Tips for how to avoid queuing at supermarkets?

TheBanker

As I live on my own, chatting to the next person in the supermarket queue (from 2m away, of course) was actually the first face to face conversation I'd had for 10 days. So queuing has its advantages!

Murphybear

We queued up in Waitrose a week ago.  Everyone was really friendly and by the time you got to the head of the queue it was like meeting old friends.

The person in front of us said she recognised us.  She worked in the pharmacy at the local Boots which is literally 200/300 yards from Waitrose.  When OH asked when the best time to go was as one of his meds had been specially ordered she offered to drop it into the house for us.

That was super kind.  When the next round of my meds was due she also delivered that personally after we explained that Boots weren’t taking on any more deliveries.
  

Should mention that this in a quiet market town and we don’t get the horrendous queues we’ve seen online

Sea_Shell

If these restrictions stay in place for a while (social distancing) even once other travel restrictions are loosened, are we still going to have to queue just to pop in and use the loos, on a journey?   Or pop in to buy a sandwich?     It's no so bad whilst we've had nice weather, but it's going to be pants if its still like this as we head into next winter.   

MysteryMe

I guess petrol stations or motorway services would be a better option, quite a few have toilets as well as convenience stores. 

rhcp

I went into town yesterday, there more people around than I thought there would be but still not many.  There were queues for the bank, queues for the shops, the block of toilets were closed, the only ones open were the disabled toilets, the only place where there wasn't a queue was Aldi, which I was quite happy about!

I dread to think what it will be like when they start lifting the restrictions.

od244051

Went to Lidl at around 10:40 this morning and I walked straight in! I was expecting a queue esp with many people got paid yesterday.

Marmaduke123

I think people don't  like to change their habits. Where I live the local Waitrose is quiet on Mondays, getting progressively  busier as the week goes on. I think that's  a pretty normal pattern for the branch.

So, no or minimal queue on a Monday and Tuesday, bigger one Wednesday, bigger still Thursday, impossible Friday, Saturday and Sunday. 

clive0510

I dont queue. I refuse to do it.

od244051

Marmaduke123 said:

I think people don't  like to change their habits. Where I live the local Waitrose is quiet on Mondays, getting progressively  busier as the week goes on. I think that's  a pretty normal pattern for the branch.

So, no or minimal queue on a Monday and Tuesday, bigger one Wednesday, bigger still Thursday, impossible Friday, Saturday and Sunday. 

Have a couple of friends that work for supermarkets. They are surprised in why so many elderly people still continue to shop on Saturday!! You can't attend your bridge club meetings on Tuesdays afternoons at the moment. Visit the shops then!!!

maman

clive0510 said:

I dont queue. I refuse to do it.

Your choice I suppose.