# Retail Stupidity **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 9, 2019, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retail-stupidity/836807 "2019-07-09T23:58:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 25
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2020, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retail-stupidity/836807/481 "2020-01-01T19:00:10Z")
> [@StarvingButStrong](#): > > Sorry, call me persnickety, but I don’t want my loaf of italian bread – which is wrapped in a paper bag – stuffed into the same bag with the raw chicken. I worked as a cashier in high school, so when I unload the cart onto the belt, it’s the cold stuff first, (including raw meat), fruits and veggies, canned or bottled stuff, the non-edibles (shampoo, kitty litter, etc), then the bread/potato chips/eggs. It helps me when I get home too because (hopefully) the cold stuff is usually bagged together and when I load everything into the cart to take out to the car the breakable stuff is on top. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2020, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retail-stupidity/836807/482 "2020-01-01T21:27:54Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > I’ve posted it before and will again: Why can’t people grasp the simple concept of shopping… > … This is especially an issue during the holidays because it forces people into stores who literally have no idea how to be a retail customer. They really don’t have any experience, like a Sunday driver vs people who commute to work. Things that seem simple do still require a few passes to understand. “How to shop” isn’t something that has many explicit rules and isn’t formally taught. ---
**Author:** ![Seanette](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/seanette/32/9139_2.png) [@Seanette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seanette)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2020, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retail-stupidity/836807/483 "2020-01-02T02:58:11Z")
I’m compulsive enough that if I’m not at a “bag it yourself” place, I’ll line up a bag, the stuff I want in that one, the next bag, its desired contents, etc. I do insist on grouping items by food/non-food, by temperature, and approximate category (such as snack foods together, breads together, etc.). ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2020, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retail-stupidity/836807/484 "2020-01-02T05:15:21Z")
In March, there will supposedly be no more plastic grocery bags. I can’t help wonder what that is going to be like, and how well it will go. No one here has said anything about it or what to expect. I mean, I’m collecting my store bags and have quite a collection, so I will take a couple of trial run before March. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2020, 8:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retail-stupidity/836807/485 "2020-01-02T08:59:05Z")
> [@Seanette](#): > > I’m compulsive enough that if I’m not at a “bag it yourself” place, I’ll line up a bag, the stuff I want in that one, the next bag, its desired contents, etc. I do insist on grouping items by food/non-food, by temperature, and approximate category (such as snack foods together, breads together, etc.). Speaking as a modern cashier/bagger I have zero problem with that. In fact, I prefer when customers let me know what they want. Although some of my coworkers haven’t figured out how to bag anything, much less bring-your-own-bags. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2020, 11:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retail-stupidity/836807/486 "2020-01-02T11:10:12Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > They are called “blue” because, allegedly, Sabbath regulations in Connecticut were printed and distributed on blue paper way back in the day. [All you never wanted to know about blue laws.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_law) > [@](#): > > Contrary to popular belief, there is no evidence that blue laws were originally printed on blue paper. Rather, the word blue was used in the 17th century as a disparaging reference to rigid moral codes and those who observed them, particularly in blue-stocking, a reference to Oliver Cromwell’s supporters in the parliament of 1653. > [@excavating\_for\_a\_mind](#): > > Blue laws were always more about limiting competition than any moral codes. Cite? ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2020, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retail-stupidity/836807/487 "2020-01-02T11:32:06Z")
> [@salinqmind](#): > > In March, there will supposedly be no more plastic grocery bags. I can’t help wonder what that is going to be like, and how well it will go. No one here has said anything about it or what to expect. I mean, I’m collecting my store bags and have quite a collection, so I will take a couple of trial run before March. The cloth ones last a lot longer than a crappy plastic bag, anyway. I did once accidentally find myself without a bag at a place that had no plastic or any other type of bag for sale, and let’s just say not all the jars made it home intact. ---
**Author:** ![saje](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saje/32/3631_2.png) [@saje](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/saje)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2020, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retail-stupidity/836807/488 "2020-01-02T12:06:26Z")
> [@Seanette](#): > > I’m compulsive enough that if I’m not at a “bag it yourself” place, I’ll line up a bag, the stuff I want in that one, the next bag, its desired contents, etc. I do insist on grouping items by food/non-food, by temperature, and approximate category (such as snack foods together, breads together, etc.). I do the same. Big insulated bag down first, with all the cold items behind it. Then a pile of regular bags, then all the rest of the stuff grouped by what I don’t mind being put together (boxes, cans, shampoo/detergent etc.). At the very end are things I don’t want squished or bruised. Avocados cannot go in with cans, people! And eggs in a styrofoam carton are a lot tougher than ripe mangoes, dammit. Mostly it works, though I do often have to convince the checker/bagger that I can carry more than 2 cans in a bag. Really, heavy is ok! ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2020, 12:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retail-stupidity/836807/489 "2020-01-02T12:17:28Z")
