Why are there always so many blue collar men at 7-11?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I haven’t been in a 7-11 since I quit smoking 8 years ago. What would I buy at 7-11 that I can’t get at the grocery store? What would I need there that would justify parking and another errand? I can’t remember the last time I went into a gas station convenient store either.

Wow. These responses are truly surprising I guess I was wrong on my assessment that everyone goes to 7-11. To answer your question as to what would you need there, well bread, milk, toilet paper. Things people tend to run out of in between shopping trips. If all you need is a loaf of bread, it's a million times easier to stop off at a 7-11 instead of go inside a grocery store. I do find it fascinating that so many people say they never go. Maybe I should start a thread asking "why don't middle class people ever need to stop off at convenience stores?"

I don’t run out of things. I buy toilet paper and paper products at Costco. When we are low-ish, I add it to the list. We stock up every 2-3 months. Things we use on a regular schedule like coffee and vitamins are on subscription. I meal plan for the week ahead on Wednesday when the grocery sale ads come out. I order my groceries from my phone and pick them up later that afternoon. My dry cleaning is picked up and delivered. I almost never set foot in a physical store except to go to Target and Costco 5-6 times each per year. I work full time and have 2 small children.

But this has been argued and proven time and time again. Not running out of things / stocking up at Costco/ having a list and buying in bulk = privileges of wealth and comfort. If you only have whatever money you make that day, then you buy milk when your baby is out, ,and you spend $4 at 7-11 because that's the only thing you can buy that day. Not because you're lazy, or doing something wrong. We can't prepare or stock up, we have a couple dollars and have to buy the $1 pack of 4 grossly thing toilet paper rolls when we run out. We dont have $40 in an account to buy 812 rolls of toilet paper at Costco to last us 3 months.

Once again - there is a Trader Joe's across the street, and a Harris Teeter and Safeway a few blocks down. In our neighborhood, people are demonstrably not going to 7-11 because it's their only option for last-minute shopping when they have cash.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Lower class people are more likely to smoke cigarettes and eat garbage food. Upper class people usually avoid 7-11 in order to avoid coming into contact with the lower class.

But there really aren't many other stores that are that convenient. And what about when you get gas? Isn't it pretty common for people to run in the store and pick up something when they fill up their tank? I'm beginning to feel like a freak.

I think I've done that twice in my life.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I agree with you, OP. I noticed this years ago. Their demographic is blue-collar, and skews heavily male. I didn't like the leers, so I stopped going. DH stops in with the kids to get a drink & snack. It's just a very masculine type of store, and I avoid it. If I'm in the car with them and they want to stop, I wait in the car. I would never shop their alone for any reason. CVS has the answer to all of my needs and I don't worry about some creep following me in his white van when I leave.

You're a nobody

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree with you, OP. I noticed this years ago. Their demographic is blue-collar, and skews heavily male. I didn't like the leers, so I stopped going. DH stops in with the kids to get a drink & snack. It's just a very masculine type of store, and I avoid it. If I'm in the car with them and they want to stop, I wait in the car. I would never shop their alone for any reason. CVS has the answer to all of my needs and I don't worry about some creep following me in his white van when I leave.

You're a nobody

Yes CVS and the endless receipt. I guess they charge more for everything so they can cover the cost of the receipt.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP I'd tell you what , you're one of those people who happens to find themselves in a decent position on the socio economic scale and who shops around for occasions to feel Superior to others in order to conceal your emptiness and psycho-moral insolvency .

Your question betrays your lack of knowledge of business ( it wouldn't surprise me at all if you've never owned one). Businesses because of their offerings and attendant prices would attract a disproportionate number of consumers from certain demographics. You see a disproportionate number of 'blue collar' men at 7_11 for the same reason you see a disproportionate number of rich housewives and their plutocratic husbands at the Hermes store . Instead of letting your false sense of superiority betray your general idiocy , i'd suggest you try some common sense.

That's a lot of words, and very little sense. In my neighborhood, there are multiple 7-11s but also multiple grocery stores and other corner stores where you can get the same stuff for cheaper. There's some kind of product or cultural mix not available at the regular grocery stores that is drawing a certain clientele to 7-11. Maybe it's the slurpees, cheap coffee, or cheap cigarettes.

The difference between the rich housewives at Hermes and the workers at 7-11 is that the rich housewife can afford Hermes. But I do often wonder about the blue collar workers I sometimes see because when you add up the cost of a pack + slurpee + crappy lunch it's actually quite a bit of money. If they're doing it regularly they must be spending a higher percentage of their income on convenience store junk than the housewife on her Hermes scarf, or more relevant in my case, a white collar office worker on his lunches out.

