Curbside Pick Up - Is this really necessary now?

[Pat Riot]

I was at Walmart Friday afternoon and the aisles were full of people and carts. It was a bit crowded. The people were Walmart employees and the carts were these big honkin’ carts with bins for filling people’s orders via the interwebs and curbside pick up. Only two registers open but at least 15 people filling other people’s orders online and that was just in the grocery section. 
 

I just got an email from Tractor Supply for the convenience of their curbside pick up. Kroger snd Giant Eagle are doing the same as Walmart. 
 

Does anyone think this is now going to be the norm or will this go away at some point?

 

I, for one, like that it’s available for folks that have a hard time getting around, but most of the people I see making curbside pickups all look pretty darn young and healthy to me. 

[Buckshot Bob]

Masks were never necessary, yet I still see people wearing them. Just think of it as a big social experiment. That movie with Sylvester Stallone where no one has physical contact is coming true. The kids are never gonna leave mom & dad’s basement now. Except to go pick up their curbside order  

[Warden Callaway]

In our Wally-World, they took out a cubby hole for cell phone sales and it's converted into a gathering place for curb side pickup. Small army of folks going and picking. Outside is a special row of parking spaces reserved for pickup. 

 

[JD Lud]

We don’t do pick up but have heard people love it and not for Covid reasons, just as a time saver and cost savings….order what you need and no impulse buys.  
 

we do a lot of grocery delivery, 10.00 fee and a tip usually but no mark up on prices like instacart.  Save 20 min drive there, hour plus of shopping, and 20 min back.  No gas, to traffic, and save 2 hours if life for 20 bucks seems worth it.

[Forty Rod SASS 3935]

On 3/26/2023 at 8:01 AM, Pat Riot, SASS #13748 said:

I was at Walmart Friday afternoon and the aisles were full of people and carts. It was a bit crowded. The people were Walmart employees and the carts were these big honkin’ carts with bins for filling people’s orders via the interwebs and curbside pick up. Only two registers open but at least 15 people filling other people’s orders online and that was just in the grocery section. 
 

I just got an email from Tractor Supply for the convenience of their curbside pick up. Kroger snd Giant Eagle are doing the same as Walmart. 
 

Does anyone think this is now going to be the norm or will this go away at some point?

 

I, for one, like that it’s available for folks that have a hard time getting around, but most of the people I see making curbside pickups all look pretty darn young and healthy to me. 

I don'y believe for a second that ever was "really necessary!" It was a "hey look what we're doing to fight CAVID" feel good BS action.

 

What irks me is WHERE the pickup spaces are:  They have eliminated Handicap Parking to a large degree making it difficult for many shoppers to even get in the damn door.  Our town hall and public library are offenders as well...in a community with a very high percentage of senior citizens who have placards and plates an no where to park.  And yes, I HAVE brought it up to the mayor and town council, but they are more interested in getting more "furriners" (Californians and a bunch showing up from Oregon and Washington, too) to bother with folks who live here already.

 

RANT MODE OFF

[Eyesa Horg]

We use it at BJ's Wholesale Club. Quite convenient now with me doing the shopping! Ellie does her whole order online and the time I will be there. They send an email when the order is ready and keep the cart of frozen stuff in a freezer. When I get there, all I have to do is walk in with my card and they bring the carts to me. Load in the truck and gone. About 10-15 minutes. Would easily take ME over an hour to find all that stuff! And I can only be relied upon to do one cart at a time! New driver, you understand!

[Subdeacon Joe]

A lot of people got used to it and like it.  We first used it when we both had the Fauci Flu and needed some resupply - I had missed our usual Friday shopping because of the FF.  Used it for most of a year after that, going in early on Saturday for produce, fresh meat, and to check the "managers specials" on meat and bakery that was close to or on the sell by date.  
Saved a LOT of time for me.  I had been doing shopping on Friday after work - got paid on Friday - and getting through the store, especially when they had the bayonet distance rule, added a good hour and a half to my day.  With the curbside, we would place the order, early Friday morning for p/u around 1600.  I'd get most of the way there from work, text that I was on my way, pull into a slot, text that I was there, and 5 minutes later I was on my way.  Saturday morning, usually befor 0600, go through produce and meat, in and out in 15 minutes.

