Anyone else miss just turning up?

[sunhasgotthis]

These days it feels like you've got to download an app to book in a fart! I really miss just turning up somewhere, paying, without everything shoehorned into tight slots.

It would be nice to go back to the day's when asked a question staff wanted to help,go find out and come back with relevant information.
I worked years in retail so I know the public can be tricky.

What also bugs me is the massive cost many businesses are paying to support the tech yet as pp says, they appear to be understaffed when you arrive in person. Then they are paying more for security of their tech, a cost which did not exist before the tech was implemented. It's just robbing Peter to pay Paul.

Yep, on holiday, park by app (2 different ones) order food by app. Do I want to leave a tip? Erm no, because I've had no indication how good the food or the service is at this point!

I once turned up with my DH & DS at a harvester without booking to be told no available spaces at all. Went back to car, looked online at their website and was full of slots even at the time we were there. So booked and went back in 🤣

Like another poster I have a newish smartphone with lots of memory, data and much prefer booking ahead to guarantee slots. Although I once had a race with friends when ordering in a pub at bar v ordering on the app. I was on the app team and had to sign up to wifi as no mobile data, then download the app, order, pay etc and those who went to the bar won!

My ND son would disagree with you. Getting him out to places depends on the day and how long he needs to prepare to get out of the house. Booking places doesn't work for us, so he's missing out on a lot.

I'm assuming you don't have ADHD! For those of us whose brains are utter chaos, having to book everything and get there on time is an utter nightmare, I'd rather stay at home.

We have to book the tip - but there's always a queue to get in anyway. And, what do you do if you don't have internet access to book?

I don't mind our local parking app, it saves me having to find change and costs exactly the same as using the ticket machine. You only get charged extra if you want a reminder text... All great.... But whenever we go on holiday in the UK it's a different app, so you need to download a new one instead.

Skip the line tickets do annoy me though. There were so many different outlets selling tickets for the same venue when we were in Italy that I gave up.
We arrived at the venue, no queue, bought tickets at the ticket office straight in and kids were free!

That's interesting that you feel this is better for you being ND. I'm the opposite - I'm autistic and I really struggle with having to pre-book everything.

I'm recovering from burnout so I need to be able to do things based on my energy levels on any given day. So booking a big family day out for a Saturday in September is a nice idea but if I'm having a bad day/week I have the choice between losing the money we spent on the booking, or pushing myself to do it anyway so I don't waste the money/let the kids down and then paying the price for it in the days after. Also due to sensory issues I really dislike getting rained on so I don't like pre-booking anything outside as the good old English weather is so unpredictable.

I would love to go back to the days of waking up on a Saturday morning, bit of sunshine, feeling full of energy and just deciding to go somewhere.

Also arriving somewhere, dependent on either road traffic or public transport, to enter in a 15 minute window, with small children is just stress inducing before you even start your day!

The one app I loved was the NHS app for repeat prescription. Just pressed I wanted the same pills Ive been taking for 8 years and they would be delivered to Boots near my workplace in a couple of days. But for some reason the last time i used it -no repeat prescription found. Went to the surgery to put in a request (15 min walk each way) . Went back 5 days later to collect- no record. Then the receptionist said Oh you shoudl have said it was for a contraceptive you need to do an online questionnaire. But if you do it now it will be in the surgery tomorrow. Ok..went back the next day - no , not ready yet. So what used to take literally seconds on the app ended up taking 2h of my time!!

Come to London! There is a massive resurgence of just turning up. You have to queue for a table, but often you can drink in the bar or they call you if a table is available.

I’ve not booked anything for ages, it’s fine if you have the time and can be a bit more spontaneous. Just means you queue for a bit or a lot longer depending on where you go. We tend to bring lots of snacks/diversions for our toddler.

I like a mix, but do feel sad basic things still need booking ahead so we can't just spontaneously say we'll go today or shift to later. It's great, though, for busy places as knowing I have a seat/entry takes a lot of stress away from dealing with crowds or queue jumpers.

