It's a quarter! Just a quarter!

[mariamousie1]

This is an old story, dredged up from my memory. My mom and I were once at a supermarket where you had to put a quarter in a cart to use it. We were sitting in the car. I can't remember why, but we were waiting for something or someone. Suddenly this car tears into the parking lot, slams on its brakes, this guy charges out practically dragging a younger guy by his ear. We couldn't really hear what they were saying, but the older guy charges over to the cart area with the younger guy and they dig through the carts until they find one with a quarter in it. The older guy waved it at the younger guy angrily, then they got back in the car and left. My mom and I were like WTF? We put together a scenario. Young guy goes grocery shopping with a cart after putting a quarter in it. He finishes, puts back the cart, forgetting the quarter and leaves. His father (or older relative) finds out he forgot the quarter and drags him back to the store to get it, probably spending at least several dollars in gas. Can you believe he'd come all the way back for that??

[Tria]

My mom and I were once at a supermarket where you had to put a quarter in a cart to use it.

Ah, I love Aldis!

[BookstoreEscapee]

Can you believe he'd come all the way back for that??

Sadly, yes.

[mariamousie1]

Ah, I love Aldis!

Actually, I believe it was a loblaws or an A&P. I never heard of Aldis.

[Broomjockey]

Heck, around here it's hard to find a store that *doesn't* use the quarterlock thingy. I think for a short while one store decided to up the ante to a loonie, but that was a while ago, and short-lived, so I can't remember who.

[chops]

I wish a lot more stores around here would use that system...I'm sure it would greatly cut down on the number of lazy people who can't be bothered to walk ten feet to put their cart away properly. I can't count how many times I've had to back out of a potential parking spot because some dillhole decided that it was SOMEONE ELSE'S JOB to put their cart away for them.

I even had one person put their cart directly behind my car, forcing me to take care of it for them before I left a Wal-Mart. I seriously considered ramming the cart at high speed into their minivan as they drove off. However, in that neighborhood, at that particular Wal-Mart, I realized that would likely get me shot.

[blas]

NOT ONLY THAT, but when I worked at the grocery store, every once in a while the cart boy would find a K-Mart cart (K-Mart is in the same complex, but several hundred feet away) or a Dollar Tree cart mixed in the cart corral with our Pick N Save carts.

Or vice versa with K-Mart's cart boy.....

Some people are so stupid.

[Tria]

Actually, I believe it was a loblaws or an A&P. I never heard of Aldis.

VERY inexpensive, requires a quarter and you pack and buy your bags.... Or bring in your own. But the cheap prices are worth it. Spaghetti cheese at most stores? 4 bucks. At Aldis? $1.79.

[protege]

NOT ONLY THAT, but when I worked at the grocery store, every once in a while the cart boy would find a K-Mart cart (K-Mart is in the same complex, but several hundred feet away) or a Dollar Tree cart mixed in the cart corral with our Pick N Save carts.

When I was a gofer at Hechinger's, we were constantly finding carts for Hills, Phar-Mor, and other stores in the area. What usually happened, was that people would take them from store to store, fill them with crap, and then dump them when it was time to catch the bus. At one point, there was actually a complex-owned truck that would go around, pick up carts, and then return them to the proper stores. I don't know if that's still done.

[draftermatt]

Hechinger & Hills? Take me back in time man.

[Raieth]

lol a quarter?

All the stores around here make us use loonies. Hell the superstore just upgraded to toonies.

I haven't seen a quarter buggy since I was 18.

[DGoddessChardonnay]

When I was a gofer at Hechinger's, we were constantly finding carts for Hills, Phar-Mor, and other stores in the area. What usually happened, was that people would take them from store to store, fill them with crap, and then dump them when it was time to catch the bus. At one point, there was actually a complex-owned truck that would go around, pick up carts, and then return them to the proper stores. I don't know if that's still done.

I don't recall seeing a service down here that retrieves buggies like that.

Back when I was at the WD store down the street, we had both our SM and Produce Manger who would, once a week, go next door with their pickup trucks to the housing development and collect buggies.

Unfortunately, we came across a buggy on occasion that was beyond repair . . . you wouldn't believe what some people will do to one.

[protege]

Unfortunately, we came across a buggy on occasion that was beyond repair . . . you wouldn't believe what some people will do to one.

Oh I can imagine. Every now and then, I'd get to either fix carts, or tow them to the back (warehouse) area for repairs. Usually, most could be fixed. However, one got hit by a car, and was written off. That one didn't get fixed. That is, we threw it into the compactor and crushed it

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

If I'm assigned to bring in carts and I see an Aldi cart in our corral, I'll return it and pocket the quarter.

That's half a soda in the break room.

Sometimes I can make a dollar or more a day returning abandoned Aldi carts.

[mariamousie1]

Aldis sounds like no frills, except no frills stores don't even have bags, just boxes. Good place to go if you want cheap prices and free cardboard boxes. We go there whenever we need to pack stuff for a move or something.