Publix Etiquette Fails—14 Rude Things Some Floridians Just Can’t Seem to Stop Doing

Publix is supposed to be peaceful. You walk in craving a sub and leave with way more than you planned, including a bouquet of flowers and a tub of cookie dough you didn’t need.

But nothing wrecks that peaceful grocery vibe faster than a rude Floridian who acts like the store was built just for them.

If you’ve ever sighed loudly in the produce section, you already know what kind of chaos we’re about to call out.

Parking Their Cart Like It’s a Boat at the Marina

You know the type. They roll their cart right into the middle of the aisle and just leave it there while they wander off. Maybe they’re eyeing the GreenWise granola bars or comparing the price of apple butter to guava jelly.

Either way, their cart’s holding up the entire Publix aisle.

And don’t even get us started on the folks who angle their cart sideways across the aisle, like they’re setting up a roadblock. You try to pass, and suddenly you’re doing awkward cart gymnastics just to get to the pasta sauce.

If someone did this in a Publix parking lot, people would be honking and giving side-eyes.

But in the store? They act like it’s totally fine.

It’s not.

Turning the Deli Counter Into a One-Person Picnic

Look, everyone loves the deli. Those Pub Subs? Absolute legends. But some Publix shoppers act like the store is hosting a tasting party there.

They ask for sample after sample—turkey breast, honey ham, white American cheese, you name it—and take ten years to pick a combo.

Meanwhile, there’s a whole line of people behind them clutching their sub orders and praying someone doesn’t order five pounds of sliced salami.

If you’re not ready, step aside. Don’t hold up the whole line because you’re debating if Boar’s Head chipotle chicken goes better with chipotle gouda or pepper jack.

Also, shouting, “Can you toast it twice and cut it into four pieces diagonally?” is not a crime—but doing it during a lunch rush might earn you a few glares from behind the pickle barrel.

Blasting Their Speakerphone Like It’s a Miami Beach Party

You’re trying to decide between the regular Key lime pie or the mango swirl version, and suddenly you hear someone’s entire phone call about their cousin’s boyfriend’s drama.

On speakerphone. At full volume. Right next to the bakery.

It’s not that people can’t take calls—Publix isn’t a library.

But speakerphone in public is a next-level move. Nobody wants to hear your dentist appointment reminder while picking out potato wedges.

Use earbuds or keep it quick. Publix is a grocery store, not a group therapy session.

Snacking Before Paying Like It’s All-You-Can-Eat Night

We’ve all been hungry while shopping. Staring at a tub of fried chicken or a box of fresh-baked cookies can feel like torture. But some people just pop the lid, start snacking, and act like it’s normal.

Newsflash: it’s not.

Until you pay for it, it’s still Publix’s food. Whether it’s a bag of salt and vinegar chips, a bottle of lemonade, or a sushi roll, cracking it open mid-aisle isn’t just rude—it’s risky.

What if the cashier forgets to ring it up? You’re technically stealing.

Even letting your kid nibble on mini muffins or lick a popsicle before checkout is a no-go. If you can wait in line for a Chicken Tender Sub, you can wait to open a snack.

Dumping Cold Stuff Wherever Like It’s Hide-and-Seek

Picture this: you change your mind about that frozen macaroni and cheese, so you casually tuck it behind a stack of paper towels and move on.

That’s what too many customers do, and it’s a reason Publix has to toss perfectly good food.

Milk sitting in the soup aisle? Frozen pizza next to the Oreos?

Yep, it happens more than you’d think.

Cold stuff doesn’t stay cold forever, and when it warms up, it’s trash. That’s money down the drain—and wasted groceries someone else might’ve wanted.

Not feeling those Publix-brand frozen meatballs anymore? Just walk them back or hand them to an employee.

Hovering in the Checkout Line

Some Publix customers get real antsy at the checkout. They roll up behind you so close, you can feel their breath as you unload your sweet tea and chicken salad.

Chill, Brenda. The line’s moving.

It gets even worse when they start putting their groceries on the belt while you’re still unloading yours.

Like, hello? Personal space. Let someone finish before you start launching your box of fried shrimp onto the conveyor belt.

Publix employees are quick—they’ve scanned more jars of marinara than most of us have eaten. Give folks a little room, and you’ll still get out of there in time to catch the sunset.

Letting Samples Turn Into a Buffet

Publix is generous with sample handouts when they host their sampling events—little cubes of cheddar, tiny cups of soup, or a bite of their bakery-fresh pound cake.

But some folks treat the sample stations like it’s their lunch. They hover, circle back, pretend it’s their “first time,” and grab three more like they’re being sneaky.

