Anonymous
Post 08/30/2025 16:55     Subject: Trader Joe’s—I hate knowing
Anonymous wrote:It’s like the snack trays in Vegas casinos. You’re supposed to tip one of your items to the cashier. They are telling you which one they want.


What snack trays?
Anonymous
Post 08/30/2025 16:27     Subject: Trader Joe’s—I hate knowing
It’s like the snack trays in Vegas casinos. You’re supposed to tip one of your items to the cashier. They are telling you which one they want.
Anonymous
Post 08/30/2025 16:26     Subject: Re:Trader Joe’s—I hate knowing
Anonymous wrote:I go to the TJs on Capitol Hill, and I don't recall them ever saying anything about the food I'm purchasing. But they do make small talk. It's harmless to me, I don't mind chatting with them, and I also don't mind if we're just silent. This seems like such an insignificant thing to complain about.


There’s a TJ’s on Cap Hill now??? That’s so cool, I wish I still lived there - in my day we had to drive to Virginia for our TJ’s.
Anonymous
Post 08/30/2025 15:49     Subject: Trader Joe’s—I hate knowing
Anonymous wrote:I hate the forced interaction. I don’t find it necessary, and I don’t enjoy the forced putting on airs at the grocery checkout.

I don’t want to discuss my plans for the day.

I don’t want to discuss my weekend.

I don’t care that you also like the Elote corn chips.

If you want to know if it’s still “nice outside”, just look out the window that’s *right there*.

Just ring me up.


So you want to stand eighteen inches from a fellow human being and look right through them or past them? That really says a lot about you. Making small talk is expected in US society and people who work in retail aren’t unclean or serfs. You realize you don’t have to answer the questions accurately - like what are you doing “oh not much, hanging out” even if you’re going to dinner in Paris.

I also bet you’d complain if said cashier ignored you to chat on their phone while ringing you up.
Anonymous
Post 08/30/2025 15:45     Subject: Trader Joe’s—I hate knowing
Anonymous wrote:It always seems genuine to me. Is it possible the people who take that job are just chit chatty people?
I’m actually thinking about TJs for my post retirement job as I love seeing what they have a chit chatting with people at checkout. My teen spontaneously told me last time we were there that I should work there as I would make a really good TJ employee.
I currently am a less than enthusiastic law firm partner, but would much rather be a TJ person. I really love packing groceries. Preschool teacher is my other dream retirement job except that the hours are so early. If there was an aftrernooj preschool teacher job, that might beat out TJ.


Ha. Our Extended Day leader worked TJs on the weekend, as did my kid’s preschool teacher. Saw them there all the time.
Anonymous
Post 08/30/2025 15:41     Subject: Trader Joe’s—I hate knowing
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I don't love chit chat but I can't imagine taking such issue with the TJ people to complain about it. It makes me wonder what is wrong with us as a society if we can't make friendly conversation with the people we encounter on the daily. Whether they're mandated to do it or not, do some of you hear yourselves?


This is more evidence of the anti-social nature of a significant number of posters here.


This.

I'm an introvert, and have NO problem making chitchat with cashiers, or anyone. Those of you that are really bothered by this or find it cumbersome are anti-social.
Anonymous
Post 08/30/2025 15:30     Subject: Trader Joe’s—I hate knowing
Anonymous wrote:I hate the fake forced convo of the TJ's workers. So irritating. I wish they had self check out.


Don't go to Hawaii. We talk to people there.
Anonymous
Post 08/30/2025 15:20     Subject: Trader Joe’s—I hate knowing
Anonymous wrote:I don't love chit chat but I can't imagine taking such issue with the TJ people to complain about it. It makes me wonder what is wrong with us as a society if we can't make friendly conversation with the people we encounter on the daily. Whether they're mandated to do it or not, do some of you hear yourselves?


This is more evidence of the anti-social nature of a significant number of posters here.
Anonymous
Post 08/30/2025 15:19     Subject: Trader Joe’s—I hate knowing
For whatever it's worth I live in California and they never do this to me.
Anonymous
Post 08/30/2025 15:15     Subject: Trader Joe’s—I hate knowing
I've had a Trader Joe's checkout clerk ask me if I thought an item in my basket was good because they'd never tried it before.
Anonymous
Post 08/30/2025 15:14     Subject: Trader Joe’s—I hate knowing
I don't love chit chat but I can't imagine taking such issue with the TJ people to complain about it. It makes me wonder what is wrong with us as a society if we can't make friendly conversation with the people we encounter on the daily. Whether they're mandated to do it or not, do some of you hear yourselves?
Anonymous
Post 08/30/2025 15:11     Subject: Trader Joe’s—I hate knowing
Anonymous wrote:It always seems genuine to me. Is it possible the people who take that job are just chit chatty people?
I’m actually thinking about TJs for my post retirement job as I love seeing what they have a chit chatting with people at checkout. My teen spontaneously told me last time we were there that I should work there as I would make a really good TJ employee.
I currently am a less than enthusiastic law firm partner, but would much rather be a TJ person. I really love packing groceries. Preschool teacher is my other dream retirement job except that the hours are so early. If there was an aftrernooj preschool teacher job, that might beat out TJ.


There actually are lots of afternoon pre-school teaching jobs — after school programs and second shifts.
Maybe you could do both part time.
Anonymous
Post 08/30/2025 15:10     Subject: Trader Joe’s—I hate knowing
Anonymous wrote:It always seems genuine to me. Is it possible the people who take that job are just chit chatty people?
I’m actually thinking about TJs for my post retirement job as I love seeing what they have a chit chatting with people at checkout. My teen spontaneously told me last time we were there that I should work there as I would make a really good TJ employee.
I currently am a less than enthusiastic law firm partner, but would much rather be a TJ person. I really love packing groceries. Preschool teacher is my other dream retirement job except that the hours are so early. If there was an aftrernooj preschool teacher job, that might beat out TJ.


Try working Extended Day at a school that offers preK. At our Catholic school the preK and Kindergarteners have a seperate aftercare program and they can always use people.
Anonymous
Post 08/30/2025 15:09     Subject: Trader Joe’s—I hate knowing
I hate the fake forced convo of the TJ's workers. So irritating. I wish they had self check out.
Anonymous
Post 08/30/2025 15:06     Subject: Trader Joe’s—I hate knowing
It always seems genuine to me. Is it possible the people who take that job are just chit chatty people?
I’m actually thinking about TJs for my post retirement job as I love seeing what they have a chit chatting with people at checkout. My teen spontaneously told me last time we were there that I should work there as I would make a really good TJ employee.
I currently am a less than enthusiastic law firm partner, but would much rather be a TJ person. I really love packing groceries. Preschool teacher is my other dream retirement job except that the hours are so early. If there was an aftrernooj preschool teacher job, that might beat out TJ.