10 Things You Shouldn’t Do At Trader Joe’s, According to Employees

There’s nothing like walking into a Trader Joe’s on a calm Saturday, ready to stroll the aisles picking up all of your favorites (say, Pancake Bread or Green Goddess Dip). It’s one of the rare fun errands, and the friendly staff decked out in their colorful Hawaiian shirts really add to the experience. So, naturally, most of us want to return the favor by being considerate shoppers.

And, though TJ’s employees are amazingly friendly no matter what, there are, of course, ways that we as customers get on their nerves. We reached out to employees to see which annoying habits were the worst, and what we could do to avoid them. So for those of us who are always looking for that A+ (hello!), here’s what not to do at Trader Joe’s so you can maintain your status as favorite customer ever.

Leave trash in your cart

Strolling through TJ’s with an iced coffee is one of everyday life’s greatest pleasures, but remember to take that empty cup and throw it out before you hand your cart back! Employees are constantly having to empty sample cups, utensils, cart wipes, and other garbage out of the carts.

Hand items to your bagger one-by-one

You’re probably trying to be helpful but this actually slows down the process. The person bagging will want to grab things in order of where they’ll be in the bag (bottom for frozen stuff), so it’s much easier for them to take what they need from your cart as they go.

Leave your cart in the middle of the aisle

Keep it with you! When you leave your cart elsewhere, you’re taking up valuable walking space and causing a traffic jam.

Play on your phone during checkout

Give the person bagging your groceries your attention—say hello, thank you, and ask them if they need help. When it comes time to check out, be prepared and have your card or Apple Pay at the ready. It’s just polite!

Ask baggers about a product you can’t find

There are typically dozens of TJ’s employees in the aisles restocking items or hanging around to answer just this kind of question. When you wait until you get to the bagging area to ask where the Cheddar Rockets are, your bagger will have to ring the bell to get another associate’s attention, and then send them to look for it while you both wait at the register. This holds up other people in line and is a much easier problem to solve while you’re in the area that product should be in.

Use a reusable bag as a shopping basket

The carts and baskets are there for a reason! When you use your own bag to shop with, it presents problems and delays at checkout. The bagger first has to empty your entire bag onto that little pull out shelf before they can start actually scanning and bagging a single thing.

Bring grimy reusable bags

Reusable totes are great, but reusable totes that are currently housing your dirty gym clothes or spilled food are not great (and also not the baggers responsibility to deal with). Bring a clean tote, for their sake and your own. Who wants produce that smells like gym socks?

Lean over employees stocking shelves without saying anything

Trader Joe’s employees restock items throughout the day, and we’re all lucky that they do! If a worker is in front of a product you need, simply say “Excuse me, would you mind if I grab (product)” before just reaching over their heads. It may seem like nothing, but it’s greatly appreciated.

Not put stuff back where you found it

Naturally, this is a problem in pretty much any store, but especially grocery stores. If you take a frozen item and later decide you don’t need it, leaving it on a random shelf will likely compromise the integrity of that item and make it unsafe to eat. That’s food waste! Avoid this by making the quick trip back to the place you found it.

Come in a few minutes before closing

Everyone knows what it’s like at the end of a long work day. You want to get out! The employees here do as well. So come in at least 30 minutes before closing if you have to do a full shop so you’re not keeping the workers there longer than their shift requires.