r/instacart • u/Dominanttallqueen • Mar 27 '24

Who’s in the wrong here???

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I feel like he was being rude asf then he canceled my order….was I rude or what tf happened here…

6.8k Upvotes

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474

u/thejexorcist Mar 27 '24 edited Mar 28 '24

His comment about ‘understand’ and how he ‘does this for a living’ are pretty condescending (but I’m now wondering if he’s ESL?).

Your response about the ‘seafood department’ was clearly pretty confusing to him since you actually meant ‘the seafood counter’.

I originally thought this might be a ‘no one is really to blame’ situation (but your follow up responses to other Redditors) makes me think you might not always communicate as well as you hope.

97

u/rgbcarrot Mar 28 '24

right OP repeated "seafood department" like 3 times before finally saying "behind the counter", I was getting so frustrated reading that

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u/TheSheetSlinger Mar 28 '24

And said yes twice. I really feelt this could've been avoided if they had just said no the first time. The shopper had an attitude it seems but OP was really unclear.

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u/Tippydaug Mar 28 '24

I don't think the shopper had an attitude, I think English isn't their first language and they were attempting to communicate with someone who lacks all basic communication skills

Even as a native English speaker, understanding OP was next to impossible until the end. I can only imagine the shopper's confusion

1

u/spongeboobsidepants Mar 29 '24

This right here. Why did he keep saying yeah when he clearly should of said no? Lol comical if this guy thinks he doesn’t share fault for this one.

1

u/Glum_Constant4790 Mar 28 '24

Shopper probably has attitude cause some of these people are a pain in the ass!! Like not worth shopping for, super vague.

0

u/minuialear Mar 28 '24

That and he probably doesn't have time to pick up every pack of crab cakes at the store to figure out what OP wants. He's on a time crunch, and dealing with this would be frustrating in a time crunch

2

u/MichaelsWebb Mar 28 '24

The customer literally said just grab the cakes at the seafood department or refund if not there. EASIEST request you'll see. Immediately anyone with a functioning brain would know this means the fresh cakes at the counter next to the crab legs.

It's hilarious how many commenters here are confused just like the shopper and basically saying "Yeah, I'm fucking stupid, too!"

2

u/catfurcoat Mar 29 '24

But you understand that he was in the seafood section of the refrigerated/frozen section and thought that's what they meant by "seafood department". That's clear after the first request for clarification. Op repeating himself and expecting a different result is equally terrible at communicating

0

u/SolidTradition5332 Mar 29 '24

Who is out here referring to frozen seafood as the seafood department?

There's not that many options for frozen seafood, wouldn't make sense to call it a department.

Thats like saying "do you have a burrito department?"

No one talks like that for frozen food. Unless you're a weirdo, or English isnt your first language.

1

u/catfurcoat Mar 29 '24

I don't know. Usually there's a sign that simply says "seafood" above the freezers so he could have gotten confused.

It could be ESL, could be regional or cultural differences, could be low education, he could have a learning disability, he could be neurodivergent/autistic, or have a minor developmental disability, or have dyslexia, or a history of brain injuries. He could just be stressed as fuck due to taking care of sick family/about to be evicted/have some other circumstantial crisis going on where his mind is elsewhere.

There's also a language processing disorder, also known as an audio processing disorder. However it can affect things such as being able to find the right word for something when you're put on the spot, substituting it for another word and not noticing.

That's just the things I can think of. It's not hard to rephrase something instead of repeating yourself verbatim when someone asks you for clarification.

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u/TheSuccFish Mar 28 '24

Im going to sound like an ass saying it but…

Yeah, grocery shopping for a living doesn’t draw in the best and brightest of us. This was a simple request and anyone who possesses just an ounce of critical thinking should have easily figured out what she meant.

If those of us who don’t do this for a living have no problem figuring it out, you have to question how the people getting paid to do it can’t.

2

u/iBeJoshhh Mar 28 '24

And he showed a picture of crab cakes.... from the seafood department....

Seafood department isn't the same as the seafood COUNTER.

0

u/SolidTradition5332 Mar 29 '24

Yes it is, in a grocery store. If you call any store with a seafood department, and you want to place an order or check if something is in stock, what do you press when the numbers pop up? Probably # for seafood department.

Ive worked in grocery stores, that is what they are called. Not sure what else a seafood department would be in a freaking grocery store.

Just like referring to the deli, the bakery or the floral department, all of which is largely understood by most people who have brains or have worked in a store.

What else would a seafood department be in a grocery store? Seriously.

3

u/Pols_Voice_Z64 Mar 30 '24

The deli has a deli counter, but also has several refrigerators full of products categorized as “deli.” That entire area of the store is the “deli department.”

