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Grocery Store Blues
I am a "bagger" (read: doer of bitchwork) at a busy grocery store. Lately, as winer has been approaching, there has been an influx of SCs. It seems that with colder weather, the customers get suckier and suckier. Here are some common types of winter grocery SCs:
I. The biggest problem I have with these people is that they act the part of Mr. Entitlement. They will demand that I go above and beyond what my job actually pays me for, which I am happy to do for them, but they have no consideration. These are the kind of snobs you can spot from a mile away. They'll demand paper-in-plastic, not too heavy, and don't crush their bread (Let it be known that not once have I ever crushed the bread of a customer), and then they'll ask me to load their $400.00 dollar order into their car, even though they are in their physical prime and have at least one other person with them. However, they will not even say "Thank you." and God forbid if they walk the extra 5 feet to the cart corral to push their cart into (which, by the way, will have several articles of garbage left in it).
I'm sorry, but I am not getting paid to cater to their every whim. I don't mind doing things above and beyond, but these people are ridiculous. If they don't have the respect to at LEAST push their carts into the many corrals rather than leaving them strewn about the parking lot, then I won't have the respect to make sure their bread and eggs arrive home in pristine condition.
II. Some customers like to have reunions in the foyers, and they'll stand right in front of the doors. I can understand stopping to say, "Hello." to someone you know, but come on. These people will stand there for the better portion of a half hour, and, when I politely ask them to move from the high-traffic area, they look at me like I am the most annoying person they've ever met.
III. Many times I have seen cars parked in the fire lane. This is a strip of pavement along the front of the building which if for emergency vehicles in case they are needed. It is clearly marked "FIRE LANE" with diagonal yellow lines running through it. Somehow these people don't get the idea.
It makes me happy when they police drive by and dish out a round of parking tickets, though.
IV. There are signs, clearly visible, on all entranceways of the store, that state something along the line of "No roller skates, skateboards, bikes, or healies (the shoe/skate hybrids hat I hate so much) allowed in the store. If you are seen with them in the store you will be expelled. No exceptions."
I have actually seen an increase in the sumer of healy-wearing, skateboard-carrying children in the store since those signs have gone up.
V. It really ticks me off when a customer comes up to me and says, "A cup of coffee fell." NO, IT DID'NT FALL! YOU DROPPED IT! THERE'S A DIFFERENCE. This makes me even madder if it's something that hasn't been payed for yet, like a jar of pickles, because the customer won't have to pay for the other one. At least if it's coffee from Dunkin' Donuts or something it's already been paid for.
VI. Some customers like to stand and watch you bag, instead of, you know, helping or something. They sure get a kick out of making fun of you, your name, and the way you bag while they "supervise". A few times they even wait until you are done bagging, not saying anything the whole while, and then complain that their bags are "too (adjective)" or "not (adjective) enough" and rebag every single one.
GRR.
I. The biggest problem I have with these people is that they act the part of Mr. Entitlement. They will demand that I go above and beyond what my job actually pays me for, which I am happy to do for them, but they have no consideration. These are the kind of snobs you can spot from a mile away. They'll demand paper-in-plastic, not too heavy, and don't crush their bread (Let it be known that not once have I ever crushed the bread of a customer), and then they'll ask me to load their $400.00 dollar order into their car, even though they are in their physical prime and have at least one other person with them. However, they will not even say "Thank you." and God forbid if they walk the extra 5 feet to the cart corral to push their cart into (which, by the way, will have several articles of garbage left in it).
I'm sorry, but I am not getting paid to cater to their every whim. I don't mind doing things above and beyond, but these people are ridiculous. If they don't have the respect to at LEAST push their carts into the many corrals rather than leaving them strewn about the parking lot, then I won't have the respect to make sure their bread and eggs arrive home in pristine condition.
II. Some customers like to have reunions in the foyers, and they'll stand right in front of the doors. I can understand stopping to say, "Hello." to someone you know, but come on. These people will stand there for the better portion of a half hour, and, when I politely ask them to move from the high-traffic area, they look at me like I am the most annoying person they've ever met.
III. Many times I have seen cars parked in the fire lane. This is a strip of pavement along the front of the building which if for emergency vehicles in case they are needed. It is clearly marked "FIRE LANE" with diagonal yellow lines running through it. Somehow these people don't get the idea.
It makes me happy when they police drive by and dish out a round of parking tickets, though.
IV. There are signs, clearly visible, on all entranceways of the store, that state something along the line of "No roller skates, skateboards, bikes, or healies (the shoe/skate hybrids hat I hate so much) allowed in the store. If you are seen with them in the store you will be expelled. No exceptions."
I have actually seen an increase in the sumer of healy-wearing, skateboard-carrying children in the store since those signs have gone up.
V. It really ticks me off when a customer comes up to me and says, "A cup of coffee fell." NO, IT DID'NT FALL! YOU DROPPED IT! THERE'S A DIFFERENCE. This makes me even madder if it's something that hasn't been payed for yet, like a jar of pickles, because the customer won't have to pay for the other one. At least if it's coffee from Dunkin' Donuts or something it's already been paid for.
VI. Some customers like to stand and watch you bag, instead of, you know, helping or something. They sure get a kick out of making fun of you, your name, and the way you bag while they "supervise". A few times they even wait until you are done bagging, not saying anything the whole while, and then complain that their bags are "too (adjective)" or "not (adjective) enough" and rebag every single one.
GRR.
I tend to think the baggers can go faster without me. But then, I don't complain and I certainly don't criticize them. I don't ask for help, either, out to my car. And I always put my cart away. Without trash.
And I gotta say, I agree with just about everything you mentioned. (Customers are so LAZY when it comes to carts!)
We were at the local grocery store, just picking up a few last-minute items, and ran into a former neighbor, who we hadn't seen for years. Once the aisle started getting busy, we started to break it up and go on with our shopping, but ex-neighbor just laughed, and said he was enjoying watching the people try to get by. At that point, it became a case of 'nice to see you ...got to go now...bye-bye.' 
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