Grocery Shopping

[samhexum]

I have a grocery delivery scheduled for Thurs. The post-holidays covid wave and the new more-infectious variant have scared me back out of the supermarkets.

[samhexum]

Today I went to the grocery, primarily to get bread and milk

Thursday the man behind me had 5 gallons of milk, but the checker said they were limiting to two gallons.

Unless you have as many kids as the Duggars, what on earth are you going to do with 5 gallons of milk??

 

Some people are VERY serious about their milk purchases...

 

A Connecticut man has been arrested for stabbing a grocery store cashier in the head over the price of a gallon of milk, according to authorities.

 

Hichman Asfir was getting his groceries scanned at a Walmart in Waterbury on Sunday when the violent incident occurred. Police told the Stamford Advocate that the suspect became enraged when the 19-year-old clerk informed him of the price and then whipped out a pocket knife.

 

”Asfir walked around the register, grabbed the cashier by the hair and then stabbed her with a folding knife to the left side of the head,” police said in a press release.

 

The victim was then rushed to Saint Mary’s Hospital to be treated for a puncture wound behind her left ear, police said. She was in stable condition in wake of the incident and is expected to make a full recovery.

 

The victim told officers she did not know her attacker.

 

Sarah Scovill, who was shopping with her young daughter at the time, recalled the horrific attack in an interview with WFSB. She was in the self-checkout when the stabbing unfolded.

 

“Immediately, she started screaming,” she recalled.

 

“I still can’t get the screaming out of my head. It was like a horror movie. She was grabbing her head and she then fell to the ground and was shaking on the ground.”

 

Asfir was arrested on charges including first-degree assault and second-degree breach of peace. He was being held on $500,000 bond.

 

 

Edited January 12, 2021 by samhexum

[+ sam.fitzpatrick]

Yesterday I went shopping and as I approached the area where paper towels and toilet paper were stocked, I was relieved to see that the shelves were fully stocked. Then as I got closer, I was disappointed to discover that I was going need to buy generic as the Cottonelle that I prefer (nor any other brand) was in stock.

 

Well, after six weeks of having to make do with substandard TP, Cottonelle was back on the shelf today. I will now have a happy bum. [i'm sure many were worried about how I was coping with this situation.?]

[+ BenjaminNicholas]

Well, after six weeks of having to make do with substandard TP, Cottonelle was back on the shelf today. I will now have a happy bum. [i'm sure many were worried about how I was coping with this situation.?]

 

I believe we may need pics to accompany your post.

[samhexum]

Instacart will lay off its only unionized workers as part of a plan to ax nearly 1,900 employees stationed in supermarkets across the country.

 

The grocery delivery firm employs several thousand shoppers who pack grocery orders at stores for pickup or delivery. That’s unlike the roughly 500,000 independent contractors who pick up items from various locations and deliver them to customers.

 

Instacart revealed plans this week to lay off some 1,877 of those in-store shoppers as part of a shift in how grocery retailers use its services. The affected staffers work at stores that will start using their own employees to fulfill pickup orders placed through Instacart, the company says.

 

Among them are 10 shoppers at a Mariano’s grocery store in Skokie, Illinois, who became the only Instacart employees to join a union last year.

 

Instacart says the cuts had nothing to do with the fact that the workers are unionized. But the move outraged the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union, which represents the Mariano’s staffers and has pushed for stronger protections for grocery workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

“Instacart firing the only unionized workers at the company and destroying the jobs of nearly 2,000 dedicated frontline workers in the middle of this public health crisis, is simply wrong,” Marc Perrone, the union’s international president, said in a statement.

 

The Mariano’s store is one of several owned by supermarket giant Kroger where some 366 Instacart shoppers will be cut as soon as mid-March, according to a Tuesday letter Instacart’s lawyers sent to the UFCW.[/url]

 

The San Francisco-based startup — which is reportedly preparing to go public this year — said the layoffs resulted from retailers’ decisions to fulfill orders with their own workers rather than Instacart’s.

 

But it’s also “significantly more expensive on a cost-per-delivery basis” for Instacart to use in-store shoppers in certain places compared to its full-service contractors, who can both fulfill orders and deliver them rather than picking items up from the store-based workers, lawyer Joseph Santucci said in his letter to the union.

