When did it become okay to eat in every store?

[Kanalah]

My aunt who also sews and does craft shows - one time she was the closest booth to the food and thought she'd do well. One lady had just finished a BBQ sandwich, walked into my aunts booth, and used one of my aunt's towel sets to wipe her hands. Then she walked off. My aunt was too stunned to say anything.

Now she speaks up. One customer asked her for a discount (and her prices are already really low) and my aunt said "Would you work a day for free? Because that's what you're asking me to do."

[Slave to the Phone]

^

Just when I'm think I'm too jaded to be shocked by anything, I read something like this. I'll bet that if your aunt hadn't been too shocked to speak, the woman (she certainly wasn't a lady by any means) would have been outraged because she needed a towel, your aunt was working by a food booth and had towels, what is the problem? Of course she was there to provide a proper fair experience for the SC.

[Kanalah]

Yeah it happened years ago in a small town's county fair. She never did that show again, in fact our whole circle of crafter friends avoid that entire town because we've never had a good show there. The building is infested with crickets, people are rude and entitled and no one wants to buy anything.

It's really a shame.

[Pixelated]

As the parent of a toddler, I carry snacks. Minion is usually pretty good when we go out somewhere, but when he's hungry, it's a quick trip to meltdownsville. And sometimes he outright refuses to eat what we order for him at a restaurant. So it's either feed him his toddler snacks or subject everyone to one of his tantrums. I don't like dealing with him like that and I'm sure no one else does either.

I also don't leave his trash everywhere or let him put yucky fingers on things [emphasis Pixelated's].

Ah, then that makes you a responsible parent!

Back when I worked on checkout, a lot of parents would grab an apple or banana for their kids to eat during the shop, then hand me the peel or apple core, saying, "He/she ate this, ring it up". I would call over a supervisor, who would then go and get the biggest, most expensive fruit they could find to be weighed and charged to the customer.

There'd also be people who'd take sweets and crisps off the shelf to feed their kids with and try and hide the empty wrapper/packet among their shopping in the vain hope that I'd not find it.

And these are the irresponsible, borderline criminal ones.

When I had littles prone to a melt down at the store before we got home for dinner, I would let one eat a banana, find another one the same size, and have the checker ring that one up in lieu of the one eaten, and then leave that banana behind. So, still creating a bit of mess and go-back, but being honest about it. I think that's the lesser of two evils, and sometimes I HAD to hit the store on the way home.

As a former grocery store checkout person, I assure you that that level of honesty would've left most of us with our jaws unhinged.

My aunt who also sews and does craft shows - one time she was the closest booth to the food and thought she'd do well. One lady had just finished a BBQ sandwich, walked into my aunts booth, and used one of my aunt's towel sets to wipe her hands. Then she walked off. My aunt was too stunned to say anything.

I've attended a couple of local flea markets to dispose of excess items found around the house, and haven't had a problem. I've thought of doing some crafts for the next round, but stories like this make me wonder if it's worth it ... or if, at the very least, I shouldn't get closed-in display racks for my stuff. Never thought of asking some of the crafters at the flea market if they've ever had problems like this in this area.

[XCashier]

One lady had just finished a BBQ sandwich, walked into my aunts booth, and used one of my aunt's towel sets to wipe her hands. Then she walked off. My aunt was too stunned to say anything.

Which is probably what the SC was depending on. Imagine if your aunt had called her out right then and there. You know that SC would raise a ruckus.

I think it started with the concept of "Make yourself at home!" that stores seemed to be pushing at one point. I know a lot of my coworkers refer to our customers as "guests." I flatly refuse. "Guests" come to my home at my invitation -- people off the street are not welcome to wander in any old time. And once the "guests" have arrived, I don't try to sell them the living room furniture. So no, the people in the store are customers.

Marla agrees with you.

[Kanalah]

I've attended a couple of local flea markets to dispose of excess items found around the house, and haven't had a problem. I've thought of doing some crafts for the next round, but stories like this make me wonder if it's worth it ... or if, at the very least, I shouldn't get closed-in display racks for my stuff. Never thought of asking some of the crafters at the flea market if they've ever had problems like this in this area.

I'm actually in two FB groups, one for local vendors and crafters, and one for handmade crafters. Both groups are to find good shows/venues. Always talk to other local vendors. I've found some great shows, and I know which shows/promoters/areas to avoid.

[Monterey Jack]

Was doing a clean sweep today, and found pieces of mini-Oreo cookies trailing through several aisles.

[Lace Neil Singer]

And these are the irresponsible, borderline criminal ones.

It was funny tho to see their faces fall as I unearthed the empty sweet/biscuit/crisp packet from its hiding place, usually hidden among loose produce, scan it and drop it into the bin.

[Rayndel]

When I worked at GameStop (not the one at the mall, a different one) we were next door to a Target. So much popcorn all over the place all the time.

But the one that still has me pretty puzzled would be when I found the bones from buffalo wings left behind on the shelf. In our tiny little GameStop. No one saw anyone eating wings, which are pretty messy to eat at a table, let alone walking around.

[KellyHabersham]

The worst I remember it getting at the library was when we had "art gallery openings". I'm not sure how it was selected, but each month, several classes from a nearby school would have their artwork displayed in the children's room, and on a certain day, parents would be invited to come see their children's art, and we'd provide soda, milk and cookies.

Afterwards, you could always count on finding smashed cookies on the tables, sometimes shoved in with books.