Grocery Line Ettiquette
I just finished reading a Face Book posting about I guy that had to stand in line and wait while the cashier and the customer worked out a difficult order that included cash, an electronic benefits transfer card and coupons clipped from advertisements. He didn't go crazy and there was no rant about food stamps, a refreshing change from what might have been ugly.
Bravo I say, no drama, no rage, the groceries go in the bag, out the door and are part of the family's meal for the week or days. Not that long ago, Mom might have been fumbling around for coupons to pay for the items that were purchased. In Florida the card gets swiped just like the guy in front of me this evening who swiped his AMEX and was buying a lot of wine and getting an 10% discount for buying it by the case.
The usual practice when you've spent too much at Winn Dixie is sort of like a reverse checkout and you get a second chance to decide if you really wanted what you put in the basket and the amount of your bill is reduced as items are slipped to the side. This can be a real time waster but it is kind of understandable if you don't do the math when you are walking up and down the isles or make a serious mistake about what something was going to cost and have a short stack.
A few years ago I used to follow the cart around while it was being filled by someone else. Shopping with another adult is not my idea of quality time and back in the day with a four year old in tow who liked touching and looking at labels just like her Mom, going to Publix or Winn Dixie required a stop in the beer aisle. I used to be public transportation and the check out back stop if there was a financial emergency when it came to paying for food and such.
Shopping is no longer a group project. Patty has a driver's license now. I must admit I disliked group shopping so much that eventually I stayed in the car with a book and was only interrupted a couple of times by Lisvey when she would run back to the car asking for some more money because of a miscalculation. Hopefully, the line was short when that happened.
I don't think anybody likes check out line drama, going to food banks or getting food stamps if there were an alternative that was practical. Sometimes even random acts of kindness can be misinterpreted and resented. But with the job situation as it is I appreciate that food assistance is available and is a better alternative than of lots of people being hungry even though they may have a job.
Bravo I say, no drama, no rage, the groceries go in the bag, out the door and are part of the family's meal for the week or days. Not that long ago, Mom might have been fumbling around for coupons to pay for the items that were purchased. In Florida the card gets swiped just like the guy in front of me this evening who swiped his AMEX and was buying a lot of wine and getting an 10% discount for buying it by the case.
The usual practice when you've spent too much at Winn Dixie is sort of like a reverse checkout and you get a second chance to decide if you really wanted what you put in the basket and the amount of your bill is reduced as items are slipped to the side. This can be a real time waster but it is kind of understandable if you don't do the math when you are walking up and down the isles or make a serious mistake about what something was going to cost and have a short stack.
A few years ago I used to follow the cart around while it was being filled by someone else. Shopping with another adult is not my idea of quality time and back in the day with a four year old in tow who liked touching and looking at labels just like her Mom, going to Publix or Winn Dixie required a stop in the beer aisle. I used to be public transportation and the check out back stop if there was a financial emergency when it came to paying for food and such.
Shopping is no longer a group project. Patty has a driver's license now. I must admit I disliked group shopping so much that eventually I stayed in the car with a book and was only interrupted a couple of times by Lisvey when she would run back to the car asking for some more money because of a miscalculation. Hopefully, the line was short when that happened.
I don't think anybody likes check out line drama, going to food banks or getting food stamps if there were an alternative that was practical. Sometimes even random acts of kindness can be misinterpreted and resented. But with the job situation as it is I appreciate that food assistance is available and is a better alternative than of lots of people being hungry even though they may have a job.
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