Culinary no-no began on Father’s Day 2007, a beautiful summer day, when I wrote about grilling brats. And eating brats. And topping those brats. I was inspired by my wife, Jennifer who, in my admittedly unscientific opinion, ruins brats by squirting ketchup on them. Other dining taboos quickly came to mind. The original idea was to take this concept only a few months, till the end of summer and then pull the plug. Then the unexpected happened. People started reading Culinary no-no. Lots of folks. So we keep doing the no-no.

The checkout at Franklin’s Sendik’s.

For this week’s installment I need and asked for help from my wife Jennifer who does the overwhelming amount of grocery shopping for our family. She responded:

Grocery store self check-outs…  Love ‘em or hate ‘em?  For me, it’s generally 90% hate.  If they are supposed to save time, they rarely do.  Why?  Because the “lady” who guides you through the process of scanning your own items is a pain in the you-know-what. 

At most kiosks you need to place your item in the bag “just so” in order for the sensor to realize it’s there.  Otherwise, it’s “Please wait for assistance.”  If you don’t bag it quickly enough or accidently hit the skip bagging feature on the screen it’s “Please wait for assistance.”  If you’re buying alcohol you are reminded that “A Sendik’s associate with be right with you” and they have to scan their employee badge to prove that yes you ARE the 150 years old that you look and feel today.

The amount of time I have WASTED with these time-saving devices is a joke.  It’s like the sign I saw a few years ago at Pick ‘n Save’s bakery…  I kid you not this is what it said:  “For your convenience, we are a self-serve bakery.”  Can someone please explain to me how that is for MY convenience?

I use them when I’m forced to but I certainly don’t like them.  I’d rather have an apathetic, gum-chewing, airpod-wearing teenager indifferently tell me to have a nice day than an automated voice tell me to please take my receipt and thank me for my business.

Jennifer is not alone. Consumers in no way have a love affair with these gadgets designed primarily to aid employers in not having to hire able-bodied workers. And the machines aren’t going away.

Read many more details from CNN Business.

CULINARY NO-NO BONUSES

The Hidden Fees Making Your Bananas, and Everything Else, Cost More

They degrade the social experience of dining out

Kentucky QB Will Levis Wants to Start a New Coffee Trend: Adding Mayo

ICYMI: Culinary no-no #743 – Why we can’t dine in peace anymore

AND FINALLY, from the WI State Journal….