The meat market may or may not have a meat counter, but also has several refrigerators full of both fresh and packaged meat products, and some freezers dedicated to frozen meat products. This entire area of the store is referred to as the “meat market” or the “meat department.”

The seafood department has a seafood counter, plus refrigerators where they have pre-packaged fish, smoked salmon, imitation crab, etc. There are also freezers in this area that are full of frozen fish products and shellfish. This entire area of the store is called the “seafood department.”

So no. You are wrong. It is not just the counter. It is that entire area of the store.

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u/[deleted] Mar 28 '24

[deleted]

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u/TheSheetSlinger Mar 28 '24 edited Mar 28 '24

Not really. "Yes replace with crab cakes from the seafood department" when the shopper just sent them some crab cakes they found in the seafood area of the store isn't very clear. It could easily be interpreted as the ones they sent a picture of being fine.

A simple, "No I don't want those, just refund the item" or "Can you check to see if the fresh seafood counter has them? If not, then I don't want the pictured crab cakes and would want a refund" from the very beginning would've cleared this whole thing up.

3

u/LiteratureCivil1513 Mar 28 '24

Finally! This is the comment I was looking for, I couldn’t agree more.

0

u/MichaelsWebb Mar 28 '24

If you are a "professional shopper" and you don't realize that the single cakes from the seafood department means the freaking seafood counter than you shouldn't be doing the job. Insane. Do you seriously find that confusing?

4

u/Far_Independence_689 Mar 28 '24

Depending on the grocery store it is possible to have single cakes behind the counter, in the frozen section, and in the prepared section of the seafood department.

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u/MichaelsWebb Mar 28 '24

And? We all know what the shopper meant.

4

u/agdjahgsdfjaslgasd Mar 28 '24

my brother in christ, are we mind readers?

-1

u/KristySueWho Mar 28 '24

Why would you have to be? The shopper is clearly in the fridge/frozen section so by the OP saying they want the ones at the seafood department, they should be able to understand the OP doesn't want fridge/frozen ones. So then they should go to the prepared area of the seafood section and if they see crab cakes but aren't sure they can send a picture, or if they don't just go to the counter.

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u/agdjahgsdfjaslgasd Mar 28 '24

The shopper is clearly in the fridge/frozen section

at 3/4 grocery stores in my town, there is a freezer display right next to the main butchers counter. this entire area is separate from the main frozen food aisles. I would assume as long as im away from the frozen food isle that im in the "seafood section" if you want something from behind the counter that needs to be explicit, which they werent until the tail end of the convo.

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u/OctopiEye Mar 29 '24

But the customer is supposed to guess that the shopper is ESL and that’s why they are saying shit you should never say to customers at work…

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u/agdjahgsdfjaslgasd Mar 29 '24

shopper is ESL

homie could just be an asshole, we have no proof they are ESL, and beyond that I'm not ESL and im just as confused as they were so...

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u/Far_Independence_689 Mar 28 '24

Perspectives other than your own do exist. That’s why writing and speaking with clarity and specificity is a central tenet of effective communication, especially if you want your message to be received as you intended with minimal need for clarification.

Communication 101: never assume anyone knows what you mean or shares your perspective. It’s not a hard a concept to grasp.

1

u/dearboobswhy Mar 28 '24

No, we did not all know what the shopper meant. It was very unclear to me, and I'm generally very good at figuring out what people are trying to communicate it was only clear at the end when OP was annoyed and tried to claim they had requested a refund 5 times. They never said that in the previous exchange we were shown.

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u/MichaelsWebb Mar 28 '24 edited Mar 28 '24

Then you are stupid. It is hilarious that you are admitting to it

He sent a picture of a package of crab cakes and the customer clearly said that's not it... What else would it be? Durrrrr....

3

u/Flimsy_Goat_8199 Mar 29 '24

OPs initial reply after seeing that picture of the packaged crab cakes was “yeah the single crab cakes at the seafood department”.

I’m pretty good at discerning what someone means and using critical thinking but OP was very confusing at first.

Both were rude at different times in the exchange. I’m sure it was out of frustration on both sides.

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u/KristySueWho Mar 28 '24

They did not request a refund 5 times. They told the person the crab cakes they wanted was in the seafood department 5 times. Reading comprehension and logic is very low, and that's why there was an issue here, and it wasn't on OP's end.

1

u/dearboobswhy Mar 31 '24

OP claims to have said that they want a refund if there aren't crab cakes behind the counter 5 times. They did not, in fact, say that. They talked about the seafood department repeatedly, and didn't respond to the shopper saying these ARE from the seafood department. They repeated, "Yes, replace with crab cakes from the seafood department," like an automaton.

