Trader Joe’s—I hate knowing

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is why I prefer self checkout, delivery, or parking lot pickup. I don’t want some random worker gawking at my groceries to force fake small talk. It’s creepy and invasive and I honestly feel bad for the workers forced to do this.

I agree they shouldn’t have to, or they shouldn’t comment on your items. The buyer could literally be coming from or going to a funeral. I’ve been there. With my mom’s death, life still goes on and I was at the store within a couple of days. I’m in the mood for pleasant greetings but not making talk about my food.

You don't have to. Just smile and give them their card. If you're so convinced they're only chatting for professional reasons, they won't care.

DP. It's just so awkward. Sometimes they just comment about liking whatever it is but I hate when they ask questions like what are you making? I was buying some fruity flavored syrups at home goods to make smoothies and the guy was going on about how smart I was to buy this to make mixed drinks, was I having a party? And I just kind of shrugged. Like what if I'd been an alcoholic. It's so annoying.

And sometimes the other customers turn to hear what you are making after they have commented on what items you are buying. "No, Larla, from down the street who happens to be shopping with her little kid, we are not entertaining tonight just making pizza nothing to hear here." -different poster

This is so sad. It's okay to talk to other people. No wonder there is a epidemic of loneliness in this country.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I just hate when they have to ask what plans you have for the rest of the day.

Or "is it still hot outside"? LOLOL

😩😩

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I used to work at Trader Joe's. We were never instructed to lie about liking something we didn't. We were never told to exaggerate our opinions, either. If I liked something, I was honest about it. if it wasn't for me, I was honest about it.

As someone of South Asian descent, you would hear me being honest about how I think all the Indian products are overrated.

Compared to Amy's or other mass market grocery brands? TJ did take some spice out of the Chicken Tikka Masala post-Covid. Maybe some element of the blend got expensive. It was better long ago.

There is great Indian food in my town and some really mediocre places. TJ's is better than the average restaurant near me for the few dishes it sells.

[Anonymous]

I give cashiers quite a bit of latitude during check-out conversation... there's only so many times/customers to whom they can remark on the weather.

My silly gripe is their insistence on double-bagging everything. I try to take the lead and single-bag myself and they act as if I'm deranged or tempting fate. Once they acquiesce and let me put 6 items (!) in a single bag, they'll give insightful, never-heard-before tips about how "you might want to use two hands" or that I should "be sure to carry with one hand below!" lest the bag break.

I really need to train myself to bring re-usable bags more often.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I give cashiers quite a bit of latitude during check-out conversation... there's only so many times/customers to whom they can remark on the weather.

My silly gripe is their insistence on double-bagging everything. I try to take the lead and single-bag myself and they act as if I'm deranged or tempting fate. Once they acquiesce and let me put 6 items (!) in a single bag, they'll give insightful, never-heard-before tips about how "you might want to use two hands" or that I should "be sure to carry with one hand below!" lest the bag break.

I really need to train myself to bring re-usable bags more often.

Lol, yes

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You do know the people that work there are in the business of making sales, right?

And you're already at the checkout getting the things scanned. It's not like they are convincing you to buy. They are just making you feel awesome about what you bought. Which you already should because their stuff is so darn good.

I am an administrator and prof at a university that has a hotel on campus and I probably have a breakfast meeting there like once a month. I was always so impressed that when I got there the hostess and front desk clerk would address me by name. And then I got my kid a little job there as a cater waiter and she was like “Mom, in the training they make us memorize the names and photos of all the people who come there regularly. It’s not personal. You are on the list” and I had that same reaction. “So they’re not just being personable?” Nope. It’s all business.

Used to be a bartender back in college. We had an index card box of the regulars (and semi-regulars) with their physical description, where they liked to sit, their name, and what they normally drank/ate. Had to learn it quickly. Didn't mean that we didn't get to know the people/like them though.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was there last week and the checkout person recommended the whole foods butter over theirs. I guess they go off script sometimes.

I’ve definitely had staff say they didn’t like something! I’m not a fan or not fond of X.

[Anonymous]

Omg the maple Fudge is delicious. Good thing it’s seasonal.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I give cashiers quite a bit of latitude during check-out conversation... there's only so many times/customers to whom they can remark on the weather.

My silly gripe is their insistence on double-bagging everything. I try to take the lead and single-bag myself and they act as if I'm deranged or tempting fate. Once they acquiesce and let me put 6 items (!) in a single bag, they'll give insightful, never-heard-before tips about how "you might want to use two hands" or that I should "be sure to carry with one hand below!" lest the bag break.

