Plans for today (2019-2022)

[TastyReuben]

That's wild that Aldi and Marc's aren't busy on Saturday. Here they're packed until about 5.

Everybody goes to the big Kroger and to Meijer, at least in that area.

We prefer to do our shop on a Sunday morning around 9.30-10 when it is quiet, later in the day and Saturdays are a no no.

I used to go Saturday or Sunday mornings at around 6:30AM, and I loved it, because it was just me and employees and a couple of other hardcore shoppers. Even at the big Kroger, I got to know a lot of the workers by name, which is always nice.

Hardcore shoppers…I’ll always remember one woman, slight thing, maybe 100lbs tops, with two full-sized carts, and one of them was like a command center - she had a laptop, big binder of notes, and a big coupon organizer. She probably thought I was a stalker because I was always fascinated watching her shop, so I’d tend to linger at times, just to see what she got up to.

 

[Lullabelle]

Everybody goes to the big Kroger and to Meijer, at least in that area.


I used to go Saturday or Sunday mornings at around 6:30AM, and I loved it, because it was just me and employees and a couple of other hardcore shoppers. Even at the big Kroger, I got to know a lot of the workers by name, which is always nice.

Hardcore shoppers…I’ll always remember one woman, slight thing, maybe 100lbs tops, with two full-sized carts, and one of them was like a command center - she had a laptop, big binder of notes, and a big coupon organizer. She probably thought I was a stalker because I was always fascinated watching her shop, so I’d tend to linger at times, just to see what she got up to.

Our local Sainsburys doesn't open that early on a Sunday.

 

[TastyReuben]

Our local Sainsburys doesn't open that early on a Sunday.

At some point, they decided the three of us in there shopping weren’t worth staffing a checkout lane that early, so the only thing that was open was the self-checkout, and those weren’t designed (pre-Covid) to handle a big shop.

I could go back to doing that now, because they changed the self-checkout to accommodate full carts, but it irritated me that they did that, didn’t say anything about it, so that the first time that happened, I was ready to checkout with a full cart, no one was staffing the checkouts, so I went to find someone to ask about it, and they quite rudely told me, “Checkouts don’t open until 8AM now!”

I told them I had a full cart, but I couldn’t get it through self-checkout, so my only choice was to leave it, so they grudgingly opened a checkout lane for me (“This one time!”), and that put an end to that.

 

[JAS_OH1]

I could go back to doing that now, because they changed the self-checkout to accommodate full carts, but it irritated me that they did that, didn’t say anything about it, so that the first time that happened, I was ready to checkout with a full cart, no one was staffing the checkouts, so I went to find someone to ask about it, and they quite rudely told me, “Checkouts don’t open until 8AM now!”

I told them I had a full cart, but I couldn’t get it through self-checkout, so my only choice was to leave it, so they grudgingly opened a checkout lane for me (“This one time!”), and that put an end to that.

I woulld seriously have gotten in touch with upper management about that one. If the store director didn't handle it appropriately, then a district manager or someone else higher up. Geeze that would tick me off!

 

[TastyReuben]

I woulld seriously have gotten in touch with upper management about that one. If the store director didn't handle it appropriately, then a district manager or someone else higher up. Geeze that would tick me off!

The grump was a guy I was familiar with, we’d spoken before on good terms, and I’m sure I caught him on a bad morning; maybe that’s why he didn’t mind being so grumpy - we sort of knew each other.

It was funny, though, because I wasn’t threatening to leave my cart if I didn’t get my way, but I think that’s how he took it.

Now, I did do that at Walmart. I don’t really shop there, except for a thing or two here and there, but for whatever reason, I’d gone in and had half the store in my cart, got to checkout, and I had beer in my cart, and the cashier carded me.

I wasn’t in the habit of carrying my ID, and no one in my area cards old grey-bearded farts like me, so I told her I didn’t have my ID, and she could either do whatever she had to do to get me past that check, or look forward to putting back a few hundred dollars worth of crap spilling out of my cart, and the doofus chose the latter.

I stopped by customer service and explained what was going on, and all the CS person said was, “Yeah, I wouldn’t have carded you. Have a good day!”

 

[JAS_OH1]

The grump was a guy I was familiar with, we’d spoken before on good terms, and I’m sure I caught him on a bad morning; maybe that’s why he didn’t mind being so grumpy - we sort of knew each other.

It was funny, though, because I wasn’t threatening to leave my cart if I didn’t get my way, but I think that’s how he took it.

Now, I did do that at Walmart. I don’t really shop there, except for a thing or two here and there, but for whatever reason, I’d gone in and had half the store in my cart, got to checkout, and I had beer in my cart, and the cashier carded me.

I wasn’t in the habit of carrying my ID, and no one in my area cards old grey-bearded farts like me, so I told her I didn’t have my ID, and she could either do whatever she had to do to get me past that check, or look forward to putting back a few hundred dollars worth of crap spilling out of my cart, and the doofus chose the latter.

I stopped by customer service and explained what was going on, and all the CS person said was, “Yeah, I wouldn’t have carded you. Have a good day!”

Don't even get me started on Walmart. Now they have come a long way, granted, but I had a few bad experiences there that kept me from setting foot in that store for about 10 years.