I don’t know that blue laws were _always_ more about competition than moral codes but they seem to have become that way. There used to be blue laws that didn’t pertain to business - for example, in some places it was illegal to _play_ sports on Sundays ( not just professional games ) and in others you couldn’t mow your lawn or do other sorts of home maintenance on Sundays ( all day, not there there were specified quiet hours that apply every day). I suppose those might still exist, but you don’t hear about them anymore. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2020, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retail-stupidity/836807/490 "2020-01-02T21:34:46Z")
> [@saje](#): > > I do the same. Big insulated bag down first, with all the cold items behind it. Then a pile of regular bags, then all the rest of the stuff grouped by what I don’t mind being put together (boxes, cans, shampoo/detergent etc.). At the very end are things I don’t want squished or bruised. Avocados cannot go in with cans, people! And eggs in a styrofoam carton are a lot tougher than ripe mangoes, dammit. > > Mostly it works, though I do often have to convince the checker/bagger that I can carry more than 2 cans in a bag. Really, heavy is ok! The baggers at the store where I shop are just the opposite. I have five or six reusable bags that I take to the store, and most times I wind up with two or three bags weighing 50 lbs each, and then a bunch of empties. I’ve had to start explicitly telling them “I brought six bags! Use them all!” ---
**Author:** ![Zyada](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zyada/32/3028_2.png) [@Zyada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zyada)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2020, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retail-stupidity/836807/491 "2020-01-02T22:54:53Z")
> [@Shoeless](#): > > The baggers at the store where I shop are just the opposite. I have five or six reusable bags that I take to the store, and most times I wind up with two or three bags weighing 50 lbs each, and then a bunch of empties. I’ve had to start explicitly telling them “I brought six bags! Use them all!” Do they give you a credit for using your own bags? Mom was convinced that they did this to save money because they were giving credit when you used your own bag ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2020, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retail-stupidity/836807/492 "2020-01-03T20:59:35Z")
> [@DPRK](#): > > The cloth ones last a lot longer than a crappy plastic bag, anyway. I did once accidentally find myself without a bag at a place that had no plastic or any other type of bag for sale, and let’s just say not all the jars made it home intact. I meant the cloth bags, I’m collecting those, not the flimsy plastic they’re going to quit making… I read 100 BILLION plastic bags are thrown away every year, only 1-3% are recycled! :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2020, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retail-stupidity/836807/493 "2020-01-05T18:17:41Z")
My granddaughter and her husband were out here for Christmas. He’s a low-level manager for Papa Murphy’s pizza. He was recently called up front to deal with an irate customer who was furious to discover when he got home that his pizza hadn’t been cooked. :rolleyes: He was told that the franchise model was “take and bake”, and in fact that was right on the sign out front. The guy then told him that “That’s no way to run a business!” and stormed out. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2020, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retail-stupidity/836807/494 "2020-01-05T19:23:09Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > My granddaughter and her husband were out here for Christmas. He’s a low-level manager for Papa Murphy’s pizza. He was recently called up front to deal with an irate customer who was furious to discover when he got home that his pizza hadn’t been cooked. :rolleyes: He was told that the franchise model was “take and bake”, and in fact that was right on the sign out front. The guy then told him that “That’s no way to run a business!” and stormed out. Hell, it’s even in their commercials. “We make it, you bake it.” Anyone who thinks they’re getting a baked pizza like from Domino’s or Pizza Hut just isn’t paying attention. ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2020, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retail-stupidity/836807/495 "2020-01-05T19:34:00Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > My granddaughter and her husband were out here for Christmas. He’s a low-level manager for Papa Murphy’s pizza. He was recently called up front to deal with an irate customer who was furious to discover when he got home that his pizza hadn’t been cooked. :rolleyes: He was told that the franchise model was “take and bake”, and in fact that was right on the sign out front. The guy then told him that “That’s no way to run a business!” and stormed out. The guy was obviously wrong about it being no way to run a business and was an ass to storm out - but I don’t think he’s necessarily stupid for not knowing that this chain was “take and bake” even if it was on the sign out front (especially if you’re talking about the logo - I don’t think most people read the logo). I had never even heard of a “take and bake” chain\* until this post , and upon looking it seems that there are only three chains- the other two are Figaro’s and Nick N Willy’s , both of which offer baked pizzas at some ( if not all) locations. In the extremely unlikely\*\* event that I decided to stop at a pizzeria in an area with Papa Murphy’s stores, it would never have occurred to me that the pizza wouldn’t be baked. - I’ve seen “take and bake” pizzas in supermarkets and fundraisers but never at a pizzeria. I mean, I’m sure I could ask Dominic at my local pizzeria to prepare pizzas for me to bake , but it’s certainly not the norm. \*\* I know from experience that I tend not to like pizza outside of the Northeast or from chains anywhere. ---
