Grocery Store Etiquette

[Piratelvr1121]

Not that I've come across many service dogs, but the one I've seen did have markings on their harness to show that they are a service dog.

Many service dogs are privately trained (ours is - and it's more common than you'd think, for non-seeing eye dogs. There just aren't many training organizations for some specialties.) and so don't have an 'organization' that gives them a harness. Also, harnesses do wear out. We have a service dog 'cape' that he wears, but he doesn't always (it's warm, and in Southern summers, can make him overheat). FYI.

Ah, okay, I see.  When I first read that some people try to pose their pets as service dogs, I wasn't sure how they pulled it off but now it makes sense. 

[MommyPenguin]

I remember being at the grocery store once and trying to decide on which bread to get.  I wanted to find a whole wheat bread that I liked the taste of, so I had pulled a couple of different loaves off the shelf and was comparing the nutritional information on them.  An employee was nearby and noticed me, and snarked, "Just take one, you don't need to get the farthest expiration date," or something like that.  I realize that this can be a problem for the store, people wanting the items with the farthest expiration date, but even if that's what I'd been doing, it seems like it would be rude.  I actually *don't* usually worry about expiration dates on bread or milk, because with so many kids they generally go quickly enough (and I freeze some of the bread).

One thing that I've been mystified by is how the arm dividers are supposed to work on the full size self-checkout counters.  The arm has an elbow so that it can be flat against the side, or you can flip it up to block the next person's stuff from coming down.  The thing is, if you flip the arm up when you start sending your groceries down, then of course it catches your groceries and prevents them from going all the way down, leaving the bottom vacant... which seems pointless, and doesn't give the next person anywhere to put their groceries.  But, if you leave the arm down so that your groceries go all the way down, it then can't flip back up to block the next person's groceries because it would need to sweep *through* yours in order to get there.  Am I missing something major here?  It seems like it should flip *up* and over, instead of through, but since it has to sweep upwards in order to separate the groceries, it just doesn't make any sense to me.

[Syrse]

I remember being at the grocery store once and trying to decide on which bread to get.  I wanted to find a whole wheat bread that I liked the taste of, so I had pulled a couple of different loaves off the shelf and was comparing the nutritional information on them.  An employee was nearby and noticed me, and snarked, "Just take one, you don't need to get the farthest expiration date," or something like that.  I realize that this can be a problem for the store, people wanting the items with the farthest expiration date, but even if that's what I'd been doing, it seems like it would be rude.  I actually *don't* usually worry about expiration dates on bread or milk, because with so many kids they generally go quickly enough (and I freeze some of the bread).

As a shop employee myself I will say; we do not care that you dig around for the latest date :p Nor do we mind you comparing stuff. As long as you put everything back 
I had a similar thing happen to me a few weeks back at the store: An employee was filling up the bell peppers, and I was choosing one. She snapped at me to just take one, they're all just as fresh! Err.. I reserve the right to be picky as a customer, thank you 

[ladyknight1]

The Publix store where I used to do all my shopping had a lot of people who didn't want to leave their animal in the car, so they would bring the animal in. Even if there was more than one person, so someone could have stayed with the pet, they would still all come in. These were small dogs and puppies, in carriers or purses.

They were asked to leave each time.

Please do not walk barefoot into a grocery store! I have seen this way too often.

Please do not let your child/children use the electric shopping cart to ram into aisles and end caps, even other shoppers! If your child needs to use the cart, then the parent should be with them the entire time.

[snowdragon]

The Publix store where I used to do all my shopping had a lot of people who didn't want to leave their animal in the car, so they would bring the animal in. Even if there was more than one person, so someone could have stayed with the pet, they would still all come in. These were small dogs and puppies, in carriers or purses.

They were asked to leave each time.

At the Wegman's  nearest my home I had a cashier take puppy from a customer and try to hold him while cashing out my food - she had her hand under his butt and when she gave him back she grabbed my produce with that same hand.  I left and reported her by name to both the manager ( who told me "just wash the produce before eating it and it will be ok") and the corporate offices - who called me.  I go to another Wegman's now. I know how produce is grown, I know what is used for fertilizer, but I found it really gross. 
 The things people do are at times amazing.

[Syrse]

The Publix store where I used to do all my shopping had a lot of people who didn't want to leave their animal in the car, so they would bring the animal in. Even if there was more than one person, so someone could have stayed with the pet, they would still all come in. These were small dogs and puppies, in carriers or purses.

They were asked to leave each time.

Leaving your dog by itself in a car is illegal, isn't it?  Over here, if you see a dog in a car, you are legally allowed to go keep watch, and if the owners do not return in 5 minutes, you can call the fire department (or the police), and they will tell you to break the window immediately.

