I always thought putting the cart back was what normal humans did.

In Germany we have to put a coin or some kind of a plastic chip into the cart to get it out of the corral. And so we are more likely to put it back. So what is the next logical step? Yeah, some people invent pincers, to get them anyway without a p**n. :)

The wise John Hodgman has always said, "Be mindful of the work you leave for others." I think that applies here.

It’s also an issue inside the store. Not long ago, I saw a woman (who fit the “Karen” profile to a T) leave her cart SIX FEET away from the inside cart bay, and right in front of the doors. Pissed me off (and the older I get the fewer f***s I give), so I rather loudly asked her if she was planning to put her cart back where it belonged. Her excuses were that “Well, someone will need it, plus they pay people to do it”. To which I clapped back “No they won’t. What’ll really happen is an overworked minimum wage employee will have to drop what they’re already doing to move it the extra 6 feet you think you’re too good to do”. Needless to say, that publicly shamed her enough to shut up and put the cart all the way back where it belonged. Feels good to call out people like this, who are given way too many free passes for their arrogant acts in my opinion.

I literally have this convo with my hubby every single time we are in a parking lot and see someone with a cart... so we had this conversation just yesterday. If I was ever stupid rich, my plan is to occasionally sit in these parking lots and approach those who do return their carts and hand them a $100 bill, just as a way to say thank you for being a good human being. When I could barely walk due to a tumor in my hip, I still returned the cart. I'm positive that the type who leave their carts are the type who don't clean up their dog's urine in my condo's interior walkways and elevator because they somehow how errantly believe it is the cleaning staffs job to do so.

What if someone returns the cart every single time, whilst being on meth? Like my sister 😂

So, the last time we went actually grocery shopping was when things had started picking up with people panic buying (holy wow it has been so long.) I was at the car putting things in the trunk, I put my cart away, but noticed on the way to my car that the ONLY open parking space was seemingly open because there was a cart in it. As it was SO BUSY a van had just tried to pull in so I hurried over to move it so they could park. While putting the cart away a person in the van yelled "you're a good person" out the window, which was kinda nice. Worst part about the cart is it was RIGHT next to the cart corral...

My mother would wait at the car with the grocery cart after unloading it until she saw someone walking into the store. She would stop them, with an absolutely sh*tty, entitled look on her face, and ask (but it was more of a demand) them to take it back for her. I was always mortified. She's 86 now and still awful.

Yeah I want my quid back thanks

Anyone who's had to get them puts them back. I usually even tidy up the corral when i put mine back. Worked at a grocery store when i was in high school and it's just the right thing to do. Everyone should have to work a service job (food, grocery, etc) for a while, and we'd be a much more considerate of those who do them.

So many people, at least in the US, don't get nearly enough exercise and it's as if their allergic to exercise. It doesn't take that much time or effort to return a cart, folks should do it. I understand there are exceptions, such as elderly and people with disabilities. I am especially annoyed when a person puts a cart completely or partly in a car parking space. On a related note, in the community is southern Orange County, CA, I sometimes see people drive to a community mailbox to get their mail. The mailboxes are reasonably placed, so no one is more than several hundred feet from his/her mailbox. Yet, people are too lazy to walk to the mailbox!

I always return my cart... and if 'the cart guy" comes along and says he'll take it, I always thank him by his name - Michael.

The reason the majority of people don't do it is because they are lazy. It makes me mad especially when a runaway cart runs into and damages a car in a parking lot or the abandoned cart makes it so people can't park in a parking space. It only takes a minute or two to do the right thing and put it back in the corral or whatever they call it.

To bring D&D alignment into it (as someone sort of did)... I'd say returning a cart (or not) has nothing to do with being 'Good'. 'Lawful', sure. Also, good and bad are relative. In the US, in 2020 there is so much worse s**t going on than not returning carts. I wish we lived in a country where not returning a cart was the worst thing one encountered in their day.

i always make sure to return my cart, and i organize the carts in the corrals as well! my mom says that there are people paid to do that, but i think it brightens up a worker's day when they see the small acts of kindness i'm able to provide :)

I have a handicap ticket, so I park in a handicap-designated spot. I appreciate it if someone leaves a cart right there- then I don't have to walk to the cart bay, get a cart, walk around the store, walk to the car, return the cart, and walk back to the car unaided. I often leave my cart by the parking space (out of the road), hoping that the next person who parks there will appreciate it as well. Sometimes I can park near the cart bay- then I return it, but it's not always possible.

For those people arguing that it's a test of laziness and not good vs. bad, in some ways you're right. It's a test of integrity. If you're willing to take that extra minute to do the respectful and responsible thing- to not be lazy- even though you don't have to, that's integrity and you're more likely to do other good things when you don't have to; therefore, you're more likely to be a good person. If you won't spare the extra 60 seconds to do the respectful and responsible thing, that's not integrity and you're more likely lazy in other instances; not necessarily a bad person, but not a good person either.

I have never not put my cart either in the stall or outside the store with the others. People are so inconsiderate and consistently leave them in the middle of a parking space where I go shopping.

The coin system mentioned in Germany and the Netherlands is used at Aldi in the US. It is perfectly reasonable and functional, but may require planning ahead for Americans who don't always carry coins. But if other stores started employing this method, they would!

I get it, and I do put carts back, but if it doesn't make a difference, why are we supposed to do it?