LadyCook61
Master Chef
I or my husband will bag our groceries at the supermarket. He likes it done his way, as for me, I just pack it in the bag. Paper or plastic? I use both, hubby uses plastic.
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Do you bag your own groceries?
- Thread starter LadyCook61
- Start date
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LEFSElover
Executive Chef
I will be today when I hit the local SuperStore in Calgary Canada. I think there, you have to or they just sit on the counter
Clienta
Senior Cook
In NY I do. It is a really small grocery store & there is only one kid for 3 cashiers. In Fort Lauderdale at the Publix I go to, they have baggers that are usually developmentally disabled or hearing impaired. They really take pride in their job so I only offer but they always say no. In Mexico, the little kids work at the grocery store bagging & it is customary to tip them, this is how they make money so I never bag my own.
Personally, I prefer bagging my own. I worked at a Super Stop & Shop in Cape Cod & I remember the videos on how to properly bag groceries......frozen items together, meats together, never put chemicals/cleaning products with food, bread on top of eggs, etc. I'm not sure if they still have those videos (now dvds) because often my stuff is all thrown together.
As for bags, I'd rather have paper so you can use it to draw or paint on or burn it rather than plastic but here in MX it's all plastic so I usually bring a backpack.
Personally, I prefer bagging my own. I worked at a Super Stop & Shop in Cape Cod & I remember the videos on how to properly bag groceries......frozen items together, meats together, never put chemicals/cleaning products with food, bread on top of eggs, etc. I'm not sure if they still have those videos (now dvds) because often my stuff is all thrown together.
As for bags, I'd rather have paper so you can use it to draw or paint on or burn it rather than plastic but here in MX it's all plastic so I usually bring a backpack.
Ask-A-Butcher
Senior Cook
It depends on which store I go to and also how busy they are at the time. Some stores I trust to bag them for me, Publix for example. While Sweet Bay I prefer to bag my own if I want every thing in good shape when I get home.
buckytom
Chef Extraordinaire
i bag my own groceries, mostly because it's faster, but also it prevents the occasional nincompoop cashier from putting raw cicken on top of bread on top of the carton of eggs.
David Cottrell
Head Chef
When the cashier at the large market where I generally go doesn't have a bagger and has to do it themself I pitch in just as soon as they start pushing the items on. If a bagger shows up I let them finish it, but I don't stand there and make a rushed cahsier do it themselves - just wasn't raised that way.
jennyema
Chef Extraordinaire
I self check and self bag.
Fisher's Mom
Executive Chef
I bag my own most of the time because I bring my own canvas bags to the grocery store or I'm at Sam's where it isn't bagged at all or I put it in a box. Sometimes, if I happen to be at the grocery at a slow time, they insist on bagging for me, which is fine. But usually it's so slammed, they are delighted that I will bag and load my own groceries in the car. It leaves the baggers free to help people who really aren't physically able to do that themselves.
My son used to work for the grocery store I go to. I've gotten to know a lot of the checkers and always end up chatting while the baggers bag. I do take them out to my car on my own and help the baggers if they are busy or special needs kids.
redkitty
Executive Chef
Here in England they don't bag your groceries, which is fine since I prefer to do mine. I always bring my own recycled bags too.
Barb L.
Master Chef
Not unless I have to ! I will help if needed , worked in Grocery store 16 years.
I will help if needed , worked in Grocery store 16 years.
bowlingshirt
Sous Chef
I've gotten some freebies that way
I bag my own groceries whenever there isn't a dedicated bagger working.
VeraBlue
Executive Chef
Positively NOT! I guess this thread is because something I mentioned in another thread....so...
I love shopping for food. I spend all day cooking and shopping, so it's even more enjoyable when the actual purchases are for me (as opposed to work). I prefer to shop in small markekts that specialize, like produce, fish or the butcher, but I will do a fair amount of shopping in the local supermarket, as well. I usually spend between $125 and $175 every week there. After spending that kind of money, I refuse to have to pack it up, as well.
Unfortunately, in my area, shop managers have since eliminated the 'bag-boy' service. In the past 15 years or so, managers actually expect the customer to pack their own purchases. They eliminated a service, give you nothing in return (ahem, they save by not having to pay the salary...) and put the bags at the outside of the line to encourage you to pack it, yourself. What a racket. Cashiers will actually wait till all my groceries are shoved down at the end of the belt before 'getting it' that I'm not going to do their job. I've even had a few hand me empty bags so I'd get to work. One even said 'you're not going to bag?" When I replied I was not, she rolled her eyes at me, and said "well, it would be helpful". The fact that she added the helpful comment forced me to ask her what time she was planning to show up in my kitchen at work the next day to help me with my job.
I bring my own cloth bags to the supermarket and any other place I shop. I'm not interested in the 2 cents (most cashiers conviently forget that part, anyway), but I am interested in the environment. I don't even put produce in plactic bags. I buy paper lunch bags for that.
