Supermarket Etiquette Fail
By: Keith
I went to the supermarket last night, and it wasn’t anything special because all I needed was some vegetables and meat (was going to make stir fry). My 5 year old and my best friend came with me just for the heck of it. All things went as planned except that halfway though our shopping some lady tried to steal my cart! At first I thought she put her things in my cart and started to wheel away by accident. But, no, she did it intentionally. I had left the cart at the end of the isle, with 7 or so items in it while I took my boy to look for frozen vegetables roughly a third of the way down. I turned around with the vegetable in hand and saw a lady starting to wheel my cart away. I said “Hey, Alan. Is that Lady Stealing our Cart?”, and I started to walk towards her. She heard me and immediately removed the frozen pie and whipped cream she had already placed in it. She walked past me and down the aisle. There was no other cart nearby and we were the only three people in the isle. Alan and I watched her go all the way to the front of the store and into the return cart area between the inner and outer doors. She returned a few seconds later with a cart of her own. Holy Crap! She tried to steal my cart!
What the heck would possess someone to steal a shopping cart full of someone else’s food? How hard is it to get another cart? Is this a common occurrence? It’s never happened to me before. This got me thinking about supermarket etiquette. There are too many inconsiderate and selfish people in the world. Grocery shopping isn’t a place I consider to be a hot bed of malice, but there are certainly some things that irritate me about people at the supermarket. There are some unwritten rules about shopping in a busy grocery store.
1. Do not loiter in front of the food: Take a few seconds to look over prices and make a decision. If you can’t decide which of several choices you prefer, step away from the shelf to consider it. Someone else might be behind you trying to grab something and move on.
2. Do not park your cart in the middle of an isle: Store isles are narrower than they used to be. Don’t cause a traffic jam, and always be aware of traffic flow.
3. Keep your kids close: On less busy days I sometime let my kids help with the shopping by going to different parts of the store for items. On a busy day, kids can get in the way.
4. Be aware of the service order at the meat counter: Much like the barber shop, if you walk in without paying attention to the order you risk cutting the line and upsetting someone. Be aware of who is waiting for service and who arrives after you.
5. Do not race for a spot at the checkout lane: I know it’s tempting to get competitive about checkout lanes. Even if you win, you’ll have to stand there with two eyes burning into the back of your head. Whoever gets there first gets there first. Oh well, suck it up.
6. Return the cart to its proper place: It’s completely low class to not return a cart.
I try to be considerate while shopping. Sometimes I’m probably not. I’m sure I’ve done things to upset other people while shopping. I tend to take too long looking at stuff on the shelves because I read all the ingredients, and that takes a while. I also have a competitive streak which causes me to plot for poll position at checkout. I try though, I really do, to be considerate and not do something that is clearly wrong. Stealing someone else’s shopping cart seems particularly low. What do you think? Are my rules reasonable? Too stern? Do you have any others? Has anybody ever stolen a cart from you?
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Oh your rules are completely reasonable! I’ve had carts stolen before too. But I do have to say, if I have the baby with me, I do not return a cart unless the return isn’t far, because I don’t want to leave the baby in the car alone while I do it. If the cart return is just a few cars away I will, quickly, but otherwise I honestly don’t. I just make sure it’s out of the way. Luckily, my eldest son is old enough that if he’s with me, I can stay with the baby while he returns it. Which he loves to do.
Mitzi. You’re right. I had forgotten that I used to do the same thing when my boys were babies. You can’t very well put the kids in the car and return a cart. Good point.
I think your rules are reasonable. I’d like to think that they are “common-sense,” but apparently not…
.-= Stephanie´s last blog ..TOP 10 Blog Posts of 2009 =-.
I’m always surprised at how uncommon common sense is. Indeed.
Both funny and true. I am always astounded at the number of women who prop their purses in the top of the cart and walk away… not to mention, their little ones. You have to wonder…
.-= BigLittleWolf´s last blog ..Parenting Tips (and Burst my Bubble) =-.
Two things I see alot.
Always ALWAYS be aware of other folks if there are any behind you and Be alert around corners.
Do not stop and daze out in the middle of an isle.
Do not laze in the middle of an isle talkin with your partner or on your phone.
Do not charge out the end of isles without checkin for cross traffic.
Ah, yes Mike! That’s a great one about exiting an isle without looking. Supermarket crashes are tragic events that are easily avoidable. Lot’s of spilled veggies and trampled feet!
Seriously though, you’re right. That’s a good one! Thanks for the visit.
My husband directed me to your blog. Funny stuff!
I hate grocery shopping. As soon as I walk in, my eyes glaze over from the overloaded senses and I tend to wander around like the living dead. I may even drool. I am sure that I annoy just about everyone trying to efficiently complete their shopping.
So, my husband does it.
The one grocery store etiquette fail that has always stuck with me was one Thanksgiving morning I had to run out for two things. I got into line behind a full cart (they were all full carts, doesn’t anyone shop ahead anymore??) and then about fifteen minutes later, a woman came up with another overloaded cart trying to join the other half of her shopping team. I said no way! We got into a verbal tussle and the woman started to cry, so the pipsqueak manager made me let her go in front of me.
I put my milk and almonds in the middle of the floor and left. I’m classy.
.-= Natalie´s last blog ..guest blog: an unexpected way we perpetuate stereotypes =-.
Natalie, I’m sorry I missed your comment here the other day. That’s terrible that some lady started crying at you for a spot in line. I might have had a similar reaction that you had. Just walk away. Or, on the other hand, I might have raised a huge stink and started calling her a cry baby in front of everyone in the store
Thanks for visiting!
I agree with your etiquette rules.. I DO sometimes play with peoples’ carts.. and by play, I mean throw extras into their buggies! (harmless but can cause people to get pissed if they dont catch it.)
Tampons, condoms, boxes of popcorn, something I can chunk in when they arent looking.. Its a thrill. Maybe because I’d find it funny if i pulled a box of tampons from my cart at checkout when I didn’t put them there.. haha
Kody: Yup, judging by what I know of you, that sounds like something I could imagine you doing!
THANK YOU KEITH! I like to say that first and foremost from a grocery clerk. About time someone understands. Yes, its just a grocery store but geez have some respect for the shopper next to you. Great stuff!
.-= Paul Wynn´s last blog ..Amazing Baggers =-.