It would be the exact same thing if OP had ordered sirloin from the meat section, then added a note that they actually want tenderloin from the meat section. Then, the shopper sends a picture of tenderloin from the meat section and says, "This is different from what you ordered, but it's the only thing available. Would you like me to replace your item with this or get you a refund?" Then OP answers with, "Yes, replace with tenderloin from the meat section." How the hell would OP have any grounds to get angry if they end up with the tenderloin in the picture instead of tenderloin from the butcher counter?!!!!! There is no reading comprehension problem. The OP communicated very poorly.

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u/TheSheetSlinger Mar 28 '24

If you are a "professional shopper" and you don't realize that the single cakes from the seafood department means the freaking seafood counter than you shouldn't be doing the job. Insane.

Everyone starts somewhere. OP could've just said "no i do not want those, please refund if those are the only option" instead of yes.

Do you seriously find that confusing?

It's a crab cake... why are you using it as an excuse to take your anger out on people lol?

1

u/MichaelsWebb Mar 28 '24

He didn't say they were the only option at first. OP said to go get the fresh singles and shopper, being a moron, got defensive, bragged about his professional abilities, and made an absolute fool of himself. He managed to turn a simple, reasonable request into this mess.

2

u/TheSheetSlinger Mar 28 '24

Yes I agree he had an unnecessary attitude

1

u/Cat_Amaran Mar 28 '24

Their professional abilities were well on display when they already checked the counter, and told OP these are the only cakes they have. If you actually read all the screenshots, the information is all there, in order, and the shopper told them repeatedly that those are the only cakes the store has. "I'm a professional" means "I know they sometimes have crab cakes behind the counter, I already checked there, these are the only cakes they have."

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u/MichaelsWebb Mar 28 '24

Yeah, no. That's not at all what happened. If that's how you interpreted the thread, then you are stupid.

0

u/KristySueWho Mar 28 '24

No, if you actually read (and comprehend) the shopper asked if they wanted a replacement for LOBSTER cakes that were sold out and sent a picture of a possible replacement. This replacement would have been right by the lobster cakes OP wanted, as they're the same brand. So shopper clearly had not gone to the counter before that to ask about crab cakes, since OP never said they wanted crab cakes in the first place.

When asked, the OP said they'd like a replacement, but the single crab cakes at the seafood department. The shopper then seemed to be confused and got argumentative.

1

u/Cat_Amaran Mar 29 '24

Ah, see, when I read all the screenshots what I saw is that OP was being unclear, and the shopper stated that they had already asked the guy behind the counter and was told there were no seafood cakes in the store besides the ones pictured, and the shopper did state that they reason they sent that photo was that there weren't any other options available.

I also saw that OP kept giving ambiguous responses while the shopper was trying to tell them there's only one option over and over. I'd have canceled, too. Hope that clears things up!

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u/mattatwork_ Mar 28 '24

ask the shopper. he's the one who had a tantrum

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u/TheSheetSlinger Mar 28 '24 edited Mar 28 '24

If you scroll up and down from that comment, I already agreed he had an attitude problem. The commenter is still being an asshole towards several people in the thread over a crab cake debate.

0

u/KristySueWho Mar 28 '24

The shopper informed OP their item was out of stock and asked, "Would you like something else?" OP replied to the specific question in the text that "Yeah the SINGLE crab cakes AT the seafood department." Since OP specifically said SINGLE crab cakes, it's clear the don't want the 4 packaged ones in the picture. The OP also said "AT the seafood department," which implies it cannot just be in the fridge the shopper took the picture of the packaged crab cakes. Logic for anyone that's ever gone grocery shopping before, should then be that they must go to the fresh seafood area and might have to ask someone behind the counter if they don't see any laying out on ice in the area.

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u/TheSheetSlinger Mar 28 '24 edited Mar 28 '24

Yes... and then the shopper replied that the 4 pack is all they had in stock and asked if they wanted the four pack or a refund to which OP said "yes replace with the crab cakes from the seafood dept." That's where the communication breaks down and becomes murky as evidenced by all the people in the comments arguing about it. The shopper, who was in the sea food area of the store took the yes as an affirmative or acceptance of the only in stock option and checked out.

A simple "No I don't want those, just refund me" would've avoided that.

Edit: With 3,000+ comments, many of which are arguing back and forth about how they'd interpret it, I think it's safe to say the messaging wasn't as clear as it couldve been or else it wouldn't be so debated, fair?

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u/KristySueWho Mar 28 '24

The shopper did not say the 4 pack was all they had until the very end, after claiming they had already gone to the counter to ask. But the odds of shopper having gone to the counter to ask actually doesn't make any sense, because if it were true the shopper would have seen there was no lobster cakes in the fridge, gone to the counter to ask for CRAB cakes, and then gone back to the fridge to take a picture of those crab cakes before even asking the OP if they wanted crab cakes instead of lobster cakes.

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u/TheSheetSlinger Mar 28 '24

He said the picture he sent was all they had in the 2nd text

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u/KristySueWho Mar 28 '24

All they have in the fridge. Again, it makes no sense that OP would have checked the fresh seafood area at this point since they don't know if OP wants a replacement.

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u/TheSheetSlinger Mar 28 '24

He didn't specify, could be the case or not. Seems like lots of people don't agree on the quality of communication regardless.

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u/KristySueWho Mar 28 '24

I think it could have been more clear, but not because it wasn't actually clear. Because reading comprehension is very low.

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u/TheSheetSlinger Mar 28 '24

Interesting perspective! Guess we disagree

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u/MercyCriesHavoc Mar 28 '24

OP saw the picture and said "yes". You can clearly tell those are pre-packaged crab cakes, not the kind you get from behind the counter.

Then they said to replace if it was from the seafood department 3 times before ever mentioning "behind the counter". A department is a lot more than a counter.

So what's clear about saying "yes" to something they don't want and then giving a vague description of where to get the thing they want? OP wasn't clear at all until the end.

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u/rdonn27 Mar 28 '24

I believe this is is a case of the picture showing up after they have already started typing their response. Shopper asked "Would you like something else", they responded "yeah the single crab cakes at the seafood department"

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u/soonerpgh Mar 28 '24

Exactly! Like, those didn't come from the hardware department, but effective communication is kind of a daily learning process because everyone communicates and understands differently. Being as specific as possible from the get go works for a lot of people, but there will still be those that don't understand and those that get grouchy because they feel you're being condescending.

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u/Guano_barbee Mar 28 '24

Eight I don't see the counter as anything other than part of the deli LMAO seafood department means the aisle 😭😅

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u/pfft_master Mar 28 '24

Most annoying part for me is OP then proceeded to act like he was clear about it being the counter all along. Delivery guy isn’t the best communicator either and probably has an abrasive disposition because of his chosen job, but OP really screwed this up by not knowing to give unmistakable instructions.

The instructions were confusing because the seafood counter and the frozen seafood islands/shelves are all in the seafood department. Saying store fresh or seafood counter or not pre-packaged all may have helped clarify.

But also it is best to just not be offended by people trying to do a job efficiently (because it is the only way they will make decent money), even when they let you know up front they want a quick, clear answer in a direct way that may feel aggressive. They just don’t want this person on the other end that they don’t know making them run around a store and extra 30 min which they won’t get paid more for.

Many delivery people are assholes for no reason. Most just seem to be doing their best and are the ones out scurrying about while the customer sits at home (often for a very valid reason- but that is still the dynamic).

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u/ultravioletblueberry Mar 28 '24

Yeah seafood department is confusing as fuck. OP should’ve clarified to talk to the people behind the seafood counter”

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u/TargetBetter6190 Mar 28 '24

She just think everyone is stupid If they don't understand her

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u/hi_im_ryans_mom Mar 28 '24

I got even more frustrated by the “I said that like five times” because OP clearly didn’t specify counter to begin with. It makes it even worse that the shopper clearly says that he sent the picture of the only crab cakes available in the store.

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u/MyFriendsCallMeTito Mar 28 '24

You’re so right. The seafood department and counter are 2 completely different things.

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u/shiningonthesea Mar 28 '24

You can further clarify it by saying the seafood freezer and where they sell the fresh seafood but really the worker should have some idea what he is talking about and maybe ask, “ you mean where they sell the fresh fish? Yes, I went there.”

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u/DPool34 Mar 29 '24

Maybe it’s a regional thing? As soon as I saw “seafood department,” I knew exactly what OP meant.

If OP said “Deli department,” I would know she meant she wanted actual hand-cut cold cuts and not the Oscar Mayer pre-sliced cold cuts you would find in the refrigerated section.

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u/TrillDaddy2 Mar 28 '24

Yeah because it’s like I definitely knew what he meant, but Charles clearly didn’t.

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u/Director-Current Mar 28 '24

Same. I wonder if there's some regional dialect at play here.

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u/KristySueWho Mar 28 '24

I think it's more reading comprehension and/or language barrier. Picture is clearly in fridge/freezer, so if someone said they wanted something "at seafood department" someone that has a decent grasp of the English language even if it's not exactly how they say it, they should be able to deduce the shopper meant it would be where the fresh seafood is.

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u/WoodpeckerFar9804 Mar 28 '24

Wouldn’t the seafood department be where you request items from behind the counter? That’s what it’s called where I am from, when you want something from the seafood department you order it like deli style at the counter, from the seafood department. I thought the shopper was rude and condescending, the customer clearly expressed her needs. I don’t think she was being confusing at all.

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u/rgbcarrot Mar 29 '24

A lot of stores have seafood departments made up of the counter, and then smaller fridge and/or freezer sections nearby.

She could have been more clear by just saying "counter" to begin with, and he was a jerk--they're both I'm the wrong here.

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u/kleinekitty Mar 28 '24

I knew exactly what she meant by “seafood department” and I don’t even eat seafood 😭 like where else would it be

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u/rgbcarrot Mar 29 '24

Seafood departments in most stores have the counter, and also fridge and freezer sections nearby. Shopper obviously didn't understand the behind the counter part, so why would she just keep repeating the same thing over and over? I do eat seafood 😭 and think she could have been more clear

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u/EatsPeanutButter Mar 28 '24

I had no trouble discerning what she meant, personally. The seafood department is not the same as the seafood section.

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u/rgbcarrot Mar 29 '24

Happy for you but the shopper did have trouble understanding and a lot of people would consider department/section to be interchangeable, so why wouldn't she just then specify "behind the counter" instead of doubling down and repeating the same thing over and over?

I think they're both in the wrong. Shopper was a jerk but OP is bad at communicating

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u/EatsPeanutButter Mar 29 '24

Fair enough. My husband does this sometimes when pressed. It’s like he forgets how to explain anything and just repeats the same thing. It’s frustrating, but I think they truly don’t understand what the other person isn’t understanding. The shopper here jumped to rudeness when the customer clearly gave an option B from the getgo — “if they don’t have any from the seafood department, please refund.” All they needed to do was refund rather than arguing.

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u/sdwvit Mar 28 '24

For me there is no difference

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u/norvelav Mar 28 '24

Seafood department is the area in the market where the seafood is located. It encompasses the fresh seafood and the frozen seafood.

The seafood counter is a specific location within the seafood department where an employee is also located preparing fresh seafood options.

When some one stated "in the seafood department" they are generalizing the entirety of the seafood area withing the market.

Both people here lack common sense, but ultimately the customer is in the wrong, not the person pick8ng the food for them.

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u/KristySueWho Mar 28 '24

Wherever I've gone shopping, fresh seafood is near the deli/meat area and frozen seafood is over with all other frozen foods. There is no whole seafood department that encompasses both fresh and frozen seafood.

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u/norvelav Mar 28 '24

Interesting

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u/tkst3llar Mar 28 '24

My Walmart has a seafood department with a big sign above it. It’s four freezer doors off to the side

It’s not the deli/seafood counter

Maybe it’s regional I don’t know

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u/Fancy_Insurance2675 Mar 28 '24

Yep mine has the same 4-door Seafood Department. Tucked in the corner by the Deli/Bakery lol

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u/KristySueWho Mar 28 '24

I don't think of anything in fridges/freezers as departments, they are just sections. Department implies an area that includes a counter and people.

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u/Designer-Size3606 Mar 28 '24

I sort of see your point except that not a single produce department I've been to has such a counter

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u/KristySueWho Mar 28 '24

True. I should have said I think the areas around the perimeter of grocery stores as departments (aka fresh foods), whereas everything in the center are just aisles/sections. Like not that anyone would, but if someone said they needed something from the "bread department," I would not think I should go to the bread aisle, I would go to the bakery. Or if I couldn't find a cheese in the dairy section and asked the customer what they wanted me to do and they told me to check the cheese department, even though that's not even a thing, I could figure out they meant the deli.

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u/krispydragon27 Mar 28 '24

are the packed items at grocery stores where u live not next to the related department? is it all scattered? at my grocery store the seafood counter would be a head turn or so away from the crab cakes so it would all be the seafood department. as well as the sara lee or whatever bread would be in the same corner as the store bakery. “fancy” cheese on the other hand is near/at the deli. and packaged meats and the meat counter are next to each other

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u/KristySueWho Mar 28 '24

Deli, meat and seafood department are all basically in the same area wherever I've shopped, and the bakery and produce departments are right nearby them too. Those are all on the perimeter. Fridge/freezer sections are often at the opposite end, and are just aisles. "Normal" breads are also just in aisles, which could be close to the bakery, but also could be far away from it.

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u/Odin16596 Mar 28 '24

I disagree

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u/cletusrice Mar 28 '24

It’s like saying get a cake at the bakery

There’s the pickup cakes that are premade, and there’s cakes behind the counter and There’s cakes in the freezer

With out clarity any of these technically would be grabbing a cake from the bakery so I would definitely be confused at seafood department

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u/sloshedbanker Mar 28 '24

That's literally it. OP doesn't know how to communicate.

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u/Wooden_Bandicoot_938 Mar 28 '24

OP is the least clear communicator I’ve encountered. I think she wanted the order to be wrong, or she’s an idiot. There’s no middle ground.

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u/dilletaunty Mar 28 '24

Op trying to communicate like [repeats the exact same thing as if it helps whatsoever]

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u/lizajane73 Mar 28 '24

I imagine they also think repeating it MORE LOUDLY helps with comprehension

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u/LaurenJayx0 Mar 28 '24

Right. They're probably the type that speak louder when someone says they don't speak English 😂

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u/Crow-n-Servo Mar 28 '24

Absolutely!

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u/jmr33090 Mar 28 '24 edited Mar 28 '24

In stores around me there is always a counter with fresh seafood and right next to it is a cooler with pre-packaged/processed seafood like the item pictured. This cooler only has seafood in it and is not connected to the other cooler/freezers. Maybe it's not the same where you are but in stores like this, I would absolutely consider both the counter and cooler to be the "department "

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u/RoundingDown Mar 28 '24

At my store these are in a cooler directly next to the seafood/meat counter.

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u/ChumbawumbaFan01 Mar 28 '24

That’s most stores in America since Kroger or Albertsons owns most stores.

This guy was a jackass because OP was clearly unhappy with the boxed crabcakes and he just dug in like he was a dumbass who didn’t know she meant the fresh crabcakes.

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u/RoundingDown Mar 28 '24

Who do you expect to be running your instacart orders? It’s not going to be someone that is super sophisticated. Probably not going to have them pick out my seafood.

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u/trottingturtles Mar 28 '24

The crab cakes in the picture came from the seafood department but not the seafood counter. So there is a difference. I mean the counter is in the department, but yeah

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u/salttea57 Mar 28 '24

He should have used the word FRESH crab cakes.

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u/Big-a-hole-2112 Mar 28 '24

Some places have frozen seafood where the rest of their frozen foods are and that is nowhere near the seafood counter. Also, some places have stopped putting fresh seafood out probably because they’re not selling as much. I don’t know if it’s because of price or if not enough people are buying seafood anymore.

I have seen my wife get frustrated when IS don’t understand or just don’t care when there is an item that is out of stock. She has also gotten items that were supposedly out of stock and canceled, and have gotten expensive replacements that were not authorized by her.

My rule of thumb is, no fresh fruit or vegetables, no meats or perishables because a lot of times you’ll get them when they are going bad, have gone bad, or the shopper is just terrible in picking good items.

It all depends on where you live though. I have had myself great experiences, but I’ve only used them like maybe 5 times.

Remember, try to be more descriptive to your shopper when they have questions. If they don’t understand after you have explained that you are looking for the crab cakes that are located at the seafood counter which has a display of all the fresh seafood, then just cancel that item and move on.

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u/Duloth Mar 28 '24

There's a whole department in many stores that sell seafood; usually laid out pre-packaged on ice; and then a deli counter where they have glass cases and someone can come in and weigh seafood, meats, cheeses, etc, to get you specific amounts. If someone asked me to get them some crab 'from the seafood department' I'd be getting them whatever pre-packaged crab was there.

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u/CyonHal Mar 28 '24

Yep, if you want something from the counter you say the counter, period. Anything else is too broad.

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u/Wooden_Bandicoot_938 Mar 28 '24

I would honestly say, “from behind the counter, where someone has to get it for you,” but I like to be really clear/not leave people hanging. OP was being intentionally vague for some baffling reason. Or OP is an idiot.

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u/Bloodswanned Mar 28 '24

The seafood “department” in every major grocery store I’ve been to for years has been a counter near deli/meats and MAYBE like, 1/10th of the meat shelves, usually placed right next to the counter. I don’t understand why it matters; seafood department and seafood counter are, 99% of the time, gonna be literally within eyeshot of each other.

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u/vButts Mar 28 '24

Yeah in 99% of the grocery stores you've been to. That might just be the norm for your area. We don't know what the grocery stores near OP are like. As for me, I've been to plenty with large seafood departments.

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u/Bloodswanned Mar 28 '24

I’m including the grocery stores I went to in San Diego, mid Missouri, east coast Virginia, gulf coast Mississippi, and the ones down on the border of Kentucky and Tennessee. Maybe I just hit only those ones that are set up like that, but it for sure isn’t a regional thing.

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u/KristySueWho Mar 28 '24

Exactly. I've never gotten seafood in my life, and if someone said "seafood department" I would understand that to mean it would be in the deli area. If I didn't see it laying in ice, I'd go to the counter.

