What changes to you foresee post-Covid? Both good and bad.

[TheGoldStandard]

I wish there was a new version of unionization. The one time I worked at a union facility it was pretty standard for the company to simply refuse to do things for the benefit of the employees and just say "talk to your union, what you have is what your union agreed to." It gave them an easy out where in non-union companies the employees can put the pressure directly onto the employer and the employer didn't have a scape goat. Now the union at that place was weak and run by buffoons which was likely a big part of what sucked about it. So I don't really know, in my experience I'd rather have no union than an incompetent one.

That is the problem, you can't say being a union will be better. Like anything, you need a good union, that understands the company, and its restraints on ability to pay, along with the ability to look out for good employees (while being flexible to get rid of the bad ones).

My biggest issue with unions, is the protection afforded to employees who should be fired. This same methodology tends to make promotions more difficult as well, which keeps the best employees held back, and potentially paid less, so the poor performers get their negotiated wage and benefit. Similarly, seniority tends to influence benefits, so a rising star gets held back, and likely leaves. Not to mention the internal union politics. This is the crap that holds companies back.

I'm sure everyone has had horrible teachers with protection afforded by the teacher's union, schools basically can't get rid of them. And the police unions do the same thing.

I'm all for collective bargaining and negotiating fair wages (Hostess is an example of a union failing the employees in this regard), but I also think all employees should be accountable, and if you aren't good at what you do, promotions/raises should not be a given, and it should be easier for you to lose your job if you aren't meeting reasonable set standards. The union should ensure those steps are followed, not protect employees no matter what.

I don't want to work with people that have less accountability, and I wouldn't want to own a business where I have to keep people on like that.

There are definitely good unions out there, that have a good balance. There are also many unions that are awful, so I agree with @Gameface and his view, and expound on it.

A good union will enhance the best qualities of its workforce and take care of its employees, a bad union will do the opposite.

This isn't anything unique. There are many companies that are non-union that do an amazing job taking care of employees in all facets. Unfortunately, there are many that do not.

 

[Gameface]

There are some things that I'll be happy to see stay. The plexiglass barrier between me and cashiers and such is great and should stay, imho.

I'm a little bummed that curbside pick-up seems to be going away in most places. I think it's just labor intensive and not part of smooth workflow. Too bad, I liked that.

I wish that COVID had created a push for a better health care/health insurance system in the U.S. but it almost seems like it has pushed us further away from that. Our system is so dumb and there are several working examples of better systems in other countries.

 

[TheGoldStandard]

There are some things that I'll be happy to see stay. The plexiglass barrier between me and cashiers and such is great and should stay, imho.

I'm a little bummed that curbside pick-up seems to be going away in most places. I think it's just labor intensive and not part of smooth workflow. Too bad, I liked that.

I wish that COVID had created a push for a better health care/health insurance system in the U.S. but it almost seems like it has pushed us further away from that. Our system is so dumb and there are several working examples of better systems in other countries.

Curbside/to go/etc. are generally bad for stores/restaurants. They were a pandemic lifeline, but online ordering tends to make you spend less as you are less likely to pick up impulse buys at the grocery store and alcohol/drinks at restaurants.

I agree, I like both.

 

[Gameface]

Curbside/to go/etc. are generally bad for stores/restaurants. They were a pandemic lifeline, but online ordering tends to make you spend less as you are less likely to pick up impulse buys at the grocery store and alcohol/drinks at restaurants.

I agree, I like both.

I'm thinking more of take-out or fast food places. Like El Pollo Loco has curbside right now. Some sandwich shops that did have stopped. I think Cafe Rio has stopped doing it.

 

[TheGoldStandard]

I'm thinking more of take-out or fast food places. Like El Pollo Loco has curbside right now. Some sandwich shops that did have stopped. I think Cafe Rio has stopped doing it.

My Cafe Rio has a drive thru. So awesome. As part of all of the pandemic, we signed up for Target delivery and Walmart Plus. I never go into a Wal-Mart store, but I'm happy to have their stuff delivered. We get groceries delivered once a week. The $10 we tip is offset from the lower Wal-Mart prices compared to our other grocery options. I still make trips to Albertsons, Costco and a butcher for produce, meats, and a few other things. Amex Platinum gives you a credit for the monthly Walmart Plus fee, so it is totally worth it for me. I normally don't like talking to people in public, so if I can avoid a few stores, then I'm happy.

On a slight tangent, does anyone get bugged when Chick Fil A workers say "my pleasure" when you thank them? I know it is required, but it always bugs me. No one takes pleasure in handing you a bag of chicken, so it is disingenuous. And if it truly gives you pleasure to feed me chicken, that's a bit odd.

I've gotten to the point where I won't say "thank you" at Chick Fil A. Instead, I'll say, "have a nice day" or "have a good one", and over half the time, they still respond with "my pleasure." Ugh.

