Do you put the shopping carts back in the corral?

[kaos2900]

Yes I always do. A few a weeks ago I went out of my way with my daughters in hand to move a cart out of the middle of the parking lot that some lazy asshole left and I found a nice crisp $10 bill under the kart. 

[Phoenix87x]

My first job was retrieving the carts from the corrals for a super market, so I know what its like to run all over the lot hunting down loose ones. I always put it back that though.

[KevShmev]

I am also a reluctant tipper. Because someone takes my order and retrieves my food, I now have to inflate my bill by 10-20%? Fuck that.

And this has nothing to do with my work experience. This is common sense. I am not a "stick it to the man" kind of guy, but I also don't like places where I spend my money to expect me to do what I am paying them to do. Does that make sense?

No.

These corrals weren't erected for the greater good of mankind. They were erected to (sorry to pull a Stadler) 1) save labor costs, and 2) save on damage claims. That's it. But the stores have to be psyched because what has happened over time is that it is now accepted practice to return these carts. God forbid you don't and you'd be considered "rude" or "inconsiderate". Yeah, times change and accepted public norms change with it, but the last thing I need is some "do gooder" telling me that it is my duty to return my cart.

Oh. So if you don't return the cart, and 20 seconds later, it rolls into someone else's car, is it the store's fault for not having someone there to retrieve your cart the second you decided you weren't going to bother with it anymore?

It is not a matter of being a "do-gooder."  It is a matter of common courtesy.

[The Walrus]

I... wait a minute. You do know how much people who depend on tips actually make, right TAC? Waiters, delivery people etc. depend on tips for their income. And yeah, lots of stores do have self-bagging now (I don't use 'em though). If the corrals weren't there you'd have shopping carts all over the place and not a single person with a ding-free car...

There are several corrals in every parking lot... often times you're within feet of one. You actually go out of your way to be a contrarian and not use them?

I think the can of worms has been opened... oh dear...

[bosk1]

Where exactly do some of you live that there is apparently some epidemic of properly-stowed shopping carts breaking loose and doing mass damage?  And do you know what phenomenon is actually causing such mass destruction?  I'm genuinely curious, as I have never seen this. 

[King Postwhore]

 

It's not mass damage but little dents to our cars.

[bosk1]

Yes, but apparently, there are huge packs of, from the sound of it, hundreds of these renegade cards running around every parking lot in American inflicting goodness knows how many of these little dents every day.  They must be stopped!

[KevShmev]

[The Walrus]

Yes, but apparently, there are huge packs of, from the sound of it, hundreds of these renegade cards running around every parking lot in American inflicting goodness knows how many of these little dents every day.  They must be stopped!

I don't know who's saying that but it's a hilarious image but really, I live in a small town - about 11k people - and it's surprising how often carts damage people's cars just in this place. Maybe there's something in the water. The midwest is a strange place. 

[cramx3]

Carts doing damage is a known thing where I am from, not that it's so common you hear about it daily or it's injuring people, but it's an annoyance and could be solved fairly easily.  Was just discussing with my friends the other day about why people park so far away sometimes, a good reason, to avoid having your car hit from a rogue cart.  I actually saved a car a couple months ago, so a rogue cart from the wind flying across the parking lot and I saw it was going to ram into a car but I stopped it and returned it.  My unseen good deed for the day that day.

[El Barto]

So I've spent my entire adult life working for a major supermarket chain. I became a Front End Manager, an Assistant Store Manager, and became a Store Manager for 16 years. I stepped down to a Grocery Department Manager 4 years ago to accommodate some home issues. Not that my opinion matters more than anyone elses, but I just thought I'd mention that. I have taken dozens of carriage damage claims over the years. What funny is that like 75% of them the customer says, "I just got the car this week."


Anyway what I would also tell you about my self is that I am not a rude person by any stretch. I am more than friendly and polite. I may tailgate you if you are driving too slow in the passing lane, but am more than happy to let people in if they are trying to come out of a tough side street.
I am also a reluctant tipper. Because someone takes my order and retrieves my food, I now have to inflate my bill by 10-20%? Fuck that.

