As anyone who knows me is aware, I’m wary of shopping at Winco. Even though it’s huge, which equals suck when I only want one or two things, it’s almost always packed. Granted, there are times when it’s fairly quiet, or I run into friends, or the place is full of people who are generally on the pleasant side. That’s like winning the social lottery. Most times, it’s packed with people who fray my every nerve…we’ve all seen kids throw up, motorized carts stall when blocking an aisle, and people spending twenty minutes trying to barter with a cashier. Every trip feels like I’m emotionally slamming my hand in a door. BUT…it is cheap, and I have to compliment the employees general demeanor, so to Winco we go.
Which is the reason that Heather and I have found it necessary to develop an awesome way to expedite the process of shopping there: The Satellite System.
When we hit Winco, we’re a tactical team that focuses on getting in, getting our stuff, and getting the heck out. Since Heather’s got the purse, she stays with the cart, working the perimeter of the store, while I (the satellite) take off and grab four or five things from the list and bring them back.Then repeat, until everything on the list is crossed off.
I usually go section by section and we effectively cut our Winco time in half-we’re usually home and recovering before I have a chance to lose my faith in humanity.
If you’ve got a shopping buddy, try it. Then thank me.
Anna
January 12, 2010
That's a good idea we'll have to try it sometime.
Did you steal that picture from my blog?
Billy
January 12, 2010
No, I robbed it from google images. Thought it looked familiar…
Trevor
January 13, 2010
I gave up on Winco fast and early. When I was there I always shopped at FoodMax, I thought the prices were comparable, and it was less stressful.
Billy
January 13, 2010
Yeah, it's not that bad. Neither is WinCo in the scheme of things, I guess. I've just found that the less time grocery shopping takes, the more I enjoy it. Farmer's market, on the other hand, I can spend all day at.
Thomas
March 26, 2010
Far superior to the "mowing the lawn" method my mom employed. My shopping buddy and I do the divide and conquer but I usually spend a fair amount of time pacing between the deli and the produce sections attempting to locate her.
mello~
March 26, 2010
Ingenious, Billy.Though I used to go to Winco simply to watch the people, nothing like the 85 year-old night security guard woman, or the caped super hero, to make a day great.
Billy
March 26, 2010
Yeah, the only glitch I've found is when I'm carrying two gallons of milk in one hand and balancing cottage cheese and coffee creamer in the other, and I have to do a few laps around the store before I can find Heather (and the cart).
Billy
March 26, 2010
Mello-there's no lack of interesting people, that's for sure. The most vivid people watching experience that I can recall is when I stumbled upon an infant in the cart projectile vomiting in the condiments aisle.Turns out it's really cost-effective to shop after losing your appetite.