A huge number of people who shop luxury retail can't really afford it. Their are a lot of housewives at Hermes living beyond their means, too. Trust me, I've worked in luxury retail.

How would you know? Their credit cards are declined?

Some of you are clearly being overly defensive. God knows there's plenty of studies showing that the lower socio-economic groups tend to be more irresponsible with spending for a variety of reasons. Of course, it's irresponsible from the perspective of the middle and upper classes who have the luxury of being able to save and can derive an advantage from putting money away that the working classes don't because they can't save enough to make enough of a difference. But there's clearly also cultural factors at play keeping things like smoking more prevalent among working people despite being an expensive habit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP I'd tell you what , you're one of those people who happens to find themselves in a decent position on the socio economic scale and who shops around for occasions to feel Superior to others in order to conceal your emptiness and psycho-moral insolvency .

Your question betrays your lack of knowledge of business ( it wouldn't surprise me at all if you've never owned one). Businesses because of their offerings and attendant prices would attract a disproportionate number of consumers from certain demographics. You see a disproportionate number of 'blue collar' men at 7_11 for the same reason you see a disproportionate number of rich housewives and their plutocratic husbands at the Hermes store . Instead of letting your false sense of superiority betray your general idiocy , i'd suggest you try some common sense.

That's a lot of words, and very little sense. In my neighborhood, there are multiple 7-11s but also multiple grocery stores and other corner stores where you can get the same stuff for cheaper. There's some kind of product or cultural mix not available at the regular grocery stores that is drawing a certain clientele to 7-11. Maybe it's the slurpees, cheap coffee, or cheap cigarettes.

The difference between the rich housewives at Hermes and the workers at 7-11 is that the rich housewife can afford Hermes. But I do often wonder about the blue collar workers I sometimes see because when you add up the cost of a pack + slurpee + crappy lunch it's actually quite a bit of money. If they're doing it regularly they must be spending a higher percentage of their income on convenience store junk than the housewife on her Hermes scarf, or more relevant in my case, a white collar office worker on his lunches out.

A huge number of people who shop luxury retail can't really afford it. Their are a lot of housewives at Hermes living beyond their means, too. Trust me, I've worked in luxury retail.

How would you know? Their credit cards are declined?

Some of you are clearly being overly defensive. God knows there's plenty of studies showing that the lower socio-economic groups tend to be more irresponsible with spending for a variety of reasons. Of course, it's irresponsible from the perspective of the middle and upper classes who have the luxury of being able to save and can derive an advantage from putting money away that the working classes don't because they can't save enough to make enough of a difference. But there's clearly also cultural factors at play keeping things like smoking more prevalent among working people despite being an expensive habit.

You'd be surprise what people tell you about their financial situation when they do shopping they feel guilty about. (Plus the ones with declined cards, or the ones who tell you they'll never be able to pay back the credit card company, but they need this anyway, or the ones who say "Oh I really should be paying off my student loan but I'm buying a bag instead")

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Lower class people are more likely to smoke cigarettes and eat garbage food. Upper class people usually avoid 7-11 in order to avoid coming into contact with the lower class.

But there really aren't many other stores that are that convenient. And what about when you get gas? Isn't it pretty common for people to run in the store and pick up something when they fill up their tank? I'm beginning to feel like a freak.

NP no, never. There's pretty much nothing I would eat there during a roadtrip. I do get coffee there during roadtrips though. We always have a cooler with fruits and veggies for the ride and we make sandwiches.

I don't snack in a normal day. I have set meals and don't eat between them.

7-11 has fruit, vegetables and sandwiches.

I picked up a chicken salad, sandwich and banana from there today?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I've wondered this too and think it's bad money management skills. They aren't packing lunches or making coffee at home (like I do and especially had to when I made under 40k).

I make coffee at home but then often stop at 7-11 for another cup on the way to work. It's a $1.
Does everyone at starbucks have bad money management skills? I always thought that was expensive for a coffee, as well as taking too long and doesn't taste good, IMO. I LOVE 7-11 coffee.

+1000

I bet a lot of these people who never go to 7-11, regularly get coffee from Starbucks. 7-11 coffee is a million times better and much faster to get coffee in and out of.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:One reason I dont go to 7-11/convenience store type places is it's expensive. Just go the grocery store. I might pop for a soda/chips when on vacation and getting gas but other than that no reason to go there.

They are like gas stations but without the gas.

Most of them have gas as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:One reason I dont go to 7-11/convenience store type places is it's expensive. Just go the grocery store. I might pop for a soda/chips when on vacation and getting gas but other than that no reason to go there.

For you. Don't lecture people on where they should go! Mind your own business, pp.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I haven’t been in a 7-11 since I quit smoking 8 years ago. What would I buy at 7-11 that I can’t get at the grocery store? What would I need there that would justify parking and another errand? I can’t remember the last time I went into a gas station convenient store either.