Likewise, I also don't feel like I should have to return my carriage when I go grocery shopping. I can't remember when corrals started popping up, but why would I do the store's work? What's next? Bag my own groceries? They already have me sucked in on that. First hours to be cut? Bagging Hours. Which coincidentally are the same people that collect carriages. Next thing you know, I'll be scanning my own order. Oh that's right. Self Checkout, where maybe there might be a monitor to help on up to 6 registers. Follow me?
And this has nothing to do with my work experience. This is common sense. I am not a "stick it to the man" kind of guy, but I also don't like places where I spend my money to expect me to do what I am paying them to do. Does that make sense?

These corrals weren't erected for the greater good of mankind. They were erected to (sorry to pull a Stadler) 1) save labor costs, and 2) save on damage claims. That's it. But the stores have to be psyched because what has happened over time is that it is now accepted practice to return these carts. God forbid you don't and you'd be considered "rude" or "inconsiderate". Yeah, times change and accepted public norms change with it, but the last thing I need is some "do gooder" telling me that it is my duty to return my cart.

That settles it. I'm flipping over the next shopping cart I see.

And by the way, what is the store's liability with shopping cart dents?

[TAC]

Oh. So if you don't return the cart, and 20 seconds later, it rolls into someone else's car, is it the store's fault for not having someone there to retrieve your cart the second you decided you weren't going to bother with it anymore?

That's the whole reason they're there Kev. To (try to) absolve the store of any fault.

I... wait a minute. You do know how much people who depend on tips actually make, right TAC?

Yes. But really, what companies pay their employees is their business. Why am I supplementing their wages?

I actually saved a car a couple months ago, so a rogue cart from the wind flying across the parking lot and I saw it was going to ram into a car but I stopped it and returned it.  My unseen good deed for the day that day.

[TheCountOfNYC]

As someone who worked in a supermarket for four years and had to collect shopping carts in the dead of winter, yes. If you have perfectly good legs then there's no excuse to leave it for someone else to do. Nobody is above that.

[TAC]

And by the way, what is the store's liability with shopping cart dents?

No idea. My job was to fill out the report, take pictures, and "send it up."

[The Walrus]

I... wait a minute. You do know how much people who depend on tips actually make, right TAC?

Yes. But really, what companies pay their employees is their business. Why am I supplementing their wages?

This upsets me. Don't eat at a restaurant or order delivery if you won't tip the workers, they literally need tips to survive. :/

[King Postwhore]

As someone who worked in a supermarket for four years and had to collect shopping carts in the dead of winter, yes. If you have perfectly good legs then there's no excuse to leave it for someone else to do. Nobody is above that.

While I always put my cart away your statement rubs me the wrong way.  It's your job to get carts,

[El Barto]

And by the way, what is the store's liability with shopping cart dents?

No idea. My job was to fill out the report, take pictures, and "send it up."

According to the law offices of Google, the property owners have no liability for damages. Seems the best use of the forms you fill out are for the car owner to submit to the folks at Allstate.

[TAC]

This upsets me. Don't eat at a restaurant or order delivery if you won't tip the workers, they literally need tips to survive. :/

I never said I don't tip. I will, especially if it's good service. But I do not in any way agree with this setup. That's all. One of my personal pet peeves.

But if I get minimal service, the tip will be commensurate. You don't get it for just showing up.

I'm really not an asshole.

[El Barto]

I... wait a minute. You do know how much people who depend on tips actually make, right TAC?

Yes. But really, what companies pay their employees is their business. Why am I supplementing their wages?

This upsets me. Don't eat at a restaurant or order delivery if you won't tip the workers, they literally need tips to survive. :/

Yup. Restaurant workers need tips to survive. This is because restaurant owners found out they could punt the cost of their labor onto gullible, yet kind-hearted customers. Frankly, it's bullshit, but since it's well established bullshit I play ball.

[TAC]

Frankly, it's bullshit, but since it's well established bullshit I play ball.

Yeah, that's all I'm saying.

