AITA: Grocery bagging

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think you come off as a jerk. While you’re technically correct it was antisocial of you to refuse to help when asked.

The cashier is PAID to check out and bag and until I am paid to bag, I don't. The Same reason I don't use self checkout. If I'm doing all the work then I want 50% off my groceries.

Oh, grow up. You sound like a Boomer.

And the employees are lucky to get 10% off groceries. You know, in case you want an application.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Cashier jobs should be obsolete. Use self-checkout or robots can do this work.

People need jobs. I refuse to use self checkouts unless I have only 2 items.

Nobody wants cashier jobs. They are the worst jobs in grocery — standing in one place on concrete for multiple hours, a never ending stream of entitled and abusive customers, can’t have water at the register, can’t go to the bathroom without calling a manager who will take 20 mins to come cover you). Most applicants say “anything but cashier). The former cashiers now pick the ever increasing online orders, run them out to cars, etc. And before you try to play the Disability Card, customer service desk jobs still exist for people who physically can’t do order pickup.

You’re not “saving jobs.” You’re just lazy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Mid-morning weekday grocery shopping at Harris Teeter. Naming the time, because this wasn’t Monday night or Saturday morning — store was quiet and uncrowded, with no line behind me and other registers open. Naming the store because I think they try and position themselves with their customer service. I had a small load of groceries — filled three reusable bags. Not a massive shopping trip.

As I wheeled up, the checker announced “We’re going to work as a team. I’m going to scan and you’re going to bag.” I said, “No thanks. I was counting on you to bag my items.” She then frowned and went silent for the duration of the transaction.

I’m physically able to bag my own groceries, and I did it without a second thought during the height of the pandemic when we were worried about contact. I’m happy to do it at Aldi or Lidl, where prices are cheaper because that’s part of the deal. But at a “full-price” regular grocery store, I don’t want to. I’m not getting a discount, and frankly I want to use those few minutes to check my email, send a quick text to someone, update my shopping list, mentally plan the evening scrum of sports/homework/dinner, or just veg out for a few blessed minutes. I don’t refill my own drink at restaurants, I don’t loosen the lug nuts on one wheel while my mechanic rotates the other, and I don’t pre-rake my leaves for the landscapers. I will smile and make small talk and say thank you and gratefully acknowledge their much-appreciated help. But I’m not interested in doing someone else’s job. I’m tired enough just doing my own.

Is bagging your own groceries when asked a thing now? AITA for objecting?

You sound ridiculous.

This. The bolded is an entitled suburban mom joke of a stereotype.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
I don’t know what the cashier’s earning, and I hope it’s a living wage (naive hope). That said, you weren’t the AH, she was, and as several others have noted, I would know immediately that the person being asked to bag her own purchases would be a woman, likely between 30 and 60. I hate that kind of sh!t and find it disturbingly sexist. If one can bag groceries for a man making valid purchases, that courtesy — that job requirement and duty, let me correct myself — should be granted without pert, obnoxious, manipulative little asides to everyone.

I happen to disagree with the concept that every job out there should be paying a living wage. Minimum wage jobs were never intended to be full support jobs. Minimum wage jobs were originally designed to be supplemental income. These jobs were for people who were in a household that already had one primary wage earner and they needed to supplement. Whether that was a SAH parent who needed extra income, a teen or dependent who wanted personal income, or even a primary earner who needed to earn money, these jobs were intended to augment household income. It was not intended to be one to raise oneself on. The fact that we are turning jobs like supermarket cashiers into full-time, personal or family support jobs is the concern. People should not be looking into these minimal wage, unskilled jobs to be primary support. For one thing, it means that it takes those opportunities away from people who do need the supplemental income and it also puts a higher burden on the employers and customers to support these individuals and possibly their families. If you are an adult that needs to support yourself or your family, a minimum wage job should be a stepping stone to something more rather than a career. Think, it is part of the journey, not the destination.

I think it is wrong to make minimum wage jobs into living wage jobs. I think what we need is free job training for individuals who need to support themselves or their families to advance beyond minimum wage positions.

