Fat people ignored by grocery store, free sample people?

serindipte

When I worked as one of those sample givers (My dad worked for Keebler. "Would you like to try a cookie?") I never even noticed if someone was fat, skinny, muscular, or purple. Alright, purple would have stood out for me.

It had to do with their demeanor. Some people are more obviously closed off. Like those who've said they ignore the sample people. I didn't bother them. If someone avoided eye contact or had that 'leave me alone' feel to them, why bother them? It's very likely more about your own personal attitude and how you project yourself than anything at all to do with your size.

ChefSteveUrso

Really working hard to find something to be offended about, aren't ya, OP? Good grief.

Maybe I shouldn't have mentioned "free samples" because the true issue is that many times in life overweight people are treated like they're second rate citizens. I just wanted to interact with some intelligent people, and hear some examples that they have experienced. I wasn't counting on all of the stupid comments like yours, because this is my first topic.

EvgeniZyntx

Oh, goody, another false sense of discrimination / let's all be offended together thread.... Where will this go?

SunofaBeach14

I always avoid "them" as "they" hate fit people too. I'm pretty sure that they're out to get me, so I interpret every slight, every sidewards glance, and anything but gleeful hugs as a personal attack. In fact, those gleeful hugs are probably sarcastic so I'm staying in bed. Haterz!

EvgeniZyntx

Nvm

_Zardoz_

Fatism is worse than racism

I'll tell that to my cousins husband who is a black South African and was banned from SA for many years for being a member of the ANC after he managed to escape prison for the audacity of protesting about apartheid. I'm sure he'll agree with your viewpoint

EvgeniZyntx

Nvm

Derp_Diggler

Really working hard to find something to be offended about, aren't ya, OP? Good grief.

Maybe I shouldn't have mentioned "free samples" because the true issue is that many times in life overweight people are treated like they're second rate citizens. I just wanted to interact with some intelligent people, and hear some examples that they have experienced. I wasn't counting on all of the stupid comments like yours, because this is my first topic.

It would seem from the responses that most overweight people have had the exact opposite experience OP. Maybe it has nothing to do with your weight at all.

And seeing as this is your first topic here I'll give you a bit of advice. If you want to have an intelligent discussion it helps to present an intelligent debate. You admitted you shouldn't have worded the OP like this and presented a strawman argument. Don't be surprised when you are called out on it

lemurcat12

My work building has a Godiva in the lobby, and they offered me free samples when I was 125 and when I was over 200 at about the same rate (any time they had them). I've not noticed a difference elsewhere either.

I did become way more aware of how often I was offered free booze (even our supermarkets have samples) after I stopped drinking, so my guess is you may be extra sensitive to whether it's offered or not and reading in the assumption that it's about weight.

veggieluvr45

When I worked as one of those sample givers (My dad worked for Keebler. "Would you like to try a cookie?") I never even noticed if someone was fat, skinny, muscular, or purple. Alright, purple would have stood out for me.

It had to do with their demeanor. Some people are more obviously closed off. Like those who've said they ignore the sample people. I didn't bother them. If someone avoided eye contact or had that 'leave me alone' feel to them, why bother them? It's very likely more about your own personal attitude and how you project yourself than anything at all to do with your size.

I worked for several years at a major department store as a gourmet foods cook/demonstrator/sampler and that is exactly my experience.

SunofaBeach14

Really working hard to find something to be offended about, aren't ya, OP? Good grief.

Maybe I shouldn't have mentioned "free samples" because the true issue is that many times in life overweight people are treated like they're second rate citizens. I just wanted to interact with some intelligent people, and hear some examples that they have experienced. I wasn't counting on all of the stupid comments like yours, because this is my first topic.

It would seem from the responses that most overweight people have had the exact opposite experience OP. Maybe it has nothing to do with your weight at all.

And seeing as this is your first topic here I'll give you a bit of advice. If you want to have an intelligent discussion it helps to present an intelligent debate. You admitted you shouldn't have worded the OP like this and presented a strawman argument. Don't be surprised when you are called out on it

Come on! Presenting a fundamentally flawed argument and calling responses to it "stupid" is a perfectly valid way of MFPing.

