One of the most scary realities of the COVID pandemic is how many things we HAVE to do, regardless of the danger. Buying food and household goods is one of them.
Early on, grocery workers were getting sick due to a lack of ability to safely distance, customers and coworkers not wearing masks, and overcrowded stores as panicked customers were buying out toilet paper, hand soap, and bleach. It was horrifying to see hourly workers, many of whom have limited opportunities for telework jobs, were getting sick, and even dying from COVID.
Some stores offered small hourly increases to entice workers to not quit. Others offered limited paid leave if the employee actually got sick. And these workers continued showing up. I only know of a handful of staff in the two grocery stores that I frequent most actually choosing to quit. They are all there, masked up, working to make sure YOU HAVE FOOD AND TOILET PAPER AND HAND SOAP.
And let's not forget gig workers from Doordash, Grubhub, and the local restaurants that have started delivering on their own. These people are literally interacting with the public all day and night to make sure you get your pizza, Chinese food, subs, and Chik-fil-A delivered to your home while you avoid the public as much as possible.
These are the unsung heroes. Front line medical workers, teachers, gas station employees, grocery store staff, and food delivery. Without these (often low-paid) staff, your life would be incredibly disrupted. So next time you hit the cash register or get a delivery, up that tip from $2 to $5, or even $10. Slip the cashier a $5 Amazon gift card (they can't accept cash, but can take a gift card, usually) and please say "thank you." They keep your life going in ways that you do not even realize.
For their continued dedication, GROCERY WORKERS AND FOOD DELIVERY DRIVERS get our special Good Guy and Gal Crookie Award for 2020.
