Grocery Stores

[ShaedyKD]

Spin off from the gas thread, because someone in there got me thinking.

At a certain grocery store here in Houston, the cashiers actually take your groceries out of the cart for you. There's no conveyor belt, you just push your cart up, and everything is done for you. I have been to grocery stores in at least 10 different states, and I've never seen this before, except maybe at the Costco/Sams Club.

In FL, half the time, there's no bagger, so you bag your own groceries - which didn't bother me, because that way the eggs and bread doesn't end up in the same bag as the huge laundry detergent bottle, or canned goods. But here, it's like once you pull an item from a shelf and put it in your cart, you can't touch it again until you leave the store. People will stand there and wait for the cashier to not only take the items out of the cart, ring them up, and then bag them. This takes forever, I don't see why people can't bag their own groceries.

Is this common in grocery stores in Texas? Anywhere else?

[smiley21]

Originally posted by ShaedyKD

At a certain grocery store here in Houston, the cashiers actually take your groceries out of the cart for you. There's no conveyor belt, you just push your cart up, and everything is done for you. I have been to grocery stores in at least 10 different states, and I've never seen this before, except maybe at the Costco/Sams Club.

There are a couple of grocery stores here in Florida that used to do that. (i.e. Food Lion, Kash 'n Karry)

[AlphaFrog]

Originally posted by smiley21
There are a couple of grocery stores here in Florida that used to do that. (i.e. Food Lion, Kash 'n Karry)

Food Lion here doesn't take out of your cart, but Lowes Foods does. That combined with Lowes' foods having the biopay - where they scan your finger for your credit card info. (if that system ever goes down, I'll be screwed because I never even bring my wallent in anymore) , and great specials means they get my business 9 times out of 10.

[squirrely girl]

they do that at a lot of military post commissaries - the baggers work for tips though

- marissa

[pinkiebell1001]

Originally posted by ShaedyKD
Spin off from the gas thread, because someone in there got me thinking.

At a certain grocery store here in Houston, the cashiers actually take your groceries out of the cart for you. There's no conveyor belt, you just push your cart up, and everything is done for you. I have been to grocery stores in at least 10 different states, and I've never seen this before, except maybe at the Costco/Sams Club.

In FL, half the time, there's no bagger, so you bag your own groceries - which didn't bother me, because that way the eggs and bread doesn't end up in the same bag as the huge laundry detergent bottle, or canned goods. But here, it's like once you pull an item from a shelf and put it in your cart, you can't touch it again until you leave the store. People will stand there and wait for the cashier to not only take the items out of the cart, ring them up, and then bag them. This takes forever, I don't see why people can't bag their own groceries.
Is this common in grocery stores in Texas? Anywhere else?

It's very common; we actually have this at the store i work at - It's actually a little easier for the checker to just do it themselves, but yall, seriously feel free to help them out with the 40 lb bag of dogfood and the 20 lb box of cat litter!

Ok..my little rant:P:
I work in a large, busy store, and I can't tell yall how many times I've hopped on a checkstand to help out, and get a customer with a huge load of groceries and all they do is stand there. Now when i hop onto a register, I pull people out of lines and check them out, which really, i don't have to do, I just do it to help out! Now if I pull you out of a line,and you have so many items and if the conveyor is so loaded down items are falling off, PUT DOWN THE PEOPLE MAGAZINE that you're technically stealing since you aren't paying for it (Yep, it's considered that-at least by our policy) and give me some help!

I can sort've understand, since they're not only paying for groceries they're paying for a service, but keep in mind, a checker really only gets paid to check.

[ShaedyKD]

Originally posted by squirrely girl
they do that at a lot of military post commissaries - the baggers work for tips though

- marissa

Yeah, I used to live on base, and have been to quite a few, but I've never been to one that took the things out of your cart. The baggers take you out to the car and help you load the trunk, so they deserve a tip.

Rarely do grocery store baggers take people to their car, unless the shopper is handicapped or elderly. Unless it's Publix, where it's a store policy, but at Publix, "shopping is a pleasure!" I miss Publix I never had them take me out to my car, but it was nice that they offered.

[AlphaFrog]

Originally posted by ShaedyKD
Rarely do grocery store baggers take people to their car, unless the shopper is handicapped or elderly. Unless it's Publix, where it's a store policy, but at Publix, "shopping is a pleasure!" I miss Publix I never had them take me out to my car, but it was nice that they offered.

Once again, Lowe's foods has mandatory policy that they ask if you need help to your car. Also, you can shop online and for about $4-$8(depending on how much you spend) they have it all packed and ready and all you do is drive up and they load it into your car. I've never used it, but I suppose I would sometime if I was in a major hurry. And they always have fresh Sushi. Yummy!

Dang, I'm starting to sound like a Lowe's commerical.

[AlphaFrog]

Originally posted by AXiD670
Harry Peter (I mean...Harris Teeter)

You don't have Harry Teets there??

[ShaedyKD]

AF, you're making me want to shop at Lowes, because it sounds like such a great grocery store. Sadly, after a quick online search, it appears that Lowes Foods is only in North Carolina and Virginia. They should send you coupons for giving them such good publicity!

Harry Teets - what a gross name for a grocery store. Almost as bad as Piggly Wiggly.

Bubblz, you're so lucky to have Publix. I might try to sneak in a trip this weekend while I'm in Atlanta. Crap - do they have them there? I am going to miss the holiday commercials the most!

[KSigkid]

I've never seen a store where they do that; the most they'll do around here is bag your groceries, and sometimes they won't even do that for you.

[ZTAngel]

Originally posted by ShaedyKD

Bubblz, you're so lucky to have Publix. I might try to sneak in a trip this weekend while I'm in Atlanta. Crap - do they have them there? I am going to miss the holiday commercials the most!

Yep. Publix is all over Atlanta. I love it. I usually don't have the baggers bring my groceries to my car unless it's night. I feel safer having them walk me through a parking lot at night.

[mu_agd]

Originally posted by KSigkid
I've never seen a store where they do that; the most they'll do around here is bag your groceries, and sometimes they won't even do that for you.

The Shaws in Allston will send it down a conveyor belt to the parking lot area and then put it in a car for you.

[PhiMuAmberkins]

The little grocery store in my hometown takes the stuff out of your cart for you. It's just a little mom and pop store, but it's really close to my house!

[aephi alum]

Originally posted by KSigkid
I've never seen a store where they do that; the most they'll do around here is bag your groceries, and sometimes they won't even do that for you.

Same here. Worse, one of the local supermarkets has installed self-checkout lanes, so not only isn't there a bagger, there isn't a cashier either.

[KSigkid]

Originally posted by aephi alum
Same here. Worse, one of the local supermarkets has installed self-checkout lanes, so not only isn't there a bagger, there isn't a cashier either.

We have those here in MA, although I didn't know they'd started installing them in CT. I actually like them better; I can go at my own pace, and pack my own groceries. Our store tends to pack heavy things like cans on top of bread, eggs, and easily breakable products.