The first time: I was looking for packing tape, bubble wrap, and boxes at the location about 5 miles from my house. I didn't know the store very well, so I saw a woman with a navy shirt and khaki pants walking towards me, and she had a lanyard on with her Walmart nametag. I politely asked her if she could tell me where I could find packaging supplies, and she snapped, "I am on my break." I said, "Does that mean you don't know where the packing materials are located?" She sighed and rolled her eyes and pointed behind her towards the rear right of the store, then walked away.

The second time: I was at a register that had 3 people in line ahead of me and I had about 5 things in my cart. While I was waiting, 3 more customers joined the line behind me. After about 5 minutes, I reached the register. The cashier said, "I am closed." I said, "Oh my, well I only have 5 things, could you please ring up my stuff?" She gruffly said that she would, but looked at the other people who had been waiting behind me and told them to go find another cashier because she wasn't taking anymore customers, and she shut off her light.

I have only set foot in their stores a couple of times since but for many years I refused to do that and preferred paying a little more elsewhere. I started using their curbside service during the pandemic, not regularly but a few times, and I had no issues and received good service. I still prefer shopping at other grocery stores over Walmart.

 

[TastyReuben]

That's wild that Aldi and Marc's aren't busy on Saturday. Here they're packed until about 5.

Don’t let all the people at Marc’s keep you from getting a good look at the stock:

Also, at lunch, Saturday at about 1:30PM…and I was the only customer there the whole time, and I’ve eaten there several Saturdays/Sundays and there has never, ever been another customer in there.

 

[JAS_OH1]

Don’t let all the people at Marc’s keep you from getting a good look at the stock:

View attachment 87864

View attachment 87865

Also, at lunch, Saturday at about 1:30PM…and I was the only customer there the whole time, and I’ve eaten there several Saturdays/Sundays and there has never, ever been another customer in there.

You eat at Marc's? We have lots of Marc's stores up here (I can think of 10 stores within a 15 mile radius) and I have never seen one with a dining area. And ours are always packed at that time of day.

 

[TastyReuben]

You eat at Marc's?

No, I meant the place where I posted my lunch from earlier. There’s never anyone in there. I even had to stick my head back in the kitchen once to grab someone, because she was sitting back there reading.

The thing is, it’s a local pizza chain (Cassano’s), and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with it. The food’s fine, it’s clean, the people are friendly, and the food is made fresh and comes up fast. It’s my favorite place to eat when I’m shopping over that way, because it’s so empty.

Just across the intersection is the big new development that goes on for miles, and that’s where everybody heads instead.

 

[caseydog]

There are a couple of places I won’t go on the weekend (unless it’s absolutely necessary), like the big Kroger Marketplace in Centerville. It’ll be packed.

Smaller Krogers in the surrounding towns are much easier to manage.

ALDI is always a ghost town, same as Marc’s, so those are two I usually hit, and the gourmet shop isn’t too bad, as long as I avoid early morning (bakery/coffee) and lunchtime (pizza/grill).

The international market is so big, it’ll hold a ton of people, so it never really feels crowded.

I’ll likely go to ALDI, Marc’s, and swing by a small Kroger somewhere along the way.

COSTCO is the worst for weekend shopping. Although they have they have the best free samples selection then, the crowds just aren't worth it.

CD

 

[TastyReuben]

COSTCO is the worst for weekend shopping. Although they have they have the best free samples selection then, the crowds just aren't worth it.

CD

Sam’s is like that, and years ago, I put my foot down and told MrsT no more. If she wants to go on a weekend, she can go.

Marc’s, for whatever reason, had a huge pallet of boxes of sanitizer wipes they were giving out free, and it’s a big box, like the size of two big packs of bottled water.

I had to laugh because the way I found out was this half-crazy looking fellow was running up and down the aisles shouting, “Hey! They’s givin’ out free wipes! Whole boxes! Big boxes! Free!” - he was positively dancing down the aisles with the news.

 

[rascal]

Miss 12 has been here for a few days to get a break from her bros. Dropped her off earlier and now heated up tomato pasta sauce I made last summer. I chopped up a smoked chicken to go in later. Rang my mate butcher. He checked In to local phyis so? Unit. His meds are being adjusted. And he has covid again.
Garlic bread and pasta tonight. Maybe custard??
3 deg c here mid winter.


Russ

 

[Lullabelle]

Grocery shopping is done, rehydration then give Rolo's cage a clean before it gets too hot.

 

[TastyReuben]

MrsT just saw how much our neighbor’s house sold for, so now she’s suddenly hot and heavy on selling the house, which means we’re going into town to get paint samples for the living room today.

 

[JAS_OH1]

Sam’s is like that, and years ago, I put my foot down and told MrsT no more. If she wants to go on a weekend, she can go.

Marc’s, for whatever reason, had a huge pallet of boxes of sanitizer wipes they were giving out free, and it’s a big box, like the size of two big packs of bottled water.

I had to laugh because the way I found out was this half-crazy looking fellow was running up and down the aisles shouting, “Hey! They’s givin’ out free wipes! Whole boxes! Big boxes! Free!” - he was positively dancing down the aisles with the news.

See, in my mind, I would have thought he was referring to baby wipes. You know, the ones you would use if you ever changed a dirty nappy.