I just hate going to Kroger...

[snapping turtle]

Meijer has better produce and deli items than most of the others. They used to carry Tekton tools (another Michigan company ) but I see crapman tools now. “The prices are much higher at meijer.” Should be the slogan.
Kroger was on the upswing after taking out Marsh but some of the stores now look outdated and well dirty. The new super Kroger seem neat and clean.
costco gets my bulk purchases but to fill a shopping list mean going to another store to finish off. ALDI has the fastest rotting vegetables known to exist. ALDI used to be my bulk store. Have not put a quarter in a cart for some time now.

 

[rhamersley]

We have three Krogers within 10 minutes of our house. We won't go to the Avon one anymore because it's basically Indy west nowadays, and Plainfield seems to be laid out kinda weird. So, when I go I hit Danville. It's a little smaller, but has what I need and is usually not real busy, especially early Sunday morning when I normally end up going.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

I like my Kroger. It's one of the older ones that hasn't been turned into a rat maze. Easy to find stuff (although yeah sometimes they're out of even sale items... on the first day of the sale). Pretty much split my shopping between them and Aldi.

 

[TD12]

I get out much quicker which is saving me time. Enjoy waiting in line. I'll be out with my family

I prefer using the self checkout as well, because I don't want some scabby looking person fondling my food. I am sure there are plenty along the supply chain, however to watch someone do it just bothers me.

Secondly, I shop at Meijer and use the shop and scan function on the app. While shopping, I bag my groceries and then at the checkout I scan a QR code and pay at the quick trip kiosk. I don't have to wait around in line and I also don't bring home 50 plastic bags that I will then store in my pantry for the next 20 years.

 

[Hoosier Cowboy]

I'm to the point that I HATE going grocery shopping. Wether it's Walmart, Kroger or whoever it's always the same situation. 200 people lined up and 2 registers opened. Self checkout requires card only and I went there to shop, not get a PT job. I hate it but lately we use the grocery pickup option so we don't have to deal with the lines and other drama. I go to our local IGA to get meat and produce that I don't trust the "Walmart shoppers" to pick out. Sadly our local IGA doesn't have much of a selection or I'd proudly do all our shopping with the small hometown folks.

 

[foszoe]

Wish I could find the little Hispanic ladies. The ladies at the check-out counter in some krogers are often not ladies.

Self-checkouts are problematic for me. Reading glasses on/off, on/off, on/off hunting for barcodes and reading screens presents a coordination problem on top of a security issue.

I doubt the self-checkout would be a way to go with a rain check anyway?

I don't know why Krogers, Walmart, et al don't require 3 or 4 UPC labels like Aldis if they want us to do the work. Well ok, money.

 

[bobjones223]

Sooooo....Call me old and crotchety but I still REFUSE to use the self checkout! Reasons stated below!

1) They first came into affect in 2008-2009 during the last economic crises as a way to cut operating costs but I still didn't notice the price of things go down eventhough we let 25% of the people go?

2) These are jobs that CANNOT be outsourced to a foreign county.

3) Eliminating self checkout would help shut down the government from paying people to stay home! As soon as all the big retail stores can't find butts to put behind registers to sell their products because of all the "Free Money" currently being paid out. I would imagine the "stimulus" cash would be cut off....or their "election contributions" (bribes) would be cut off.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

1) They first came into affect in 2008-2009

They've been in use since at least 2000 where I am.

 

[4651feeder]

I'm to the point that I HATE going grocery shopping.... I hate it but lately we use the grocery pickup option so we don't have to deal with the lines and other drama...

Been using a "Groceries To Go' format for quite some time and while it's not perfect, I kinda like it.
Been told some of the kids staffing "my" store often take a "Nose Goes" approach to pushing the cart to car, what they don't realize is people like me are contributing to their job security.

Stopped shopping Walmart, Meijer, and Kroger meat dept long ago due to what I consider unpleasant smells.

 

[bwframe]

They've been in use since at least 2000 where I am.

I'm not sure on the date, but CVS was the first to start the self-checkout baloney down here, way before any others.

I remember the ordeal well, laying my stuff down and walking by the nice manager saying he would help me with the self checkout. NO thank you!

Years later, when some odd thing put me back in that CVS, the self checkout section was closed off, collecting dust.

