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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Utterly dreading hitting Waitrose

76 replies

MatureUniStudent · 23/12/2010 10:00

I am sat here time wasting. I have tried to be scientific and work out when Waitrose will be the least busy today. I think over lunch time? Hence my time wasting before I set off. But I am totally dreading doing the Christmas food shop today. Furthermore I shall also have to go via Tescos to stock up on the value stuff - so that's two supermarkets in one day, the 23 December. However, there is one silver lining - I don't have to drag any children around with me! Skips.

OP posts:

TheGoddessBlossom · 23/12/2010 10:02

We braced ourselves for the big shop at a big sainsburys yesterday and it was the most stress free shop at xmas I have ever done!

no kids obviously, have packed them off to a sports camp for two days. Also skips!

It was very busy, but we got a parking space no probs, got everything we wanted and arrived at a clear checkout when ready to pay! Couldn't believe it!!

Tootlesmummy · 23/12/2010 10:05

I also did my xmas shop in Sainsburys yesterday and it was a breeze, got parked easily. Aisles weren't too bad and no queues at the checkout.

I decided to avoid Tescos at all costs given it would be heaving.

Good luck.

parched · 23/12/2010 10:07

I'm a regular at Waitrose and find it, even on Christmas Eve, to be a pleasant shopping experience. Last night though I ventured to Tesco as I had some Clubcard vouchers and it was horrible.

Not overly busy but there's something about the light, the staff and the layout that just made me want to lie down in the aisle and groan.

The £15 I saved in vouchers wasn't worth the pain, so forget the value shop and get it all in Waitrose.

onceamai · 23/12/2010 10:07

I'm with you MUS - should have been gone at 8 but sat here wasting. Have to do M&S then Sainsburys - then an hour at work to tidy up.

OhYouSnowySnowyKitten · 23/12/2010 10:08

I think it is a matter of thinking serene and zen thoughts. Smile beatifically at anyone who bumps you and is rude. Make it your mission to be as pleasant and cheerful as possible to help make everyone elses day a little bit better.
I bet other shoppers think I am a little bit nuts.

usualsuspect · 23/12/2010 10:11

Asda wasn't as busy as I thought yesterday

hocuspontas · 23/12/2010 10:13

Welwyn Waitrose was quite pleasant yesterday. I popped in 3 times during Christmas shopping as I was parked nearby. Only at lunchtime when I bought a sandwich was it 'heaving', ie more than 5 people at each checkout. A lovely man let me go in front. Thank you.
Dd1 working in Stortford Waitrose today and expecting it to be the busiest day. Good luck!

coldtits · 23/12/2010 10:13

Take a valium before you go. I once went shopping after a dentist appointment and it was SOOO relaxing.n Took me nearly 3 hours and drove my mother to distraction.

onceamai · 23/12/2010 10:17

Listening to you all, might nip into Waitrose as well but only get 90 minutes in Sainsbury's car park! It will take at least 30 mins to leave Sainsbury's car park and repark in the shopping centre - about 200 yards - I hate Putney High Street!

pommedeterre · 23/12/2010 10:19

Last year there were long queues for the tills in a Waitrose in the Midlands - so they bought round chocolates for people to say sorry for having to wait!
They really are a different kind of supermarket. Shame it feels like mugged when you get to the checkout though!

Devilforasideboard · 23/12/2010 10:21

We did the Christmas shop at 5pm in Waitrose last night and it was bliss! Asda across the road was heaving, they even had people directing the traffic, but Waitrose was very peaceful. Plus they had boxes of Celebrations you could help yourself to at the tills. On the down side we now have to take out another mortgage to pay for all the lovely stuff we bought.

Iwasthefourthwiseman · 23/12/2010 10:23

Went yesterday and it was busy but not too bad. I'd be dreading tesco though! Can you go late at night?

TheHollyAndTheIfifi · 23/12/2010 10:23

"I hate Putney High Street"

not at the sentiment but at finding a local mumsnetter...I have just done the Putney Waitrose and M&S shop.

Megglevache · 23/12/2010 10:24

Decided to go to Waitrose and I was expecting there to only be £70 geese like last year- it had quite a bit.

The reason I was there was because Sainsbury's decided they were going to cancel my food order (and not reschedule- thannks so much for that arseholes)
I had the printed off Sainsbo's list with me and was stunned that the only thing more expensive was the loose tea everything else was cheaper in Twatrose.

onceamai · 23/12/2010 10:24

Bully for you . Do you hate it too?

LiegeAndLief · 23/12/2010 10:25

Dh went to waitrose on the way to work this morning to pick up our turkey. He said by 8:40 the car park was full and he could barely get down the aisles. Maybe everyone has gone early and by the time you get there it will be empty...

Morloth · 23/12/2010 10:26

Rinse your mouth out onceamai Putney Waitrose is lovely.

I never thought I would say this but I miss waitrose, I spent the last 5 years bitching about 'tiny' supermarkets and now feel totally overwhelmed in a full size Australian one.

I wish I could transplant all the lovely waitrose stuff to woolies. They are nice enough but all about 10 years old it would seem!

I missed home and now I miss Putney Exchange, I still have unused Waterstones' points!!!!

festivefun · 23/12/2010 10:27

Good luck!

onceamai · 23/12/2010 10:30

Morloth - I love Putney Waitrose, and Sainsburys and the Exchange and Putney too - that's why I never left when I rented my first room here in 1981! But the one lane high street leading to the A3 and parking is the pits - that's all I complain about. Not the common, not the schools, not the buses or the tube straight into the West End - just the bloody High Street and the parking.

When I came Putney Exchange was Lacy Road market at weekends

Original poster

MatureUniStudent · 23/12/2010 10:31

ohhh hocus - it is to the Stortford Waitrose I am heading!! Will be v nice to all dd's i trip over in Stortford Waitrose. I tend to do Waitrose on line, and I swear, apart from the Value bulk buy of toilet paper, I can almost price match my local Tesco. Also, for some reason, the children eat all of Waitrose's food which they don't do for Tesco, thus it becomes more cost effective.

Armed with your kind words, and the ex, for the first time ever, asking to have them slightly early, I shall brace myself and head off. If I never post again, you will know I never made it out of Tescos....

OP posts:

Morloth · 23/12/2010 10:32

I didn't drive when in London so didn't really notice the parking problems. They refund your parking if your park in the exchange though don't they?

MarineIguana · 23/12/2010 10:32

I sent DP and DS to do our xmas shop at waitrose yesterday. Yes, we now have a lot of peculiar and unnecessary products and it cost too much because DP cannot possibly do the shopping and look out for special offers and bogofs but hooray! it's done, and I didn't have to do it.

I said "thank you for doing the shopping" and wondered if he would say "that's OK dear, you do it week in week out, with a baby, for never a word of thanks, you're amazing" :o Instead he said "It was HELL, OMG it took 15 minutes to get up the fruit aisle, I nearly murdered someone, woe is me I think I'm getting a migraine now..." etc etc.

onceamai · 23/12/2010 10:33

Am off. Like MUS if I'm not back by evening I'll still be in traffic on Putney High Street.

TheHollyAndTheIfifi · 23/12/2010 10:35

onceamai and Morloth...
waves from Putney!

I guess Putney is a bit mumsnet...

Yes I hate the High Street with a vengeance too....

PeeringIntoAFestiveVoid · 23/12/2010 10:35

Putney waitrose is a pain in the arse for parking...go to the East Sheen one instead, and the parking's free.

My now local waitrose has the self scanners - bliss. You just scan it all as you go round, and there's very rarely ever a queue at the pay desk. They price match tesco on 1000 brand items too.

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