So, my trip to grocery today

[SheltieLover]

I've been holed up for weeks & have only bn out twice.

I'd bn thinking of getting a huge precooked ham to boil. Scratch that. No longer $1.39/lb, rather $4/lb.

So, as I was standing there taking this in, a nice lady who was maintaining appropriate distance smiled from.around her mask & said, "Oh, I'm trying to figure out what to plan for Easter."

Now, when I enter a likely highly-toxic environ, my goal is in & out asap, not shoot the shit.

My reply: "Fuck Easter! I'm in survival mode!"

Her:



Priceless.

That saud, ya shitbag Kroger is price gouging big time. 3 lbs potatoes =$7!

"Cheap" eggs $1.99/ doz.

Everything was marked up.

Very very little meat, produce, chocolate 😢. Zero pasta. Real shit show.

Constant social distancing audio recording playing over & over. Employees not distancing from each other or customers.

No marks on floors where to stand in line, plexiglass shields for cashiers, masks, or gloves on employees.

So, if you wonder "Why?" about the hotspots in south, this is it.

We have 1 tiny store that they could not keep stocked pre-pandemic. Next closest is about 15 miles.

Also the store whose meat is often rotten because it's so expensive. I've literally seen burger there as gray as the roads. Almost got sick instantly when I saw it.

Wonder if ham lady has recovered yet? Surprised I didn't get the ysyal, "You must be from up north, cuz you say what you mean!"

Oh, & paper products section so empty I think they sucked the dust off the shelves. No limits on anything either. I was there about 30 min aftrr opening this morning, so guessing some jerk bought every paper goods product in the store. 🤬 surreal.

[Ohiogal]

1. Oh, yuck.

Sorry you had such a bad experience... these are trying times, to be sure.

Your comment about Easter made me laugh, though!

Stores here are pretty well stocked. Lots of meat, eggs, milk. A few things are hit and miss, like canned soup (which I don’t use anyway) and prepackaged cold cuts.

Although most stores are still out of toilet paper ....

[SheltieLover]

46. Hi Ohio

So glad you got a laugh! That was my intention in posting about my strange encounter then, like others have done, I decided to post about store conditions & put it in context.
What I failed to do, though, was to include the gestures & nuances the woman conveyed, although not stated, that led me to believe she was planning a large gathering, which is what I was really reacting to. Although a spontaneous reaction, my statement was pointed towards the intention to forget holiday gatherings & take this seriously.

If I knew her or saw her again & recognized her, I might apologize & try to explain. 😊

I am a very high risk population person with tremendous family responsibilities, so I don't take grocery shopping as an opportubity to socialize. It's literally cut to the chase. 👍

[Grasswire2]

2. I've waited a week for my Kroger delivery window.

Due here at midnight Saturday night -- the only time I could get.

Last night their insta-cart delivery service web site crashed.

They took my money, but can't confirm the delivery now.

A big, big order to last the month.

[mitch96]

3. I'm fortunate here in So Fla.. The small local Spanish grocery store has everything

Meat, dairy, veg, pasta, beans and TP!!!
m

[Flaleftist]

4. So when you talk about price gouging, are you talking about price for the same brands?

The generics may have sold out and what is left may be organic or certain brands that will cost a lot more. That doesn't mean the retailer is charging more than what they would normally charge for the same thing.

[SheltieLover]

7. It was for identical products

But ty for your input. Last time I went, only really expensive bread was available but it's always expensive. This was different.

[Flaleftist]

10. Any retailer jacking up prices needs to be called out and looked at for prosecution.

Major retailers around here are keeping prices the same and setting quantity limits for customers.

[spooky3]

5. Ventured out to Target and the grocery this week. Scary.

At Target, people were not respecting the 6 foot distance, all over the store, even though it was not crowded. There were no wipes for carts or hands at the entrance or anywhere near. Very disappointing; this is one of their most profitable stores. There was no plexiglas but the cashier did wear a mask and gloves. On the way home, I heard on the radio that Target's management was going to increase the protections but didn't catch what they were.

At the grocery, pre-virus, there were always wipes near the entrance, for you to use on your hands and carts. But this week, the stand and wipes were gone. Huh? I did not see employees cleaning things while I shopped. Other shoppers also were not respecting the 6 foot distance. The cashier had a plexiglas shield, but it wasn't large. She did not wear gloves or a mask.

No paper products at either place, except the grocery had paper towels. Fortunately, I have a pretty good supply, for now, but want to buy a week's worth each time I shop to keep up. Guess I will have to get there at opening to have a chance.

[aikoaiko]

8. It helps to go first thing when the store opens on a Tues - Friday morning

I get to my Kroger 20 min before it opens and get almost everything I want because they restocked what they could at night.

Even Charmin 2-ply mega rolls.

[jberryhill]

9. So you cussed out some stranger just for speaking to you

Nice.

[Raine]

22. I know, seems like that was totally uncalled for

I don't understand being so rude to someone who made a friendly comment.

[SheltieLover]

11. Thx!

I was early, but not before they opened. Empty paper products might be because 2 warehouse workers have been diagnosed. Who knows?