DavPul

Fatism is worse than racism

As the fat, white mother of a brown, healthy weight child I have to say no, just no!

Is everyone's sarcasm meter broken? Can we get back to telling make believe stories about how people that sell cheap food think it's good business to avoid marketing to fat people?

Bonus points if the stories feature the ability to read minds.

_John_

I've observed bias against ugly people in this situation more than skinny/ fat.

CarolinaGirlinVA

I'v never been way overweight but I've been ignored by them as well. I've noticed that a lot of them (my mom used to work as one) only offer to about half of the people as they don't want to bother every single person that walks past them. Often times enough people wander over that they don't NEED to ask anybody at all. Perhaps it's different where you are, or perhaps you're assuming it's because you're overweight when, in fact, it has nothing to do with you or your weight at all. Not that I'm there with you to make your observations, but as people, we often make the assumption that the reason behind things is something personal, when it typically is not. Most people in the world don't notice most other people in the world.

There ya go. Couldn't have said it better.

Missjulesdid

98% of the time I do not experience this problem. I am offered the same portion sizes as everyone else.. Of course those 2% of instances is what sticks in the mind the most. I remember once as a child going to a birthday party and the mom gave me a portion of cake that was less than half the size of the other kids. I knew it wasn't an oversight, and that she intentionally gave me less because she was making a statement about my weight. I wasn't upset about getting less if I had some how wound up with a smaller portion accidentally I wouldn't have minded, I was upset about being singled out because of my weight and I was embarrassed. I didn't even eat the cake and just called my parents to come pick me up.

I remember another time being embarrassed at a very nice restaurant I went to with o my cute and thin best friend. when I couldn't decide what to order for dessert. The super attractive waiter took forever and explained all the different desserts and I had a really hard time deciding, so I ordered a "sampler" which was supposed to be a very small portion of three different desserts. When he arrived at the table he had a huge smile on his face and he gave me FIVE full size desserts on a huge platter. At the time I was in my early 20's and around 280 pounds. I felt so embarrassed to have this huge portion in front of me while my beautiful and thin friend had just a single dessert in front of her. I felt like the waiter was making fun of me. I ate a bite or two of each dessert and the waiter came and packed them all up for me to take home. The next day when I opened the box of desserts, I found that he had written a note and his phone number on the inside of the lid. I had thought he was being rude and was teasing me, when in reality he was just trying to get a date.

Alluminati

My work building has a Godiva in the lobby, and they offered me free samples when I was 125 and when I was over 200 at about the same rate (any time they had them). I've not noticed a difference elsewhere either.

I did become way more aware of how often I was offered free booze (even our supermarkets have samples) after I stopped drinking, so my guess is you may be extra sensitive to whether it's offered or not and reading in the assumption that it's about weight.

Whaaaaat? Your work building has Godiva in the lobby and they offer samples?

Where can I e-mail my resume?

Purpleflipflops

I have not noticed this problem, but I try to ignore the free samples, so that could be why. I think they look for people who are going to buy the food, I'd imagine that if you don't seem like someone open to an impulse buy they're less likely to give you something.

On a side not, I think the real problem is the quality of samples has gone down dramatically. I was at a store yesterday, and they had pretzel crackers for samples. Really? People need to step up their sample game. I want mini sample meals.

sunglasses_and_ocean_waves

I *wish* they would ignore me. I don't want that crap. nor do I want to walk around saying, "thank you, no thank you. No thanks. Thanks, no. Looks good, but no thanks... " throughout the entire store. Just let me get my stuff and go ...

sloth3toes

98% of the time I do not experience this problem. I am offered the same portion sizes as everyone else.. Of course those 2% of instances is what sticks in the mind the most. I remember once as a child going to a birthday party and the mom gave me a portion of cake that was less than half the size of the other kids. I knew it wasn't an oversight, and that she intentionally gave me less because she was making a statement about my weight. I wasn't upset about getting less if I had some how wound up with a smaller portion accidentally I wouldn't have minded, I was upset about being singled out because of my weight and I was embarrassed. I didn't even eat the cake and just called my parents to come pick me up.