Spoiler alert: everyone sees you.

Sampling is supposed to be a quick treat while you shop, not a full meal. If you’re going back for your fifth helping of spinach dip, maybe it’s time to just buy the tub and call it a day.

And yes, that goes for sneaking extras for your “kids” who magically never appear.

Even worse?

People who leave trash from the sample behind, like little toothpicks or empty cups tossed on a shelf next to the soup cans.

Blocking the Hot Bar Like It’s a Buffet Line at a Wedding

Publix’s hot food section is pure magic. That mac and cheese? Dreamy. Those mojo pork platters? Straight-up comfort food.

But some customers stand in front of the hot bar like they’re trying to solve a puzzle—staring, poking at the fried chicken with the tongs, and asking a million questions while the rest of us are starving.

It’s fine to take a few seconds to decide, but standing there forever, chatting with your buddy about whether to get the wings or meatloaf while holding up the line?

Rude.

The rest of us just want some potato wedges and maybe a meatball.

Treating the Bakery Like a Free Smell Museum

Publix bakeries smell so good, it’s honestly hard not to linger. From cinnamon rolls to buttercream cupcakes to fresh Cuban bread crackling in the bins, it’s a carb lover’s dream.

But some folks act like they’re on a bakery tour—touching the display glass, pointing too close to the cookies, or leaning over the cakes like they’re trying to breathe them in.

The employees back there are artists. They’re trying to ice cakes and bag croissants while someone’s asking, “Can I see that one?” or “Do y’all have chocolate eclairs shaped like dolphins?”

Chill.

Also, if you knock on the bread to “test freshness,” please don’t. Or, at least don’t do it with your bare hands.

Ignoring the Express Lane Rule Like It’s a Suggestion

Publix express lanes are clearly marked—10 items or fewer. Not 10-ish. Not 10 if you count your BOGO soup cans as one.

But some customers roll up with 25 items and an attitude that the rules don’t apply to them.

You see them unloading grapes, three frozen lasagnas, cat litter, five yogurts, and a pineapple, and they still look surprised when the cashier gives them the polite “Are you sure you’re in the right line?” face.

And then they act offended.

We’re not here to be the express police, but come on—if your cart is full of groceries on both the top and lower levels, it doesn’t belong in the 10-items-or-less lane.

Let those of us grabbing a chicken salad wrap and a bottle of orange juice check out in peace.

Letting Their Kids Run Wild Like It’s a Playground

Publix is a store, not a jungle gym. But you’ll see kids racing through the aisles, pulling crackers off shelves, or spinning in circles near the wine display.

Meanwhile, their parents are busy deciding between two types of rotisserie chicken.

It’s cool to bring your kids shopping. But letting them go full chaos mode while you browse the bakery section isn’t okay.

A tiny shopping cart going full speed into someone’s ankle? Not adorable.

Plus, stores are full of strangers and sharp corners. Keeping your kid close isn’t just polite—it’s smart. Let them pick the cereal, sure.

Just don’t let them climb the shelves to reach it.

Wiping Out All the BOGO Deals Like It’s the End Times

Publix BOGOs are the stuff of legend. But some folks treat them like gold and scoop up every last box of toaster strudels or frozen tilapia, leaving the shelf emptier than a snowbird condo in July.

Just because the BOGO signs are glowing doesn’t mean you need twelve boxes of Publix-brand waffles.

Leave a few for the rest of us.

Being a smart shopper is great. Being a greedy one? Not so much.

Share the BOGOs, people.

Snapping at Employees Like It’s Their Fault the Yogurt’s Out

Publix workers are famously friendly. They’ll walk you to the aisle, bag your groceries like pros, and even offer to take them to your car. But every now and then, someone talks to them like they’re personal butlers.

The strawberry lemonade’s out of stock? That’s not the cashier’s fault.

The crab cakes were on sale last week and not today? Still not their fault.

Yelling or getting snippy with them just makes you look like a jerk.

A little kindness goes a long way. Say thanks, smile, and maybe even ask how their day’s going. Publix employees are some of the nicest people around—don’t be the one who ruins their shift.

Dragging Out Self-Checkout Like It’s a Slow Dance

Self-checkout is for folks with a handful of items. A Pub Sub, some sea salt caramels, maybe a pack of napkins.

But some Publix shoppers roll up with a full cart and take forever, like they’re starring in their own checkout tutorial video.

They scan slow, forget their reusable bags, start texting mid-scan, and look surprised when the machine tells them to place the item in the bagging area.

The rest of us are just trying to buy some coleslaw and get home.

Self-checkout isn’t a place to hang out. It’s a pit stop. Scan it, bag it, pay it, move it.

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