And yes, I know the saying "my pleasure" is akin to "you're welcome", it just sounds odd. -Add another thought to the pet peeve thread.

 

[Gameface]

My Cafe Rio has a drive thru. So awesome. As part of all of the pandemic, we signed up for Target delivery and Walmart Plus. I never go into a Wal-Mart store, but I'm happy to have their stuff delivered. We get groceries delivered once a week. The $10 we tip is offset from the lower Wal-Mart prices compared to our other grocery options. I still make trips to Albertsons, Costco and a butcher for produce, meats, and a few other things. Amex Platinum gives you a credit for the monthly Walmart Plus fee, so it is totally worth it for me. I normally don't like talking to people in public, so if I can avoid a few stores, then I'm happy.

On a slight tangent, does anyone get bugged when Chick Fil A workers say "my pleasure" when you thank them? I know it is required, but it always bugs me. No one takes pleasure in handing you a bag of chicken, so it is disingenuous. And if it truly gives you pleasure to feed me chicken, that's a bit odd.

I've gotten to the point where I won't say "thank you" at Chick Fil A. Instead, I'll say, "have a nice day" or "have a good one", and over half the time, they still respond with "my pleasure." Ugh.

And yes, I know the saying "my pleasure" is akin to "you're welcome", it just sounds odd. -Add another thought to the pet peeve thread.

People really like Chick-Fil-A but I've been supper unimpressed the 2 times I've gone there in the last 14 years and I live less than a mile from one. It's one of those places that isn't even an option for me even when I'm tired of everything else I normally get.

I haven't done any grocery delivery. I couldn't have someone else pick my produce and I go shopping 2-3 times a week because I often go buy recipe specific stuff the day I make it. We're a 3 person household so Costco isn't an option for produce typically.

 

[TheGoldStandard]

People really like Chick-Fil-A but I've been supper unimpressed the 2 times I've gone there in the last 14 years and I live less than a mile from one. It's one of those places that isn't even an option for me even when I'm tired of everything else I normally get.

I haven't done any grocery delivery. I couldn't have someone else pick my produce and I go shopping 2-3 times a week because I often go buy recipe specific stuff the day I make it. We're a 3 person household so Costco isn't an option for produce typically.

Yeah, as far as meat or produce, I do Albertsons or Costco (steaks and ribs).

Walmart for all the other essentials. Their chicken is ok.

I like chick fil a nuggets and fruit cups.

 

[One Brow]

No one takes pleasure in handing you a bag of chicken, so it is disingenuous. And if it truly gives you pleasure to feed me chicken, that's a bit odd.

I worked at a Burger for over three years while I was post-graduate, and most days I took pleasure from dealing with pleasant customers and serving good food. What's wrong with you that you take take pleasure in demanding work done well?

 

[RJF]

New and/or heavier drinkers. Though I think that’s also due to innovation and the explosion of the hard seltzer category. It’s good for those on the sales/distribution side but not so good for the folks that are drinking more heavily…

 

[fishonjazz]

New and/or heavier drinkers. Though I think that’s also due to innovation and the explosion of the hard seltzer category. It’s good for those on the sales/distribution side but not so good for the folks that are drinking more heavily…

And here i am drinking less than any time in my life since i was like 16


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[TheGoldStandard]

And here i am drinking less than any time in my life since i was like 16


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I'm with you there. Although I have never been a big drinker. Although I don't exercise nearly as much either, so I know I am a lot less healthy now than pre-pandemic.

 

[Gameface]

New and/or heavier drinkers. Though I think that’s also due to innovation and the explosion of the hard seltzer category. It’s good for those on the sales/distribution side but not so good for the folks that are drinking more heavily…

Not that I needed any encouragement but yeah. I already drank more than my fair share.

I actually don't drink beer anymore, though. Which is sad for me. I got diagnosed with gout and I've been more or less beef and beer free since like August 2021. There are a few other foods I am cautious about but I have almost completely excluded beef and beer from my diet as those are some of the highest purine containing foods. The two or three really bad gout attacks I've experienced are bar none the worst pain I've ever experienced and also just plain miserable because I can't go from one place to another without a series of intense pain episodes bad enough that I feel like I might pass out. It triggers an adrenaline response just to get up and go to the bathroom so that I can power through each excruciating step.

If there was absolutely nothing that could be done for it and I was just left to experience that pain more than 50% of the time I would choose death. I'm not even kind of kidding.

I'm on medicine that more or less keeps it under control and I have some other medicines if I do have a breakthrough which are like half as bad as the worst episodes I've experienced but still not something I want anything to do with. I have two medicines for breakthrough episodes. One works really well but causes massive diarrhea, the other only sort of works but doesn't really have any side effects. So if I feel a little twinge I take the non-diarrhea one, if it's full-on I suck it up and get the toilet paper ready.