Well, you’ll have to take it up with the guy who signed the minimum wage into law in 1933, because your “disagreement” is incorrect.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I love bagging my own groceries. I actually am disappointed if a bagger shows up. I group things so it’s easier to put away at home.

And I hate bagging. I move slowly and I get anxious that everyone behind me is impatiently waiting on me. That's why I go to a full service grocery store, so that I can watch the prices, arrange coupons, pull out my credit card, and put the bags back in the cart while someone else bags.

It would be fine to say “sorry, do you mind if I watch the prices instead? I’ll help you bag after” but that’s not what op said. OP was unnecessarily jerkish about the whole thing.

This thread should not be about whether a customer should or shouldn’t bag their groceries. It’s about whether you need to shove it in a service workers face even if they asked you something that was technically wrong of them. It’s always better to be gracious and cooperative.

But the cashier didn't ASK; she ANNOUNCED. And she got a short but polite response from the customer, who was clearly taken aback at being told that she was going to do part of the cashier's job.

And then the customer said no, and the cashier went about her business and bagged the groceries. Why has this thread gone 8 pages?

…Because apparently the ladies of DCUM are horrified at the idea that a grocery store worker would expect them to lift a finger and be a decent human.

This. How DARE The Help not fawn all over them and kiss their behinds. Shock! Horror!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I shop at Giant and notice that some checkers just don’t bag. I step in and start bagging myself after all my food starts getting crushed at the end of the conveyor belt. If I’m paying full price for groceries I shouldn’t be bagging or give me a discount.

and I make sure I move as slowly as possible.

Only I had a Giant cashier once start scanning the next customer’s order before mine was fully bagged. At the time I was still recovering from surgery. I was well enough to grocery shop but the stress of loading all of my items on the belt and packing it into bags only to put them back in my cart was too much, not to mention loading them in my car immediately afterwards. The cashier never said a single word to me, and just stared at me when he ran out of room to fit the next customer’s order.

Is bagging not part of their job requirements? They only get paid to scan?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Going to Harris Teeter was your mistake. It's a trashy store.

it went downhill once it was taken over by Kroger.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Wow- I'm shocked at this. I thought only jerks didn't help bag. Maybe it's regional? I'm originally from Long Island but live here now.

Being a jerk is definitely a regional characteristic in the DMV, and it’s not limited to grocery bagging.

[Anonymous]

I always wondered what kind of person left their cart in the parking lot. Now I know it's OP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP back again, to thank everyone for their opinions and assure some accusers that I'm not a troll.

I live in a jurisdiction that has a plastic bag tax. That, plus the fact that it's easier for me to carry 3 large bags instead of 13 little flimsy ones, are why my (non-hazmat, regularly laundered) reusable bags were there in the first place. I'm not going to change that.

I like to think that I'm a courteous customer, and maybe even a good person. I don't leave my cart in the middle of the aisle, I say hello to the restockers and wait for them to finish with a shelf rather than shouldering them out of the way to reach the peanut butter, etc. And I always, always return my cart.

I chose not to complain to the manager in some Karenesque rant because I didn't want the checker to get into trouble. Instead, I opted to voice my objection directly to the person with whom I had the issue, with a sentence that started with "No thanks."

While I appreciate the perspectives of those who feel that I should help when asked, I'd like to point out that I wasn't asked -- I was drafted and assigned a role, and that took me aback. For those who characterized me as some demanding princess, waiting to be served... that couldn't be farther from the truth.

I find it interesting that others have noticed this, or engaged in similar standoffs with a checker. I also find it interesting that some believe this is not something that's regularly being asked of men. (The groceries of the man in front of me were bagged for him, by the way. Although I didn't hear whether he was initially asked to do it.)

Thanks to those who made up their own enhancements and embellishments to the story, generally to my detriment. It wouldn't be DCUM without you.

It’s fine that you wanted to scroll through your phone rather than helping someone with a menial task when they asked for it, but to somehow think this makes you a good person or that you were somehow standing up for women, makes you sound like even more of an a hole.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:She should have said "Unfortunately we haven't got anyone to bag working today so this might take a little longer than it ought to while I bag this up." And you should have said "Oh, I'll take care of it while you scan."
Our local groceries all employed disabled people as baggers until minimum wage laws made that impossible. Thanks Dems!

