# Bag my own groceries!?! What could you POSSIBLY be saying?!? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [May 21, 2003, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bag-my-own-groceries-what-could-you-possibly-be-saying/176553 "2003-05-21T14:17:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2003, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bag-my-own-groceries-what-could-you-possibly-be-saying/176553/21 "2003-05-21T16:06:14Z")
Occasionally I hear these rants, and I’m a little confused. I have no problem bagging my own groceries, and occasionally will do so. But at most of the stores around here, the counters are set up so that the customer can’t even reach the bags. It’s sort of a pain in the ass. It does mean, though, that you’re never ever expected to help with the bagging. Daniel ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2003, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bag-my-own-groceries-what-could-you-possibly-be-saying/176553/22 "2003-05-21T16:08:52Z")
I won’t bag my own groceries for the same reason I won’t go through the self-scan, self-weigh, self-pay lines. As soon as the store starts giving me a discount for doing their job for them, I will start, though. Why not complain to the management? “Say, you don’t have enough baggers!” ---
**Author:** ![SkipMagic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skipmagic/32/20706_2.png) [@SkipMagic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SkipMagic)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2003, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bag-my-own-groceries-what-could-you-possibly-be-saying/176553/23 "2003-05-21T16:09:49Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by msmith537 \* > \*\*Hey so you have to wait a few minutes. So what? I say there should have been a bagger there. Maybe next I’ll pump my own gas at the service line even though I’m paying the higher price. How about I help out the waiter and bus my own dishes? > > People are paid to do a job for a reason. What If I smush all my eggs and bread in with the canned goods? What the heck do I know about bagging groceries? What if I drop a bag of grapes and everyone starts slipping all over them? The bagpersons are there for your protection as well as the stores. \*\* Well, I’m sure that baggers aren’t there for anyone’s protection; instead, they’re there just for the convenience of the shoppers. At the very least, for the couple of years I bagged when I was in high school, no one ever informed me that I was protecting anyone else. Besides, I have faith that you (or most anyone else) will be able to master the art of bagging groceries. 🙂 “Don’t squash the bread or smash the eggs. You’ll do fine.” Those are pretty much the only instructions we got back then. Besides, with all the customers dropping and breaking jars, leaving unwanted grocery items on the aisle floors and constantly spilling soda pop without bothering to clean it up or alert store personnel of the liquid mishaps, the notion that the customers need to be protected would be better served by offering personal shopping assistants instead of worrying about, possibly, a few errant grapes. Besides, if it’s protection one wants, one probably shouldn’t rely on largely untrained high school students–who make up a large number of the baggers in grocery stores in the KC, MO area. That said, I don’t see anything wrong with anyone expecting the store to provide the bagging service since, through the inflated prices, the customers _are_ paying for it. Still, a good argument for bagging your own groceries instead of waiting for that teenager is that there is only so much room on the checkout, so while you’re waiting for a bagger who might not come anytime soon, you’re holding up the line behind you because the cashier cannot send the next person’s grocieries through. Or if they can, there’s no feasible way to keep the groceries for each customer separate, so a mixup might occur. Occasionally, when I encounter a person as described in the OP, and my groceries are waiting for theirs to be cleared out of the way, I tend to go up to the bagging station and start bagging his/her groceries for them. It helps speed things along. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2003, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bag-my-own-groceries-what-could-you-possibly-be-saying/176553/24 "2003-05-21T16:14:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by This Year’s Model \* > \*\*I won’t bag my own groceries for the same reason I won’t go through the self-scan, self-weigh, self-pay lines. As soon as the store starts giving me a discount for doing their job for them, I will start, though. Why not complain to the management? “Say, you don’t have enough baggers!” \*\* They already do, in that they have lower prices. Seriously: Good service Low Prices Quick shopping Pick TWO. :wally Get over yourself and quit complaining, you big baby. ---
**Author:** ![One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/838e76/32.png) [@One\_And\_Only\_Wanderers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/One_And_Only_Wanderers)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2003, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bag-my-own-groceries-what-could-you-possibly-be-saying/176553/25 "2003-05-21T16:18:04Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by This Year’s Model \* > \*\*I won’t bag my own groceries for the same reason I won’t go through the self-scan, self-weigh, self-pay lines. As soon as the store starts giving me a discount for doing their job for them, I will start, though. Why not complain to the management? “Say, you don’t have enough baggers!” \*\* Give people a new service as a courtesy (well to try and get them to choose ypur store over someone else’s) and before long it’s a necessity that can’t be done without. I can imagine the threads in a couple of centuries time… I was in a restroom the other day and I had to WIPE MY OWN PERSONAL ASS!!! and if that wasn’t bad enough I also had to SQUEEZE THE LAST FEW DROPS MYSELF!!! The other cubicles all had personal hygiene assistants I intend to bitterly complain to… ---
**Author:** ![Embra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@Embra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Embra)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2003, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bag-my-own-groceries-what-could-you-possibly-be-saying/176553/26 "2003-05-21T16:25:14Z")
> [@](#): > > What If I smush all my eggs and bread in with the canned goods? What the heck do I know about bagging groceries? What if I drop a bag of grapes and everyone starts slipping all over them? The bagpersons are there for your protection as well as the stores. You’re right. He bags his own groceries, we’ll all bag our own groceries, IT’LL BE ANARCHY… ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2003, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bag-my-own-groceries-what-could-you-possibly-be-saying/176553/27 "2003-05-21T16:25:15Z")
