# Bagging groceries **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 5, 2011, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bagging-groceries/570298 "2011-02-05T18:34:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![chizzuk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@chizzuk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chizzuk)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2011, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bagging-groceries/570298/21 "2011-02-06T17:54:07Z")
I use self-checkout and a reusable bag, so I bag my own groceries. I haven’t been through the regular line in so long that I don’t know exactly what goes on there, but it seems like it’s set up in a way so only the cashier can do it. ---
**Author:** ![Rand\_Rover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/db5fbb/32.png) [@Rand\_Rover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rand_Rover)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2011, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bagging-groceries/570298/22 "2011-02-06T17:57:17Z")
> [@Maiira](#): > > Now we order the bulk of our groceries online, so they get packed for us and delivered right to our door. Yep! Groceries show up pre-bagged to my house. What a time to be alive. ---
**Author:** ![emmaliminal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7bcc69/32.png) [@emmaliminal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/emmaliminal)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2011, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bagging-groceries/570298/23 "2011-02-06T18:15:33Z")
What service do you online orderers use? ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2011, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bagging-groceries/570298/24 "2011-02-07T01:54:27Z")
I don’t mind bagging my own groceries, if there is no bagger to do the job. That hasn’t happened in recent memory. ---
**Author:** ![Maiira](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f04885/32.png) [@Maiira](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maiira)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2011, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bagging-groceries/570298/25 "2011-02-07T02:42:34Z")
> [@emmaliminal](#): > > What service do you online orderers use? I use [Coborns Delivers](http://www.cobornsdelivers.com/) (formerly Simon Delivers), though this is only available, apparently, in MN. I’m sure there are other services like it elsewhere. ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2011, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bagging-groceries/570298/26 "2011-02-07T03:32:18Z")
Question for those who said they will not bag their own groceries: What if there is no bagger to do it for you? Do you then just stand there waiting after the cashier has rung you up while she then bags the groceries? Doesn’t that make your time in line twice as long? ---
**Author:** ![Rand\_Rover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/db5fbb/32.png) [@Rand\_Rover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rand_Rover)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2011, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bagging-groceries/570298/27 "2011-02-07T03:44:29Z")
> [@emmaliminal](#): > > What service do you online orderers use? PeaPod. ---
**Author:** ![Floater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/dc4da7/32.png) [@Floater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Floater)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2011, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bagging-groceries/570298/28 "2011-02-07T15:42:28Z")
What/Who is this bagger thingie/person you talk about? ---
**Author:** ![Shade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2bfe46/32.png) [@Shade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shade)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2011, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bagging-groceries/570298/29 "2011-02-07T15:58:13Z")
I feel the same about having someone bag groceries for me like having someone wheel me around in a wheelchair: very useful if I’m physically incapable, but I’d feel silly if I just chose to do it. But it’s just cultural expectations, because other people feel the same about things I unhesitatingly pay for like haircuts. In the UK I don’t see dedicated baggers, although now many places the cashier offers to bag, and in many small places the scanned items go straight into a bag so there’s nothing for anyone else to do. But I’m never sure what’s normal. I generally prefer to pack rather than stand there like a lemon with nothing to do (especially because I don’t know in advance which cashiers have the time to pack with heavy things on the bottom and which don’t), but also I’d rather the cashier went ahead and started scanning or bagging if I’m obviously still busy loading things onto the conveyer. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2011, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bagging-groceries/570298/30 "2011-02-08T18:17:53Z")
To get to the bagging area, I’d have to push the cart all the way through to the open area at the end of all of the checkout counters. Then I’d have to push it back into the narrow aisle by the register so it’s not blocking everyone else’s exit path. Of course, as soon as I pushed the cart out so I could get to the bagging area, the person behind me has pushed his/her cart forward and I no longer have a place to put my cart. Then once I’ve finished “helping”, I have to pull the cart back out so I can get back to the little counter to complete the electronic transactions. I think it’s best not to interrupt the cashier’s process and create all that ruckus. My store has these handheld gadgets where you can scan and bag as you shop. I find this causes my trip to take about 3 times as long as usual even if checkout is faster. Needless to say, I don’t do THAT either. No self-checkout unless I’ve only got a few things. Takes far too long - I’ve got to scan a few things, run down and bag them so there’s room for the rest on the belt, etc. NOT worth it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bagging-groceries/570298.md?page=1)