It's great for handicap, great for seniors with mobility issues, great for people who don't like crowds.

[Subdeacon Joe]

13 minutes ago, Forty Rod SASS 3935 said:

What irks me is WHERE the pickup spaces are:  They have eliminated Handicap Parking

 

Not here.  Maybe since stores had the bare minimum required by the State of California they couldn't take out any Handicap spaces.

[Eyesa Horg]

BJs will also bring it out to your vehicle as well. The last time I was there, I didn't have the heart to make the lady that was my age push them out in the rain just to save me the effort. Others there did, and had her load the stuff in the car. 

[Colorado Coffinmaker]

 

Sorry, those that think Masks were never necessary are on a FOOLs errand.  Even today, you can't just walk into any Medical Facility without a Mask.

 

PLUS ONE for Pat Riot and Forty.  I do my own grocery shopping and don't mind at all.  "I" get to pick my Produce and my Meats, not some clown who just grabs whatever is on top.  Also annoying to observe some of the Glitterati in High End SUVs having their groceries delivered to their cars.  Wonder who carries it in for them when they get home.

[Pat Riot]

23 minutes ago, Forty Rod SASS 3935 said:

What irks me is WHERE the pickup spaces are:  They have eliminated Handicap Parking to a large degree making it difficult for many shoppers to even get in the damn door.  Our town hall and public library are offenders as well...in a community with a very high percentage of senior citizens who have placards and plates an no where to park.  And yes, I HAVE brought it up to the mayor and town council, but they are more interested in getting more "furriners" (Californians and a bunch showing up from Oregon and Washington, too) to bother with folks who live here already.

 

RANT MODE OFF

 

7 minutes ago, Subdeacon Joe said:

 

Not here.  Maybe since stores had the bare minimum required by the State of California they couldn't take out any Handicap spaces.

Those spaces are mandated by Federal Law and there is a formula for how many ADA spaces there are per the size of the parking lot. 
 

Drop a dime on ‘em to the Feds. We pay for it. Use it. 800-514-0301

 

https://www.ada.gov/topics/parking/

 

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-23/chapter-II/subchapter-B/part-1235

 

 

[Singin' Sue 71615]

It is the BIG PICTURE.

Getting society to not 'get out' , not mingle/converse, to not travel.

The 'powers that be' are pushing for more online,call in...to make it easier to track your buying/spending.

Prove me wrong.

 

I have used it when ill...and used it just ladt week as we are down to one vehicle...thought hubby could swing by on the way home for pick up. It wasn't ready. 5 minutes into the house, I got the text READY FOR PICKUP!!

 

[Calamity Kris]

9 minutes ago, Subdeacon Joe said:

A lot of people got used to it and like it.  We first used it when we both had the Fauci Flu and needed some resupply - I had missed our usual Friday shopping because of the FF.  Used it for most of a year after that, going in early on Saturday for produce, fresh meat, and to check the "managers specials" on meat and bakery that was close to or on the sell by date.  
Saved a LOT of time for me.  I had been doing shopping on Friday after work - got paid on Friday - and getting through the store, especially when they had the bayonet distance rule, added a good hour and a half to my day.  With the curbside, we would place the order, early Friday morning for p/u around 1600.  I'd get most of the way there from work, text that I was on my way, pull into a slot, text that I was there, and 5 minutes later I was on my way.  Saturday morning, usually befor 0600, go through produce and meat, in and out in 15 minutes.

It's great for handicap, great for seniors with mobility issues, great for people who don't like crowds.

