More supermarket foibles...!

[generator12]

In the past few months we've discussed the tendency of check-out clerks to wait until they have run totally out of quarters before they break open a new roll, making everyone wait while they do that. We've discussed the patrons who watch every last item rung up and then - not until then - they begin to search for their check book. In some cases they start fishing for cash - exactly the correct change which is scattered around the bottom of their purse or pocket, again, while everyone waits. We've even touched on the clerks who seem to have a psychological need to always lick their fingers before counting out the bills for change.

Now this one:

Why is it that the people behind the deli counter always use a thin sheet of some kind of paper to handle the meat as they put it into the plastic bag - presumably to avoid contact between their hands and the food product - only to shove that sheet into the bag with the meat...?? If I don't want your hands on my lunchmeat, why would I want the shield you just used to be packed with said meat? For heaven's sake, THROW IT AWAY! Don't stick it into the package that's going into my refrigerator!

Ahh. I feel much better now.

 

[BonairII]

Re: More supermarket foibles...!

The deli worker should be wearing gloves when slicing/handling meat, so their hands shouldn't be coming into contact with the meat. The paper is to prevent contact between the meat and the surface of the slicer and/or scale.

 

[generator12]

Re: More supermarket foibles...!

The deli worker should be wearing gloves when slicing/handling meat, so their hands shouldn't be coming into contact with the meat. The paper is to prevent contact between the meat and the surface of the slicer and/or scale.

So...the paper is good for us then, right?

 

[kenmyfam]

Re: More supermarket foibles...!

So...the paper is good for us then, right?

It is unless someone has just opened a roll of quarters on it

 

[angus63]

Re: More supermarket foibles...!

100% of your daily recommended fiber

 

[CoffeeHound]

Re: More supermarket foibles...!

In the past few months we've discussed the tendency of check-out clerks to wait until they have run totally out of quarters before they break open a new roll, making everyone wait while they do that. We've discussed the patrons who watch every last item rung up and then - not until then - they begin to search for their check book. In some cases they start fishing for cash - exactly the correct change which is scattered around the bottom of their purse or pocket, again, while everyone waits. We've even touched on the clerks who seem to have a psychological need to always lick their fingers before counting out the bills for change.

Now this one:

Why is it that the people behind the deli counter always use a thin sheet of some kind of paper to handle the meat as they put it into the plastic bag - presumably to avoid contact between their hands and the food product - only to shove that sheet into the bag with the meat...?? If I don't want your hands on my lunchmeat, why would I want the shield you just used to be packed with said meat? For heaven's sake, THROW IT AWAY! Don't stick it into the package that's going into my refrigerator!

Ahh. I feel much better now.

I Guess I am watching and learning from the Wrong Class of People here ..
You get more germs from your shopping basket / cart than any place in the world besides a hospital .
What do you get off the fish you catch or lines you handle on your "boat" or does your butler do it for you .
The more I read, the more i get vivid pictures of a bunch of over-grown Mr. Howel's from Gilligans Island.
{rant done}

Rich

 

[RogersJetboat454]

Re: More supermarket foibles...!

:facepalm:

People in the deli section of any given supermarket I've been to wear vinyl gloves while handling the meat. Even if they didn't, almost any given piece of meat or cheese contains enough salt to wipe out the vast majority of anything that would make you sick. I don't think I have heard of anybody dying of the deli flu around these parts...

Life in public places can be inconvenient at times. The things that tick me off the most at the supermarket are usually caused by my fellow shoppers, not the employees. Number one would be a jerk leaving their cart sideways in an aisle whilst standing in front of it, taking 3 minutes to decide what brand of Mayonnaise to buy, oblivious to the fact that OTHER people shop there too, and need to get down the aisle. Bonus points for that if they have unminded kids running up and down the aisle like they are in a play ground.
I'm not going to start a thread about it though...

 

[robert graham]

Re: More supermarket foibles...!

I think it's time to quit bitchin' and go fishin'!

 

[emoney]

Re: More supermarket foibles...!

I always thought the paper was to allow you to not have to touch the meat yourself, which is why it's "put in the bag". I understand we have a bigger risk picking up a bug from the raw meat than we do transferring it from person-to-person by touching a piece of paper, that touches the meat. And, luckily, I missed the quarters & wait-in-line threads.

 

[salty87]

Re: More supermarket foibles...!

while we're at it, don't forget that just about everything comes from China nowadays. if you're the worrying type, it's not really safe to assume the plastic bag is always going to be your friend or even the paper or glove. at least whatever the worker got into is probably just something from this country that most of us can tolerate on any given day.

 

[kei9th]

Re: More supermarket foibles...!

i worked in a deli at a nice grocery chain, in Florida. we had to wear gloves and the paper is to keep the meat from touching the equipment. first make sure the subtract the weight of the paper, especially when they cut cheese and they use multiple sheets. it does not weigh much but it does add up. secondly in the deli the slicers are supposed to be broken down, cleaned, and sanitized every four hours. they are not ever broken down and sanitized on a normal schedule, usually only at the end of the night. also from what i know now i always ask for them to use two sheets of paper. then have them discard the paper that touches the meat or cheese slicer. it might be a little over kill but i quit the job and reported the deli to the store manager to be told "sometimes we do not have the time to follow all guidelines."

 

[BonairII]

Re: More supermarket foibles...!

You get more germs from your shopping basket / cart than any place in the world besides a hospital .

Absolutely.

Door handles and money are 2 other HUGE sources of germs. I'm no germophobe, I believe that the more germs that you're exposed to...the stronger you become.

The only handles I try to avoid are public bathroom door handles. I wash my hands and open the door with the paper towel I dried my hands with(when possible).

 

[Tim Frank]

Re: More supermarket foibles...!

Now this one:

Why is it that the people behind the deli counter always use a thin sheet of some kind of paper to handle the meat as they put it into the plastic bag - presumably to avoid contact between their hands and the food product - only to shove that sheet into the bag with the meat...?? If I don't want your hands on my lunchmeat, why would I want the shield you just used to be packed with said meat? For heaven's sake, THROW IT AWAY! Don't stick it into the package that's going into my refrigerator!

Ahh. I feel much better now.

Ever thought of asking =>

the people behind the deli counter