BJ's, Oh How I Love to Hate You
You might wonder why I would be doing so much shopping at BJ’s given that I am a “family” of only 2. Well, it’s because we eat at home most nights, love to cook (and drink), and I love to save money. So while it might seem insane for 2 people to purchase 10 pounds of boneless skinless chicken breasts to eat, in reality we use it up in about a month and pay less then half the price the grocery store charges for it. Another upside is their beer and wine prices. Wine from BJ’s you might ask? Well yes, they actually have quite a selection. For instance, we are swill beer drinkers, a 24 pack of American-lite bottles run 14.99, if cans are your thing they are 18 bucks for a 36 pack. And the wine I find at Total Wine for 15.99 a bottle is 7.99 a bottle at BJ’s. On top of that, their frozen “fun” food selection cannot be beat, we enjoy their dumplings, appetizers, etc often.
Anyhow, enough of me trying to defend my BJ’s habit (its only ½ a mile from where I live!!!) there are so many things that annoy me about the store, or more specifically the other customers who shop there. So, I would like other BJ’s shoppers to keep a few things in mind to make everyone’s experience a little more pleasant.
1. Control you kids!
I have no problem with children in any inherent way. But what I do have a problem with is wild children in areas where they might not need to be. For instance, I cannot understand why Mom and Dad would go shopping with all 5 of their children. Why doesn’t one of you stay home with your happy bunch and allow the other a few hours of blissful peace? But regardless, if you must bring your offspring, please try to keep them near you, keep them from knocking down merchandise, kicking other customers, screaming across the store, or otherwise being loud and obnoxious. And please, for the love of god, the aisles are only so wide, if you and your brood insist on standing in a line while walking around the store at least step out of the way if someone walks up. And, if your little tyke kicks me, throws something at me, or yanks my hair or any of my clothing please apologize, we’ll both have a laugh and move on, don’t shoot me a dirty look.
2. Keep near your cart!
There are times I have to leave my cart to grab an item in a place where there is no room for my giant cart. But, it is in normal, reasonable, or a good idea to abandon your cart while you shop for many items aisles away, blocking a large amount of merchandise (and possibly leaving your loved one strapped into the kiddy holder!!!!) while you debate between types of pasta. Take your cart with you, even though I know it is a pain in the butt to drag with you. I am a small female as well, those things are heavy, but thus is life.
3. Realize it’s not a competition!
Please do not race towards the potatoes display in some sort of grocery Olympics in an attempt to get the very best Red Bliss Potatoes you can. There’s about 150 bags of potatoes there, I am sure we can both find what we want. And if we happen to be looking at the same item at the same time, please do not push me out of the way, tell me to give you space, or otherwise make me feel as if it is “your” territory rather then a store open to the public.
4. Respect the item limits!
There are express lanes of several varieties, 6 items (for people just dropping in for a few things) 12 items (for a little shop, but nothing major), and 18 items (maybe for party need?). So, if you have a crammed cart full of crap, you’ll have to use one of the 15 regular lanes. The reason for the express line is that someone like me with 2 boxes of beer, 1 bag of potatoes, and a package of ribs (4 items) does not have to wait in line behind someone doing their monthly stock up. If you have a few extra items, most people don’t care. But don’t push it. So, I was not pleased to get in the 6 item or less express line to find you in front of me with a cart containing no less then 50 items. I was overjoyed that, even though you placed most of your things on the conveyor belt the cashier refused to check you out and insisted that you remove your items and go to a regular register. It was even funnier to watch you cuss and curse that you had been waiting and didn’t want to wait in line again. Well, none of us (with 6 items or less) want to wait for you to check out. This is the quick in and out register, so I am glad your time was wasted, because you care so little about wasting the time of any other people.
Aside from that there are minor annoyances (don’t stand in the middle of the aisle blabbing into your cell phone for example) BJ’s is great. Lets try to just do our shopping, mind our manners, think of others, and generally not be awful humans. Maybe its just bulk shopping that brings out the worse in all of us?
