Danny Johnson has toiled for more than eight years to refine his craft. He has built a reputation for being fast, precise, and reliable — qualities that have brought him industrywide attention in Massachusetts. But this weekend, Johnson, 24, will take his talents to an even bigger stage. He will compete in Las Vegas for the honor of being named the best in the nation at what he does so well: bag groceries.
For most people, filling up paper or plastic bags at the end of a conveyor belt is an entry-level job, the kind of gig in which workers count down the minutes to break time. Johnson, however, finds it intriguing, like figuring out puzzles with lots of perishable pieces.
Comments
I work at Trader Joe's, we not only bag a customer's groceries, but check them out too. And when we're not doing that, we stock shelves or work demo, or go out to corral that carts left all over the lot.
I think it's great Danny is going to Vegas - good luck and I hope he wins. But I'll bet I could go far in that competition as my bagging skills have been complimented more than once. I even have customers who return to my line because they know what a good bagger I am.
Soemtimes a customer chooses to bag their own while I'm still checking them out. Those who haven't a clue (and I'm talking to the customer who put the bread in his bag first and heavy stuff on top, or the woman who grabbed a bag and just started throwing stuff in - you know who you are!) make me cringe!
Maybe next year I'll be there for the MA competition against the reigning champ!
Good luck Danny!
Nice article. I used to be the bag boy at the Capital Market in Fields Corner. I'd bag according to the custormer. If I saw one I didn't like I'd put all the heavy stuff in one bag and the light in the other. Nothing like putting all the cans together. My bagging never gave me bragging rights except I did an exceptionally fine job when nice young ladies came throught.
At least he doesn't yell at customers for not helping him to bag like I saw once at a Stop n Shop.