Wow. These responses are truly surprising I guess I was wrong on my assessment that everyone goes to 7-11. To answer your question as to what would you need there, well bread, milk, toilet paper. Things people tend to run out of in between shopping trips. If all you need is a loaf of bread, it's a million times easier to stop off at a 7-11 instead of go inside a grocery store. I do find it fascinating that so many people say they never go. Maybe I should start a thread asking "why don't middle class people ever need to stop off at convenience stores?"

I don’t run out of things. I buy toilet paper and paper products at Costco. When we are low-ish, I add it to the list. We stock up every 2-3 months. Things we use on a regular schedule like coffee and vitamins are on subscription. I meal plan for the week ahead on Wednesday when the grocery sale ads come out. I order my groceries from my phone and pick them up later that afternoon. My dry cleaning is picked up and delivered. I almost never set foot in a physical store except to go to Target and Costco 5-6 times each per year. I work full time and have 2 small children.

Nobody cares how great you are at planning. Nobody wants to read your advice either.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I agree with you, OP. I noticed this years ago. Their demographic is blue-collar, and skews heavily male. I didn't like the leers, so I stopped going. DH stops in with the kids to get a drink & snack. It's just a very masculine type of store, and I avoid it. If I'm in the car with them and they want to stop, I wait in the car. I would never shop their alone for any reason. CVS has the answer to all of my needs and I don't worry about some creep following me in his white van when I leave.

Snort.

Straight out of the 1950s.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I haven’t been in a 7-11 since I quit smoking 8 years ago. What would I buy at 7-11 that I can’t get at the grocery store? What would I need there that would justify parking and another errand? I can’t remember the last time I went into a gas station convenient store either.

Wow. These responses are truly surprising I guess I was wrong on my assessment that everyone goes to 7-11. To answer your question as to what would you need there, well bread, milk, toilet paper. Things people tend to run out of in between shopping trips. If all you need is a loaf of bread, it's a million times easier to stop off at a 7-11 instead of go inside a grocery store. I do find it fascinating that so many people say they never go. Maybe I should start a thread asking "why don't middle class people ever need to stop off at convenience stores?"

I don’t run out of things. I buy toilet paper and paper products at Costco. When we are low-ish, I add it to the list. We stock up every 2-3 months. Things we use on a regular schedule like coffee and vitamins are on subscription. I meal plan for the week ahead on Wednesday when the grocery sale ads come out. I order my groceries from my phone and pick them up later that afternoon. My dry cleaning is picked up and delivered. I almost never set foot in a physical store except to go to Target and Costco 5-6 times each per year. I work full time and have 2 small children.

But this has been argued and proven time and time again. Not running out of things / stocking up at Costco/ having a list and buying in bulk = privileges of wealth and comfort. If you only have whatever money you make that day, then you buy milk when your baby is out, ,and you spend $4 at 7-11 because that's the only thing you can buy that day. Not because you're lazy, or doing something wrong. We can't prepare or stock up, we have a couple dollars and have to buy the $1 pack of 4 grossly thing toilet paper rolls when we run out. We dont have $40 in an account to buy 812 rolls of toilet paper at Costco to last us 3 months.

Once again - there is a Trader Joe's across the street, and a Harris Teeter and Safeway a few blocks down. In our neighborhood, people are demonstrably not going to 7-11 because it's their only option for last-minute shopping when they have cash.

Not everyone lives in your neighborhood with Trader Joes across the street etc. I live near a Safeway but, TJ is further away and I don't know of any Harris Teeter in my neighborhood. Sure, we have Safeway but the construction guys and gals might not have the time. You do you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I agree with you, OP. I noticed this years ago. Their demographic is blue-collar, and skews heavily male. I didn't like the leers, so I stopped going. DH stops in with the kids to get a drink & snack. It's just a very masculine type of store, and I avoid it. If I'm in the car with them and they want to stop, I wait in the car. I would never shop their alone for any reason. CVS has the answer to all of my needs and I don't worry about some creep following me in his white van when I leave.

Such a fragile princess. OMG

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I agree with you, OP. I noticed this years ago. Their demographic is blue-collar, and skews heavily male. I didn't like the leers, so I stopped going. DH stops in with the kids to get a drink & snack. It's just a very masculine type of store, and I avoid it. If I'm in the car with them and they want to stop, I wait in the car. I would never shop their alone for any reason. CVS has the answer to all of my needs and I don't worry about some creep following me in his white van when I leave.

Remember this:


https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheshire,_Connecticut,_home_invasion_murders

Wealthy woman and daughter shopping at a local grocery store. Not a 7-11. Stop being so damn judgmental.