grocery store anxiety

[EmilyGF]

Hi all,

No, it isn't COVID. We live in a highly vaccinated area with decreasing COVID rates.

It is crazy people. I've seen three fights at the grocery store (at three separate grocery stores, separated by about 5 miles from each other) in the past six months. I was in the middle of one. Another happened in the parking lot as I pulled up. The other one involved an ex-employee who ended up having the police called on her.

I go to the grocery store as infrequently as possible. I haven't been since the parking lot fight. 

WWYD? Seriously, people went crazy over the last year. But in reality, my family needs to eat and ordering groceries for seven people (three teens!) adds up.

Emily

[mommyoffive]

Do you have Walmart Grocery pick up or another place that doesn't charge for doing it? 

[MooCow]

My DIL loves Kroger pickup. She says when a sale item is out of stock they automatically give her a name brand for replacement.

[Selkie]

I like to go early in the morning when the store is calm and quiet and almost empty.

[Pawz4me]

I go as early in the morning as I can. The demographic that's out in the early morning seems to be a safer one than what tends to be out later in the day. Mostly I see older people and moms. Depending on the store you may have it mostly to yourself.

[Katy]

Early morning grocery pickup is what I do.  I try to make it Tuesday - Thursday because it's even more dead then.  Several times I've been the only car in the parking lot.

[Corraleno]

I also try to do any in person shopping midweek and I get there as soon as the store opens. That goes for Home Depot, plant nursery, Trader Joes, etc. If I think of something I want outside of those times & days, I either wait or get it delivered.

[Miss Tick]

My dc are old enough that i can go (every other) Wednesday morning while they start school work independently. I guess feisty customers aren't early risers. What in the world are people fighting about at the grocery store? There is plenty of toilet paper and this year's must-have Christmas items aren't out yet!

[happi duck]

I have had grocery store anxiety even before covid.  Things I do: find the least crowded time I can manage, park away from everyone else, use curbside pickup for some things, order other things online.

Using curbside and online makes my in person trips faster.

One free curbside place is restaurant supply.  It use it to stock up on rice, pasta etc.  I get frozen entrees and lacroix there too.

 

[kristin0713]

Early morning when they first open or weekend nights are the least crowded.  I hate the crowds, so that's when I go. 

[Carrie12345]

Early hours and/or pick up. 
Stupid violence has been going on at my WM since forever, and seems to be increasing at other places, too, but it’s always been here. 

[KungFuPanda]

Awww man, my grocery store is BORING.  I've never seen a fight at a grocery store.  I do agree that you should just shop early.  Degenerates like to sleep in.

[Junie]

I think the grocery store and the time of day make a huge difference.

I once witnessed the start of a fight as I was pulling out of a handicapped parking space.  Two cars (coming from opposite directions) both tried to get into the space as I was pulling out -- in my 12-passenger van.  How neither of them hit me, I still don't know.  But as I was pulling away, I realized that they were both half in the space and neither could get the whole way in.  One guy jumped out of his truck and I took off.  I really had no interest in seeing what happened next. 😞

Mostly I use grocery pick up or the nice, expensive grocery store for some specialty gluten-free items.

[73349]

6 AM on a weekday is the perfect time to buy groceries IMO.