Planking by theeerin/ Flickr (CC BY-SA)
Do you ever see a shopper with no etiquette? We all have. Leaving your cart in the middle of the aisle, using express checkout with too many items, etc. Please don’t do any of these things at the grocery store!
The following grocery store no-nos are frowned upon by current and former grocery employees. These are the worst offenses the average shopper might unknowingly be guilty of.
Read on to make sure you’re not committing any of these at your local grocery store.
Sure, you might not think it’s a big deal to leave that box of cereal in the baking aisle when you realize you don’t actually need it, but it’s inconsiderate to the employees who will have to put it away later on. “I hate when people put items randomly back on the shelf where they don't belong,” said one Reddit user who worked in a grocery store. “Especially if it's chilled or frozen food!”
“Whenever I find something like a pie left on, say, an endcap of golf balls, I always imagine the scenario that took place there,” joked another Reddit user who used to work in a grocery store. “Some customer found themselves in the dilemma of choosing pie or golf balls, but not both. ‘Sorry, pie. You lose!’”
“I had an older guy come through the ‘12 items or less’ express lane that I was manning the other day. He told me he was ‘almost certain I have 12 items’ but as he starts unloading his groceries, I realize it's about double,” said one Reddit user. “Then, he has the gall to tell me that it looked like I was bored anyway so he came over to give me something to do.”
Don’t do this! The point of the express lane is to provide convenience for those who really are just grabbing a few items. If you’re accidentally one or two items over, it’s not a big deal, but knowingly trying to sneak into the shorter line just isn’t cool.
Leaving your cart in the middle of an aisle while you run to grab an item somewhere else might seem convenient for you, but it makes traffic jams for other customers trying to navigate the already tight aisles.
“When they aren't looking, push their cart up the other end of the aisle. I used to work in a supermarket and do that all the time,” jokes one Reddit user. “They turn around and it is 50m away!”
If you’re waiting in the checkout line, the least you can do is prepare your cash or card so that you’re ready to go as soon as it’s your turn to scan and pay for your items. Don’t just scroll on your phone and act surprised when the cashier looks at you expectantly.
“We hate these people just as much as you do,” said one Reddit user and grocery store employee. “The cashier is scanning your stuff, bagging the items. They total the bill and tell the ‘Oblivious One.’ Key 5 minutes of searching for a credit card, shopper loyalty card, that one coupon they got that's probably expired but they want to use anyway. These people always p*ssed me off the most because there's no excuse. While you are waiting for your items to be rung up, you can get all these things taken care of!”
“The angriest man I ever met in my life was one of our produce clerks. He took such pride in his job, but hated every person who shopped his department,” explained one Reddit user. “The number of people who touch the tomatoes, apples, potatoes, onions, nuts, seeds, and suchlike is insane. And to see what they're doing with their hands before they touch the product? Horrifying.”
In other words: Don’t be that person who touches and feels every single piece of produce before selecting the perfect one. Chances are good that most produce will be of similar ripeness and quality.
“I hate when people sit and argue with the cashier about the coupons they have, then proceed to search for and offer new ones that are clearly outdated as well, all for that $2 savings on $150+ of groceries,” said one grocery shopper. “Like, can I just hand the cashier my 20 and leave? They can even keep change!”
“Yes we all like our cuts a bit different, but I guarantee you will not notice the extra 1/32 of an inch thickness,” said one shopper. “Also, if you want 1 lb of turkey and the little scale says 1.01 just deal with it. I do not feel like sitting there waiting while they try to get your freaking order absolutely perfect when it isn't something you will ever notice.”
You might think it’s polite to make small talk with the cashier, and it can be, but having lengthy conversations while others are waiting in line is just inconsiderate and puts the cashier in an awkward situation. “I don't care if you've nothing better to do than talk to the cashier and hold up the queue, everyone else wants to be somewhere else,” said one frustrated shopper.
“I hate turning into a parking spot just to find a cart at the end,” said another shopper. “Have to park butt-out, get out, move the cart, and park properly ... All because the customer couldn't be bothered walking 20 feet to the corral?!”
Not only is this a frustration for your fellow shoppers, but it can also be very dangerous. Always make sure you push your cart into the corral and ensure it’s secure before going back to your car.
If you’re next in line and you’ve just realized you forgot something on your list, the right thing to do is exit the line and go get the item rather than leaving your stuff in the queue and running off into the store. “My ex would wait until we were next in line and then tell me, "Oh! I need to get XYZ and run off,” explained one Reddit user. Let’s just say there’s a reason they’re an ex now.
According to one former grocery store employee, asking where something is located is fine. A couple of items is fine, too, but running through your entire list just because you are lazy is not. “I helped an elderly gentleman find stuff for his entire list, and he kept asking me to find things we had already found,” the former employee explained. “Finally his wife caught up and made me put everything back as apparently he had Alzheimer's disease. That man I can forgive, not the lazy dad who keeps saying ‘one more thing.’”
Multiple grocery store employees share the same qualm: When shoppers ask them to check “out back” for low-stock or out-of-stock items. Most grocery stores place all inventory on the shelves, so demanding an employee check in the elusive “out back” won’t get you far. If something is missing, and you want to capitalize on the sale price, just ask for a rain check.
“I hate it when people are standing in the middle of the aisle having a full-length meeting and not moving,” said one shopper, adding that it’s annoying and inconsiderate. Instead, if you meet a friend while shopping, consider catching up at the end of the aisle or just agree to catch each other later on.
“It’s not cool when someone breaks something, makes a huge mess and just walks away, or acts like a prick thinking someone else will clean it up when they find it,” said one former employee. “Two times I had this happen, once with a bag of milk, another time with a bag of sugar. In both cases, there was a small hole in the bottom, and they walked up and down every aisle pouring a steady stream. In the one case the person saw it was leaking, and I caught them trying to hide it on a shelf!”
“It’s so frustrating when people stumble around like zombies. They slowly shuffle along the aisles, stopping with the cart askew so you can't go around,” said one shopper. “They stand in front of the soup or chicken or whatever and spend the next 10 minutes examining items. Giving you sour looks when you quickly maneuver around them!”
It’s one thing to enjoy grocery shopping and checking out new products, but if you are someone who takes your time at the grocery store, be mindful of those around you who want to get in and out as quickly as possible.
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