Sebastian (a lady) Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 At military commissaries, they are actually switching out the carts. You shop with a normal shopping cart (or at one commissary, you have the option of a plastic basket on wheels with a long handle - think laundry basket with a long suitcase handle). The baggers bag up and then put the bags into a more vertical cart with two shelves (think something like a four wheeled dolly). One thing this does is keep more carts in the store for shopping, since they rarely go out into the parking lot. In fact, in many commissaries, you cannot take out a cart. But then in some commissaries, there are big arrows painted on the aisle floors to indicate which way traffic through that aisle is supposed to flow (yes, it's controlling, but the aisles were also really narrow and this really did help). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissel Posted January 17, 2012 Author Share Posted January 17, 2012 But then in some commissaries, there are big arrows painted on the aisle floors to indicate which way traffic through that aisle is supposed to flow (yes, it's controlling, but the aisles were also really narrow and this really did help). I love this! I wish our grocery stores did it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vonfirmath Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 When pregnant, when I have small children with me. When it is after dark. When I have a full, heavy cart. All of these times I really appreciate a bagger that pushes my cart to my car for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hannah C. Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 WTB here! :D Years ago, when I was but a wee slip of a thing, I had a job as a bagger in an urban supermarket in eastern Canada. In the staff room, there was an employee training binder that had instructions and diagrams about how to pack the grocery bags. I think I must have been the only person in the history of the store to have actually read it. I only worked there for a few months, but it was long enough to hone my craft. Of course, this just makes me even more ticked off when people do a careless job with my groceries. As part of my training at Tom Thumb (Safeway), the computer taught us how to bag. Like with like, raw meat, cold things, and cleaning products go in their own bags, don't squish eggs or bread. A lot of people ignored those guidelines. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
momto2Cs Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 A combination of lots of baggers, customers who don't need help (I'm saving all my help for when I'm an old arthritic lady. Won't be long now), and register clerks who will start bagging while one is writing a check or using a debit machine. It isn't unusual to see the store manager or the owner jump in and bag. :iagree: I worked in grocery for 8 years, and generally this is how it is done. Baggers rotate between checkstands, helping people out when desired/necessary, checkers bag groceries, managers bag groceries, some customers bag their own or help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TravelingChris Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 Chucki said, " (I'm saving all my help for when I'm an old arthritic lady. Won't be long now)". Well I have been a young arthritic lady since I was in my 20's and of course, soon I will be an old arthritic lady but the arthritis is the same young or old. Anyway, at the commissary, they always bag and usually take out unless I am getting something really small. I tip there. At Publix or any other store that offers, they bag and often they take out. MOre often then not, I accept. What someone asked is why we need it since we can put items into the cart? Well, I put one can into the cart at a time but many cans are bagged. Between my arthritis and my current back problems, I can't necessarily pick it up. I was a disabled mother at one time and picked up my kids as little as possible. I used stroller as a carrying tool or my dh. I did hold my kids in my lap at home a lot but not picking up all the time. You all have to understand that all of us disabled people don't all use wheelchairs or walkers. Mrs. Romney looks fine but she has MS. I might look fine, but I have inflammatory arthritis and a number of chronic illnesses. Others look fine but can barely breathe or have cardiac issues or many, many other problems that don't involve using a wheelchair or walker. It has been a true blessing for me to move back here to the south. In the DC area, the local stores barely had checkers- though Wegmans which was about five miles away was really good about that- but Safeway and Giant which were closest to me- were switching to mostly self checkout. NOt only was there the hassle of bagging but the machines were often malfunctioning. Then the lots were nasty and I hated the whole thing (the lot of the Safeway closest to me in No VA had had an FBI sting which caught motorcycle gang members who were selling drugs and guns). Over here, I have a much safer parking lot and wonderful baggers who cheerfully take out the bags. I love it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 Chucki said, " (I'm saving all my help for when I'm an old arthritic lady. Won't be long now)". Well I have been a young arthritic lady since I was in my 20's and of course, soon I will be an old arthritic lady but the arthritis is the same young or old. Anyway, at the commissary, they always bag and usually take out unless I am getting something really small. I tip there. At Publix or any other store that offers, they bag and often they take out. MOre often then not, I accept. What someone asked is why we need it since we can put items