I really need to train myself to bring re-usable bags more often.

I always bag my own stuff at TJs and I love it — it is so quick when we work as a team. I’ve had multiple TJ emplpyes compliment me on my bagging technique. I get ridiculous pleasure from a well organized shopping bag. Not bringing reusable bags is crazy to me — especially with all the frozen stuff. That goes right through a single paper bag!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Omg the maple Fudge is delicious. Good thing it’s seasonal.

Yes. You might also like the maple covered almonds.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I used to work at Trader Joe's. We were never instructed to lie about liking something we didn't. We were never told to exaggerate our opinions, either. If I liked something, I was honest about it. if it wasn't for me, I was honest about it.

As someone of South Asian descent, you would hear me being honest about how I think all the Indian products are overrated.

You don't even need to be South Asian to know the "indian" products are overrated.

Huh. I am South Asian. Is it all authentic? No. But I don’t mind the taste of what they have. We get the veggie masala burgers and a couple of the curries to have for a fend for yourself night. They’re tasty, if a little high on sodium.

Also South Asian. One of my teen's favorite easy meals is veggie masala burgers with the rice from the lamb vindaloo. Luckily, I really like the vindaloo, so I have it with roti, and save her the rice.

Another South Asian here. I like to cook my own food. Anytime I have eaten South Asian food (frozen) is absolutely horrendous. Thankfully, DH and I, both love to cook and we are foodies, so we are not big fans.

Finally - South Asian vegetable dishes are cooked poorly even in the best of restaurnants. I almost want to puke when people come and rave about any Indian restaurnant's palak-paneer, cholley, aloo gobi. Just stop it!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I give cashiers quite a bit of latitude during check-out conversation... there's only so many times/customers to whom they can remark on the weather.

My silly gripe is their insistence on double-bagging everything. I try to take the lead and single-bag myself and they act as if I'm deranged or tempting fate. Once they acquiesce and let me put 6 items (!) in a single bag, they'll give insightful, never-heard-before tips about how "you might want to use two hands" or that I should "be sure to carry with one hand below!" lest the bag break.

I really need to train myself to bring re-usable bags more often.

I shop directly into my re-usable bags. I load them full, then the cahiers have to fit everything back in. They usually do it better because I don't shop in the most bagging efficient way.

[Anonymous]

Huh? I shop at Trader Joe’s weekly. No employee has ever recommended anything to me. Sometimes they will comment on what I have in my cart and say they love those too but that’s about it. I generally don’t shop in the frozen food section of Trader Joe’s and their frozen food is definitely over rated. So are their snacks or the random things that ppl who don’t cook are obsessed with. As for normal chit chat, it’s something that happens when you interact with humans. It may feel forced but it’s ok. Sometimes we have to do things to be polite.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is why I prefer self checkout, delivery, or parking lot pickup. I don’t want some random worker gawking at my groceries to force fake small talk. It’s creepy and invasive and I honestly feel bad for the workers forced to do this.

I agree they shouldn’t have to, or they shouldn’t comment on your items. The buyer could literally be coming from or going to a funeral. I’ve been there. With my mom’s death, life still goes on and I was at the store within a couple of days. I’m in the mood for pleasant greetings but not making talk about my food.

You don't have to. Just smile and give them their card. If you're so convinced they're only chatting for professional reasons, they won't care.

DP. It's just so awkward. Sometimes they just comment about liking whatever it is but I hate when they ask questions like what are you making? I was buying some fruity flavored syrups at home goods to make smoothies and the guy was going on about how smart I was to buy this to make mixed drinks, was I having a party? And I just kind of shrugged. Like what if I'd been an alcoholic. It's so annoying.

And sometimes the other customers turn to hear what you are making after they have commented on what items you are buying. "No, Larla, from down the street who happens to be shopping with her little kid, we are not entertaining tonight just making pizza nothing to hear here." -different poster

This is so sad. It's okay to talk to other people. No wonder there is a epidemic of loneliness in this country.

I know. People would rather stare at a phone than interact with anyone.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Omg the maple Fudge is delicious. Good thing it’s seasonal.

Yes. You might also like the maple covered almonds.

No thanks:

“CONFECTIONARY COATING (SUGAR, PALM KERNEL AND PALM OIL”