Minimum wage laws didn't make it "impossible."

Grocery stores simply enjoyed screwing over employees--including those with disabilities--when it was dirt cheap for them.

This is the second thread in 24 hours where the citizens of DCUMlandia have demonstrated their acceptance of a society of the haves and have nots where businesses take precedence and certain people simply don't deserve to be paid enough to make ends meet when they work 40 hours a week. What is wrong with everyone???

BAGGING GROCERIES is not a job one takes to make ends meet. It is for disabled people and young teens. If you think a grocery bagger should be paid enough to pay rent and raise children in an expensive urban area then you should understand why this job barely exists anymore.

Every full time job should pay enough to pay rent and raise children in whatever area the job is in.

Anyone who thinks they shouldn't supports modern day feudalism and should be cast out of civilized society.

People should not have children that they cannot afford in any geographic area.

You cannot possibly be this much of a moron or ahole.

What about refugees? Immigrants with families? People with disabilities don't deserve living wages? People starting over?

Because all immigrants and refugees have no marketable skills or education?

The ignorance is astounding.

Of course they do, but you must live in a complete mindless bubble if you think that the skills of man refugees/immigrants are transferable, with many employees not recognizing degrees and training from abroad.

You're really arguing an absurd point. Do you want grocery stores in your area? Where on earth do you expect those people to live? Everyone deserves a living wage.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP back again, to thank everyone for their opinions and assure some accusers that I'm not a troll.

I live in a jurisdiction that has a plastic bag tax. That, plus the fact that it's easier for me to carry 3 large bags instead of 13 little flimsy ones, are why my (non-hazmat, regularly laundered) reusable bags were there in the first place. I'm not going to change that.

I like to think that I'm a courteous customer, and maybe even a good person. I don't leave my cart in the middle of the aisle, I say hello to the restockers and wait for them to finish with a shelf rather than shouldering them out of the way to reach the peanut butter, etc. And I always, always return my cart.

I chose not to complain to the manager in some Karenesque rant because I didn't want the checker to get into trouble. Instead, I opted to voice my objection directly to the person with whom I had the issue, with a sentence that started with "No thanks."

While I appreciate the perspectives of those who feel that I should help when asked, I'd like to point out that I wasn't asked -- I was drafted and assigned a role, and that took me aback. For those who characterized me as some demanding princess, waiting to be served... that couldn't be farther from the truth.

I find it interesting that others have noticed this, or engaged in similar standoffs with a checker. I also find it interesting that some believe this is not something that's regularly being asked of men. (The groceries of the man in front of me were bagged for him, by the way. Although I didn't hear whether he was initially asked to do it.)

Thanks to those who made up their own enhancements and embellishments to the story, generally to my detriment. It wouldn't be DCUM without you.

It’s fine that you wanted to scroll through your phone rather than helping someone with a menial task when they asked for it, but to somehow think this makes you a good person or that you were somehow standing up for women, makes you sound like even more of an a hole.

Can you read? She wasn’t ASKED, she was TOLD. Huge difference.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP back again, to thank everyone for their opinions and assure some accusers that I'm not a troll.

I live in a jurisdiction that has a plastic bag tax. That, plus the fact that it's easier for me to carry 3 large bags instead of 13 little flimsy ones, are why my (non-hazmat, regularly laundered) reusable bags were there in the first place. I'm not going to change that.

I like to think that I'm a courteous customer, and maybe even a good person. I don't leave my cart in the middle of the aisle, I say hello to the restockers and wait for them to finish with a shelf rather than shouldering them out of the way to reach the peanut butter, etc. And I always, always return my cart.

I chose not to complain to the manager in some Karenesque rant because I didn't want the checker to get into trouble. Instead, I opted to voice my objection directly to the person with whom I had the issue, with a sentence that started with "No thanks."

While I appreciate the perspectives of those who feel that I should help when asked, I'd like to point out that I wasn't asked -- I was drafted and assigned a role, and that took me aback. For those who characterized me as some demanding princess, waiting to be served... that couldn't be farther from the truth.

