I was having a bad day and this poor girl cashier asked me a similar question, to which I replied "to hell with them"....There were people in line behind me that heard me say this...it got very silent and I received several dirty looks, but for some odd reason I walked out feeling a little happier. I think I am a little twisted. I do donate to charities but on my time in my way, I think this is a personal choice and does not belong when / where I am buying milk and gas....it is completely inappropriate for them to ask. But I digress...
More accurately, the leftist bureaucrats and politicians that created, covered up, and then weaponized covid via authoritarian policies of surveillance and control broke society.
My favorite is the waitstaff standing over you while the card machine is interrogating you for a tip which only gives 20% or higher options unless you are so rude as to go through the menu to fine an option to tip what they actually deserve for their non-smiling slow service and lack of knowledge of their own menu performance. I’m sometimes amazed when I run into a professional server who is simply doing what we used to consider baseline competence. We are to blame for accepting all of this.
When did the “appropriate “ tip become 30%—especially now, when restaurant prices are 35%-50% higher than they used to be? It takes no more skill to deliver a $15 plate of fish & chips than a $10 plate of fish & chips. And note that their “suggested” amount expects you to tip on the tax, too. Nope.
I move the decimal on the before-tax subtotal one place to the left (10%), then double it (20%), then add or subtract for their actual quality of service. Winds up being 15% to 25% if the service was acceptable. A buck or no tip if not.
I might add that in (most?) other countries, tips are not expected though appreciated (more than in the U.S.). Custom is to round up to the next Euro or so (1000 pesos in Argentina) but watch the touristy places that add a separate service charge (typically 10%). Milage in different countries vary.
There is a grocery store, mostly in the southern states, called Publix. Every time I go in there I’m looking for something. I stop to ask the nearest stocking clerk where I can find x. He immediately stops what he is doing and say “let me take you there”. I am left stunned yet greatly appreciative that there is a decent store that actually has employees around to help out if you need it. It’s called service and I will pay the extra dollar to be led by the nose if need be. Great article by the way.
Yep, Publix is great, but unless you’re buying their BOGOs, it’s much higher priced than Winn-Dixie, Aldi, and Walmart. Love their $5 sushi Wednesday sale, though.
Where I live, one of the larger grocery chains is REWE. At the nearest store, it used to have 5 counters with check-out employees, now only one is left. The middle section was replaced with 6 self-scanners and one person to help when the system wouldn't work right.
In Ohio, every checkout lady has one or more of the following: Purple/Blue hair, Covid mask, or a "snot hoop." Tell me, someone, how a 65-year-old overweight woman thinks dying her hair bright purple is somehow a good choice. I seriously want to know, because it's an epidemic.
I initially felt the same............... BUT, sometimes I like to buy the vegetables that usually don't have the "bar code", and then I like to include maybe a 6 pack or 2 of some beers. The vegetable thing has been somewhat improved in my area with #1-adding a scanner code thing to the item, and #2, better CUSTOMER SERVICE to help the actual customer buying their SHIT. Now with the wine/beer thing.................... good gawd....... I swear, like a 20'ish something aged "manager" would come up, look at me (I'm about 60) and without a hint of sarcasm, ask me why I'm buying what I put in my cart.......... Uh........ whut???
So bottom line here is that with "self checkout", my experience is that they treat you as the prior felon as the checkout-ee. I used to go to the self checkouts, but totally avoid them now. I'll wait in a 15 min+ line to avoid the self checkout machine glitches, karen managers demanding I produce something (ID or whatever), or waiting for an "ID check" for my wine/beer when I look literally like I should be having someone else shop for me.
I look for codes as I shop, so if an item lookup issue arises, I enter the code for the $2.39/lb dog shit from the bulk food area. Trouble is the device says "$2.39 Dog Shit" instead of the item I'm sneaking through at $12.99/lb for chicken necks and backs. May the pimple faced kid watching 6 of us at once won't notice...
