and a beautiful produce section. Of course, most items are "specialty" store priced. I shop there every couple of months, though...they do have the freshest foods.

I miss Central Market......

 

[MushyMushy]

I still don't see how the service is free if you are paying more for your groceries at a store that offers the service vs one that doesn't.