[The Walrus]

Oh, okay. I'm on board with that, it sounded different earlier. Poor service = poor tip, but yeah, I don't like the system either, it's absurd.

[TAC]

but yeah, I don't like the system either, it's absurd.

Right. I believe what I said in my post was that I'm a reluctant tipper.

[pg1067]

Depends on how close to the cart coral I am, but most of the time I leave them between parking spaces in a way that does not interfere with people's ability to park in the adjoining spaces.  It preserves work for the kids whose job it is to gather them.

[Zook]

The only time I don't is when the cart return is like 60 feet away. Then I park it up out of the way. When I lived in Phoenix it was a common occurrence to find carts behind people's cars which pissed me off to no end. How fucking douchey. The worst part was when they'd do that and the return would be literally 5 feet away. Lazy fucks.

[KevShmev]

Oh. So if you don't return the cart, and 20 seconds later, it rolls into someone else's car, is it the store's fault for not having someone there to retrieve your cart the second you decided you weren't going to bother with it anymore?

That's the whole reason they're there Kev. To (try to) absolve the store of any fault.

Gotcha. So everyone who exits the grocery store with a cart needs an escort so that employee can grab it whenever said customer arbitrarily decides they are done with it. Duly noted. 

  Restaurant workers need tips to survive. This is because restaurant owners found out they could punt the cost of their labor onto gullible, yet kind-hearted customers. Frankly, it's bullshit, but since it's well established bullshit I play ball.

As a former bartender, I will freely admit that tipping is out of control. I had some woman try to shame me at a local pizza place last winter for not tipping the counter girl who literally turned around, was handed the pizza box from the cook (who had just finished it and boxed it up), and then handed it to me.  The woman saw my credit card slip still sitting there with the tip part zeroed out.  It's like, we are tipping now for handing me a pizza when I go get it myself from the store?  I tend to overtip when eating in restaurants, especially if I sit at a bar (gotta hook up the bartenders!), but tipping in general is way out of control.

[orcus116]

Yeah I was at a Jersey Mike's today and the cashier said "ok there's going to be a prompt that comes up and you can say no" and it was an electronic tip thing and I pushed No. It was an assembly line type service which is how I was going to get my food at the set prices on the menu board so why in the world would I be tipping? I guess marketing has determined that there is enough guilt factor to make that kind of stuff worth putting on the end transaction.

[ReaperKK]

I see that at Jersey Mikes all the time, I always hit no unless one guy I know is working there who sees my car pull up and has my half made by the time I get in the store. I'm sure the tips are pooled but I'll still tip for that.

[Herrick]

I always put them back. It's super fucking annoying to think I've found a decent parking spot only to see a goddamn shopping cart in the way. I've seen a few stray carts roll into parked cars. I doubt they did much damage but there's really no need for it to happen in the first place. It's not a big deal for me to roll the cart to where it belongs.

It's not a big deal for me to roll the cart to where it belongs.

As a former bartender, I will freely admit that tipping is out of control. I had some woman try to shame me at a local pizza place last winter for not tipping the counter girl who literally turned around, was handed the pizza box from the cook (who had just finished it and boxed it up), and then handed it to me.  The woman saw my credit card slip still sitting there with the tip part zeroed out.  It's like, we are tipping now for handing me a pizza when I go get it myself from the store?  I tend to overtip when eating in restaurants, especially if I sit at a bar (gotta hook up the bartenders!), but tipping in general is way out of control.

Dude, I once took my car to get the brakes done and they had a fucking sign that said something like, "Tipping is not a city in China." I never went back to that mechanic.

[TAC]

I always put them back. It's super fucking annoying to think I've found a decent parking spot only to see a goddamn shopping cart in the way. I've seen a few stray carts roll into parked cars. I doubt they did much damage but there's really no need for it to happen in the first place. It's not a big deal for me to roll the cart to where it belongs.

It's not a big deal for me to roll the cart to where it belongs.

Apparently.

[Herrick]

I always put them back. It's super fucking annoying to think I've found a decent parking spot only to see a goddamn shopping cart in the way. I've seen a few stray carts roll into parked cars. I doubt they did much damage but there's really no need for it to happen in the first place. It's not a big deal for me to roll the cart to where it belongs.

