Today we have our first guest writer on standinaqueue, so without further ado here is the resplendent Mr Gary Wood.
I never used to eat at Boots, but now it seems to happen almost every day.
I had heard about the meal deal but never knew how good it actually was. You combine any sandwich, drink and snack for £2.99. I thought this a reasonable price until I found how much power I had. Sandwiches cost anything up to £2.70 – giving you the rest for only 29p.
I opt for an innocent smoothie due to its high price and interesting colours. With the sandwich this should cost about £4.50, and then you can have a snack… need I say more?
I only take 30 minutes for lunch, so it is important to be quick and for queuing to be minimal. Today was not my lucky day.
This lady was fine at first, but she later made the whole ordeal far more annoying.
I thought it best to go in for a closer look.
At this point, we patient queuers have to look left and right to see which till is free. Although the system didn’t seem to work as I noticed some people creeping towards the other till without queuing with the rest of us -they obviously thought they were too good to queue with us.
The queue was longer than usual because the Boots’ employee was looking at every item before scanning it, as if she knew nothing of the variety that Boots offered and seeming shocked that somebody would buy shower gel and a sandwich.
I don’t like staff taking too much of an interest in what I am buying, which is why all embarrassing products have to be bought during a ‘big shop’. Tesco’s never judges me.
A major flaw in the system is that the queue blocks the drinks section of the meal deal arena, not to worry though, for I had already selected my beverage and did not desire coke, water or salad. Related to the water, you can have any drink so why, oh why, would you choose the small water as opposed to the big one? It’s the same price!
The meal deal system encourages me to get the most expensive items, even if I don’t want them -I often really want a chocolate bar but they are far too cheap in comparison to a fruit and Greek yoghurt dipping snack.
On arriving at the till I was held up by the annoying lady pictured earlier, who was now taking her time trying to fit all her purchases into her handbag. Did she not realise I was in a rush?
After making my purchases I ran back to work with just 15 minutes left to eat my feast.
The coffee is free from work and so not part of the meal deal.
October 20, 2006 at 7:36 pm
I had heard of the meal deal and believe I may have utilised it once or twice in the late nineties. I didn’t realise quite how good it had become, if only I’d known while in Rotherham.
I’m also rather envious of your cameraphone Gary Wood, I think the time has come for me to go contract and enjoy the benefits of mega pixels.
October 20, 2006 at 8:21 pm
Yes, mega pixels are very in.
I was with orange, but took my phone back and swapped it for an o2 phone. I feel the contract they offered is much more useful. Plus I got to keep my free blueteeth headset from orange… mostly because they didn’t know I got one.
o2 offered a similar headset, I declined and demanded a memory card, they took a little persuading but I won them over.
Phones are no longer for talking on, they can do anything.
perhaps I will film a queue for you?
yours,
Gary (Waiting Patiently) Wood
October 20, 2006 at 8:58 pm
What was wrong with orange? I thought you could speak to all orange users for free, or something.
As you already know, standinaqueue will be joining you next weekend. I’m definitely going to bring the car so I can leave when I like and have a peek round for jobs.
October 20, 2006 at 9:06 pm
Well then you can also come up when ever you like! I will discuss the ins and outs of my contract with you when we meet.
I also have another queue up my sleeve, Gordon Ramsay will be signing books at waterstones. Do you dare me?
October 22, 2006 at 10:35 pm
You must.
I’ll buy you a present if you get a photo of the man.
October 23, 2006 at 11:51 am
Hello,
I enjoyed your post very much, but I’m afraid I don’t agree about the water issue. Sometimes, if you want to re-use your water bottle, it’s more convenient to choose a size that can fit into your handbag, should you have one. Also, and more importantly, the larger bottles often have those ’sports’ caps, which make an embarrassing sucking noise when you drink. But if you try to buy the smaller bottle as part of your meal deal, the sales assistants (and, I now realise, fellow queuers!) give you funny looks, as though you had not thought your drink choice through properly. I have resorted to buying the sparkling water, which only comes in one size, in order to avoid such awkwardness.
October 23, 2006 at 12:11 pm
Katie you are very right. I too can’t stand those larger bottles with their sporty caps and I have no idea as to why they are such a success.
Rather than a normal bottle where the water just falls into your mouth, a sporty cap requires you to suckle like a baby and causes the embarrassing noise that you pointed out.
For those of us who don’t have handbags, a smaller bottle is also easier to carry in the hand.
October 23, 2006 at 6:36 pm
I’m glad you enjoyed reading my adventure Katie.
I agree the sucking bottles are very annoying, the worst being the ones which don’t even have a pull up bit. Once the lid snaps off they can never be re-used.
Will, I urge you to splurge on a Meal Deal.
October 23, 2006 at 6:43 pm
…and I will attempt to photograph the Gordon.
Hopefully he will swear at me
October 26, 2006 at 9:38 am
I always get the larger size bottle, and twist off the sport’s cap as if it were a bottle of smaller stature. Prevents embarrasing teat-sucking.
October 27, 2006 at 8:21 pm
That’s right Lucy. VFM (value for money)
November 6, 2006 at 9:44 pm
[...] My favourite kind of meal is one that involves some kind of deal. I try to save money every chance I get, I feel the meal deal in Boots is best. Especially this week, I have a collection of vouchers saving me 50p – I think I know who’s winning. [...]