Are you still queuing for food?

[FredaFlinstone]

Maybe I am just spoilt or have a massive sense of entitlement, but we are still queueing for food at our local supermarket and it is giving me the rage. I have to stand there in a mask for 20 mins to half an hour before I even get into the shop. I can go really early but they won't let me in as it is NHS/ pensioners. Usually there is no one in the shop this early butt they still won't let me in because I can pass germs to the elderly apparently.

I thought we had moved on a bit. Is this still the way or has my local supermarket not got the recent memos? Just to add apparently the shop is not doing well at the moment. Perhaps let more people in?

[HaggyMaggie]

Never and haven’t done for months at any supermarket, although you do sometimes have a five minute wait outside the M& food hall on a weekend.

Go elsewhere?

[Okbutnotgreat]

No Queueing for supermarkets here thank goodness it’s really just charity shops that have insane restrictions like 3 people including the staff.

[lughnasadh]

No queues outside here.

It's not particularly busy, now that the panic has died down and supply issues have been resolve.

There are loads of large and Aldi/Lidl sized shops locally, so loads of choice anyway.

[Lovelydovey]

There was a queue outside Sainsbury’s yesterday so I didn’t bother going in - but that was the first queue I’d seen in months.

[dementedpixie]

I haven't had to queue for weeks now.

[narcdad45]

No queuing here either (SE) hasn't been for some time.

@Okbutnotgreat the charity shops are something else! One refused to let me in as I didn't use their hand sanitiser, I use my own as my hands are so sore from all the different ones, I used mine in front of her and she still refused! I was only going to drop off some outgrown school uniforms 🙄

[Littlepond]

I’ve queued for M&S food and the co op but Tesco and Sainsburys have been fine

[PinkMacaron]

No queues currently; in fact no restrictions apart from different doors to enter and exit and the screens at the tillpoint. Rarely queued for more than 5 minutes even at the height of the lockdown, although I did usually time my visits to avoid busy times.

[NeutralJanet]

Asda seem to have completely given up on limiting the numbers in store, there's nobody on the doors counting people in and out anymore.

[SockYarn]

Most of our local supermarkets got rid of the queues weeks ago - probably in July. The local Aldi has just installed a traffic light system but it's more designed to control the flow of people going in rather than limit total numbers. They removed the one way systems too.

it’s really just charity shops that have insane restrictions like 3 people including the staff.

I'm a volunteer and we hate it too. We are doing what we are told to do by the head office and Charity retail association. They're the ones making the insane rules about quarantining donations and limiting flow into the shop to very low levels. I wouldn't worry though, our takings are 30% of what they were this time last year - we can't carry on counting people in and out and asking people to make appointments to drop things off.

[brakethree]

I won't queue and local Aldi and Lidl havent had queues for ages. Waitrose on the other hand seems to love a good queue, about 8+ people queuing both Sat and Sun at the one near me.

[Greenteandchives]

Still queuing here for Waitrose at busy times. No other supermarkets.

[minnieok]

Not since June - once other shops reopened I think the shoppers went elsewhere, I assume they were only supermarket shopping due to boredom. Lidl never had a queue

[EmilySpinach]

I haven't queued to get into a supermarket since June.

[CornishYarg]

The only time I've queued recently was in a seaside area on the way back from a day out; guess lots of holidaymakers go at that time. I usually shop in the evenings when it's quieter though.

[FrancesHaHa]

No queuing here. In fact no staff on the door of most shops now near me. One way systems in shops disappeared etc. In fact pretty much back to normal except mask wearing. I don't think my local shops are doing the early hour for NHS staff either now

[Waxonwaxoff0]

No, there haven't been queues for ages where I am.

[Scarby9]

Waitrose in Hexham is allowing 70 people in at a time (up from 60) so there often is a queue there - well managed by a jolly greeter.

Small bakeries and fish and chip shop type places have queues but otherwise not like it used to be.

I think later afternoon is a quiet time to go round us, although that is no use for the small bakeries as by then they have run out of the good stuff - hence the queues.

[tangoboxing]

No, in fact I can't remember the last time there was a queue at any shop I wanted to go in to.

If I had to queue for the supermarket I'd just go elsewhere. We're spoilt for choice here with Tesco, Waitrose, Sainsbury's, Lidl & Aldi all close by. It is only Aldi that have any restrictions (I think they have traffic lights on their door?) & often have a few people waiting outside so I avoid them.

[tangoboxing]

I've given up on charity shops and just take stuff that I'd previously donate to the recycling centre which obviously means no browsing & purchasing. They (charity shops) fall into the category of 'cant do, won't do'; life is stressful enough without dealing with officious people yelling at potential customers for the crime of trying to enter their shop!

[PennyDreadfuI]

@Scarby9

Waitrose in Hexham is allowing 70 people in at a time (up from 60) so there often is a queue there - well managed by a jolly greeter.

Small bakeries and fish and chip shop type places have queues but otherwise not like it used to be.

I think later afternoon is a quiet time to go round us, although that is no use for the small bakeries as by then they have run out of the good stuff - hence the queues.

I haven't been to Hexham since before lockdown and really miss it, but I have to admit Waitrose isn't the same since they took away the fresh cake counter. Their white chocolate tiramisu was divine.

Waitrose in Jesmond (Newcastle) still has queues most of the time but it's the only supermarket I've been to since May or June which does. Also the traffic light system at my local Aldi has never once showed red and I'm there a few times a week.

I've stopped going to chazzas sadly because every single one has queues - if I go to my local high street for a charity shop spree that'd mean about 5 minutes queueing for each one, and there are 5 or 6. Added to that a charity shop near me is the only place I've been to where they wouldn't let me in without a mask, which put me off.

[DidSheReallySayThat20]

Nope no queing and not much distancing. Its almost normal except the masks.
And I go various times of the day.
About 4 weeks ago aldi had maybe 4 in a que. That was 4pm. But that was it.

[Plussizejumpsuit]

No but I always went late on so never queued. Although I'm generally sticking to this time I do pop into the shops during the day and there's no queues. Where do you live? Just wondering if there are less supermarkets around maybe demand is higher?

[Walkacrossthesand]

My local Asda has one person overseeing people coming in (for mask wearing I presume) and an electronic counter which says how many people are already in store, with a cap of 1100 ish - I don't know what happens when person no 1101 tries to get in!

[toolatetooearly]

Nope, no queuing for months now. I just wonder into Sainsbury like I always used to (wearing a mask of course!)