Although, we've just booked a Japan holiday & and am realising we have it easy! We have to book most things 3-4 months ahead, even basic entry tickets.

On the other hand all the parking apps! Once I wanted to take some stuff to the charity shop. I drove to the nearest carpark. You get 10 min free but still have to register on the app. It took longer to download and register my free 10 minutes than the few minutes it took to drop the bags at the charity shop!
And buying concert tickets. In the olden days you could get in a queue at the Box office at a venue , hand over card or cash and get a ticket. Then it became a phone line but similar process. Now you have to register at a specific time, be in a virtual waiting room , get a code etc etc.

I miss being handed a menu in a cafe or restaurant. If I am in one, I like my phone to remain in my bag and I don't expect those I am meeting to have them out neither. I also think of my beloved late gran, who would not have a clue how to scan a QR code and would not be able squint at a screen to read it.

Yeah I hate it too. I end up not going to things because I get irritated.

I want to wake up and decide on the day. I don't know today what I want to do next Saturday.

I've started leaving feedback when I don't go somewhere due to pre-booking only.

I was just saying this to my sister today. As kids we went to nursery for a set time slot every day, there were next to no forms, no app, no photo permissions, no facebook group, no learning journal to remember a password for etc. You just dropped your kid at nursery and went back for them at the end. We do seem to now be in a situation where paperwork, communication and apps seem to have taken over everything. You can’t buy anything online without them wanting to hound you with emails for the rest of your life. You can’t even turn up at swimming near me anymore. Everything has to be pre-booked QR code nonsense.

We went to the cinema for the first time in a while recently and where you used to go in (having not booked), literally look up at the screens and decide on the spot what you were going to see then book with a real person at the desk, go over and buy your popcorn from another person, get your tickets scanned and shown to your screen by another person and shown to your seat by someone else - now the whole thing was machines and pre bookings except one lady looking at tickets. I hate it 😢

There's a whole episode about this in Its Always Sunny

I live in London. Even have to book a slot at a sodding splash park in a park. Yes to all PPs on the parking apps. So many different ones too.

I'm neuro divergent and I hate being forced to be organised for fun and recreation when I already have to get myself together to work and run a home. So now it's made life harder for some of us to ever go to see certain places or be part of certain events.

I really miss the spontaneity of life

We've just been on a city break in Europe. Last time I went to the city, we bought museum passes in advance, then just went to the venues as and when. This time, most had to be booked in advance, as did other things we wanted to do. It was a complete military planning exercise in advance and meant we couldn't always spend as long as we might have liked, as I had booked some things too close together. It wasn't the same spontaneous, relaxing break as previously.

Really? I’ve always just turned up and it’s been fine. They always seem to have spaces at the splash park near us.

I like to rock up to stuff. If something requires a pre booked time slot I can’t be arsed, I’d rather do something else.

My favourite 2 words on any retail website are guest checkout ie you dint have to make an account!

On holiday recently one parking app was very quick and easy to use, and was handy as we were staying in a long stay carpark 10 min walk from.our accomodation, to just top up at the end of each day without going to the car.
Other tines I've had parking apps freeze, not load, forgot password have to reset and you're faffing about for 10 minutes when putting £2 in the machine and taking a ticket, would gave taken 30 seconds! And I hate that it's always 20p more than advertised on the machine when you pay by app or phone!

All except for the barbers’! I love having appointment times there as previously had to sit feeling completely out of place in a room full of trendy young men listening to inane chat about the boxing and their various nights out while waiting for dc’s turn for a haircut on a Saturday morning.

I find it very annoying.
A lot of things also require you to book at least a day in advance. Means If your sick or the weathers bad, tough luck.
Also, booking fees annoy me. Why say entry is £6 pp when you add another £1 for booking fee! Who only pays the £6 when your only option is to book online?

I think it's stopped a lot of people being able to do things they need to / enjoy.