You know, the guy may be lazier than the laziest guy who ever was Mayor of Lazytown, but the fact is that any delay and hold up in the line is more the fault of the store then this guy. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2003, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bag-my-own-groceries-what-could-you-possibly-be-saying/176553/28 "2003-05-21T16:27:33Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Payton’s Servant \* > Let me guess, you are the type of person who waits until your entire order is totaled up and bagged before giving the cashier your coupons, and then waiting until the discounts are taken off and everything is retotaled before you get your checkbook out, and then of course you have to spend 5 minutes rummaging through your purse for a pen, and you have to ask what the date is, and what store you are in, and you ask no less then 3 times what the total amount is. > \*\* No, I’m not your momma. On the rare occasions I actually grocery shop, I don’t use coupons because I can’t be bothered to spend an hour cutting up the newspaper in order to save 10 cents on cereal. I don’t write checks because this is 2003 and like everyone else in the civilized world, I use a credit or debit card for everything. I don’t carry a purse because I am not a woman or gay (if you were just slightly more literate, you would realize that it is M Smith537, not Ms Mith537) And since I am not senile, I generally remember which store I’m in I just don’t feel like bagging my own groceries just so some housewife behind me can get back to watching Oprah a little faster. Actually, that’s not quite right. I’ve never really thought about it. > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Evil One \*The person is either so full of himself that he would not deign to do the work of lesser mortals or he simply has his head up his ass. Regardless, he just needs to get the hell out of my way. I don’t want to wait in line for one second more than I have to. Maybe they don’t think you getting through that line is as important as you do. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_One](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/45deac/32.png) [@Evil\_One](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_One)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2003, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bag-my-own-groceries-what-could-you-possibly-be-saying/176553/29 "2003-05-21T16:28:29Z")
The self-scan stations are a godsend. The elderly avoid them because they don’t understand them. The stupid avoid them because they are intimidated by them. The populists avoid them because “they take jobs away.” The lazy avoid them because they want their asses wiped at the checkout line. That leaves me…fingers flying on the touch screen, not fearing technology in the least. Bwa-ha ha ha! Bye suckers. Enjoy waiting in line. ---
**Author:** ![yojimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yojimbo/32/232_2.png) [@yojimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yojimbo)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2003, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bag-my-own-groceries-what-could-you-possibly-be-saying/176553/30 "2003-05-21T16:31:03Z")
It puts the grape on the top in the bag. _waits & nothing happens_ IT PUTS THE FUCKING GRAPES ON TOP IN THE FUCKNG BAG. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![bernse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@bernse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bernse)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2003, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bag-my-own-groceries-what-could-you-possibly-be-saying/176553/31 "2003-05-21T16:35:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by msmith537 \* > \*\*I don’t get it. Why should anyone bag their own groceries if the store provides such a service? To be “nice”? > > “Here, let me help you to do your job for you THAT YOU GET PAID TO DO OUT OF THE MONEY I AM SPENDING IN YOUR STORE!” \*\* Scenario: You’re eating in a busy food court at a shopping mall. When you finish eating do you: A) Put your garbage in the trash and put your tray away OR b) Leave your shit on the table for the _janitor_ 'cause they’re **paid** to clean? ---
**Author:** ![Podkayne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Podkayne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Podkayne)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2003, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bag-my-own-groceries-what-could-you-possibly-be-saying/176553/32 "2003-05-21T16:41:11Z")
I am very confused by this “The world owes me a bagger” philosophy. There are a lot of different types of grocery stores. In some, the cashier bags. In some, there’s a bagger on duty for each line. In some, often there’s a bagger, but in off-peak times you’re expected to do your own. In some, the customer is always expected to bag. Heck, in some you’re expected to either bring your own bags or _buy_ them from the store! Can you guess which stores had lower prices? If you are too lazy or stupid to master the art and science of grocery bagging, I guess you’d better stick to the high-end stores. If you walk into Economart and expect low prices _and_ baggers awaiting your beck and call, then you’re a putz. ---