[ladyknight1]

It is illegal (in my state) to leave one's pet in a car alone if it is hot or there is not adequate ventilation. Each time I have witnessed this, there have been 2 - 3 people together with the dog. There are lovely benches with shade outside as well.

[Mopsy428]

The Publix store where I used to do all my shopping had a lot of people who didn't want to leave their animal in the car, so they would bring the animal in. Even if there was more than one person, so someone could have stayed with the pet, they would still all come in. These were small dogs and puppies, in carriers or purses.

They were asked to leave each time.

Leaving your dog by itself in a car is illegal, isn't it?  Over here, if you see a dog in a car, you are legally allowed to go keep watch, and if the owners do not return in 5 minutes, you can call the fire department (or the police), and they will tell you to break the window immediately.

It is illegal where I live, but the dog should be either left at home or with another person outside of the grocery store, not brought inside.

[AnnaJ]

Why not just leave the dog at home?  Seriously, there is no need to bring a non-service dog when you are going grocery shopping.

[Barb3000]

"oh, but he's my BAAAAAAAAABY, I never go anywhere without my little Poopsie.... he cries if I leave him alone..."

You have never met one of those people?

[MrTango]

"oh, but he's my BAAAAAAAAABY, I never go anywhere without my little Poopsie.... he cries if I leave him alone..."

You have never met one of those people?

"He needs to leave my store now, and he is forbidden to return," says the store owner.  "Since you never go anywhere without him, I guess that means you're leaving now and will never return."

[BeagleMommy]

Why not just leave the dog at home?  Seriously, there is no need to bring a non-service dog when you are going grocery shopping.

DH and I have had to stop at a grocery store once in a while after taking The Beagle for a walk.  One of us goes in the store and the other keeps The Beagle on the leash and walks him around the perimeter.  We never leave him in the car.  Even if it isn't too hot to do so, he barks and bays like no tomorrow so it's just easier to take him and walk him around the parking lot.  One time, DH just stepped outside the car to get a newspaper from one of the boxes and he honked the horn. 

[Elfmama]

Why not just leave the dog at home?  Seriously, there is no need to bring a non-service dog when you are going grocery shopping.

DH and I have had to stop at a grocery store once in a while after taking The Beagle for a walk.  One of us goes in the store and the other keeps The Beagle on the leash and walks him around the perimeter.  We never leave him in the car.  Even if it isn't too hot to do so, he barks and bays like no tomorrow so it's just easier to take him and walk him around the parking lot.  One time, DH just stepped outside the car to get a newspaper from one of the boxes and he honked the horn. 

In some places it is illegal to leave an animal in the car.  In very hot weather they can die in only a few minutes.

[TeamBhakta]

Why not just leave the dog at home?  Seriously, there is no need to bring a non-service dog when you are going grocery shopping.

DH and I have had to stop at a grocery store once in a while after taking The Beagle for a walk.  One of us goes in the store and the other keeps The Beagle on the leash and walks him around the perimeter.  We never leave him in the car.  Even if it isn't too hot to do so, he barks and bays like no tomorrow so it's just easier to take him and walk him around the parking lot.  One time, DH just stepped outside the car to get a newspaper from one of the boxes and he honked the horn. 

In some places it is illegal to leave an animal in the car.  In very hot weather they can die in only a few minutes.

No lie. I was sitting in a car the other week, waiting for someone to come out of a bank, and it was terrible just for me. I had to open the door and get out (didn't have the car key) after a few minutes. Good thing I had a full water bottle on hand If it got to me that quickly, I can only imagine what it does to a small child or a pet 

[BeagleMommy]

Why not just leave the dog at home?  Seriously, there is no need to bring a non-service dog when you are going grocery shopping.

DH and I have had to stop at a grocery store once in a while after taking The Beagle for a walk.  One of us goes in the store and the other keeps The Beagle on the leash and walks him around the perimeter.  We never leave him in the car.  Even if it isn't too hot to do so, he barks and bays like no tomorrow so it's just easier to take him and walk him around the parking lot.  One time, DH just stepped outside the car to get a newspaper from one of the boxes and he honked the horn. 

In some places it is illegal to leave an animal in the car.  In very hot weather they can die in only a few minutes.

No lie. I was sitting in a car the other week, waiting for someone to come out of a bank, and it was terrible just for me. I had to open the door and get out (didn't have the car key) after a few minutes. Good thing I had a full water bottle on hand If it got to me that quickly, I can only imagine what it does to a small child or a pet 

We never leave him in the car.  The newspaper incident was DH pulls up to curb, jumps out to get newspaper out of the box, Beagle honks horn, DH gets back in car.  It was quite comical.