Late Nite Shopping
Friday, August 17. 2007
Trackbacks
Trackback specific URI for this entry
No Trackbacks
Comments
Display comments as
(Linear | Threaded)
Isn't there also that place on Kastanienallee, Fresh And Good, or something?
Ah yes - "Fresh and Friends" I think - had a look inside earlier this evening. It claims to be open 24/7. If you ever need a crate of Bionade, or some bio-lemons, or a 99 cent litre of milk at 3am on Sunday morning, it probably beats trying to buy something at a Tankstelle. Large selection of wine though. For people who want to buy normal stuff, I'd stick to Kaisers.
Ah! the good old days of getting up early on a Saturday morning with a hangover to do the shopping before the shops shut - What a nightmare that was!
Ah, Mr Haddock, what an honour! (Though with a name like that you should be very careful around penguins). I still find myself unable to lie in on Saturday mornings: memories of early 90's eastern Berlin supermarkets - before all these shiny new shopping centres were built - at around 1.30 are indelibly etched into my consumer memory.
I once had the guts to shop at the KaDeWe's cheese store in the fine foods department on the famous top floor just a few minutes before 14:00 hrs. (closing time) on a Saturday in the early nineties. Since most of the cheeses had been wrapped already for storage, the saleswomen had to unwrap several of them. Plus, there was still quite a line in front of the counter. The two female employees bitterly and audibly complained that customers would show up this late and cause them extra work. One thirtysomething man directly in front of me apologised profusely for his late appearance.
I (about 18-20 yrs. old) was so annoyed that I wrote a cynical letter to the customer service dept. asking them to please let me know a date and time when my patronage would be appreciated. I received a carefully worded apology and two vouchers for a glass of champagne. Too bad I don't drink sparkling white wine, but my mom and her friend gladly appreciated the vouchers.
Those were the days.
I (about 18-20 yrs. old) was so annoyed that I wrote a cynical letter to the customer service dept. asking them to please let me know a date and time when my patronage would be appreciated. I received a carefully worded apology and two vouchers for a glass of champagne. Too bad I don't drink sparkling white wine, but my mom and her friend gladly appreciated the vouchers.
Those were the days.
If it's any consolation, I tried to slip into the Kaisers on Wittenbergplatz at 3 minutes before they closed on a Friday night recently, and was ordered back out. Just like old times. Gave me a warm fuzzy feeling it did.
Do you think shop workers get paid for the "extra few minutes" (which, at Christmas, can often become a good half-hour or longer) after closing time they have to work, in the interests of 'customer service', service, often to people who turn up 30 seconds before the doors should be locked shut (regardless of the closing time*)? No we don't...no wonder we're audibly bitter, and rightly so!
* I should know, I hate shopping so much I'm just the same. Though I at least aim to get into the supermarket 10 minutes before closing.
* I should know, I hate shopping so much I'm just the same. Though I at least aim to get into the supermarket 10 minutes before closing.
Are working times identical with opening hours then? When I was working in the UK retail industry there was always a buffer period of 30 minutes to an hour between closing time and clocking-off time.
On the particular Friday in question the shop was empty, the doors wide open, I only wanted to buy a single item, had the correct change and would have been out in 90 seconds. It wasn't as if I was carrying a huge bag of returnable bottles and looking like I was going to use a trolley.
On the particular Friday in question the shop was empty, the doors wide open, I only wanted to buy a single item, had the correct change and would have been out in 90 seconds. It wasn't as if I was carrying a huge bag of returnable bottles and looking like I was going to use a trolley.
In theory, if you're working for a company that is "Tarifgebunden" (that includes - in Berlin at least - Kaiser's) you should get paid an extra ten minutes for serving those customers still in the shop at closing time. But it doesn't usually happen (though I have no idea what Kaiser's are like in that respect). An of course, late/hassled customers aside, the lights have to be turned off, the computers shut down, the till removed and the money put in the safe...There's some nice figure, scientifically and stastically collected by Ver.di about how many hours per year retail workers work for free, as they're expected to start earlier and end later than they get paid for...I wonder if they intend to try and actually do anything about it instead of just putting out the occasional press release.
If only there was some kind of clocking-off system, it might mean all these extra minutes were recorded in some way, but of course, you can be made to clock off "on time" and then carry on working...
If the doors were wide open in that Kaiser's, they'd made a mistake. Surely the key should turn in the lock of the last door at the exact moment they're meant to close at, particuarly if they want to stop people coming in after that time... In my case, I remember hearing again and again people saying they knew exactly what they wanted and being fairly nice, I'd let them in, but curiously enough this "quick shop" for one item taking a good 10 minutes. And then paying by card without knowing their PIN number on the first two attempts...
Particuarly annoying is, of course, being reliant on public transport and when if you miss the intended tram/bus/S-Bahn this means waiting for 20 minutes or more at that time of night...
If only there was some kind of clocking-off system, it might mean all these extra minutes were recorded in some way, but of course, you can be made to clock off "on time" and then carry on working...
If the doors were wide open in that Kaiser's, they'd made a mistake. Surely the key should turn in the lock of the last door at the exact moment they're meant to close at, particuarly if they want to stop people coming in after that time... In my case, I remember hearing again and again people saying they knew exactly what they wanted and being fairly nice, I'd let them in, but curiously enough this "quick shop" for one item taking a good 10 minutes. And then paying by card without knowing their PIN number on the first two attempts...