 

I do it for a lot of the same reasons.  I leave work at 3:30 most days.  If I go straight home, I can get there by 4:15.  If I have to stop at the store first, which a LOT of folks do around here, it adds an extra hour to hour and a half to my day because of traffic and crowded store issues.  To then have to get it all home, unload it, cook dinner, clean up afterwords etc. makes for a really long day.  

[Pat Riot]

1 minute ago, Colorado Coffinmaker said:

I do my own grocery shopping and don't mind at all.  "I" get to pick my Produce and my Meats, not some clown who just grabs whatever is on top.  Also annoying to observe some of the Glitterati in High End SUVs having their groceries delivered to their cars.  Wonder who carries it in for them when they get home.

I like to pick my items as well. 

“Glitterati”  a great word I forgot about. 
 

There’s gotta be a way to use “Glitterati” and laziness at the market. A new name for the able who deem themselves better or more important. 
 

 

To be fair though I have encountered moms and caregivers that this service is a godsend to. Also, folks with disabilities and injuries benefit. So, not everyone is lazy and self-entitled that use this service. 

[Calamity Kris]

4 minutes ago, Colorado Coffinmaker said:

 

Sorry, those that think Masks were never necessary are on a FOOLs errand.  Even today, you can't just walk into any Medical Facility without a Mask.

 

PLUS ONE for Pat Riot and Forty.  I do my own grocery shopping and don't mind at all.  "I" get to pick my Produce and my Meats, not some clown who just grabs whatever is on top.  Also annoying to observe some of the Glitterati in High End SUVs having their groceries delivered to their cars.  Wonder who carries it in for them when they get home.

 

In my case, I purchase things that are pre-packaged like noodles, paper goods and the like online.  Any other items like meat, produce, dairy etc, I do myself.  As far as "Glitterati" are concerned, I have seen several mothers with multiple children using the service because it's easier to have their items brought out to their car than trying to unload the kids, get them situated in their strollers etc. and keep track of them in the store.  

[Rip Snorter]

Friends on a more remote ranch than mine have done this for years, long before the panic-demic.  They place their order by phone (maybe computer now) roll to town, do their other errands, sometimes have lunch, load a month's groceries and head home.  Works well for them.  As someone else mentioned, I prefer to pick my own, particularly produce.

[Sgt. C.J. Sabre, SASS #46770]

3 minutes ago, Colorado Coffinmaker said:

 

Sorry, those that think Masks were never necessary are on a FOOLs errand.  Even today, you can't just walk into any Medical Facility without a Mask.

Masks were never necessary. It was an experiment by the government to see how far people would let themselves be pushed. Now we know. As far as medical facilities, they're just following their lawyers recommendations. Doctors that wanted it never actually read the studies that say that there is no benefit from wearing them, they just followed the government's recommendation. Almost every time I mention it at a Dr.'s office, they agree that masks are stupid, but that's the rule. 

As for the whole curbside thing, I'm not doing it. I may be a Grumpy Old Fart, but I'm able bodied enough to do my own shopping. Between self checkout enabling them to not have cashiers, and curbside, I think that it might not be too long before they don't even want us to go into the store. They'll probably all be like Amazon in 10 years. And the American public will be fatter and lazier.

[Eyesa Horg]

7 minutes ago, Pat Riot, SASS #13748 said:

I like to pick my items as well. 

“Glitterati”  a great word I forgot about. 
 

There’s gotta be a way to use “Glitterati” and laziness at the market. A new name for the able who deem themselves better or more important. 
 

 

To be fair though I have encountered moms and caregivers that this service is a godsend to. Also, folks with disabilities and injuries benefit. So, not everyone is lazy and self-entitled that use this service. 

I used the service, but not the parking spaces. I park where the entitled don't ding my truck. Another reason to push my own carts. We buy meat at our local market, so no issue with what BJs picks as it is all packaged anyway. Ice Cream etc.

[Rip Snorter]

May be wrong, but medical facilities that are government subsidized must require masks, others not unless they want to.