When I put my items on the belt, I always hand the cloth bags to the cashier, asking her to pack the items in the bags. Some get it, right away, and others push them to the back with the my items.
Either way, I won't pack. It's not my job. If I don't like they way they do pack, I'll tell them to change it. It's not that I'm trying to be difficult, because demanding or expecting good customer service shouldn't make one 'diffficult'.
I love shopping for food. I spend all day cooking and shopping, so it's even more enjoyable when the actual purchases are for me (as opposed to work). I prefer to shop in small markekts that specialize, like produce, fish or the butcher, but I will do a fair amount of shopping in the local supermarket, as well. I usually spend between $125 and $175 every week there. After spending that kind of money, I refuse to have to pack it up, as well.
Unfortunately, in my area, shop managers have since eliminated the 'bag-boy' service. In the past 15 years or so, managers actually expect the customer to pack their own purchases. They eliminated a service, give you nothing in return (ahem, they save by not having to pay the salary...) and put the bags at the outside of the line to encourage you to pack it, yourself. What a racket. Cashiers will actually wait till all my groceries are shoved down at the end of the belt before 'getting it' that I'm not going to do their job. I've even had a few hand me empty bags so I'd get to work. One even said 'you're not going to bag?" When I replied I was not, she rolled her eyes at me, and said "well, it would be helpful". The fact that she added the helpful comment forced me to ask her what time she was planning to show up in my kitchen at work the next day to help me with my job.
I bring my own cloth bags to the supermarket and any other place I shop. I'm not interested in the 2 cents (most cashiers conviently forget that part, anyway), but I am interested in the environment. I don't even put produce in plactic bags. I buy paper lunch bags for that.
When I put my items on the belt, I always hand the cloth bags to the cashier, asking her to pack the items in the bags. Some get it, right away, and others push them to the back with the my items.
Either way, I won't pack. It's not my job. If I don't like they way they do pack, I'll tell them to change it. It's not that I'm trying to be difficult, because demanding or expecting good customer service shouldn't make one 'diffficult'.
VeraBlue
Executive Chef
I don't really believe it has anything to do with how a person was raised. I don't help the plumber when he comes to work on my sink, either...and I'm quite sure he's trying to get to the next job, too.
The cashier is only as rushed as you are. If they are waiting on you, and you've spent money, you are entitled to all the time it takes them to conduct your business, in my opinion.
buckytom
Chef Extraordinaire
lol, see post #6.
babetoo
Chef Extraordinaire
bag
no i don't bag, my goods are delivered to my door and into the kitchen. i shop on line, at the local vons market. on rare occasions that i shop in a market, i feel they should bag and put into cart. walmart bags but does not put in cart. bummer!
babe
no i don't bag, my goods are delivered to my door and into the kitchen. i shop on line, at the local vons market. on rare occasions that i shop in a market, i feel they should bag and put into cart. walmart bags but does not put in cart. bummer!
babe
kitchenelf
Chef Extraordinaire
I've gotten some freebies that way
If that is true then shame on you!!!!
I like to bag my own only because I can control what goes in what bag. I put like things together and for the frozen stuff I will add to those bags things that can benefit from the cold coming off of them. I also don't want my raw chicken on top of my romaine; I don't want my grapefruits in with my tomatoes. And besides - I find it very satisfying to bag for some reason.
And I use the cloth bags most of the time.
Andy M.
Certified Pretend Chef
SO and I shop together. The baggers are pretty good. Some are seniors and some are intellectually challanged. She will ask for refrigerated items to be bagged separately in paper and the rest in plastic. They usually get it right.
If there is no bagger, she will start bagging. I'm usually watching the cashier and telling her what an item is so she can ring in the right code. "What is this?". "leeks". I don't want to pay for shiitakes when I'm getting button mushrooms.
If there is no bagger, she will start bagging. I'm usually watching the cashier and telling her what an item is so she can ring in the right code. "What is this?". "leeks". I don't want to pay for shiitakes when I'm getting button mushrooms.
Fisher's Mom
Executive Chef
I don't agree that the cashier is only as rushed as the customer is. My son worked at a grocery store when he was young and when lines are long and there aren't enough cashiers, they are rushed. And they aren't in control of how many other cashiers are on or if there are baggers or how many people are shopping at any one time. Obviously, you can choose not to bag your groceries. It doesn't bother me. But those of us that do aren't buying into a "racket" or letting stores get one over on us. We're being considerate of others because we choose to. We don't equate the amount of money we spend with how much we think others should be required to do. (I have a large family and spend around $400 a week but I don't think it entitles me to extra consideration.) Again, it's fine with me when others do not choose to bag their groceries - I try to stay away from deciding what others should do. My mother is very frail and depends upon help bagging and carry out as many other elderly people do. And in my case, I bag because it is the way I was raised.
