Stuff you took for granted that no longer exists?

[Confusednbemused]

Was saying to my daughter how I used to go to Boots or Superdrug and take free perfume samples to try at home before deciding what to buy and it occurred to me I've no idea when that stopped and the little strips of paper became a thing!!

What inanimate or service level thing do you miss which you used to take for granted?

@Confusednbemused I don’t remember free samples being given out without purchasing something else but you could liberally spray onto your arm (different samples all the way up!)

Actual shops stocking a range of sizes and styles of clothes rather than them telling me to check their website (John Lewis and M&S pulled this trick last Wednesday, I wanted to try on dresses not buy and return the ones i didn’t like!)

I loved greggs soft bread rolls

Proper Comedians.
Free papers being delivered.
Buying a CD and the excitement of coming home, putting it on and playing it to death.
Havent bought a CD in years. No need now.

Everyone on the phone when your out walking and they nearly crash into you staring at the phone. No awareness of whats going on around them.

Supermarket changing rooms too.
More butchers shops around. Not many left now.

Scheduled elections in peace time, trials with juries, reality trumping fantastical truth claims.

This. Time seemed to stand still, especially on long, sunny Sundays. Would be out playing til dark.

I miss decent clothes too. However, I just don’t think people would be prepared to pay the prices, plus inflation, that we used to pay. I remember when coats used to be ‘pure new wool’.
As a dressmaker, I miss the variety of fabrics that were available. I remember when about 2/3 of the ground floor of John Lewis, in Oxford Street used to be dress fabrics.

A coconut boost.

Littlewoods salad bar

Oh this every day. I hate putting petrol in my car. First world problem I know but I hate it

Make your own. I do.

Same!

My first thought at this list. Gutted they silently got rid of it and never replaced it.

What (or who?) do you mean by ‘proper comedians’ @Netcurtainnelly?

BHS and their cafe

I don't think I'm quite old enough to have experienced it myself, but I remember my parents being served petrol at garages. When self-service pumps started coming in, my mum would drive miles to avoid having to do it herself. I'd love to stay in the car and have someone else fill the tank up for me.

I still buy CDs - the charity shops are full of them. I invested in a good CD player recently when I could no longer play them in the car.

Another one here who misses petrol pumps with attendants.
I can never be bothered stopping for petrol as I just want to get to where I’m going.
I leave it until I’m running on fumes.

My car has a CD player still, I don't want to use my phone. DH recently bought a new to him car, 21 reg and it was a great joy to him that it had a CD player still

Phoning up and speaking to a human being rather than a chatbot.

Not only did we used to have attendants who would fill the fuel tank, they also used to clean the windscreen and, if you asked, check your oil.

Yes!

McDonald's Chicken Legend - both the mayo and salsa versions
Can of Lilt

Terry's dark chocolate orange. The dairy milk one is far too sweet!

I really feel for all the women on here posting about serious health things - puts life’s general moan stuff into perspective .

Bodyshop used to do a vitamin C spray. They just stopped stocking it and I don't know why.

Good Manners