This store wasn't well stocked before covid. Seriously never know if you can buy a bag of chips or whatever when you walk in.

Glad you got your Charmin! Good hunt!

[RicROC]

12. smaller stores

I find that the smaller ethnic stores have many of the foods for the pantry: coffee, rice, beans, meats, spices, pastries, etc.

Check out the spanish, caribbean, ethiopian, asian and arab stores....and help them out during this crisis.

[SheltieLover]

13. Ty!

There are no such places here, sadly. 1 small Kroger. Next closest is 15 mi away in red hot zone.

But i have tp. lol

Unlike Dear Leader, I could see the headlights coming throygh the tunnel & stocked up way before tp was an issue.

[Steelrolled]

14. I haven't notice any price increases yet at Kroger.

Fortunately, stocking has been good (besides TP and some disinfectants)

[SheltieLover]

15. Glad to hear!

👍

[bullwinkle428]

16. I'm so sorry you don't have an Aldi convenient to you - they were GIVING AWAY BREAD

when I was in the store today!! I didn't take any, as I have plenty right now in a household of one. They've actually had some deep discounts on things I buy regularly, like bread and produce. Of course, the toilet paper is still out, but they're doing quite well with everything else.

[SheltieLover]

17. We do, but all the Aldis are in red hot zones here

I love Aldi & pretty mucch shop there exclusively. Afraid to go into hot areas now - more populated = more infections. 💔

I awakebed to that thought yesterday 😢

Cool they were discounting & giving bread away!

TY for suggestion!

[hardluck]

18. I've noticed people being friendlier now

But as your story demonstrates, that’s not universal.

[SheltieLover]

19. No desire to chit chat in virus infested stew

[Tanuki]

37. No need to cuss at her, though.

[Raine]

23. Seems to have brought out the worst

in the OP.

[cwydro]

24. Indeed.

People are usually nice here and still are.

Haven’t had much of a problem finding things in the stores. And most restaurants are open for delivery or pick up.

[quickesst]

33. +1

[demmiblue]

28. Same here.

A little bit of kindness goes a long way.

I am not going to let this pandemic turn me into an asshole!

[quickesst]

34. +1

[Sewa]

20. I don't know if I'm just lucky or what

but every time I’ve been shopping lately, there has been a drunk senior milling around the store. They don’t give a damn about keeping a safe distance. I was in the checkout line tonight and had one ram his cart into my ass. I’m starting to lose my patience with these fools.

[SheltieLover]

21. Grrrrr

Aren't you ni e to be so patient?

I'm not. Keep your fkn distance. lol

[cwydro]

25. Why curse at a stranger tying to be nice?

If you don’t want to chat, then don’t, but a smile can’t hurt?

You never know what any person might be going through at that time; really it’s not that hard to be kind.

[ananda]

26. It's getting crazy.

This morning I was going to go to a grocery store,
but then I learned that one of their employees got
the virus.

Luckily, I was able to shop online and finally get a
delivery set for this Monday. Whew

[dem4decades]

27. I know not every one has access to one but Costco Rules. A great company that for members is now

beloved. Senior hours on designated days, rules against overbuying, clearly marked distances for lines, and Plexiglas protection for workers.

Well stocked, only things out of stock was baby wipes and clorox wipes.

[Andy823]

30. I agree with you

but I wonder how they can rack up hundreds of posts a day and still have time to go to the store?

[jberryhill]

32. Lol

Voice recognition on a smartphone?

Might explain the typing, too.

[Andy823]

35. I was leaning more

towards the multiple personality scenario.

[Tipperary]

47. It is certainly interesting.

Is it not?

[cwydro]

40. I was wondering what the substitution of the vowel U with a Y was all about?

[cwydro]

39. Excellent question!

[Aquaria]

31. So sorry you're stuck

With a suck-ass store, and an even worse local government that is too cheap and toadying to the rich to enact and enforce a price-gouging statute.

Every American deserves to have elected officials who care about their residents’ health and their consumer rights enough to make hard choices and be honest enough to give them the hard truth when they must.

Everyone deserves to have their local grocery chain care as much about the community they serve and future good will as they do about profits.

It breaks my heart that good and decent people like you don’t have either in this, the richest country on earth. If we had a real leader at the top, and not a money-grubbing traitor with thousands of equally vile and treasonous sycophants egging him on, you and your community wouldn’t be enduring bullshit like this.

[quickesst]

36. Well.......

I don't think social distancing will be a problem for you long after this crisis is over.

[cwydro]

38. Lol!

[ProfessorGAC]

41. The Ham Price Is A Shock

I saw a small presliced ham for $1.29 a pound here! I think it was 3+ pounds, cuz it was about $4.20.
It was really good too, so it wasn't cheap because it was crappy.

[BeyondGeography]

42. 24 recs for this compendium of obnoxiousness and self-pity

[cwydro]

45. Yeah, I rarely look to see who recs OPs, but this time I did.

The OP was one of them!

[MineralMan]

43. Well, that was very revealing.

Yes, indeed.

[Tipperary]

44. You seem nice.