**Author:** ![Personal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Personal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Personal)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2020, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retail-stupidity/836807/496 "2020-01-05T19:41:04Z")
> [@salinqmind](#): > > I meant the cloth bags, I’m collecting those, not the flimsy plastic they’re going to quit making… I read 100 BILLION plastic bags are thrown away every year, only 1-3% are recycled! :eek: Our recycling company won’t take them. We switched to cloth/canvas a couple of years ago. ---
**Author:** ![Doug\_K](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5ac83/32.png) [@Doug\_K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_K)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2020, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retail-stupidity/836807/497 "2020-01-05T20:08:20Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > My granddaughter and her husband were out here for Christmas. He’s a low-level manager for Papa Murphy’s pizza. He was recently called up front to deal with an irate customer who was furious to discover when he got home that his pizza hadn’t been cooked. :rolleyes: He was told that the franchise model was “take and bake”, and in fact that was right on the sign out front. The guy then told him that “That’s no way to run a business!” and stormed out. I wouldn’t yell at the staff, but I tried Papa Murphy’s once. Never again. Restaurant prices, but grocery store frozen pizza quality. I can get better quality pizza already cooked for less money and ready to eat in less time at any number of local places. Even Little Caesar’s makes a better pizza. ---
**Author:** ![DummyGladHands](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/49beb7/32.png) [@DummyGladHands](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DummyGladHands)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2020, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retail-stupidity/836807/498 "2020-01-05T23:57:26Z")
I would like to know why grocery stores don’t allow tipping. When I need help getting a cart out to my car and unloaded properly into my trunk, I want to tip the guy or woman who helps. Like once a month when I buy all my heavy staples on senior discount day, I’ve got 12 big bottles of water for the coffee, a couple cases of drinking water, 3 giant bottles of detergent, 6 gallons of vinegar, soda for a month, etc etc. ---
**Author:** ![lingyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d2c977/32.png) [@lingyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lingyi)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2020, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retail-stupidity/836807/499 "2020-01-06T01:50:51Z")
I’m sure I’m missing some efficiency factor here, but I went to McDonald’s last week after complaining about my last visit at another location. I walk in at lunchtime. Short line, but only three cash registers (two at the last place and much longer, slower line), but only two cashiers. Kisok next the register counter is out of order. Okay, I get though in a fair amount of time. Get my food and go upstairs to eat and see two guys who came in after me had ordered a working kisok and had their number tents on the table. Halfway through my meal before someone brings up their order. So…counter is understaffed, main kiosk is down, someone [in this case one of the cashiers] has to deliver the order to the two guys who ordered a working kiosk and it took longer for them to get their food than if they ordered at the counter. This is better? I understand there’s a cost savings in staffing, but more efficient? ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2020, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retail-stupidity/836807/500 "2020-01-06T03:00:00Z")
> [@doreen](#): > > The guy was obviously wrong about it being no way to run a business and was an ass to storm out - but I don’t think he’s necessarily stupid for not knowing that this chain was “take and bake” even if it was on the sign out front (especially if you’re talking about the logo - I don’t think most people read the logo). I had never even heard of a “take and bake” chain\* until this post , and upon looking it seems that there are only three chains- the other two are Figaro’s and Nick N Willy’s , both of which offer baked pizzas at some ( if not all) locations. In the extremely unlikely\*\* event that I decided to stop at a pizzeria in an area with Papa Murphy’s stores, it would never have occurred to me that the pizza wouldn’t be baked. > > - I’ve seen “take and bake” pizzas in supermarkets and fundraisers but never at a pizzeria. I mean, I’m sure I could ask Dominic at my local pizzeria to prepare pizzas for me to bake , but it’s certainly not the norm. > > \*\* I know from experience that I tend not to like pizza outside of the Northeast or from chains anywhere. The pizza is wrapped in plastic and handed to you over the counter. Even the most distracted person would realize that what he’s holding is not even warm, let alone hot. As for pizzas outside of the Northeast, there is a place about six blocks from my house that has honest-to-god New York 18" pizzas. And yes, I’ve eaten pizza in NYC many times. It even comes close to matching the Bocce Club pizza we had in Buffalo this past October, and that’s saying something. 🙂 **Doug K.** : I totally agree with you about PM’s pizza. Tried it twice, never again. It would only have been once, but we went to our neighbor’s place for dinner at one point, and that’s what they served. It was every bit as bad as the first time. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retail-stupidity/836807.md?page=24) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/retail-stupidity/836807.md?page=26)