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Sounds like someone is inconvenienced by the question. I happen to live in an area with many seasonal snowbird retirees. I love the tax dollars they bring in.
It's not a single person I am talking about, it is the fact that the weekends are the busiest time in general. Again, everyone has the right to shop when they want. But many busy parents are rushing about to get things done. Shopping is going to be more relaxed M-F. How many working people are likely shopping at Costco on Wednesdays at 2pm?
My local Costco is one of the busiest in the country, and Saturdays and Sundays the busiest of the week by far. The weekdays see less than 50% of the weekend traffic.
I tend to shop or do other things whenever I damn please, I'm sure you can understand that after working over forty years I don't really think I need to cater to anyone, or make any attempt to "stay out of your way." Lump yourself through your working years being inconvenienced, not by us oldies, but the fact that you are still working. Your job is in your way, not me or others. We're all living together, so, waiting while wading in traffic, waiting in the Costco lines, waiting in restaurants, sports events, etc, is the result of there being too many of us, you included.
On another relevant note: I usually tell the younger moms in the checkout line to go in front of me as I am retired and have lots of time. And, as someone who can see the expediency in shopping at less than peak times, I usually don't. I'll politely ask you and other working people to refrain from using the freeways in the early AM when we need to travel and get an early start, but I won't be holding my breath..
I know how mean-spirited this sounds but I have an issue with the Whole-Family-Grocery-Shopping-Adventure.
Isn't there another activity to do as a family that does not involve mass-consumerism? I'd rather stick a fork in my eye than shop with a spouse.
Retirees are just fine; they usually know what they want & get in & get out.
Families clog up an entire aisle & EVERY item invokes a dissertation as to why or why not it would be a good addition to the cart. Add to that the kids with Heelys on, zipping up & down the aisles to throw uninvited yet to be "Tried in the aisle court of wanted items" items into the cart.
Said items are then fished out; one at a time during checkout at which time another Great Debate may occur. If I may add to this; parking lots are not a playground. Shopping carts are not jungle gyms. I have spent years barking "Single-file; behind me" to my kids during the trips where I had no choice but to take them so that we did not become a nuisance but rarely is this favor returned.
Maybe I've just been a mom of many for too long but why grocery shopping is viewed as a family activity is beyond me. For me, at least; the novelty is GONE.
And in New Mexico, grocery shopping is an extended family activity so grandpa and grandma and grandchildren are also along for the ride and families are even larger. Sometimes three or four generations. I don't shop at Walmart (which has bad produce anyway) but go to the better quality grocery stores and often go to the organic oriented stores that are similar to Whole Foods but less expensive. The family crowd is not so attracted to those stores. And it is better for my blood pressure.
Maybe some retirees like the free food samples that are only offered on weekends, at my store anyway.
When I was working and now as a retiree, about the only reason I go to the store on weekends is for beer, wine and snacks for an unanticipated weekend gathering.
I know how mean-spirited this sounds but I have an issue with the Whole-Family-Grocery-Shopping-Adventure.
Isn't there another activity to do as a family that does not involve mass-consumerism? I'd rather stick a fork in my eye than shop with a spouse.
Retirees are just fine; they usually know what they want & get in & get out.
Families clog up an entire aisle & EVERY item invokes a dissertation as to why or why not it would be a good addition to the cart. Add to that the kids with Heelys on, zipping up & down the aisles to throw uninvited yet to be "Tried in the aisle court of wanted items" items into the cart.
Said items are then fished out; one at a time during checkout at which time another Great Debate may occur. If I may add to this; parking lots are not a playground. Shopping carts are not jungle gyms. I have spent years barking "Single-file; behind me" to my kids during the trips where I had no choice but to take them so that we did not become a nuisance but rarely is this favor returned.
Maybe I've just been a mom of many for too long but why grocery shopping is viewed as a family activity is beyond me. For me, at least; the novelty is GONE.
Wow, your grocery store must be different than where I shop. While I do frequently see, what I assume are, young married couples and older retired couples I rarely see any couples in the 30s to 60s range.
I do often see a child or two with a mom or dad just after school gets out but I can't even remember the last time that I saw a "whole-family-grocery-shopping-adventure", as you described it, in the stores where I shop.
We never scheduled grocery shopping for the weekend when we were working and do not now. Due to parking we would actually try to avoid the weekend. We tend to go when we need a few things and if we needed then on the weekend we would go.
I used to work at a grocery store, and at our store 10am Tuesday was the WORST time to come in if you don't like retirees. They'd fill up a coach bus with people from the assisted living facilities and bring them to grocery shop. We used to call it the "Blue Hair Flyer".
Personally, I prefer to shop at the grocery stores DURING the week in the middle of the morning.
Usually, the merchandise managers report to the stores at 7 am and start with their markdowns fairly early. By arriving around 9 am, I have first dibs at the markdowns that will be long gone by the middle of the day.
As far as bad shopping experiences, shopping at any Korean supermarket - especially Super H Mart - is the pits. Some of the women will push their carts against your cart or your person if you get in their way. No apologies or "excuse me" are given. I thought it might just be me but several friends have not experienced the same.
As for the seniors, it varies. If the shoppers are alone, no problem. If they bring their husband, most of whom seem that they have never been to a grocery store, they wander and start getting in the way. It is particularly bad during "snowbird season" where a lot of them have never been in a store.
It is something like this:
Chester: "Mable, look - they have Oreo Cookies here in Arizona." Grabs a package. "Can we buy these?"
Mable: "No Chester, put them back. You know Doctor Olsen doesn't want you eating cookies."
Chester: "He won't know if you don't tell him."
Mable: "I said "PUT THEM BACK! NOW!!!"
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