 

Instacart says it will transfer laid-off shoppers to other stores where it has positions open or try to help them get hired by the retailer that runs their current store. Those who are cut will get severance payments ranging from $250 to $750 depending on experience, Santucci wrote.

 

“We know this is an incredibly challenging time for many as we move through the COVID-19 crisis, and we’re doing everything we can to support in-store shoppers through this transition,” Instacart said in a statement.

[MikeBiDude]

Instacart will lay off its only unionized workers as part of a plan to ax nearly 1,900 employees stationed in supermarkets across the country.

 

The grocery delivery firm employs several thousand shoppers who pack grocery orders at stores for pickup or delivery. That’s unlike the roughly 500,000 independent contractors who pick up items from various locations and deliver them to customers.

 

I wonder if that’s a regional, or grocery chain thing? Here, my order is shopped and delivered by same independent Instacart driver.

[samhexum]

Kroger supermarket executives came up with an ingenious way to motivate employees to get the COVID-19 vaccine, offering any workers who get inoculated a $100 bonus.

 

All company employees, which include about 500,000 people in 35 states, are eligible for the one-time offer, NPR reported Friday.

 

Workers must take the full manufacturer-recommended dose. Those who can’t get the vaccine for medical or religious reasons will be allowed to complete an education and safety course in order to receive their payment.

 

Kroger is following in the footsteps of grocery chain Aldi, which is giving workers two hours of pay per dose received. Dollar General also offered employees four hours of paid time. “We do not want our employees to have to choose between receiving a vaccine or coming to work,” the chain said last month.

 

More than 58 million doses of the vaccines have been delivered throughout the U.S.. But only about 36.8 million of those doses have been administered, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported. Less than 7.5 million people have received their full inoculation.

 

The CDC categorizes grocery workers as frontline essential workers, the same group as firemen and cops, public transportation workers and manufacturers.

[jjkrkwood]

Kroger supermarket executives came up with an ingenious way to motivate employees to get the COVID-19 vaccine, offering any workers who get inoculated a $100 bonus.

 

All company employees, which include about 500,000 people in 35 states, are eligible for the one-time offer, NPR reported Friday.

 

Workers must take the full manufacturer-recommended dose. Those who can’t get the vaccine for medical or religious reasons will be allowed to complete an education and safety course in order to receive their payment.

 

Kroger is following in the footsteps of grocery chain Aldi, which is giving workers two hours of pay per dose received. Dollar General also offered employees four hours of paid time. “We do not want our employees to have to choose between receiving a vaccine or coming to work,” the chain said last month.

 

More than 58 million doses of the vaccines have been delivered throughout the U.S.. But only about 36.8 million of those doses have been administered, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported. Less than 7.5 million people have received their full inoculation.

 

The CDC categorizes grocery workers as frontline essential workers, the same group as firemen and cops, public transportation workers and manufacturers.

[handiacefailure]

Found out about Goldbelly this week. Expensive but great way to get food from places like NYC now that I can't travel.

[+ Hoover42]

Found out about Goldbelly this week. Expensive but great way to get food from places like NYC now that I can't travel.

Yes! Love Goldbelly. One of my favorites from there is The Little Pie Company. The sour cream apple walnut pie is out of this world.

[+ Lucky]

Kroger supermarket executives came up with an ingenious way to motivate employees to get the COVID-19 vaccine, offering any workers who get inoculated a $100 bonus.

 

All company employees, which include about 500,000 people in 35 states, are eligible for the one-time offer, NPR reported Friday.

 

Workers must take the full manufacturer-recommended dose. Those who can’t get the vaccine for medical or religious reasons will be allowed to complete an education and safety course in order to receive their payment.

 

Kroger is following in the footsteps of grocery chain Aldi, which is giving workers two hours of pay per dose received. Dollar General also offered employees four hours of paid time. “We do not want our employees to have to choose between receiving a vaccine or coming to work,” the chain said last month.

 

More than 58 million doses of the vaccines have been delivered throughout the U.S.. But only about 36.8 million of those doses have been administered, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported. Less than 7.5 million people have received their full inoculation.

 

The CDC categorizes grocery workers as frontline essential workers, the same group as firemen and cops, public transportation workers and manufacturers.

In California, Kroger is closing grocery stores rather than give employees a $2 hazard bonus.

[MikeBiDude]

In California, Kroger is closing grocery stores rather than give employees a $2 hazard bonus.