I find it interesting that others have noticed this, or engaged in similar standoffs with a checker. I also find it interesting that some believe this is not something that's regularly being asked of men. (The groceries of the man in front of me were bagged for him, by the way. Although I didn't hear whether he was initially asked to do it.)

Thanks to those who made up their own enhancements and embellishments to the story, generally to my detriment. It wouldn't be DCUM without you.

It’s fine that you wanted to scroll through your phone rather than helping someone with a menial task when they asked for it, but to somehow think this makes you a good person or that you were somehow standing up for women, makes you sound like even more of an a hole.

Can you read? She wasn’t ASKED, she was TOLD. Huge difference.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP back again, to thank everyone for their opinions and assure some accusers that I'm not a troll.

I live in a jurisdiction that has a plastic bag tax. That, plus the fact that it's easier for me to carry 3 large bags instead of 13 little flimsy ones, are why my (non-hazmat, regularly laundered) reusable bags were there in the first place. I'm not going to change that.

I like to think that I'm a courteous customer, and maybe even a good person. I don't leave my cart in the middle of the aisle, I say hello to the restockers and wait for them to finish with a shelf rather than shouldering them out of the way to reach the peanut butter, etc. And I always, always return my cart.

I chose not to complain to the manager in some Karenesque rant because I didn't want the checker to get into trouble. Instead, I opted to voice my objection directly to the person with whom I had the issue, with a sentence that started with "No thanks."

While I appreciate the perspectives of those who feel that I should help when asked, I'd like to point out that I wasn't asked -- I was drafted and assigned a role, and that took me aback. For those who characterized me as some demanding princess, waiting to be served... that couldn't be farther from the truth.

I find it interesting that others have noticed this, or engaged in similar standoffs with a checker. I also find it interesting that some believe this is not something that's regularly being asked of men. (The groceries of the man in front of me were bagged for him, by the way. Although I didn't hear whether he was initially asked to do it.)

Thanks to those who made up their own enhancements and embellishments to the story, generally to my detriment. It wouldn't be DCUM without you.

It’s fine that you wanted to scroll through your phone rather than helping someone with a menial task when they asked for it, but to somehow think this makes you a good person or that you were somehow standing up for women, makes you sound like even more of an a hole.

Can you read? She wasn’t ASKED, she was TOLD. Huge difference.

Banter's not your strong suit, I presume.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP back again, to thank everyone for their opinions and assure some accusers that I'm not a troll.

I live in a jurisdiction that has a plastic bag tax. That, plus the fact that it's easier for me to carry 3 large bags instead of 13 little flimsy ones, are why my (non-hazmat, regularly laundered) reusable bags were there in the first place. I'm not going to change that.

I like to think that I'm a courteous customer, and maybe even a good person. I don't leave my cart in the middle of the aisle, I say hello to the restockers and wait for them to finish with a shelf rather than shouldering them out of the way to reach the peanut butter, etc. And I always, always return my cart.

I chose not to complain to the manager in some Karenesque rant because I didn't want the checker to get into trouble. Instead, I opted to voice my objection directly to the person with whom I had the issue, with a sentence that started with "No thanks."

While I appreciate the perspectives of those who feel that I should help when asked, I'd like to point out that I wasn't asked -- I was drafted and assigned a role, and that took me aback. For those who characterized me as some demanding princess, waiting to be served... that couldn't be farther from the truth.

I find it interesting that others have noticed this, or engaged in similar standoffs with a checker. I also find it interesting that some believe this is not something that's regularly being asked of men. (The groceries of the man in front of me were bagged for him, by the way. Although I didn't hear whether he was initially asked to do it.)

Thanks to those who made up their own enhancements and embellishments to the story, generally to my detriment. It wouldn't be DCUM without you.

It’s fine that you wanted to scroll through your phone rather than helping someone with a menial task when they asked for it, but to somehow think this makes you a good person or that you were somehow standing up for women, makes you sound like even more of an a hole.

+1 Don't forget she needed to mentally plan the scrum (heh) of sports and dinnnnnner and homewooorrrrrk. Guys she does need the mental space to just stand there slack-jawed (as someone described the bagger-waiters so aptly upthread). She's told us who she is. We need to believe her.