Thst doesn’t work at Costco because the self-checkout can’t keep up with me. They have a weighing platform that verifies the weight of the item against what was rung up. The problem is that their platform can’t settle before I scan the next item. So I scan and place, scan and place, then it says, “Place your scanned item on the platform” as I scan and place a couple more items. Then it says, “Unload items from the platform and rescan your items.” I called the guard and showed him how I scan. He says, “You’re going faster than the checkout can keep up.” “Not my problem.” Then he reached below the screen and pulls a scanning wand from behind a door, scans my stuff, and put it back into my cart. No weighing when using the wand. I’ll use the wand myself next time.
Don't cross the Rays. WHY? Imagine the end of all life as we know it, and every molecule in your body exploding at the speed of light. Total protonic reversal. Important safety tip, thanks Egon...
True, but there’s also a big difference in the level of customer service in places like New York and Philadelphia and a nice suburb in a red state. Plus, paying for a bag is not common but it is a sure sign you’re in a progressive hell hole.
I live in a medium size town, shop at a smaller chain grocery store where they do know me and are nearly always kind and helpful. Post office employees chat with me about weather and the traffic. Local restaurants are friendly and the food is pretty good. I learned from my son to ask peoples in the service industry how their day is going and be interested in the answer. I flew this week through JFK and DFW, Capital One lounges were great and yes we had to wait a while to get in but the app has a reservation feature that is great. The commenters here are pretty annoyed, but just a thought, big cities are tough places to live; and kindness will mostly smooth your path exponentially better than anger and snark.
When I started my contracting business in the 80s in Orange County, CA there were about ten places I bought supplies from and they all knew my name after 2 or 3 visits. They took an interest in me, even if it was a feigned interest they acted like they were glad to see me. They would go out of their way to get stuff delivered or fix occasional mistakes. And it really paid off in loyalty, buying supplies over a 40 year span. A couple years ago we moved to another state and I've been remodeling our house. In that time I've patronized the local building supply at least 60 or 70 times and they still don't know who I am! Just glassy-eyed employees who may as well be replaced by bots. They're convenient because they're a few blocks away but they lose my loyalty on the big orders when the Lowe's two hours away can beat their price by 20 percent.
Modern society is forcing us into quantum positions in multiple arenas (social media, grocery self-checkout, etc.): you're the customer, product, AND employee / serf.
Legit! And for the record, Centurion Lounges used to be the cat’s pajamas (still are at Heathrow T3 @ 0630..) but the lines and crowds now are just insane!!
Back about 15 years ago or os I was able to go in the Heathrow Lounge for British Airways T5 when it was new. The lounge was really nice it was not crowded at all and I enjoyed flying BA, it just seemed better than US airlines at the time....I was on a business trip with several other coworkers...just before leaving my dumbass spilled ketchup on a white shirt...had to ran into the bathroom remove shirt run under water and dry it under the hand dryer, everyone noticed I was gone a while.... I always hated going on business trips.
Completely accurate. while some mentioned how Covid and the response completely destroyed service, and there is truth in that, I think it would be a mistake to not include PE and their business model of buy a good business, lever the shit out of it and remove all the characteristics that made it good while paying themselves a fortune. when the business ultimately declines, they don't care as they got their money already. someone called it the enshittification of everything and that is such a perfect description in my view.
Right on target and entertainingly written. You've put your finger on this deterioration of service and respect that is everywhere, but I have never seen it addressed before. Thank you. I too will wait hopefully for those few companies to show that respect and appreciation for customers.
The supermarket will put a colored sticker on your items in the bottom of the cart... Save it for your next trip but go on same day
A Friday night is good or Saturday but not during the high school game. Then you put a couple jugs of distilled water down there and it's cool out you go. Give yourself a little thrill but ffs don't go Dillenger on us..
Would you like to round up for kids cancer? Surely you care about kids with cancer, right asshole?
I’m a “round down” kinda guy
If it's so small that the rounding doesn't mean anything, I'll take the change.
I was having a bad day and this poor girl cashier asked me a similar question, to which I replied "to hell with them"....There were people in line behind me that heard me say this...it got very silent and I received several dirty looks, but for some odd reason I walked out feeling a little happier. I think I am a little twisted. I do donate to charities but on my time in my way, I think this is a personal choice and does not belong when / where I am buying milk and gas....it is completely inappropriate for them to ask. But I digress...