Thanks, FY-
Anyhow, enough of me trying to defend my BJ’s habit (its only ½ a mile from where I live!!!) there are so many things that annoy me about the store, or more specifically the other customers who shop there. So, I would like other BJ’s shoppers to keep a few things in mind to make everyone’s experience a little more pleasant.
1. Control you kids!
I have no problem with children in any inherent way. But what I do have a problem with is wild children in areas where they might not need to be. For instance, I cannot understand why Mom and Dad would go shopping with all 5 of their children. Why doesn’t one of you stay home with your happy bunch and allow the other a few hours of blissful peace? But regardless, if you must bring your offspring, please try to keep them near you, keep them from knocking down merchandise, kicking other customers, screaming across the store, or otherwise being loud and obnoxious. And please, for the love of god, the aisles are only so wide, if you and your brood insist on standing in a line while walking around the store at least step out of the way if someone walks up. And, if your little tyke kicks me, throws something at me, or yanks my hair or any of my clothing please apologize, we’ll both have a laugh and move on, don’t shoot me a dirty look.
2. Keep near your cart!
There are times I have to leave my cart to grab an item in a place where there is no room for my giant cart. But, it is in normal, reasonable, or a good idea to abandon your cart while you shop for many items aisles away, blocking a large amount of merchandise (and possibly leaving your loved one strapped into the kiddy holder!!!!) while you debate between types of pasta. Take your cart with you, even though I know it is a pain in the butt to drag with you. I am a small female as well, those things are heavy, but thus is life.
3. Realize it’s not a competition!
Please do not race towards the potatoes display in some sort of grocery Olympics in an attempt to get the very best Red Bliss Potatoes you can. There’s about 150 bags of potatoes there, I am sure we can both find what we want. And if we happen to be looking at the same item at the same time, please do not push me out of the way, tell me to give you space, or otherwise make me feel as if it is “your” territory rather then a store open to the public.
4. Respect the item limits!
There are express lanes of several varieties, 6 items (for people just dropping in for a few things) 12 items (for a little shop, but nothing major), and 18 items (maybe for party need?). So, if you have a crammed cart full of crap, you’ll have to use one of the 15 regular lanes. The reason for the express line is that someone like me with 2 boxes of beer, 1 bag of potatoes, and a package of ribs (4 items) does not have to wait in line behind someone doing their monthly stock up. If you have a few extra items, most people don’t care. But don’t push it. So, I was not pleased to get in the 6 item or less express line to find you in front of me with a cart containing no less then 50 items. I was overjoyed that, even though you placed most of your things on the conveyor belt the cashier refused to check you out and insisted that you remove your items and go to a regular register. It was even funnier to watch you cuss and curse that you had been waiting and didn’t want to wait in line again. Well, none of us (with 6 items or less) want to wait for you to check out. This is the quick in and out register, so I am glad your time was wasted, because you care so little about wasting the time of any other people.
Aside from that there are minor annoyances (don’t stand in the middle of the aisle blabbing into your cell phone for example) BJ’s is great. Lets try to just do our shopping, mind our manners, think of others, and generally not be awful humans. Maybe its just bulk shopping that brings out the worse in all of us?
Thanks, FY-
posted by First Year at 4:36 PM
4 Comments:
That's so true!! BJ's is only a few miles from me, so I shop there, too (but there are three of us). I don't take my kid; too hard.
I have no idea what BJ's the plac eyour talking ab out is but let me tell ya... I read the title and thought this was an X rated entry!
I had never heard of BJ's either...I too thought this post was going to be a different aspect of being a "2 person family" he he he.
If BJ's is anything like Trader Joe's on a Sunday, I hear ya. Except in SF there aren't too many kids. Just oodles and oodles of smug yuppies, high on their own self-righteousness, giving you a dirty look when you're standing in the way of their organic soy milk.
I'd prefer the kids.
Seriously, I thought "I love BJs, how could anyone not?", and then after reading I thought "ohhh, the store"
Post a Comment
<< Home