[Subdeacon Joe]

16 minutes ago, Pat Riot, SASS #13748 said:

 

Those spaces are mandated by Federal Law and there is a formula for how many ADA spaces there are per the size of the parking lot. 
 

Drop a dime on ‘em to the Feds. We pay for it. Use it. 800-514-0301

 

https://www.ada.gov/topics/parking/

 

https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-23/chapter-II/subchapter-B/part-1235

 

 

 

 

From the first link:
 

Total Number of Parking Spaces Provided in a Parking Lot or Facility	Minimum Number of Accessible Parking Spaces Permitted
1 to 25	1
26 to 50	2
51 to 75	3
76 to 100	4
101 to 150	5
151 to 200	6
201 to 300	7
301 to 400	8
401 to 500	9
501 to 1000	2 percent of total
1001 and over	20, plus 1 for each 100, or fraction thereof, over 1000
At least one of every six spaces must be van accessible.

 

That's not many spaces.  

[Subdeacon Joe]

11 minutes ago, Calamity Kris said:

 

In my case, I purchase things that are pre-packaged like noodles, paper goods and the like online.  Any other items like meat, produce, dairy etc, I do myself.  As far as "Glitterati" are concerned, I have seen several mothers with multiple children using the service because it's easier to have their items brought out to their car than trying to unload the kids, get them situated in their strollers etc. and keep track of them in the store.  

 

Yep.  The only produce I'd order would be a bag of potatoes, the only meats would be hot dogs or other packaged meats. The only drawback was getting specials to apply sometimes, or I would check the box that substitutions were OK and not get anything, or the reverse of that, say NO substitution and get something substituted in.  Not often, but annoying.

[Yul Lose]

I was visiting with the manager of a restaurant in Arizona during EOT and he told me that the take out/pick up business is better than the walk in sit down business sometimes especially during the week. On Fridays and weekends he sees a lot more people dining in at his restaurant. The pick up spaces at our local Home Depot’s have increased and they have at our local Tractor Supply too. It’s probably here to stay.

[Sgt. C.J. Sabre, SASS #46770]

9 minutes ago, Rip Snorter said:

May be wrong, but medical facilities that are government subsidized must require masks, others not unless they want to.

Doesn't make them medically necessary.

[Pat Riot]

10 minutes ago, Subdeacon Joe said:

 

 

From the first link:
 

Total Number of Parking Spaces Provided in a Parking Lot or Facility	Minimum Number of Accessible Parking Spaces Permitted
1 to 25	1
26 to 50	2
51 to 75	3
76 to 100	4
101 to 150	5
151 to 200	6
201 to 300	7
301 to 400	8
401 to 500	9
501 to 1000	2 percent of total
1001 and over	20, plus 1 for each 100, or fraction thereof, over 1000
At least one of every six spaces must be van accessible.

 

That's not many spaces.  

Count the spaces in your store’s lit and then get back to us. It’s plenty if the ratio is followed. The California matrix adds to this , hence all the open ADA spaces at every big store. 

[Rip Snorter]

11 minutes ago, Sgt. C.J. Sabre, SASS #46770 said:

Doesn't make them medically necessary.

Never wore them ex, for routine medical and tests.  I did have to be tested prior to minor surgery.

[Subdeacon Joe]

17 minutes ago, Pat Riot, SASS #13748 said:

Count the spaces in your store’s lit and then get back to us. It’s plenty if the ratio is followed. The California matrix adds to this , hence all the open ADA spaces at every big store. 

 

I think it's about 225 spaces at the Safeway we use.  and about 14 handicap.  They took 6 regular spaces for pick up.  

[irish ike, SASS #43615]

Marketing 101. We've lost customers because of the Fauci flu. What do we do?

Curbside pick-up, some restaurants have been doing this way before the plague.

 

It costs the same, it's convenient, it works for most items except perishables, nuts and bolts etc.