Husband and I say Covid broke society. Nothing works anymore.
I think things were already moving in this direction, but the societal response to COVID absolutely accelerated the trend.
More accurately, the leftist bureaucrats and politicians that created, covered up, and then weaponized covid via authoritarian policies of surveillance and control broke society.
My favorite is the waitstaff standing over you while the card machine is interrogating you for a tip which only gives 20% or higher options unless you are so rude as to go through the menu to fine an option to tip what they actually deserve for their non-smiling slow service and lack of knowledge of their own menu performance. I’m sometimes amazed when I run into a professional server who is simply doing what we used to consider baseline competence. We are to blame for accepting all of this.
And then one goes to visit a country with no tipping culture yet with superior service.
Yes, I was going to remark about that, though - to date- you only get that in food service establishments. “Your appropriate tip at 30% is . . .”
When did the “appropriate “ tip become 30%—especially now, when restaurant prices are 35%-50% higher than they used to be? It takes no more skill to deliver a $15 plate of fish & chips than a $10 plate of fish & chips. And note that their “suggested” amount expects you to tip on the tax, too. Nope.
I move the decimal on the before-tax subtotal one place to the left (10%), then double it (20%), then add or subtract for their actual quality of service. Winds up being 15% to 25% if the service was acceptable. A buck or no tip if not.
I might add that in (most?) other countries, tips are not expected though appreciated (more than in the U.S.). Custom is to round up to the next Euro or so (1000 pesos in Argentina) but watch the touristy places that add a separate service charge (typically 10%). Milage in different countries vary.
There is a grocery store, mostly in the southern states, called Publix. Every time I go in there I’m looking for something. I stop to ask the nearest stocking clerk where I can find x. He immediately stops what he is doing and say “let me take you there”. I am left stunned yet greatly appreciative that there is a decent store that actually has employees around to help out if you need it. It’s called service and I will pay the extra dollar to be led by the nose if need be. Great article by the way.
Publix is awesome. None where I live, but I go out of my way to shop there when in the Gulf area.
Yep, Publix is great, but unless you’re buying their BOGOs, it’s much higher priced than Winn-Dixie, Aldi, and Walmart. Love their $5 sushi Wednesday sale, though.
Where I live, one of the larger grocery chains is REWE. At the nearest store, it used to have 5 counters with check-out employees, now only one is left. The middle section was replaced with 6 self-scanners and one person to help when the system wouldn't work right.
In Ohio, every checkout lady has one or more of the following: Purple/Blue hair, Covid mask, or a "snot hoop." Tell me, someone, how a 65-year-old overweight woman thinks dying her hair bright purple is somehow a good choice. I seriously want to know, because it's an epidemic.
I like self checkout because then I don’t have to interact with the cashier
I initially felt the same............... BUT, sometimes I like to buy the vegetables that usually don't have the "bar code", and then I like to include maybe a 6 pack or 2 of some beers. The vegetable thing has been somewhat improved in my area with #1-adding a scanner code thing to the item, and #2, better CUSTOMER SERVICE to help the actual customer buying their SHIT. Now with the wine/beer thing.................... good gawd....... I swear, like a 20'ish something aged "manager" would come up, look at me (I'm about 60) and without a hint of sarcasm, ask me why I'm buying what I put in my cart.......... Uh........ whut???
So bottom line here is that with "self checkout", my experience is that they treat you as the prior felon as the checkout-ee. I used to go to the self checkouts, but totally avoid them now. I'll wait in a 15 min+ line to avoid the self checkout machine glitches, karen managers demanding I produce something (ID or whatever), or waiting for an "ID check" for my wine/beer when I look literally like I should be having someone else shop for me.
I look for codes as I shop, so if an item lookup issue arises, I enter the code for the $2.39/lb dog shit from the bulk food area. Trouble is the device says "$2.39 Dog Shit" instead of the item I'm sneaking through at $12.99/lb for chicken necks and backs. May the pimple faced kid watching 6 of us at once won't notice...
