Supermarket niceties

[C. Cecil Ivanish]

The other day, on our way back from town, my wife and I stopped at a supermarket we don't usually shop at for some basic shopping (some fruits and vegetables, milk, yogurt).
Now, it was about 7.30pm; there was a huge sign saying that the supermarket was closing at 8pm, so we agreed to be fast, split the items to buy to save time and rushed into the (big-ish) market. We were met by piercing stares from the people working there, and one guy muttered "we are closing in 30 minutes"... detail of which we were more than aware... I even managed to say, pretty calmly, "Look, we only need a couple of things", but the stares didn't change.
Needless to say, we left without buying anything and we don't plan to go back.

[Marmalady]

I don't blame you.

Turning up with a heaped full cart at 5 mins before closing is what gets me annoyed. Someone coming in with half an hour to spare to just pick up some basic groceries? Got no problem with that.

[Whiskey]

Needless to say, we left without buying anything and we don't plan to go back.

Isn't this the parting shot of every Customer in SC? They didn't want you there, you left, everyone rejoiced. It happens. Granted, it sucks to see the "oh dear god, really?? we're almost closed!!" face, but everyone here has done it.

edit: not calling you a SC.

[C. Cecil Ivanish]

Turning up with a heaped full cart at 5 mins before closing is what gets me annoyed. Someone coming in with half an hour to spare to just pick up some basic groceries? Got no problem with that.

Honestly, that is an aspect of the UK (and US, apparently) style. I was used (in Italy) that closing time is the time in which the people working at the shop *start* closing up, usually lock the doors (to leave those customers still inside out one by one) and push the shoppers towards the checkouts... or should I get in my mind that if a shop closes at 8 I should avoid getting in after 7?

Isn't this the parting shot of every Customer in SC? They didn't want you there, you left, everyone rejoiced. It happens. Granted, it sucks to see the "oh dear god, really?? we're almost closed!!" face, but everyone here has done it.

A friend of mine in Italy did the same - and was fired on the spot...
Anyway, it's not that i *said* I wouldn't go back. I just decided that I'd do so. There are more markets in the area, luckily...

[Whiskey]

A friend of mine in Italy did the same - and was fired on the spot...

Your friend was fired for making a facial expression that someone interpreted as rude? Why didnt you just grab your stuff and check out? Maybe someone farted when you walked in and they all made the appropriate face.

The OP make it seem like there was some epic stand off. It sounds like they were just telling you they close in 30 minutes, of which a lot of people ARENT aware of.

[C. Cecil Ivanish]

Your friend was fired for making a facial expression that someone interpreted as rude? Why didn't you just grab your stuff and check out? Maybe someone farted when you walked in and they all made the appropriate face.

Yep, that was way over the line; luckily he was planning to resign anyway, but then again. The excuse given was that he had "welcomed a customer in an unfriendly way".
Hmm, I should have thought of the possibility of somebody having farted...

The OP make it seem like there was some epic stand off. It sounds like they were just telling you they close in 30 minutes, of which a lot of people ARENT aware of.

It seemed seriously rude to me and... yes, OK, I should know better after reading here, but if there is a HUGE sign on the door saying something like "we close at 8pm"... well, yes, OK, I couldn't expect them to expect me to actually have read it. Still - angry/hole-through-the-brain stares, barely audible muttering, no change after I said I only had a couple of things to pick up... I felt uncomfortable and thought better to leave, rather than "barging" in anyway and be hated by the staff...

[Whiskey]

Yep, that was way over the line;

A facial expression.. that probably had nothing to do with the situation..

a facial expression

[C. Cecil Ivanish]

A facial expression.. that probably had nothing to do with the situation..
a facial expression

...and even if it had, I say... maybe a short talking-to, a reminder to "try to smile"... I guess that there was a customer with far too much time on their hands and a manager who wanted to make an example of somebody...

[MoonCat]

I've gone in my favorite grocery store 30 minutes before closing, a couple of times when I just couldn't get there any earlier. I move fast, grab my stuff and get to the register with 10 minutes to spare, and I don't buy a lot of stuff, just the essentials. Never had anyone give me a dirty look, at least not where I could see it.

[C. Cecil Ivanish]

I've gone in my favorite grocery store 30 minutes before closing, a couple of times when I just couldn't get there any earlier. I move fast, grab my stuff and get to the register with 10 minutes to spare, and I don't buy a lot of stuff, just the essentials. Never had anyone give me a dirty look, at least not where I could see it.

Yes, I guess that it would have been different in my "usual" supermarket.

[bainsidhe]

Hmm, I've encountered the "oh no oh no oh geez" stare sometimes (and made a few myself), but no one actually mutters anything. Grumbling where I hear you is indeed rude. Someone politely reminding you the store is closing in the next 30 minutes is not. I wonder how sucky their customers normally are if most of the employees were acting like children.

Add to that, isn't it usually pretty obvious who seriously intends to haul butt outta there? The persons sprinting around like it's a game show don't intend to stay long. The shoppers casually working their way along row by row....ugh.

OP, you did nothing wrong. You felt the employees' actions were rude and over the top, thus you made the decision to leave. Better luck next visit.

[zombiequeen]

That was kind of rude though, although I admit I'll do last minute shopping sometimes, and sometimes it will take a while. I always try to be polite about it.
However, being incredibly rude to my husband as he is making a 9:45PM purchase of pads, chocolate, and midol while talking to his icky feeling wife on the phone is grounds for being bitched out, I believe. Especially if there is still at least 15 minutes for him to be out of there, and he is just calling me to find the dosage I need so he can check out and be done with it. If you feel the need to walk up to him, roll your eyes, and complain about "the hag is on the rag" while she is on the other end of the phone, the bitch will come.

[SuperRTL]

I went to a wedding with a few friends in the middle of nowhere. Closest grocery store was 30 minutes from the venue and nobody there knew anything about it. Got to the grocery store to be greeted with "We'll be closing in 30 minutes." Well, we all work retail so we knew they were probably sweeping up and starting to straighten up from the back so grabbed what we needed and got to the checkout line with about 10 minutes to spare. One of the locals wandered in while we were checking out and he got the OMG, we're getting ready to close look.

We apologized about coming in so close to closing but we're from out of town and had, of course, forgotten some basic necessities. Told us not to worry about it but the straggler would be getting a talking to.

Now, if we'd gotten the face? Oh well, know the feeling, respect the feeling, need to shop anyway so get over it.

[Pagan]

I've gone in my favorite grocery store 30 minutes before closing, a couple of times when I just couldn't get there any earlier. I move fast, grab my stuff and get to the register with 10 minutes to spare, and I don't buy a lot of stuff, just the essentials. Never had anyone give me a dirty look, at least not where I could see it.

Same here and it's kind of obvious from the way I'm hauling ass around the store!

Honestly, that is an aspect of the UK (and US, apparently) style. I was used (in Italy) that closing time is the time in which the people working at the shop *start* closing up, usually lock the doors (to leave those customers still inside out one by one) and push the shoppers towards the checkouts... or should I get in my mind that if a shop closes at 8 I should avoid getting in after 7?

It should work that way here, but any more, most stores don't want to pay their workers when the store's not open so you don't get good chance to clean up after close.