Having Plenty Of Reusable Bags
There's no denying that reusable bags play a part in saving the environment. However, according to Filson, having too much of them can be bothersome. "At the top of my list for poor reusable bag etiquette is bringing every reusable bag you've ever owned (stuffed into each other like a Russian nesting doll, making it impossible to get the all-important insulated bag without spilling dozens of bags everywhere)," she told Eating Well.
Instead, Filson suggested, "Consider bringing only the amount of bags you need and keeping them easy to access under the cart (with your insulated bag as the easiest to grab)."
Customers Who Hand Each Individual Item To The Cashier
This habit is apparently a "common pet peeve of Trader Joe's employees," Filson shared. "One or two items makes sense, but no more than that. Especially in light of the pandemic, having a bit of personal space can help keep people safe and healthy." To avoid causing a hassle when it comes to the checkout line, she recommends shoppers to simply place their items on the conveyor belt so that the cashiers can easily scan their groceries.
Lack Of Cart Etiquette
Additionally, Filson mentioned, "It may make sense to bring your cart to a worker who's gathering wayward carts in the parking lot. You're helping them, right? But if they have three, four, six carts in their charge, opt to bring it to the nearest cart corral instead." She also noted that "expecting an employee to pivot for your cart could be a pretty rude ask."
Asking A Trader's Joe Employee If They Work There
A little common sense can go a long way. Obviously, if a person is wearing a Trader Joe's name tag, Trader Joe's T-shirt and Trader Joe's sweatshirt, there's a hundred percent chance that they're an employee of the store. Filson explained, "What grocery workers do is important, hard work that's crucial to our communities. To avoid being unintentionally disrespectful, avoid asking this question."
She notes, "Instead, feel free to say a quick hello, and then jump in to asking the question(s) you have. Most TJ's employees prefer that much more."
Steer Clear Of Certain Shopping Days If You Want To Avoid Crowds
Here's a biggie: if you're hoping to avoid some of the notorious crowds at Trader Joe's either in store or in the packed parking lots, try to shop on certain less-populous days. Reddit user and former TJ's employee CherryDude48 shared that, "The pattern I've noticed is Tuesdays (and apparently Wednesdays although I don't work them) are the slowest. Thursdays, when I worked them, were always pretty mild too." They added, "Even on those slow days, I'd try to get in before 4; that's when things pick up slightly. But in the grand scheme of things, avoid Saturday [through] Monday, especially Sunday." Another user agreed: "The best times to shop are at opening and right before closing to avoid crowds. Sunday and Monday are our busiest days, and Tuesdays [through] Thursdays are the slowest."
Don't Count On Online Delivery Becoming Available Anytime Soon
Lastly, though Trader Joe's is pretty innovative in a lot of ways, one way the retailer hasn't quite changed with the times is with its view on online ordering. Many grocery chains, from stores like Stop & Shop and Kroger to mega-centers like Walmart and Target, have adopted online ordering, ordering ahead and order delivery in the last few years. However, staff say that we shouldn't be expecting TJ's to adapt to the times in that way anytime soon. "Trader Joe's operates in 1993. We use a bell system, for crying out loud," Redditor and current employee 82MacReady explained when responding to a question about adding conveniences. "They're never going to do online ordering or pickup orders cause they wanna keep things simple. They're all about the illusion of a small-town grocery store experience."