Thst doesn’t work at Costco because the self-checkout can’t keep up with me. They have a weighing platform that verifies the weight of the item against what was rung up. The problem is that their platform can’t settle before I scan the next item. So I scan and place, scan and place, then it says, “Place your scanned item on the platform” as I scan and place a couple more items. Then it says, “Unload items from the platform and rescan your items.” I called the guard and showed him how I scan. He says, “You’re going faster than the checkout can keep up.” “Not my problem.” Then he reached below the screen and pulls a scanning wand from behind a door, scans my stuff, and put it back into my cart. No weighing when using the wand. I’ll use the wand myself next time.
Yes, the self checkout makes for a slower scanning process than when the employees scan the stuff
I've upped my frequency of going to a regional grocery chain that still has *gasp* both employee led checkout lines and baggers.
Don't cross the Rays. WHY? Imagine the end of all life as we know it, and every molecule in your body exploding at the speed of light. Total protonic reversal. Important safety tip, thanks Egon...
Me too, I have to unload them onto the conveyor belt with a cashier anyway.
True, but there’s also a big difference in the level of customer service in places like New York and Philadelphia and a nice suburb in a red state. Plus, paying for a bag is not common but it is a sure sign you’re in a progressive hell hole.
DMV likes to ask "Would you like to donate your organs?"
No! Wait until I'm actually dead and negotiate a deal with my widow.
I live in a medium size town, shop at a smaller chain grocery store where they do know me and are nearly always kind and helpful. Post office employees chat with me about weather and the traffic. Local restaurants are friendly and the food is pretty good. I learned from my son to ask peoples in the service industry how their day is going and be interested in the answer. I flew this week through JFK and DFW, Capital One lounges were great and yes we had to wait a while to get in but the app has a reservation feature that is great. The commenters here are pretty annoyed, but just a thought, big cities are tough places to live; and kindness will mostly smooth your path exponentially better than anger and snark.
When I started my contracting business in the 80s in Orange County, CA there were about ten places I bought supplies from and they all knew my name after 2 or 3 visits. They took an interest in me, even if it was a feigned interest they acted like they were glad to see me. They would go out of their way to get stuff delivered or fix occasional mistakes. And it really paid off in loyalty, buying supplies over a 40 year span. A couple years ago we moved to another state and I've been remodeling our house. In that time I've patronized the local building supply at least 60 or 70 times and they still don't know who I am! Just glassy-eyed employees who may as well be replaced by bots. They're convenient because they're a few blocks away but they lose my loyalty on the big orders when the Lowe's two hours away can beat their price by 20 percent.
Modern society is forcing us into quantum positions in multiple arenas (social media, grocery self-checkout, etc.): you're the customer, product, AND employee / serf.
Legit! And for the record, Centurion Lounges used to be the cat’s pajamas (still are at Heathrow T3 @ 0630..) but the lines and crowds now are just insane!!
Back about 15 years ago or os I was able to go in the Heathrow Lounge for British Airways T5 when it was new. The lounge was really nice it was not crowded at all and I enjoyed flying BA, it just seemed better than US airlines at the time....I was on a business trip with several other coworkers...just before leaving my dumbass spilled ketchup on a white shirt...had to ran into the bathroom remove shirt run under water and dry it under the hand dryer, everyone noticed I was gone a while.... I always hated going on business trips.
Completely accurate. while some mentioned how Covid and the response completely destroyed service, and there is truth in that, I think it would be a mistake to not include PE and their business model of buy a good business, lever the shit out of it and remove all the characteristics that made it good while paying themselves a fortune. when the business ultimately declines, they don't care as they got their money already. someone called it the enshittification of everything and that is such a perfect description in my view.
I’ve never related to an article more in my life.
Right on target and entertainingly written. You've put your finger on this deterioration of service and respect that is everywhere, but I have never seen it addressed before. Thank you. I too will wait hopefully for those few companies to show that respect and appreciation for customers.
The supermarket will put a colored sticker on your items in the bottom of the cart... Save it for your next trip but go on same day
A Friday night is good or Saturday but not during the high school game. Then you put a couple jugs of distilled water down there and it's cool out you go. Give yourself a little thrill but ffs don't go Dillenger on us..