204 Grocery store etiquette

Grocery Store Etiquette

I like to go to the grocery store. When I go without my husband, "Mr. Rush-Down-Only-Aisles-You-Need," I leisurely take my cart down almost every aisle--maybe not the baby aisle--but all the rest. I like to see what new products are on the shelves or discover ones I have never tried.

Walmart has been advertising its shop-for-you service. Now at Martin's, I see employees loading up carts for their Groceries Go Customers. Not for me! Similarly, I like to try on clothes before buying them or drive a car before ordering it!

But there are things that really irritate me when shopping. These people in the grocery store aisles had to drive a car to get to the store, right? So why don't they follow the rules of the road? When stopping to pick up an item from the shelves, I pull my cart as far to the right as possible even if I have to park a little bit away from my intended shelf--so anyone can get by me. You don't stop your car in the center lane when stopping so why leave your cart EXACTLY in the middle so no one can get by it going either direction?

With a group shopping together, the gang takes up the entire aisle even when they see you coming. And then there are those fascinating conversations in which two or three carts are gathered around for a talk. Make room for passer-byes while you chat!

I find it less annoying than amazing are those people who talk on their phones the entire time they shop. The conversations, which I can't help but hear, sound pretty mundane. And it is downright RUDE to check out while talking on the phone!

I try to ignore the folks who are eating the produce while shopping, but keep your hands out of the salad bar! A few months back, I saw a woman at the tomatoes with almost every package open, sorting and moving tomatoes until she had the perfect package. 

I asked the young man stocking produce if he could stop her, but he just shrugged. I wanted to buy a package of tomatoes, so I asked her which packages she had not touched and bought one of those. But now each time I go, I wonder if she has been there before me.

I bet the people who work in grocery stores have many stories that are even worse than mine. But I feel better--stating what I wish I would say to those folks when I encounter them!

Now back to relaxing, mindless shopping!

               Trish