With all those enormous product sizes and unexpected services, American stores have a lot of things about them that you won’t find anywhere else. For example, you’re able to buy in bulk, pick up a gun—and even get nutrition advice, all under one roof. Here are 12 odd things you’ll find in American supermarkets that you won’t encounter elsewhere. There’s a lot that sets American supermarkets apart from those in other countries.
Featured Image Credit: AndrewLozovyi /Depositphotos.com.
Giant Bulk Packaging
Any foreigners who walk into an American supermarket will be amazed by the sheer size of the products and it’s not unusual to see gallon-sized milk jugs or jumbo packs of snacks that could feed a family for weeks. Buying in bulk is popular here because we like to save money & make fewer trips to the store. In many other countries, you’d have a hard time finding such large packages—they usually don’t exist at all.
Massive Cereal Aisles
American supermarkets are paradise for anyone who likes eating cereal because you’ll find entire aisles packed with endless boxes of cereal. These include colorful, sugary options for kids & whole-grain varieties for the health-conscious—the sheer number of brands and flavors is a little overwhelming. In other countries, the cereal section is usually much smaller with fewer choices so it’s odd to see so much variety here.
Bagging Choices at Checkout
When you get to the checkout in an American supermarket, you might be asked, “Paper or plastic?” and you’re able to choose which bags you’d like. A friendly bagger will also pack your groceries for you, making your shopping a little easier. Most other countries expect you to bag your own items & bringing reusable bags is more common over there.
Sackers Offering to Carry Groceries to Your Car
But that’s not all because some American supermarkets, especially in smaller towns or certain regions, baggers (AKA sackers) will offer to carry your groceries out to your car. It’s quite a nice service that makes the shopping experience even more personal in a rather unique way! We know how to help customers at every level of the transaction, unlike in other countries.
Motorized Shopping Carts
Lots of American supermarkets have motorized shopping carts available which allow people with mobility challenges to get around the store with ease and dignity. These motorized carts allow everyone to shop comfortably—we’re big on giving everyone the freedom to do what they want. Yet the majority of other places don’t have these carts in grocery stores.
Coin Counting Machines
Anyone with a jar full of coins weighing them down should visit an American supermarket because there are plenty of coin-counting machines ready to help. Just pour in your loose change & the machine counts it up, giving you cash or store credit. However, you don’t usually see these machines in supermarkets in other countries.
Wide Aisles and Spacious Layouts
American supermarkets are known for their wide aisles & roomy layouts which make going through the store with a large cart relatively easy, even during peak shopping times. There’s plenty of space to browse without feeling cramped—other countries wish they had it this good. Over there, their supermarkets are smaller with narrower aisles because they have far more limited space.
No Coins Needed for Shopping Carts
Grabbing a shopping cart in the U.S. is relatively easy as you don’t need a coin or token to use one—carts are freely available at the store entrance. You’re able to start shopping right away, which is quite different from many other countries. It’s more common there to insert a coin to unlock a cart—you get the money back when you return it.
Selling Firearms and Ammunition
Lots of American supermarkets like Walmart sell firearms & ammunition right alongside groceries and, in fact, many of them may have a sporting goods section to purchase rifles and hunting gear. This combination of firearms and food shopping is quite unusual—it’s not something you’d see in supermarkets elsewhere. You’ll struggle to buy firearms there.
Massive Parking Lots with Free Parking
American supermarkets often have huge parking lots with free parking spaces for customers and these sprawling lots make it easy to find a spot close to the entrance, even during busy times. In many other countries, supermarket parking is limited and you might even have to pay a fee or search for street parking. But our parking lots are almost the same size as the stores in other countries.
In-Store Dietitians and Nutrition Services
Some U.S. supermarkets have registered dietitians on staff who offer nutrition consultations right in the store so that shoppers may get personalized advice on meal planning, dietary needs, or weight management while they’re buying groceries. You won’t really find this level of in-store nutrition service in supermarkets elsewhere because for them, supermarkets are literally just for shopping. They’d be quite surprised to see the range of things you may do in a US supermarket.
Acceptance of Personal Checks
Although many places have moved away from checks, American supermarkets often still accept personal checks as a form of payment so shoppers may write a check at the checkout instead of using cash or a card. This practice is rare in other countries because checks have become mostly obsolete in everyday transactions. You’ll struggle to find places that accept checks in Europe.
Disclaimer: This list is solely the author’s opinion based on research and publicly available information.
Like our content? Be sure to follow us on MSN.
Read More:
