9 Things Trader Joe's Employees Can't Stand

Trader Joe's employees have an impeccable reputation for being friendly, helpful, and conversational, which is part of what makes the shopping experience so delightful and unique. They are always willing to lend a hand to help you find an item you're looking for or have a pleasant conversation at the register. However, despite the smiles and the patient demeanor, some customer habits can really frustrate them.

We gathered intel from current and former Trader Joe's employees to see what customers do that makes their lives more miserable. Many of these pet peeves aren't obvious to customers, and some even come from attempts to be helpful that actually have the opposite effect. From well-intentioned shoppers who accidentally slow down the checkout lane to rude parking-lot offenders who turn already-cramped spaces into absolute chaos, there are certain habits that TJ's employees secretly (or not so secretly) cannot stand. To make the most of your own shopping experience as well as make the lives of those helping you in the store just a little bit easier, check out this list and see if you're guilty of one or two of them yourself.

Customers are encouraged to bring their own reusable bags to the grocery store. In fact, Trader Joe's sells its own reusable mini totes and shopping bags to reduce plastic and paper waste. However, one thing that employees can't stand is when customers use their reusable bags instead of a shopping cart or basket while shopping. When they bring their bag filled with groceries to the counter, it's much less convenient and efficient for the cashier to take each item out, scan it, and then re-bag it.

A TJ's employee on Reddit explained why this can be so annoying: "The bag is less stable than a basket or cart so I have to hold onto the bag while I empty it and scan which can get tricky. Or I grab a basket and place your reusable bag into it, so I can free up a hand. Either way, it's annoying." It creates delays in the checkout and bagging process, which is no fun for frustrated shoppers waiting in line or the employees who have to deal with them. Instead, put your items in your cart while you're shopping and then hand your reusable bag to the bagger or cashier to transfer your items after they're scanned.

TJ's associates are typically more than happy to answer any questions you may have to make your shopping experience more convenient and enjoyable. However, if you can't find an item you're looking for or have a question about inventory, employees ask that you do not wait until you're up at the register because it forces line delays. Employees are unable to look up inventory on the register at Trader Joe's, so they either have to ring the bell to call another employee to come assist or go search for the item themselves. Either way, this holds up the line and isn't fair to other customers.

An employee on Reddit explains, "The one thing about TJs is that you can usually find an employee on the floor as you are shopping, and we're all trained on how to use the quick item lookup to either find the items you want or let you know when the next shipment comes in. So ask before you start to check out, please."

One of the worst things about shopping at Trader Joe's is the cramped and chaotic parking lots. The store's reputation for poorly planned lots is so bad that it has evolved into a meme online. A former employee claims the lots are intentionally small as a cost-cutting measure, and the high traffic of customers coming in and out of the store quickly is what causes the cramped chaos that shoppers have come to dread. However, something customers do that adds additional chaos to the parking lot is not returning their carts to the corrals or to the front of the store.

One employee on Reddit pleads with customers, "For the love of god, please walk your carts to the cart corral and don't leave them in the middle of the parking lot for the wind to blow them into cars." It's a simple courtesy to the shoppers around you as well as the employees who have to go track down your cart if you don't return it where it belongs, so follow this simple Trader Joe's etiquette rule.

While it's certainly not a requirement and it is not always necessary, employees online claim it is extraordinarily helpful when customers help bag their own groceries at checkout. This is extra helpful to speed up the bagging process, especially on busy shopping days like Sundays. A Redditor explained that it's appreciated in cases where customers have "an overflowing cart and 8 reusable bags" or hundreds of dollars worth of groceries that baggers are expected to quickly pack up and "jenga" back into the cart.

Another employee explained that the space at the register is rather small, so having a customer who is willing to help bag groceries and get them out of the way is always greatly appreciated. At the end of the day, lending a helping hand will make the cashier's lives a little easier and will get you and other shoppers out of the store faster, so it's a win-win.

Most customers are simply trying to be helpful when they take their groceries out of the cart and place them on the shelf next to the register. However, TJ's associates claim this well-intentioned maneuver actually does more harm than good. An employee on Reddit explained, "It's easier for me if you leave your stuff in the cart and let me grab it. If you crowd it onto the little shelf yourself, it's unstable and I have to be careful not to make an avalanche."

Employees usually have a system for the order in which they scan items to make the bagging process as streamlined as possible. If you have a basket, you can just place it right on the shelf instead of taking items out one by one and handing them to the cashier. They know the process that will get you and your groceries out of the store the fastest, so just leave it to the experts to do their thing.

It's always a great idea to bring in your own reusable bags instead of using plastic or paper, but employees have one request for shoppers who do so: Clean your bags! With all the dairy items, meats, frozen goods, and produce that go into your shopping bags each time you visit the grocery store, these bags can get pretty grimy, especially if there is a spill. Giving your reusable shopping bags a wash is likely not top of mind for most shoppers, but employees see dirty bags come through all the time.

One employee shared a particularly disturbing story on Reddit: "The other week I found a live cockroach in a ladies bag, I was absolutely disgusted on the verge of throwing up and crying. Thankfully my brave coworker got a produce bag and killed it." Employees have come across lots of smelly bags that they have to handle, and it's unsanitary for them and for you, so do everyone a favor and wash your bags every couple of shops. In fact, TJ's even has its own cleaning products you can stock up on while you're there.

The Trader Joe's shopping experience is about more than just the groceries; the store wants to curate an enjoyable experience for its shoppers, which is what makes TJ's better than other grocery stores. A huge part of this experience is the friendly workers. Employees get frustrated when customers are rude or simply ignore them because they are genuinely interested in making the customer experience better. "We're not trying to herd customers through like cattle," an employee wrote on Reddit. "As a company, we're about the WOW customer experience if we can brighten someone's day that makes our day better."

Employees ask that you avoid having phone conversations while checking out. Some associates have expressed frustration over customers who even flat-out ignore their greetings and act like they're not even there. They don't expect that every person is looking to engage in an in-depth conversation, but simply smiling and saying "thank you" goes a long way and makes it a more pleasant experience for everyone. A little small talk never killed anyone.

The employees on the floor or at the cash register have no control over what is in stock, so it's frustrating when customers unburden their frustrations onto them when they can't get the item they're looking for. TJ's employees don't take pleasure in disappointing customers either, of course. Trader Joe's produces a lot of unique items that go viral on social media (take the viral dumpling bake, for instance), so customers come in looking for the latest trendy thing to try for themselves, only to find them sold out. While most shoppers are understanding in these situations, some will throw full-on adult temper tantrums.

Associates are usually happy to help customers find an alternative to the item that is out of stock, so don't take your frustrations out on them. One employee shared a story of a woman throwing a tantrum because they were out of a frozen appetizer she had planned to serve her guests. If you can't get your hands on one of Trader Joe's "Hall of Fame" products or a trending item, don't make your problem the associates' problem.

This is an unspoken rule in any grocery store, but putting items back in the wrong place is a shopping no-no. It is the responsibility of the employees to keep the shelves organized, so when you leave the items you decide you don't want to purchase all over the store, it makes their jobs much harder. Not to mention, if you leave perishable items from the frozen or refrigerated section out, it creates tons of unnecessary waste because those items will need to be thrown out to ensure food safety.

Trader Joe's stores are typically pretty compact, so it should be easy to return the item, but if you decide during your shopping trip that you no longer want an item and don't remember where it came from, employees recommend simply bringing it up to the register with you so that a worker can return it to its proper home. This way, the waste is avoided, and it saves the workers some time.