**Author:** ![MLS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MLS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MLS)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2003, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bag-my-own-groceries-what-could-you-possibly-be-saying/176553/33 "2003-05-21T16:41:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by msmith537 \* > \*\*No, I’m not your momma. > > I don’t carry a purse because I am not a woman or gay (if you were just slightly more literate, you would realize that it is M Smith537, not Ms Mith537) > > I just don’t feel like bagging my own groceries just so some housewife behind me can get back to watching Oprah a little faster. Actually, that’s not quite right. I’ve never really thought about it. > > Maybe they don’t think you getting through that line is as important as you do. \*\* Well, Excuuuse us. M Smith could be either male or female; AFAIK there are many women with the first initial 'M." I for one like and need to get through the line quickly for several reasons, and none of them is to watch Oprah. 1. I work full-time and have other things to do that are more useful than spending an extra 10 minutes in a grocery store lline. 2. I have bad knees and spinal arthritis. By the time I get to the checkout line I am probably in severe pain already. 3. I am tired of listening the the crying babies and obnoxious music in the store. You don’t have to be considerate of those behind you in line, but it would be a civilized thing to do. Why make a tedious, boring task take longer than it has to? ---
**Author:** ![shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ab992/32.png) [@shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shrew)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2003, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bag-my-own-groceries-what-could-you-possibly-be-saying/176553/34 "2003-05-21T16:47:26Z")
After living in the U.K. for the last year, I’m going to feel ridiculous bagging my own groceries in the U.S. again. ---
**Author:** ![UrbanChic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9dc877/32.png) [@UrbanChic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UrbanChic)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2003, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bag-my-own-groceries-what-could-you-possibly-be-saying/176553/35 "2003-05-21T16:51:08Z")
msmith, I love reading your name as Ms. Mith. I always have and I always will. It’s my own little personal ha-ha on this board. That being said, I try to only shop at places that bag as they scan or have a bagger. On the rare occasions I shop at a store that doesn’t, I’m the asshole in front of you who’s not bagging. Why? Because I’m so used to having my shit bagged that by the time I realize my folly, it’s too late and the cashier’s already started bagging the stuff. Besides, if I start bagging my own stuff I may break a nail or something… ---
**Author:** ![gobear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8dc957/32.png) [@gobear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gobear)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2003, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bag-my-own-groceries-what-could-you-possibly-be-saying/176553/36 "2003-05-21T16:51:48Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by bernse \* > \*\*Scenario: You’re eating in a busy food court at a shopping mall. When you finish eating do you: > > A) Put your garbage in the trash and put your tray away > > OR > > b) Leave your shit on the table for the _janitor_ 'cause they’re **paid** to clean? \*\* That’s a foolish example because bussing one’s table is expected in a mall food court. If you were eating dinner at Olive Garden, would you expect to go get your own food from the kitchen if the waiter is busy? ---
**Author:** ![Qazzz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/aeb1de/32.png) [@Qazzz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qazzz)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2003, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bag-my-own-groceries-what-could-you-possibly-be-saying/176553/37 "2003-05-21T16:53:01Z")
Hmm I guess I should have explained that the grocery was very crowded and the limited number of baggers typically skip back and forth among the busiest lanes. It just pissed me off because the guy was directly in front of his items and was doing nothing besides peering at guys across the way while the cashier was scrambling to do everything himself, obviously aware of the growing line. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2003, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bag-my-own-groceries-what-could-you-possibly-be-saying/176553/38 "2003-05-21T17:00:59Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by JuanitaTech \* > msmith, I love reading your name as Ms. Mith. I always have and I always will. It’s my own little personal ha-ha on this board. > \*\* :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by MLS \* > Well, Excuuuse us. > > M Smith could be either male or female; AFAIK there are many women with the first initial 'M." > \*\* In hindsight, you mistake was understandible, considering that we are discussing the “manly” art of grocery shopping. ---
**Author:** ![Elza\_B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Elza\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elza_B)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2003, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bag-my-own-groceries-what-could-you-possibly-be-saying/176553/39 "2003-05-21T17:07:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by yojimbo \* > \*\*It puts the grape on the top in the bag. > > _waits & nothing happens_ > > IT PUTS THE FUCKING GRAPES ON TOP IN THE FUCKNG BAG. > 😉 \*\* Thanks, my co-worker is now asking my why I’m snorting and I can’t tell her, as South Park is taboo in this office (I’m making the assumption that was a South Park reference…:). That was my major amusement for the afternoon:D . Ava ---
**Author:** ![bernse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a9a28c/32.png) [@bernse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bernse)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2003, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bag-my-own-groceries-what-could-you-possibly-be-saying/176553/40 "2003-05-21T17:08:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by gobear \* > \*\*That’s a foolish example because bussing one’s table is expected in a mall food court \*\* **WELL DUH** I’d pull a number out of my ass and say 1/4 of the people leave their crap on the table. Why do you think so many people do that if it’s expected to clean up after oneself? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bag-my-own-groceries-what-could-you-possibly-be-saying/176553.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bag-my-own-groceries-what-could-you-possibly-be-saying/176553.md?page=3)