09/15/2026
Does anyone else get weirdly annoyed when a business charges for something that feels like it should just be part of purchasing the product?
I went to a store today—not one I usually go to, it’s just a little out of the way from my house. I won’t name it because I don’t speak negatively about other businesses. If I don’t like a place, I just don’t spend my hard-earned money there. Simple as that.
I was there for cake mix, frosting, and chocolate chips. The chocolate chips are because my daughter made banana bread with what we had in the house… and now she has to make it again because it was some of the best banana bread I’ve had in a long time. No pressure, kid. 😂
The cake mix and frosting are for somebody’s birthday tomorrow. So, if you see this little troll of a kid around, make sure you wish Coop a very happy 13th birthday! 🎉
Anyway, there we are at the register with four items. The cashier was very nice, pleasant, and just doing their job. They asked, “Do you need a bag?”
In my head, I immediately thought, “Oh crap… I forgot they charge for bags.”
Sure, I could buy another reusable bag—but like a lot of people, I already have approximately 147 reusable bags sitting in my basement. I don’t need another one. I need a support group for the amount of bags my beautiful wife brings home.
And it got me thinking: making pizza for a living, how many of you would be annoyed if I charged 28¢ for a pizza box?
“Your pizza is $18… and it’s an additional 28¢ if you’d like to transport it home without carrying it like a greasy frisbee.” 🍕 To my 4ish employees you now have to pay for the box. Pizza is still free and guess what family!
I just can’t justify it. At festivals and markets, customers from other vendors sometimes ask us for a box to carry their food or products. If I recognize where it came from, I might joke around with my food truck friends—but at the end of the day, we hand them a box.
Because it’s just good business, good customer service… and nobody should have to carry cake mix, frosting, chocolate chips, and a birthday cake home like they’re competing on Supermarket Sweep.
