The “Water Cooler” is a feature on Claycord.com where we ask you a question or provide a topic, and you talk about it.
The “Water Cooler” will be up Monday-Friday in the noon hour.
Does it bother you when people eat or drink items at the grocery store before purchasing them?
Talk about it….
Yes, because 75% of the time they dont pay for it and leave the trash in the aisles or hidden on shelves. People say they always pay for it, but ive watched it happen too many times.
only when they take a lick and put it back
As long as they buy what they drink/eat and don’t put it back.
As long as they place the item in their cart with the intention of paying for it and if the store doesn’t have a problem with it, why should I? Besides, they could be very hungry and can’t wait. People can get quite irritable when they’re hungry and we don’t want any irritable shoppers now, do we?
Ditto…
I do it all the time. I bring my empty wrapper to the check stand and pay for it every time too. Usually it’s to try something so I know if I should get 1 or 5 of that item for the week. I even paid for a lady ‘s donut she ate at safeway but didn’t pay for it. I don’t want prices going up anymore because people don’t pay for the stuff they steal
I’ve eaten food before purchasing as well but I always pay. One time I had a cold/sore throat and for some reason I got some sort of irritation on my throat that was causing me to cough and gag non-stop. I had to run to the store and drink cough syrup in a hurry to get the coughing to stop. It worked and I paid for it, I’m no thief. I don’t mind as long as people pay, I’ve seen other people eat items and pay as well. If you want to try something at Safeway they say all you have to do is ask a store member and they will open a package and let you try the item, you are not obligated to buy. I don’t think they advertise this usually though.
No. I don’t approve of it, but it doesn’t bother me.
It bothers me, but I don’t let it affect me. There’s a difference. I try to focus on things I can control, and I’m well aware that I don’t set store policies, nor am I their mother. I rarely see it, and I just shop – and try to mind my own business. Happy shopping…
Don’t know where some of you are shopping but if you are seeing a lot of that you could change stores. I have been shopping every week for years and years at a Safeway in the Creek and have never seen anyone eating something. Costco is different, there they pass out food. Anyone licking ice cream and putting it back should be jailed.
You would rarely see that in Walnut Creek. People are well manered there. I agree that the woman caught on camera who opened the ice cream, licked it, then closed the container and put it back in the freezer should spend time in jail and be fined. But, they needed to do the same to Ariana Grande for licking the donut on the bakery counter, also caught on camera, with her boyfriend looking on. She was the first, and got away with it without so much as a reprimand. With big name recognition her crass behavior was made widely acceptable to others.
It is illegal to eat food before buying it. A man licked ice cream in a grocery store before buying it and was arrested for food tampering when he posted the video:
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/08/us/ice-cream-licker-jail.html
guess it’s a grocery store not a restaurant
Yes it’s a grocery store not a restaurant
I don’t do it, unless it’s urgent, like my son is desperate for water, but I also believe the store still owns it until I pay for it.
As long as people pay for the item(s) opened or consumer, I’m fine with it. I’ve done this when I’ve been very thirsty and opened a bottle of sparkling water before purchase at checkout.
I never ask for a taste or, or otherwise sample fresh fruits and vegetables, given they have not yet been washed.
It’s kind of a low rent move. While it doesn’t bother me, it does cause me to wonder what else their Mother didn’t teach them. Remember John Belushi’s cafeteria scene in Animal House?
People need to practice a little more impulse control. It can wait until you get to the car.
Not really. I just wonder if these people realize that everything in the store has probably been touched 1000 times. And they are putting stuff in their mouth without washing their hands. Yuck.
This is not Costco food sampling please go somewhere else.
And yes, what the girl did in Texas did to lick the ice cream and put it back in the freezer gets a 20 years in prison.
Well, except she was a juvenile and the police won’t release her name. But I think the boyfriend who aided her was 18
at the dollars store its best to try stuff first.
I’ve never done it…have taught my child to never do it…don’t know anybody who has ever done it and wouldn’t associate with anyone who does it.
I just don’t ever see that. I’m probably too occupied trying to remember what items I specifically came for, if there’s anything good on sale and what I’d want to go with it, what might look super delicious and fresh, and minding my own business. I admit that I’ve opened a fixed price item from my cart to browse on in the checkout line, and payed the cashier for it. They’ve never given any sign of disapproval. Something icky happened to my husband at the Clayton Safeway the other day though. He bought himself a container of rice pudding and was looking forward to having it for desert. When he opened the plastic top, the secondary foil cover was breached and someone had taken a big scoop out. I wonder if they used their fingers or if they came into the store armed with a big spoon. That’s the kind of thing I don’t appreciate. It burns my time and gas to rectify.
Until you pay for it you don’t yet own it and have no claim to it, that was my upbringing. In the practical sense I don’t worry about it because I have no control of what other people do, but it does affect my opinion of them.
Last weekend I stopped at Lucky’s and this 30ish Blonde gal grabs handful of cherries and eats them as she shops. Since you pay by weight on checkout, doubt she paid or had any intention. Wasn’t sampling she didn’t buy any. She just took large handful to eat as she shopped up and down isles same pace as me. No class. Between her and the store but I believe karma finds you. Only good part is that fruit has been handled many times getting to the store not to mention shoppers. Hope she gets sick.
Same store, I saw a woman take a candy bar, unwrap it, and give it to her toddler. She wadded up the wrapper and threw it back on the shelf.
More importantly what did she do with the stems and stones.
I don’t have a problem with it as long as they make sure they pay for it upon check out. Sometimes there are reasons too. Person may be diabetic or have other health issues that require a nibble of something. Like I said as long as they pay for it I’m good with it
Yes. It irritates me. People should develop self control. But like KD says, I just go about my business.
It bothers me…because too many people actually end up paying for it. The worst offenders are seen in the produce section, including the bulk item bins. The bakery section also seems to be fair game.
I’m usually not bothered by parents who open a bag to feed a young child to keep them happy…I get that.
I just did it today 😝
It was so hot and I was very thirsty, so I went straight to the cold beverage section and opened a sparkling lemon water. So refreshing!
After picking up a few more items I paid for everything.
A long time ago I think we opened a box of crackers to snack on. Of course I paid for it with the rest of our purchases.
I know I’m trustworthy, but the store doesn’t. In the future, maybe I should purchase the item first, then continue shopping 🛒, but only if the line is short 😉 🤣
I saw two Mexican men at Food Maxx pop a tall Corona while inline. What the Hell !
Did you mean que demonios?
I do it all the time. Always pay. If I finish the item, I place the wrapper in the cart and scan it.
Never had an issue. First store that bothers me about it looses my business.
Nothing worse than shopping hungry, and the store knows it.
Joe
You eat at home before you go.
It doesn’t bother me. Some people are hypoglycemic and low blood sugar which could hit them any time. Or, like my kids, when they were babies suddenly start screaming to be fed….I forgot to bring a bottle of formula. So, I bought a bottle, water and formula and mixed it right there in the store as I shopped. I spent more than I intended to, but it was a win win for store and consumer.
I have done this with water… very thirsty and paid for it..
I ve also done this with rolaids. Serious heart burn….. again I paid.
I do it often but always pay. Don’t understand how this could bother other people, as long as I pay of course.
I was at Windmill Farms in Danville and their sign said we can sample the cherries! Only put the pits in the little trash bin! So I did. I did not but their cherries but I got the best cherries 🍒 at Costco in Danville. I did not sample theirs either. It would be terrible to pop open the secure packaging. I have seen folks do that and it is aggravating to watch them do that.