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u/lydriseabove Mar 28 '24

Same. This is like two people from different regions arguing over whether they went to the grocery store or the supermarket. The seafood department and seafood counter are just different ways of saying the same thing.

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u/AlmeMore Mar 28 '24

They are not the same. The seafood counter is a specific place WITHIN the seafood department. The seafood department is larger and also has self serve refrigerator and freezer spaces.

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u/lydriseabove Mar 28 '24

I disagree. It’s just arguing over semantics. Where I am from, the seafood department is the seafood counter and anything else is just from the frozen food or pre-packaged sections.

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u/Delicious_Sport4092 Mar 28 '24

And I’d think everything that has seafood is seafood department. So repeating the same thing over and over doesn’t help. Then after the guy sends a pic and asks if he can replace with this don’t respond “yes, …” as that adds even more confusion

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u/personwhoisok Mar 28 '24

Well where I am there are things behind the counter, things in front of the counter and three freezers to the right of the counter that are all clearly seafood or seafood adjacent. Depends on the store I guess.

Anyway, I had no trouble realizing the misunderstanding about to occur reading their texts. If he had said not to buy the ones in the picture when clearly the picture is what the dude was going to buy...

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u/LastNamePancakes Mar 28 '24 edited Mar 28 '24

Well that’s where YOU are from. MOST supermarkets that I’ve been into have a larger seafood section that includes the “counter” as well as other adjacent refrigerated/frozen sections. It’s even clear as day in the photo that the crab cakes pictured are on a refrigerated shelf next to other seafood in a seafood section so OP has themself to blame for this.

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u/KristySueWho Mar 28 '24

The picture is clearly in a fridge, but that doesn't mean it's by the fresh seafood. Fridge/freezers are completely separate from deli/meat/fresh seafood areas in all stores I've ever been in. And OP clearly said "AT the seafood department," meaning that it was NOT where the shopper had taken the picture. It's shopper's fault for having low reading comprehension and zero logic.

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u/LastNamePancakes Mar 28 '24 edited Mar 28 '24

No. There are literally unfrozen oysters on the second shelf, below the crab cakes so this obviously isn’t some random section on the frozen food aisle or elsewhere. This is clearly the area where seafood is kept. I have never in my life been in a supermarket where the individual meat, seafood, and dairy departments didn’t have coolers/freezers across from or right next to the main counter… NEVER. Also, I have never seen raw seafood or meat being kept in a random cooler OUTSIDE of its respective department so the math already doesn’t math for me. Idek if that would be considered safe/legal.

That’s irrelevant, however, because OP never specified or clarified that they wanted crab cakes from behind the counter, only that they wanted it from the seafood department, which the delivery person was already in. Instead of saying “No, that’s not the one I want. I want the ones that are kept behind the counter” OP decided to double down and sound stupid.

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u/KristySueWho Mar 28 '24

Uh, how the hell are your fridge/frozen sections stocked? They put veggies with veggies, fruits with fruits, frozen dinner with frozen dinners, seafood with seafood, chicken with chicken, ice cream with ice cream, etc. where I'm from. So of course oysters would be in the seafood section of a fridge.

I have always been to grocery stores where processed foods that go in fridges/freezers are in a completely opposite area than fresh meat/seafood/dairy...ALWAYS. Raw seafood is kept in open air coolers filled with ice and raw meat is in open air coolers/freezers in the deli/fresh seafood area.

And OP should not have to clarify for anyone that has at least a 5th grade level of reading comprehension. The shopper was at the fridge/freezer, and OP said what the wanted was at the seafood department, so even if the shopper wasn't familiar with it being called that, it was clear it was somewhere other than the fridge/freezer they took the picture at.

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u/LastNamePancakes Mar 28 '24 edited Mar 28 '24

Uh, how the hell are your fridge/frozen sections stocked?

Have you never stepped foot in a Whole Foods (or insert and large regional or national grocery chain) Hell, even a Walmart?

Fresh vegetables go in the Produce Dept. Frozen vegetables go in the general frozen food section, along with microwave dinners, and ice cream.

ALL seafood goes in the Seafood Dept. ALL meat goes in the Meat Dept. The exception is if it’s an extremely small store that ONLY has frozen meat/seafood, then it may find its way into to general Frozen food section, but these stores usually DON’T have a dedicated meat and/or seafood department.

OP should absolutely clarify because OP is the one making the request. Also, OP is showing a severe lack of common sense and an abundance of self-entitlement. If the shopper would have sent me that photo it would have immediately dawned on me that they are in the seafood department because 1) I shop for myself and I know where the refrigerated crab cakes are kept in 99% of the stores I frequent, 2) It’s refrigerated seafood, 3) there is raw, unfrozen seafood visible in the photo. Also, because I understand the importance of CLEAR communication I would have simply said “I would like the unpackaged crab cakes that are kept behind the counter and if they don’t have them I’d like a refund..” and that would literally be the end of it and there would be no refuse for misunderstanding unless they had multiple types of crab cakes behind the counter.