Particuarly annoying is, of course, being reliant on public transport and when if you miss the intended tram/bus/S-Bahn this means waiting for 20 minutes or more at that time of night...
Who,What,FAQ
Who
Mount Penguin is technically British, but has lived in Berlin for like yonks.
What
This is a blog of odd stuff he comes across in everyday life, etc. Bit of a lucky dip really.
FAQ
I did originally intend to put together what one day might be the ultimate Berlin FAQ. Due to global warming that hasn't yet happened, but nevertheless if you have any questions about Berlin, feel free to ask them here and I'll see if I can find an answer...
Meanwhile...
Do come and visit my other blog where there's likely to be more hot penguin action.
Comments
about IKEA Shelving Festival!
Thu, 20.11.2008 12:17
Deutschland-Schweden Out of Europe "Best" war ein N ordallianz ml Europa, Russland und Japan (große Kriege [...]
Thu, 20.11.2008 12:17
Deutschland-Schweden Out of Europe "Best" war ein N ordallianz ml Europa, Russland und Japan (große Kriege [...]
about Penguin's Autumn Sale
Tue, 28.10.2008 15:51
Yes indeedy. There's one tomor row (Wednesday), at Osswald, w hich I'm not sure I can make t hough. But I'll keep you [...]
Tue, 28.10.2008 15:51
Yes indeedy. There's one tomor row (Wednesday), at Osswald, w hich I'm not sure I can make t hough. But I'll keep you [...]
about Penguin's Autumn Sale
Tue, 21.10.2008 20:45
Dear Mr. Penguin, I think I kn ow someone who could do with t hat chest-of-drawers, and mayb e the fridge. I'll get b [...]
Tue, 21.10.2008 20:45
Dear Mr. Penguin, I think I kn ow someone who could do with t hat chest-of-drawers, and mayb e the fridge. I'll get b [...]
about Notice of Blog Suspension
Fri, 07.03.2008 14:42
I don't know what you're smoki ng, but I'm sure a lot of peop le would be interested to find out.
Fri, 07.03.2008 14:42
I don't know what you're smoki ng, but I'm sure a lot of peop le would be interested to find out.
about Notice of Blog Suspension
Fri, 07.03.2008 12:28
HOW DO YOU DO… BEING A BERLIN ER Wanna swastika shaped be er mug? Like climbing walls? Stay in the UK Histo [...]
Fri, 07.03.2008 12:28
HOW DO YOU DO… BEING A BERLIN ER Wanna swastika shaped be er mug? Like climbing walls? Stay in the UK Histo [...]
about There's nothing like the taste of home
Sat, 01.03.2008 14:31
I hope the squids and whales d idn't get you. It's March 1st and there is a distinct lack o f blogs.
Sat, 01.03.2008 14:31
I hope the squids and whales d idn't get you. It's March 1st and there is a distinct lack o f blogs.
about There's nothing like the taste of home
Mon, 11.02.2008 12:50
Welcome in your new job as the Japanese Ambassador to Blackp ool... eh lass, let's go üü p tüüer..
Mon, 11.02.2008 12:50
Welcome in your new job as the Japanese Ambassador to Blackp ool... eh lass, let's go üü p tüüer..
about There's nothing like the taste of home
Sun, 10.02.2008 23:11
Hmm, yesterday I went past whe re the whale place was but for got to look out for it. I'll l et you all know in the r [...]
Sun, 10.02.2008 23:11
Hmm, yesterday I went past whe re the whale place was but for got to look out for it. I'll l et you all know in the r [...]
about There's nothing like the taste of home
Sun, 10.02.2008 23:02
....and hope you enjoy the "sc ientific" whale steaks!.
Sun, 10.02.2008 23:02
....and hope you enjoy the "sc ientific" whale steaks!.
about Cheesecake at 30,000 feet
Sat, 09.02.2008 21:06
The fish contains soya sauce. You can buy them for a few cen ts at the Asian supermarket in the Alexanderhaus on Al [...]
Sat, 09.02.2008 21:06
The fish contains soya sauce. You can buy them for a few cen ts at the Asian supermarket in the Alexanderhaus on Al [...]
about Cheesecake at 30,000 feet
Sat, 09.02.2008 21:03
Nope, made the plane - but onl y just due to late departure f rom Tegel (a broken-down airpl ane tug) and Charles de [...]
Sat, 09.02.2008 21:03
Nope, made the plane - but onl y just due to late departure f rom Tegel (a broken-down airpl ane tug) and Charles de [...]
about Cheesecake at 30,000 feet
Sat, 09.02.2008 01:25
What's in the fish? Is it perhaps Whalemeat juice?? Gathered of course, under "lab oratory conditions" and [...]
Sat, 09.02.2008 01:25
What's in the fish? Is it perhaps Whalemeat juice?? Gathered of course, under "lab oratory conditions" and [...]
about Cheesecake at 30,000 feet
Fri, 08.02.2008 22:26
Nein, nein, no comprendo. Blog ging? From a PLANE? No, you mi ssed the flight, didn't you?
Fri, 08.02.2008 22:26
Nein, nein, no comprendo. Blog ging? From a PLANE? No, you mi ssed the flight, didn't you?
Calendar
|
February '12 | |||||
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun |
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | ||
| 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
| 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 |
| 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 |
| 27 | 28 | 29 | ||||
Categories
Quicksearch
Syndicate This Blog
Legal Notice
This blog is © Copyright all time The Owner™.
I keep a team of highly motivated intellectual property lawyers in my basement who are fed only on diet yoghurt, so watch out.