I remember another time being embarrassed at a very nice restaurant I went to with o my cute and thin best friend. when I couldn't decide what to order for dessert. The super attractive waiter took forever and explained all the different desserts and I had a really hard time deciding, so I ordered a "sampler" which was supposed to be a very small portion of three different desserts. When he arrived at the table he had a huge smile on his face and he gave me FIVE full size desserts on a huge platter. At the time I was in my early 20's and around 280 pounds. I felt so embarrassed to have this huge portion in front of me while my beautiful and thin friend had just a single dessert in front of her. I felt like the waiter was making fun of me. I ate a bite or two of each dessert and the waiter came and packed them all up for me to take home. The next day when I opened the box of desserts, I found that he had written a note and his phone number on the inside of the lid. I had thought he was being rude and was teasing me, when in reality he was just trying to get a date.

Did you call him?

Lourdesong

Not my experience at all. I also shop regularly at Costco, and I avoid eye contact with the sample people because I know the second that we lock eyes I'm going to be offered a sample.
I haven't gone to a buffet in years, but I don't recall getting skimpy portions from the meat carver person either.

I'm sure you wanted to exchange sob stories of discrimination against fat people, but your examples here are, at best, a suspicion you have, not anything concrete that couldn't be chalked up to being products of a paranoid imagination or a perpetual victim-mentality.

Missjulesdid

98% of the time I do not experience this problem. I am offered the same portion sizes as everyone else.. Of course those 2% of instances is what sticks in the mind the most. I remember once as a child going to a birthday party and the mom gave me a portion of cake that was less than half the size of the other kids. I knew it wasn't an oversight, and that she intentionally gave me less because she was making a statement about my weight. I wasn't upset about getting less if I had some how wound up with a smaller portion accidentally I wouldn't have minded, I was upset about being singled out because of my weight and I was embarrassed. I didn't even eat the cake and just called my parents to come pick me up.

I remember another time being embarrassed at a very nice restaurant I went to with o my cute and thin best friend. when I couldn't decide what to order for dessert. The super attractive waiter took forever and explained all the different desserts and I had a really hard time deciding, so I ordered a "sampler" which was supposed to be a very small portion of three different desserts. When he arrived at the table he had a huge smile on his face and he gave me FIVE full size desserts on a huge platter. At the time I was in my early 20's and around 280 pounds. I felt so embarrassed to have this huge portion in front of me while my beautiful and thin friend had just a single dessert in front of her. I felt like the waiter was making fun of me. I ate a bite or two of each dessert and the waiter came and packed them all up for me to take home. The next day when I opened the box of desserts, I found that he had written a note and his phone number on the inside of the lid. I had thought he was being rude and was teasing me, when in reality he was just trying to get a date.

Did you call him?

Nope, I had a pretty serious boyfriend at the time. If I didn't have a boyfriend, I definitely would have. I had a friend who was a manager at the restaurant. During the course of the evening I had asked about my friend to see if he was working that night but he wasn't. A few days later, my friend told me I had made quite an impression on his waiter and that the waiter was asking him about me. At the time It was all really strange to me since I was young and under the impression that FAT always equated to UNATTRACTIVE. The reality looking back at it was that I was really quite cute... and dammit, I still AM!

salembambi

when I was over 300 pounds I was generally treated like I did not exist or my existence was disgusting / annoying the people around me

so yea

sample ladies did not give me samples

_BearNecessities_

Really working hard to find something to be offended about, aren't ya, OP? Good grief.

Maybe I shouldn't have mentioned "free samples" because the true issue is that many times in life overweight people are treated like they're second rate citizens. I just wanted to interact with some intelligent people, and hear some examples that they have experienced. I wasn't counting on all of the stupid comments like yours, because this is my first topic.

First topic and already an expert in butthurt. Well done, OP. Very well done. :flowerforyou:

nicolepmonahan

Haha! I am a costco sample person (and I'm also fat!). We are there to drive sales. We would be really stupid to ignore anyone including obese people. I've never done that, and I have never seen any of my co workers do that. Sometimes if it's really busy it may not be possible to address every person who walks by, but I can assure you that it has NOTHING to do with size.

Myhaloslipped

I think you are probably reading into these situations a bit much.

sixout

is this thread for real?