Remember when grocery shopping felt like a mini adventure? That’s thanks to so many little details that have disappeared, like in-store butchers, limited store hours, and even arcade games. Let’s take a stroll down memory lane with these 11 once-common grocery store experiences.
11. Manual Price Stickers
Before the barcode scanner, grocery store items had to be priced by hand. Employees used manual price sticker guns, spending hours clicking and sticking adhesive price tags onto cans, jars, and boxes. The introduction of the Universal Product Code (UPC) and the first scanner in 1974 marked the beginning of the end for this time-consuming task.
10. S&H Green Stamps
Back in the day, there were S&H Green Stamps, a popular loyalty program that peaked in the 1960s and 70s. Shoppers would receive small green stamps with every purchase, pasting them into booklets. Once filled, these booklets could be redeemed for merchandise from the S&H “Ideabook” catalog. The program faded in the 1980s due to changing retail strategies and economic recessions.
9. In-Store Butcher Blocks
There was a time when the meat department was a full-service counter. Instead of picking up pre-packaged steaks, you could ask the butcher for a specific cut of meat, trimmed to your specifications. They would weigh it, wrap it in butcher paper, and hand it to you with a smile. This personalized service largely disappeared from major supermarket chains, replaced by self-serve refrigerated cases.
8. Glass Soda Bottles with Deposits
Remember bringing the empty glass bottles back to the grocery store after enjoying a cold Coca-Cola or Pepsi? This deposit-refund system, created by the beverage industry, ensured the bottles were returned, washed, sterilized, and refilled. It was an early and effective form of recycling that has been almost entirely replaced by modern recycling programs and single-use containers.
7. Penny Candy Counters
For kids of a certain era, a trip to the grocery store meant a visit to the penny candy counter. Large glass jars were filled with an assortment of treats, from gumdrops and licorice to jawbreakers and caramels, each one costing a penny. You could give the clerk a nickel and walk away with a small paper bag filled with various sweets. This affordable childhood pleasure has disappeared, replaced by branded candy with much higher prices.
6. Milk Delivery to Your Doorstep
Before the rise of mega-supermarkets, fresh milk was delivered directly to your home, often in the early morning. The milkman would leave glass bottles of milk on your porch and collect the empty bottles from the previous week. The milk was often non-homogenized, which means the cream would rise to the top, ready to be poured off for coffee. The service faded away as two-car families and refrigerators became the norm.
5. Limited Store Hours and Sunday Closures
It’s hard to imagine, but 24/7 grocery shopping is a relatively new concept. In the early 1960s, most supermarkets were open from 9 AM to 7 PM, Monday through Saturday, and closed on Sundays. The rise of convenience stores like 7-Eleven, with their extended hours, pushed grocery stores to stay open later and eventually open doors on Sundays.
4. Cash-Only Lanes and Check Cashing Windows
Before credit and debit cards became the norm, paying for groceries was a cash-centric affair. In the early 1960s, most stores only accepted cash at the checkout. If you needed money, you had to visit a separate “teller” window within the store to cash a personal check or even your paycheck. Now, it has become a forgotten practice in the age of digital payments.
3. Paper Bags as the Only Option
After the modern paper bag was invented in 1883, it was the champion of grocery transport. When the 1970s came, so was the lightweight, cheaper plastic bag that began to appear in American stores, quickly taking over the market. For generations, the only way to carry groceries was in a sturdy paper bag, which many people reused for collecting trash.
2. Arcade Games at Store Entrances
During the golden age of arcade games in the 1980s, it was common to find a small collection of video game cabinets near the entrance of the grocery store. Kids would beg their parents for a quarter to play a quick game of Pac-Man or Donkey Kong. Atari even ran ad campaigns in 1982 specifically targeting grocery store owners to convince them to install games.
1. Drive-Through Dairies
Drive-through dairies allowed you to buy essentials without ever leaving your car. Modeled after full-service gas stations, you would pull up, and an attendant would come to your window to take your order for items like eggs, butter, milk, and ice cream. They would retrieve your items, take your payment, and you’d be on your way. This convenient model, a precursor to modern curbside pickup, was a well-loved feature in many suburban areas.