@Lucky If you’re referring to the Long Beach, CA issue it’s $4/hour “hazard pay” that the Long Beach City Council voted to impose on grocery stores. Kroger’s announced one Food For Less and one Ralph’s scheduled to close. Kroeger claims stores “underperforming”.

[+ Lucky]

@MikeBiDude Thanks for the update. I thought it was two.

[+ bigjoey]

@Lucky If you’re referring to the Long Beach, CA issue it’s $4/hour “hazard pay” that the Long Beach City Council voted to impose on grocery stores. Kroger’s announced one Food For Less and one Ralph’s scheduled to close. Kroeger claims stores “underperforming”.

 

They are not closing all their stores but it seems just the ones where the added expense pushes those stores past the margin where they are no longer profitable. My guess is cost structure of those specific stores was right on the margin to start. I have not read a full account but that is my guess why they are only closing a few specific stores.

 

The $4/hour has to come from someplace. The stores may not be able to raise prices and the profits for those stores just may not exist. If the government wants those workers to be paid more, the government should furnish those funds and spread the cost through out society rather than force the total cost on a merchant.

[Epigonos]

The Long Beach City Council vote to impose a 4$/hour "hazard pay" on grocery stores is an excellent example of the old adage "The road to hell is paved with good intentions". All too often politicians pass good sounding laws without considering their long term consequences.

[kingsley88]

Yes! Love Goldbelly. One of my favorites from there is The Little Pie Company. The sour cream apple walnut pie is out of this world.

I love that pie company! Will admit I normally get the apple walnut sour cream pie for Thanksgiving each year.

[handiacefailure]

Yes! Love Goldbelly. One of my favorites from there is The Little Pie Company. The sour cream apple walnut pie is out of this world.

 

Thanks for the heads up on the pie company. May use them for Easter.

 

My favorite so far is the double chocolate babka from Onek bakery. I like to put in my toaster oven at 300 for a few minutes to warm it up.

 

If you are into the credit card point game there are a couple good deals out there. Some Am Ex cards in their sing up offers have $50 off a $100+ goldbelly purchase and it can be used up to three times so I bought three different $100 e-gift cards. Figure it saves 50% and if you have a chase card with pay yourself back Goldbelly works in their bonus categories through at least 4/30.

 

It is expensive but I figure I'm saving a lot of money not travelling and it helps to keep these small businesses I like to patronize when I can travel in business.

[handiacefailure]

The Long Beach City Council vote to impose a 4$/hour "hazard pay" on grocery stores is an excellent example of the old adage "The road to hell is paved with good intentions". All too often politicians pass good sounding laws without considering their long term consequences.

 

I'm scared the same thing will happen if minimum wage does get increased to $15 an hour.

 

I'm sure we'll see a lot more kiosks at fast food places and they'll be common like they are in Europe.

 

We pay our college interns $18 an hour and they are thrilled to be making that much but if a McD's worker is making that I can see them asking for more money.

 

And I'm sure like with Kroger's that have recently closed, if a merchant is on the fence about closing due to profit margins and their lease is up just closing the business.

[+ Charlie]

I am assuming that the "hazard pay" increase is a temporary measure during the pandemic, not a claim that working in a grocery store is inherently a hazardous occupation.

[handiacefailure]

I don't understand why they aren't requiring nurses and medical professionals also get hazard pay. A nurse in a hospital or EMT is putting their lives in a lot more danger being around a covid patient

[samhexum]

I don't understand why they aren't requiring nurses and medical professionals also get hazard pay. A nurse in a hospital or EMT is putting their lives in a lot more danger being around a covid patient

I'm sure many are getting some type of reward, it just hasn't been handled legislatively.

 

When NYC was the epicenter, Elmhurst Hospital was the epicenter of the epicenter.

 

Elmhurst Hospital workers gifted free vacations as reward for COVID-19 fight (5/8/20)

 

 

The staff of Elmhurst Hospital in Queens, New York, got a well-deserved surprise Friday morning at its weekly staff call.

 

ABC News got a first look as the heads of Hyatt Hotels Corporation and American Airlines joined the call to announce that the entire 4,000-person staff -- doctors, nurses, facilities and food service workers -- will be receiving a complimentary vacation as thanks for their service in the fight against COVID-19.