We've paid a bit to have Walmart deliver groceries if we can't get out for some reason. Baby sitting grand kids, 2 YO's, or health.

 

For me, I'm not somewhat handicapped. So I go online, order, and head out when notified.

 

The businesses seem to be doing much better.

Marketing 101. We've lost customers because of the Fauci flu. What do we do?

Curbside pick-up, some restaurants have been doing this way before the plague.

 

It costs the same, it's convenient, it works for most items except perishables, nuts and bolts etc.

We've paid a bit to have Walmart deliver groceries if we can't get out for some reason. Baby sitting grand kids, 2 YO's, or health.

 

For me, I'm not somewhat handicapped. So I go online, order, and head out when notified.

 

The businesses seem to be doing much better.

[irish ike, SASS #43615]

Handicapped spaces need to be near the entrance, The ones you outlines are not very well placed.

When I was designing medical facilities we always went way beyond the ADA required minimum. Especially when geriatric or Ortho patients were involved.

[Redleg Reilly, SASS #46372]

1 hour ago, Colorado Coffinmaker said:

 

Sorry, those that think Masks were never necessary are on a FOOLs errand.  Even today, you can't just walk into any Medical Facility without a Mask.

 

PLUS ONE for Pat Riot and Forty.  I do my own grocery shopping and don't mind at all.  "I" get to pick my Produce and my Meats, not some clown who just grabs whatever is on top.  Also annoying to observe some of the Glitterati in High End SUVs having their groceries delivered to their cars.  Wonder who carries it in for them when they get home.

Sorry, but you must live somewhere else.  None if the medical facilities I use require masks.

[Old Man Graybeard]

I won't use self checkouts. I can't understand how some of these big box stores can find people to fill orders...but can't find people to run registers and open checkout lanes. I find myself doing business at more mom and pop or at least smaller places then big box places

[Subdeacon Joe]

44 minutes ago, irish ike, SASS #43615 said:

Handicapped spaces need to be near the entrance, The ones you outlines are not very well placed.

When I was designing medical facilities we always went way beyond the ADA required minimum. Especially when geriatric or Ortho patients were involved.

 

The ones in the upper left are at a gap in the island so they don't have to go around it.  The two in the 2nd row, near the store are the closest in that row.  Those in the next row to the south are again at a gap in the island so there is easy access to the walkway.  The ones on the south side of the store are right at the ramp and sidewalk.  They actually make sense.

 

[Abilene Slim SASS 81783]

Fact of the matter is, Americans don’t want to get out of their cars. It staggers me to see the long lines of cars at any business with drive through service, which is every fast food joint, pharmacy et all. They’ll sit in their cars with guzzling engines idling for 15 minutes or longer rather than go inside and be out in half the time. 

[Rye Miles #13621]

1 hour ago, Colorado Coffinmaker said:

 

Sorry, those that think Masks were never necessary are on a FOOLs errand.  Even today, you can't just walk into any Medical Facility without a Mask.

 

PLUS ONE for Pat Riot and Forty.  I do my own grocery shopping and don't mind at all.  "I" get to pick my Produce and my Meats, not some clown who just grabs whatever is on top.  Also annoying to observe some of the Glitterati in High End SUVs having their groceries delivered to their cars.  Wonder who carries it in for them when they get home.

Not TRUE!! I was at my doc's the last week and no one in the medical facility had masks on except for the poor simple minded souls that believed in them in the first place! This is University Hospitals which is a highly rated facility. My doc didn't have one one either! It's over for God's sakes stop it!!

[Rye Miles #13621]

My local BJ's has it and it's really handy for people that have a hard time hauling for example 40 bottles of water etc etc. At 75 I'm determined to get my own stuff but I see people that really have a hard time. I think we can file this under "Customer Service". 

[PowderRiverCowboy]

Never used it , Should I probably , I would rather go back to Afghanistan then go to Walmart