Where Shopping Is a Pleasure

There is a big difference between going to the grocery store in New York and going in Orlando. The checkout line culture sums it up.

The marketing tag line of Publix, the big supermarket chain in Florida, is "Where Shopping Is a Pleasure." That may be true if your idea of fun is chatting with the checkout staff while people stand in line behind you, patiently waiting for their turn to exchange mindless pleasantries. Or perhaps you have forgotten to take advantage of a BOGO offer. No worries. The checkout person will dispatch another staff member to run through the aisles to get the desired item. Oh, yes. The people waiting in line behind? That is just part of the enjoyment.

When I shopped for a few groceries at the West Side Market on my last trip to New York, I was a little concerned about the length of the checkout line. No worries. This was New York. The staff didn't chat; they checked me out with speed and efficiency in record time. That was a real pleasure!