I never go to CVS in the present day, so I couldn't attest to what they do now. I used to be a regular customer of their's though, if that says anything.

 

[bwframe]

I buy my meat and dairy at Kroger.

Only buy their meat when its a sale. I try to keep a pretty good dairy stock so that my Kroger trips are justified with a pretty large large haul of dairy and sale meat. Yesterdays haul was 50# of pork shoulder. 10# of on sale butter and a big tub of cottage cheese.

I'll be good for a few weeks, more if they don't have any decent sales. I can stretch and adapt my diet to skip a dairy item or two, if need be.

Kroger has effectively run me away, except for the ultimate can't pass up sale items. I hardly ever buy anything from their center isles.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

I'm not sure on the date, but CVS was the first to start the self-checkout baloney down here, way before any others.

I remember the ordeal well, laying my stuff down and walking by the nice manager saying he would help me with the self checkout. NO thank you!

Years later, when some odd thing put me back in that CVS, the self checkout section was closed off, collecting dust.

I never go to CVS in the present day, so I couldn't attest to what they do now. I used to be a regular customer of their's though, if that says anything.

I've never seen it at a CVS. I only remember 2000, because I had a friend visiting from Australia, and they didn't have them down there. She was fascinated when I took her to Kroger and we went through the self-scan lane. She thought it was amazing.

 

[Ark]

KroGucci in Bloomington was awful. Every time I went, I left without items on my list due to being OOS.

Kroger also jumped on covid as an excuse to get rid of overnight hours, which was a real "screw you" to shift workers like me.

 

[armalitesheepdog]

Meijer has the best check out deal. You do have to put a app on your phone (I know) ButThen you can scan your groceries as you shop with your phone and bag them as you go. When you get to the self check out you scan the code on that register. It downloads your whole order. The cashier comes over and pulls 5 random items from your cart to make sure you scanned them. Insert your debit credit card and walk out the door with your pre bagged groceries.
I find it very cool to not have to load cart unload at checkout then bag everything.
When you get there its all done just pay and go....
And no I do not work for Meijer...LOL

 

[Hoosier Cowboy]

Meijer has the best check out deal. You do have to put a app on your phone (I know) ButThen you can scan your groceries as you shop with your phone and bag them as you go. When you get to the self check out you scan the code on that register. It downloads your whole order. The cashier comes over and pulls 5 random items from your cart to make sure you scanned them. Insert your debit credit card and walk out the door with your pre bagged groceries.
I find it very cool to not have to load cart unload at checkout then bag everything.
When you get there its all done just pay and go....
And no I do not work for Meijer...LOL

Didn't Wally World try that for a very short time?

 

[femurphy77]

Home Depot has no cashiers of late. When the lady that runs the checkouts sees me I. Line she just comes over now and checks me out. She knows I am just going to hit the help me button anyway.

Same here; I guess the machines know I don't like them as I've never had a transaction at HD that didn't require human intervention. If there isn't a human operated checkout available I always ask them to ring me out personally because I'm . . . you know. . . special. Not Unicorn Special I know but "special" special.

 

[femurphy77]

Didn't Wally World try that for a very short time?

Sam's Club is doing it, fairly successfully I might add although they tend to scan every item in my cart at the exit door. Somewhat defeats the purpose but still better than standing in line to pay.

 

[BE Mike]

I don't mind checkout folks talking, but there are limits. I usually ask them how they are. If they respond negatively, I usually try to say something to make them feel a little bit better. Although there is no excuse for treating customers rudely, you haven't really lived until you worked retail sales and dealt with the public. It tends to open one's eyes!

 

[two70]

Darn it sounds like I miss out on a lot of fun drama by avoiding the stores altogether with grocery pickup. Sure there's a bit of drama on the occasional weird attempted substitution or short dated product but its just not the same.

 

[Leo]

I suppose it is less convenient in the long run, but I buy a fair amount of my groceries at a small privately owned meat store and a couple other smaller stores. THEY are GLAD to wait on me. I may spend a little more, but I think I get better quality meat. I also don't have to walk through 40 acres of fake food that no one should eat to find my 6 food items.

I figure dealing with the stress of poor employees working for poor management to save a few bucks, takes far more out of my life than I save.