It's not a big deal for me to roll the cart to where it belongs.

Apparently.

Ha ha how'd that get in there twice?! 

[pogoowner]

I always return my cart. I worked in big box retail for years, working my way up from retrieving carts to assistant store manager, and I've seen just about everything there is to see regarding shopping carts. Just leaving it really isn't an option in my mind.

[Snow Dog]

I almost always return my shopping cart to the corral.  I don't want my car hit by a randomly rolling cart, and I'd like to think no one else does either, so I don't mind walking a few extra feet to safeguard against it.  Sometimes it's a fun game to test your aim and see if you can roll it in from some distance (with no other cars in the line of fire, of course).

As for tipping...

I worked for about two and a half years serving tables while attending physical therapy school.  Gave me a whole other perspective on the job and what goes into it.  I made $2.13 an hour (as that was the going wage in Utah ten years ago, who knows what it is now...), and if it wasn't for tips, I wouldn't have survived.  I never saw a dime of those wages as the taxes on claimed tips wiped them out, and as a result, the amount on the pay stubs was $0.00 the entire time I worked there (with them watermarked with "This is not a check."  No shit, thanks for the reminder).  Once in a rare while, I'll still have a nightmare about serving tables where nothing gets done, and orders are piling up from pissed off customers.  Point is, it's hard work, and even just adequate service will net you at least 20% in a tip with me if I'm dining at a restaurant.  Subpar is usually 17-18%, and you really have to fuck up or ignore me to get a tip 15% or less.

That said, I only tip three types of people:  Restaurant servers/bartenders, pizza delivery drivers, and barbers/stylists (and that last one is only because it's supposedly a rule and we should do it?)  If you make my coffee, make my sandwich/burrito, fix my car (that was really there, Herrick?  Are you fucking kidding me?), etc., (basically do what you're paid your wages to do), you're out of luck. 

[El Barto]

Tipping for take-out is an oddball thing, and when I brought it up a year or two ago people really freaked out about it. If it's a place that deals primarily with take-out, pizza or Chinese, then I don't. If it's a normal restaurant that I'm picking food up from then I always tip. It's usually a bartender or hostess that has to make sure everything gets put together and I'm taking away from their other customers. A buck a bag is customary for that. I don't eat there, but I suppose Applebees would be an example of a proper restaurant that people get take-out from.

Jersey Mikes is an interesting one. I'd put that in the same category as Freebirds (Chipotle knockoff). If you're prompted after you see them make your food then you can tip accordingly. Poorly assembled burritos really piss me off. A lot of the time people just throw shit in there with no thought whatsoever. If a guy takes his time and makes sure everything is evenly distributed and then nicely rolled I'll happily give him a buck. Good service is what you're actually supposed to tip in the first place, after all.

Never heard of tipping a mechanic, and I don't even know what you'd base it on (the shop's $120/hr labor rate?). However, I always tip the Mexicans that repair, inflate, or re-balance my tires. Working in a tire shop in Texas is a bitch. And nowadays there is no more free air. Rather than paying a buck at 7-11 for their air I'd rather tip a Mexican $2 to properly inflate all for tires.

[dparrott]

I at least put them with other carts and/or away from cars if not in the designated spots.

[bout to crash]

Always. Like others have said, I'm not sure why it's such a big deal to walk a little bit, especially after you've been pushing the thing around the store for half an hour.
Yes, there are people who get paid to bring the carts in, but they aren't going to make somebody stand outside all the time to get every single cart that's left in a shitty place. It's not about making that person's job easier so much as courtesy to other people who use the parking lot, IMO (in fact I always liked having stupid shit like that to do to kill time on slow days when I worked in retail).
It's a fucking thing on wheels- regardless of wind it is not going to stay in the same place you put it, even if that is a place that is supposedly not in the way of anybody parking. Stop being lazy and think about how annoying it is when you start pulling into a spot only to find a cart obstructing your route, or to walk outside, Cheetos and ice cream in hand, to find a surprise dent. Don't be a dick.