Commissary Tipping

Its been awhile since I've been out here. Ft. Riley has the self check outs also. I really like when I need a few things. They don't have a limit on the number of items - they should as I've seen someone with a full cart trying to go through them.

I usally tip between $2 or $3 depending on how many bags/much I've spent there.

Happy trails out there.

Well, we ALWAYS carry our own out and would prefer to bag them ourselves also.

Plus, I'm sure these people make enough to have to pay income tax on their earnings. But do they?
Theres no way you can convince me that they are. And I am not gonna contribute to a group that I'm sure is evading paying their fair share.

Well, we ALWAYS carry our own out and would prefer to bag them ourselves also.

Plus, I'm sure these people make enough to have to pay income tax on their earnings. But do they?
Theres no way you can convince me that they are. And I am not gonna contribute to a group that I'm sure is evading paying their fair share.

My experience has been that these baggers are either off duty military folks, military dependents or military retirees. I don't have a problem giving them a couple of bucks to help them off set their other income, or lack thereof.

At Fort Gordon, GA all the baggers are either retired; black; or oriental. It has been our experience that all the baggers there have been courteous. The tipping (that's all their income) is whatever you decide to give them. Even at the express checkouts. We usually give $3.00. They usually do a very good job and also ask if you want paper bags or plastic. We haven't seen any problems at other commisaries that we have used including Forts Benning, Bliss, Belvoir or Little Rock AFB.

I also have noticed over the past 20 years at various locations and different branches of the military, that the baggers are 99% oreintals who cannot speak very good English. I don't mind, as long as they have a service attitude, which is often lacking (also in Americans too - I am not bashing any paticular group). I have also heard it is impossible to get a bagger job. I never see retirees or active duty bagging unless they are raising funds for an organization. I think those SHOULD be the first priority folks. I only have a few sacks (they could be fit into 2, but they stretch it to 5) so I tip $1-$2 if I carry it out and $3-$5 if I have a cart full of groceries - all depending on attitude and service. Just like waitresses/waiters, if they have a high and mighty attitude or bad service, I leave 0 and save it for the next good waiter/waitress. When they are in shock for a $15-$25 tip, I tell them what was great about their service and the prior bad services and my method They love it

I guess I could run over to the commisary at the Navel Base in Corpus Christi,almost 50 mile round trip, but I prefer to ride the ferry boat to the mainland and shop in the big Wal-Mart where the cashier puts the items in the bag and is careful about the eggs and doughnuts and bread and rolls and I put the bags in my cart and haul them out to the care and pack them in and I put my cart away where empty carts are supposed to go. Then again there is the distinct enjoyment of shouting Hoorah to the old retired Gunny that is a greeter and we salute each other. Sometimes we even exchange jokes about our sister services...the Navy and Air Force...but never about the Army or Marines.
Chris the Bigfoot