 

"It's beyond deeply meaningful to me," said Mamie McIndoe, associate director of patient experience at Elmhurst Hospital, adding, "We worked very hard -- tirelessly -- the whole team for these seven weeks and it's just amazing."

 

Cheers of "Elmhurst Strong" rang out as workers at the heart of New York City's COVID-19 response were gifted trips to select destinations in the U.S. and the Caribbean.

 

Elmhurst Hospital, part of the public NYC Health and Hospitals system increased the facilities' intensive care unit capacity by 500% as it dealt with the pandemic. The hospital was called "the center of this crisis" by the city's health department in late March. New York City has been the epicenter of the crisis in America with more than 19,600 confirmed and probable deaths.

 

The hard-hit hospital's front-line workers will be getting a three-night complimentary vacation for them and a loved one.

 

"The amazing healthcare professionals at Elmhurst Hospital have cared for so many members of our collective community. In many ways they've put their lives on hold so that they could extend themselves to care for others," Mark Hoplamazian, Hyatt president and CEO, told ABC News.

 

 

Dr. Laura Iavicoli, who works in emergency medicine at the hospital, added, "Everybody cannot be more thankful. It is a beyond beyond amazing thing they have done for us."

 

"Every worker at Elmhurst has seen and experienced challenges many of us cannot imagine. They've given so much of themselves and chose to serve their community with care, compassion and equity for every patient," Robert Isom, the president of American Airlines, said in a statement.

 

This is the largest flight count ever provided to an organization by the airline, the company said.

 

"I haven't seen my daughter and family in seven weeks," a staff member said, adding that he looked forward to the vacation after helping to fight through the virus.

 

Hyatt has also announced that it will be extending the friends and family rate to health care workers worldwide through June 2021.

[kingsley88]

Thanks for the heads up on the pie company. May use them for Easter.

 

My favorite so far is the double chocolate babka from Onek bakery. I like to put in my toaster oven at 300 for a few minutes to warm it up.

 

If you are into the credit card point game there are a couple good deals out there. Some Am Ex cards in their sing up offers have $50 off a $100+ goldbelly purchase and it can be used up to three times so I bought three different $100 e-gift cards. Figure it saves 50% and if you have a chase card with pay yourself back Goldbelly works in their bonus categories through at least 4/30.

 

It is expensive but I figure I'm saving a lot of money not travelling and it helps to keep these small businesses I like to patronize when I can travel in business.

That's smart! I live in NYC so I can just walk to the Little Pie Company in hells kitchen! YEs I agree it's best to support small businesses especially during this pandemic. Thinking more about it I should get a pie this weekend.

[+ azdr0710]

would love to order from the Little Pie Company with all the great comments here.....but shipping out west via Goldbelly is pricey!!........$80 for a key lime pie??.......I'm sure it's fantastic, but can't quite.....stomach.....that price!.......

 

https://www.littlepiecompany.com/

[kingsley88]

would love to order from the Little Pie Company with all the great comments here.....but shipping out west via Goldbelly is pricey!!........$80 for a key lime pie??.......I'm sure it's fantastic, but can't quite.....stomach.....that price!.......

 

https://www.littlepiecompany.com/

wow didn't realize the price on goldbelly! Wow. Their pies are normally $38 here in NYC and they're a good size. It took me 4 days to finish eating the apple sour cream walnut pie over thanksgiving (yes I spent thanksgiving alone but did a zoom thing with family.)

[handiacefailure]

would love to order from the Little Pie Company with all the great comments here.....but shipping out west via Goldbelly is pricey!!........$80 for a key lime pie??.......I'm sure it's fantastic, but can't quite.....stomach.....that price!.......

 

https://www.littlepiecompany.com/

 

I'm going to have to check them out next time I'm in NYC. This really has me craving Doughnut project in NYC now also LOL. The pot pies look amazing.

 

Goldbelly isn't cheap but I was really craving Babka the first time I ordered with them and knew I wouldn't be flying soon and figured I was saving a lot of money from not flying and to treat myself.

 

If you have an American Express card there is an offer on a lot of there cards on their page for $50 off a $100 purchase. You can use it to buy a gift card and use that for the pie. and it will cost you $50 if you decidenot to use the other $20. If you have a chase card with pay yourself back Goldbelly is working on the 50% discount category so the pie would only cost you a little over $50 in points.