into the cart? Well, I put one can into the cart at a time but many cans are bagged. Between my arthritis and my current back problems, I can't necessarily pick it up. I was a disabled mother at one time and picked up my kids as little as possible. I used stroller as a carrying tool or my dh. I did hold my kids in my lap at home a lot but not picking up all the time. You all have to understand that all of us disabled people don't all use wheelchairs or walkers. Mrs. Romney looks fine but she has MS. I might look fine, but I have inflammatory arthritis and a number of chronic illnesses. Others look fine but can barely breathe or have cardiac issues or many, many other problems that don't involve using a wheelchair or walker. It has been a true blessing for me to move back here to the south. In the DC area, the local stores barely had checkers- though Wegmans which was about five miles away was really good about that- but Safeway and Giant which were closest to me- were switching to mostly self checkout. NOt only was there the hassle of bagging but the machines were often malfunctioning. Then the lots were nasty and I hated the whole thing (the lot of the Safeway closest to me in No VA had had an FBI sting which caught motorcycle gang members who were selling drugs and guns). Over here, I have a much safer parking lot and wonderful baggers who cheerfully take out the bags. I love it. Very well said. I've been a bit ticked at some of the implied judgment of anyone younger than 80 who might welcome the help out to the car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
8circles Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 Very well said. I've been a bit ticked at some of the implied judgment of anyone younger than 80 who might welcome the help out to the car. Jean :grouphug: I don't judge anyone who accepts the help, for any reason. It just isn't something I've seen & I've never felt the need. I apologize if my post came across that way. Sometimes when I'm typing a response quickly I don't choose my words carefully enough. I'm sorry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissel Posted January 17, 2012 Author Share Posted January 17, 2012 I just wanted to pop in and say thanks to everyone who helped me understand this whole thing. It sounds like the culture is very different in general--we are allowed to take our carts out in every store I've ever shopped in, we have large, safe parking lots with plenty of space (at least around here), etc. I personally have never had a problem getting my groceries to the car, but that's just me. I'm not sure how people with multiple carts, multiple babies, issues like fibro or arthritis, etc. manage it on a regular basis! As much as I do love NJ, this is just another thing that makes me wonder what it might be like to live in a state that's a bit...well...friendlier in general! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 Jean :grouphug: I don't judge anyone who accepts the help, for any reason. It just isn't something I've seen & I've never felt the need. I apologize if my post came across that way. Sometimes when I'm typing a response quickly I don't choose my words carefully enough. I'm sorry. Don't worry about it. I accept your apology. I'm a bit touchy on this issue right now because of frustration with my own body and abilities. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KrissiK Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 The bag boys always offer to take out your groceries for you in our town. Sometimes I accept, sometimes I decline. Usually I accept if the bag boy is cute. :D Just kidding. Sometimes. Usually I accept if I have all my kids with me and I really do need help taking the cart out. The boy puts my groceries in my car and I buckle the little ones in. It is a help! I also think they do it to keep people from stealing the shopping carts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Photo Ninja Posted January 17, 2012 Share Posted January 17, 2012 I find this thread very interesting. I have not been to a grocery store where one can't take the carts to the parking lot, where one must use a different cart outside, or to one where people all walk or bike and therefore don't need to take a cart outside the store. I have not been to a grocery store where it is assumed one wants the groceries carried out and loaded into the car, not have I ever considered tipping the times when I have needed help. Here, the baggers move between check stands and always ask if I would like help out. I seldom need help. When I was pregnant and had heavy items in my cart I did need the help, and appreciated it. After a surgery, I needed the help because I couldn't lift the heavy items. I am normally willing and able to push the cart to my car and load my purchases. Someday I won't be able to do that and will accept the offers of help. I appreciate that the baggers offer, even though I know they are required to offer assistance to all customers. I think that some of the baggers like getting out of the store once in a while and don't mind pushing a cart to a car. I didn't realize there was such a variance in how stores treat customers and how they get groceries to a car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katiebug_1976 Posted January 18, 2012 Share Posted January 18, 2012 We have a grocery store that will hold your cart full of groceries at the covered curb after you have checked out, and then load them into your vehicle when you pull up. This makes shopping with little kids so much easier! I can focus on getting the kids in the car and not have to worry about the groceries at the same time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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