Commissary Baggers

The subject of Commissary Baggers could be like opening a can of worms especially since I know a lot of people that read this blog also have experience and, undoubtably, their own opinion on this....

I had never been to a Commissary until we moved Germany. I had heard about the baggers working "strictly for tips", but never gave it much thought because it didn't pertain to me.

Then, I moved here and got to experience it first-hand. I suppose I pattern my tips by what my friend that took me there for the first time, told me she does. "Give them 2 or 3 dollars". I have since discovered that there are many different systems to tipping...25 cents a bag, $5 no matter what, whatever loose change you have, etc, etc. My system is I give them $2 for $100 or less, and then an extra $1 for each $50 that I spend. If I am only going to get a few things and take the groceries out myself, I will load Toby into the stroller and hand the bagger 50 cents to a dollar at the check-out stand. We also have self-check, so if I was really opposed to the baggers, I could do it all myself, but I'm not, so I don't!

However, for all the things that I will NOT miss about having to shop on a military base, I will truly, truly miss the baggers. While you are in the store, it seems normal, I mean, in the US, 99% of places will bag your groceries and you put them back in your cart. Except at the commissary, the baggers bag your groceries and then load them onto a special cart made especially for hauling out groceries.

Now, this is not the case when I am shopping "on the economy" but I do not shop much on the economy...but when I do, I bring my own bags, bag my own items and put them back into my own cart, which I have had to insert my own euro to unlock it out of line in the first place, then push my cart to my car and back to the line again where I position the cart correctly and can get my euro back (it's actually nice because there aren't any random carts floating around the parking lot because you want your euro back).

But, the main reason that I like having a bagger follow me out to my car is because I don't have to push the cart back. Not only do I not have to push their cart back, but they will also take the shopping cart that I have been pushing Toby in, if I forget to take him out as I exit the store and carry him on my hip. Let me further explain: they don't have a designated area in the parking lot to leave your carts, you have to push your cart back to the store which is actually further away from the parking lot then we are used to. There is a wall dividing the parking lot and like I mentioned, it is far away. Far enough away that I would have to take my kids back with me to the store to return the cart. I will have to admit that it is also nice having someone put your groceries in the car. I used to try to help the baggers but realized that they have their own "system" so for the most part, I just get Toby in his car seat, make sure Thomas is buckled in and kind of organize my front seat, make sure I still have my military ID, etc. By the time I do all that, the baggers have usually unloaded his or her cart, I tip them (or sometimes Thomas likes to do it) and we are on our way!

Until later,

Emily