Aldi does that here and I hate it because I never carry loose change.
Handicapped or entitled? Not returning shopping cart
- Thread starter GON
- Start date
Bringing a cart back to retrieve a Loonie ($1.00 CDN) seems worthwhile. But a US Quarter? 25 cents? If its a long walk, many lazy or infirm people would forget about it. I suppose a person could make some money retrieving loose carts to recover the quarters. In which case, if the goal is to have carts returned, the goal is achieved.
I have a dedicated loonie in each car and one in my wallet for carts. I'm apparently well trained.
In Canada, I believe the smallest denomination paper money is $5. There are widely circulated $1 coins, called Loonies because of the Loon on them, and there are $2 coins, called Twoonies, because they are worth two Loonies.
I think we should stop using $1 paper money in the USA. A dollar buys almost nothing any more.
Here's some King Sooper trivia for you:
1. The Dillon family (Hutchinson KS Hqs) started the chain in CO after their relative success in their Kansas market. The City Market affiliate in WY & CO (smaller format stores) is part of King Soopers.
2. At one time they also owned Loaf & Jug and Kwik Shop convenience stores. They were divested from the portfolio a few years ago.
3. Second generation Dillon (don't remember his name) was CEO for Kroger for quite a few years after Kroger purchased the Dillons chain and King Soopers. He is retired and is spearheading a move to get wine into Dillons grocery stores. Needless to say there is a lot of resistance from KS liquor store owners.
4. When a tornado literally wiped out Greensburg KS, Dillons immediately was able to build a prefab building and get groceries and supplies to Greensburg nearly before anyone else. They were a major lifeline for that community until additional disaster relief could be put into place.
5. Any Dillons/Private Selection breads I purchase comes from a bakery in Denver.
5.
They pushed for the susan B Anthony dollar coin but no one wanted them.
I believe when Canada came out with there coins they simply stopped printing dollar bills and it took its course. I believe in Euro also. I remember 1 euro bills I think - or maybe 2? Last I was there only 5 euro bill I think.
However I wonder what percentage of commerce is cash anymore. It must be tiny.
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As a tourist dollar bills and euros are still important, especially in former eastern bloc countries like Bulgaria. Many other countries emphasized credit card use during COVID and started their economies down the cashless path.
We have 50c pieces and $1 coins but they're very uncommon. I haven't seen a 50c piece in ages. Quarters are just more common.
ALDI used to be a store I'd rarely go to (because of location), but in the past couple of years, they've greatly expanded the # of stores, including one that's on my way home from work. Since that opened, I've kept 2-3 quarters in my car strictly for the carts at ALDI.
I think there were two problems with that attempt:
1) it was similar to a quarter, mostly the color and composition, and caused confusion.
2) dollar bills were still in circulation. This is the big one. People wouldn't have been able to refuse the Susan B. coin if there was no paper bill available.
Don't forget the Gold Sacajawea dollar coins! though I think the Current runs of Dollar coins have presidents on them....I'd have to go out to the car to check that...I have a prescription bottle full of them ( and one of $2 bills) hidden away, but accessible, just in case I need to take a Toll Road. or need mad money...
but back to the shopping carts... I've worked at a Grocery store for close to 30 years (just a shade over 28 at this point, but close enough) I've Pushed enough carts over those years to make my Blood start to boil when i watch folks just unload, and "park" the cart beside them, (often between their car and someone else's) then drive off... i really get ticked when i see that happen, maybe 2 spaces away from a Corral... call it a form of PTSD i guess....
but back to the shopping carts... I've worked at a Grocery store for close to 30 years (just a shade over 28 at this point, but close enough) I've Pushed enough carts over those years to make my Blood start to boil when i watch folks just unload, and "park" the cart beside them, (often between their car and someone else's) then drive off... i really get ticked when i see that happen, maybe 2 spaces away from a Corral... call it a form of PTSD i guess....
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Right there with you. At Meijer recently I saw someone leave their cart in the parking space *next* to the corral; the almost empty corral. I felt like doing a Maxwell Smart imitation and saying "missed it by that much."
I return the cart I use to the cart coral or store as a rule. If it's raining or I had to park somewhere in the back 40 at Costco, than no. For $60/year to have the privilege of spending my money there, they can pay someone to fetch it.
At some of the Costcos in my area, the cart corral is more than half-way down the parking lane, and then folks leave the carts in the fire lane, or along the sidewalk, or worse - against the Fire Escape double doors. People!
Toll roads are almost all cashless now. If you don't have the proper transponder they read the license plate and send the car owner a bill.
It works oddly well even at 25c. Or someone in the lot will see you with an empty cart and swap you a quarter for your cart. Never seen a stray at any of our aldi's.
I really dislike the people that discard carts with reckless abandon. Its a major pet peeve of mine.
To sound like a Scrooge, if someone really has a mobility issue, there is no (or almost no) excuse for not getting your groceries delivered to your door via one of the major chains. And when you factor in car wear + the value of your time, ordering groceries for delivery even with the subscription fees is cheaper than going to the store.
And with prices nowadays, even a single person who doesn't eat much can hit the minimum spends for free delivery.
And with prices nowadays, even a single person who doesn't eat much can hit the minimum spends for free delivery.
I can say it may be both but they should have a cart corral at or very near the handicap parking spots. I have a placard, and sometimes I can walk the cart down to the corals, about halfway down the lot, or over to the entrances. Yet, by the time I am done shopping, many days, it's all I can do to walk another step, due to pain in my back down to my feet. I have never just left them although I have thought about it but I just suck it up. I walk them to a proper area but several times I've asked someone to take it for me. Embarrassing as someone who was very active and worked 12+ hr days for years and now need daily help.
We use delivery a lot or online orders for pick up, which has been a Godsend for me on bad days. But as someone who can't work and is an empty nester, my kids are in other states, so it is good to have human contact. As dumb as it sounds, it is true, and for some folks, that maybe all the human contact they have is. Whether it be a widow, single, no kids around, or even around yet they don't visit.
I walk slowly, do the vast majority of shopping for my wife and me, and am very observant, a prior job habit, and I have noticed a lot of the same folks at the stores during the week. A lot of times you can overhear them chatting to staff as if they were long lost pals. I have grown friendly with some staff at the stores and it is nice to have a friendly chat. Perhaps you are technically correct barring pharmacy items or those that dont use the internet but socially they crave an outside contact no matter how small it may be.