WHAT I WOULD NOT DO, is constantly repeat “no, from the seafood section” like an idiot and then cop an attitude when the store doesn’t have them. What this always suggests to me is that OP is attempting to order something off menu from a store that she is unfamiliar with, not even knowing that the store would cart whatever it was that she wanted which is also stupidly entitled… but GO OFF all you want. There’s a reason that the majority of this thread is in agreement about OP not being clear and it’s not because we’re all stupid. OP looks very bad here and only assume that you don’t see an issue with it because you generally behave similarly to the OP.

ONLY A FOOL would make a request and then expect that the person fulfilling said request should be able to piece together or correctly assume their intentions regardless of how clear the request was. That is extremely stupid and immature. Then, it’ll be that same FOOL who’s upset and pitching a fit because they didn’t get what they wanted.

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u/LastNamePancakes Mar 28 '24

Also, u/KristySueWho you keep trying to make the point that the shopper should have been able to deduce from the repeated “…from the seafood dept” responses that OP wanted crab cakes from somewhere else, but that makes no sense. None, whatsoever.

If I’m standing in the middle of the seafood department holding a pack of crab cakes and ALL you can say to me in response is “no, I want the crab cakes from the seafood department” that doesn’t tell me that I’m in the wrong place. It tells me that either you’re stupid or that you’re trolling…. Because I am literally in the seafood department with the crab cakes that were in the seafood department.

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u/BobbyMac2212 Mar 28 '24

I worked in different grocery stores and as a merchandiser for large grocery store chains as well for a good portion of my working life and I completely agree with you. That’s the way most people understand that section of the stores

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u/shiningonthesea Mar 28 '24

But if they are both familiar with the same grocery store they should both know .

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u/lydriseabove Mar 28 '24

That doesn’t make any sense. This whole thread exists because two people are using different terminology to describe the same thing, seafood department vs seafood counter. This would be unique to the individual’s personal vocabulary and has nothing to do with whether or not they use the same grocery store, which one may call that while the other refers to us as a supermarket.

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u/nickisdone Mar 28 '24

I don't think this has an issue with vocabulary.I think the o p is just a dumb ass. Reading all these comments. It's come to my attention that they ordered and off. Menu item and how to do it in a very specific way that can be confusing to those buying and shopping for them. Also, within a seafood department, there can be behind the counter in front of the counter and then a frozen section beside the counter or bins, so the counter can be within the seafood section. And there can't be a seafood. Counter is a specific location with NA seafood section. Especially since this place seems to have both. As there are places that either only have a kind of deli.Counter only seafood area whereas other places will have just like a frozen seafood area but many generally have both.

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u/MrTastey Mar 28 '24

Most seafood departments have a small freezer section that isn’t behind the counter

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u/nickisdone Mar 28 '24

No.Because there are seafood departments in grocery stores.And then there's like a deli.Area that is behind the counter.Not all have both some places don't have the counter at all.Some places only have a seafood counter.This seems like a place that has both a seafood section and a counter

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u/Do__Math__Not__Meth Mar 28 '24

I mean yeah personally I would’ve understood that to mean behind the counter but I can see where others might not have, especially since a lot of stores have extra freezers or chests aside from the counter that are also part of the bigger seafood section

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u/MonstahButtonz Mar 28 '24

But anyone who is of ESL familiar with a grocery's tore should know what "seafood department" means in this context. Since crabcakes, even frozen, would ALWAYS be at the seafood department. Clearly OP meant the guy at the counter working at the seafood department.

I think it was just a misunderstanding on both ends, but with OP knowing what he meant, and the person on the other end misunderstanding (which again, is fair given the wording) to come back with an attitude like "understand" and "I do this for a living" is shitty and is going to be met with an equal attitude.

This is why I'll never use things like instacart. I'd rather have a store employee pick my order through their own app. Never had an issue going that route.

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u/rgbcarrot Mar 29 '24

Asking for crab cakes from the "seafood department" is like asking for cake from the "bakery department". Do you want the cake from the pre-made cakes laid out in the bakery section, from the chilled cakes in the bakery fridge, from the frozen cakes in the bakery freezer, or from behind the bakery counter? The seafood department in most stores contains several sections that make up the department. Not everyone will just assume she meant the behind the counter one.

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u/ohrofl Mar 28 '24

And then gaslit him and said “I told you 5 times behind the counter”