in which a european is confused by yanks
I just saw a video about how USAians are confused by Aldi
Do... do you people not know how to pack bags yourselves? The person said about a job role called a "bagger" who packs grocery bags at the end of checkouts and that's like, all they do
That's not a real thing right?
And apparently US checkout staff aren't allowed to use chairs? What shit is that? That can't be right?
in which a european is confused by yanks
@Linda fuuuuck, y'all have problems
and they mentioned like, smalltalk with the staff?
I mean, I know I shouldn't come down against a culture just because I find it strange but whut?
in which a european is confused by yanks
@troubleMoney no no it's bad. Cashiers are expected to always smile and chat with the customer, almost no stores allow them to sit while working. Also, people see sitting while doing those kind of jobs as a sign of being lazy
in which a european is confused by yanks
@Linda but... none of their job involves using their legs? why wouldn't you let them sit down while moving stuff with their arms?
I'm thinking this must be some sort of puritan thing I'm too european to understand
in which a european is confused by yanks
@troubleMoney nothing was done about it before unions were de-clawed here so we're stuck with it
in which a european is confused by yanks
@Linda oh, yeah, no unions, that does make sense
in which a european is confused by yanks
@troubleMoney @Linda friend works in retail in Greece and they were also instructed to be standing until somebody made a complaint to the work-department-thing (I don't know the official name in english, those guys that make sure laws are followed by employers). They came and inspected and forced the storw to supply stools. Yet the "unofficial", now, mandate, is that they stand unless there's an inspection 
in which a european is confused by yanks
@troubleMoney @Linda yeah, but why didn't they do shit about it before
in which a european is confused by yanks
@a_breakin_glass @troubleMoney no idea, I wasn’t alive
covid-adj addition by another confused european
@troubleMoney oh the bagger thing now makes a USian's upset about people bringing their own bags at the moment make more sense, I was like, how does it cause anyone else a problem if I bring my own bags to the supermarket? But I'm used to packing my own damn bags
in which a european is confused by yanks
@troubleMoney baggers haven't really existed in years. even when i was one in high school, it was barely still a thing
anymore cashiers just do it because that's cheaper, and you do most of it as a customer if you're abled and not a dick. cashiers are exploited enough without you helping
where aldi varies is in that being the default, which yeah, fucks with americans. we like our petty fake class signifiers
the no chairs thing is true and inexcusable
in which a european is confused by yanks
@troubleMoney That's nothing.
I have read of people not only packing their own groceries, so that the store can make moar profit by not hiring bag-boys any more, but they also do the job of the cashier to help the store make even moar profit off their stupid ass. Even mcdonalds tries to get people to do this now to get rid of even the few mcjobs that are left.
Takes ppl twice as long, but the stores don't give a shit - they laugh to the bank.
@trebach
in which a european is confused by yanks
@gemlog @trebach@mastodon.sdf.org I'm in favour of self-checkout because then I don't have to talk to anyone at all
It means that while buying groceries I can keep track of how much I'm spending and comfortably bag things the way I want, filling them with the right amount of the right things (so that things that go in a certain part of the house are all in the same bag), instead of trying to do that in a hurry during checkout.
I think I would *hate* having somebody else fill bags for me…
@valhalla @troubleMoney @trebach
Well. I've already been Mr. Cranky Pants enough for today, so I won't provide any more detail.
in which a european is confused by yanks
@troubleMoney In Canada, some stores have baggers, but it's usually just a stock person or something jumping on to help out if they're not busy with other tasks. A lot of grocery stores have the cashier bag your stuff as they scan it, but our biggest grocery chain is one where you have to bag your own stuff. It's not weird.
But, yes, we have the same bullshit where retail workers aren't allowed to have chairs.
in which a european is confused by yanks
@troubleMoney both of those are things