I swore people who complained about grocery cart return corrals were just lazy until I worked retail for 3 months

I used to roll my eyes so hard at folks who ranted about people not returning carts. Like, who cares, the store hires people to collect them right? Then I took a part time gig at a Target in Austin last summer during the college break. On a busy Saturday I saw this one cart just sitting in a handicapped spot for 45 minutes blocking an elderly woman from parking. The cart attendants were already swamped trying to keep up with the lot. I had to physically move it myself because nobody else would. Now I side eye anyone who leaves their cart in the middle of a spot, it takes like 30 seconds tops. Has anyone else had a job totally flip their opinion on a pet peeve they used to dismiss?

2 comments

2 Comments

theagibson14d ago

The cart return is a courtesy, not a job description.

taylor1214d ago

I mean, is leaving a cart in a spot really that deep of an issue? @theagibson is right, it's just a courtesy thing, not like a moral failing. I get that it's annoying for retail workers, but people are tired and juggling kids, and sometimes the corral is literally on the other side of the lot. Maybe it's just me, but I feel like getting this worked up over a cart says more about how stressed everyone is than some massive character flaw.