Congratulations, it’s your lucky day—you’re at the supermarket, and it’s everyone else’s very first day on earth. Isn’t it a magical time when you watch someone with zero spatial awareness clog the whole aisle with their cart? Perhaps you’ll stumble upon a child on a scooter just zipping their way through the produce. You never know what’s in store, and that’s all part of the fun!
In all seriousness, grocery stores are basically the epitome of annoying behavior. The only thing that makes the whole experience worse is knowing that some people don’t understand your upset. Sure, you could cause a scene or even politely say something, but there’s no telling how they’ll respond. And that’s why we’ve broken down some of the worst things customers need to stop doing immediately.
Complete Lack of Spatial Awareness
Look, there’s no way around it—on a busy Saturday, you’re going to be in someone’s way. The best you can do is apologize and try to give those around you room to pass. However, we’re not talking about the weekend; we’re talking about people who stop dead in the aisle to peruse every brand of milk on a random Wednesday. Not only is their cart in the way, but they themselves take up the second half of the aisle, forcing you to go around.
Oh, and it’s not just them. If they don’t take up both lanes to browse items, they stop in doorways or clog aisle openings to chat with other people. Sometimes they’re on their phones. Other times, they spot a friend. Either way, you’re elbow-deep in someone else’s conversation. (Though, we don’t know what’s worse: that or someone breathing down your neck in the checkout.)
Customers also lack a sense of urgency! We’re not saying you need to speed-run your shopping, but dilly-dallying through the aisles is a good way to get trampled accidentally. Treat grocery lanes like the highway; leave the left for passersby and pull off to the right if you need to stop.
Leaving the Parking Lot a Landfill
Just because someone can clean up after you doesn’t mean you should intentionally leave a mess. If you’re bringing a cart to your car, make sure you take it back to a collection spot. The last thing other shoppers need is to swerve around an abandoned cart just left out like a tumbleweed. And it’s not fair to the employees either.
Many pedestrians also refuse to look both ways before crossing to the parking lot. We understand that it’s a motorist’s job to stay diligent, but that doesn’t give people a free pass to walk out and just hope that drivers will stop! Walking out before you look not only puts you in danger, but it endangers other people as well. You’d think the message would have sunk in back in elementary school, but some shoppers still need the reminder: look both ways before crossing any path!
Parking out front is another massive no-no at grocery stores, especially if you’re blocking crossing zones. Supermarkets usually have an unspoken area designated for pickups and drop-offs, which is usually past crosswalks, but still close to the door. There’s no reason to park your keister front and center and hope everyone else will just go around you.
Are We the Last People on Earth?
There’s nothing wrong with bringing coupons to the register—there is, however, something wrong with bringing one thousand of them. Extreme Couponers is long and gone, and unless there’s a hidden camera somewhere, there’s no reason to unload a tree’s worth of paperwork on the cashier. It holds up everyone else in line, and you just know they won’t budge without saving a few cents on lettuce.
Gift card purchases are another huge way people hold cashiers hostage. Who doesn’t appreciate a free trip to the grocery store? We know we would! But some customers aren’t a one-and-done kind of shopper; they grab ten, put different amounts on all of them, spread out the cost between their own cards, and next thing you know, you’ve fallen asleep in line. If you’re going to grab gift cards, have a plan before getting in line!
Of course, we can’t forget about those who haggle over prices. It’s one thing to have a store honor sale tags, but it’s another to walk in with old fliers. Expired coupons won’t get you very far, either. Cashiers can only do so much, but that doesn’t stop some customers from making their lives miserable over a bag of peppers!
We all need to share the grocery store, and that means a little more spatial awareness. A kind word and simply bringing your cart with you also go a long way. This year, the ultimate goal should be to recognize those around you in crowded spaces!
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