Every job and industry has its own shortcuts and insider information, some with more tea to spill to those on the outside.
We polled members of an online community about the “dirty little secrets” of their industry, and they shared experiences from retail, to postal services, and everything in between.
Movie Theater Popcorn
Do you know that fantastic popcorn smell when walking into your local theater? Well, it could be manufactured. One theater insider says that aroma could be from the popcorn being made, but it could also be from the spray used in the lobby to carry the scent to incoming customers. The spray is also used to cover up any burned popcorn.
Meal Prep
Knowledgeable of the restaurant kitchen, one staffer says that food is touched a lot. Hands are also washed within an inch of losing skin. However, if you prefer food to be prepared with gloved hands, just know those gloves are not changed frequently. Gloves have been known to stay on hands for up to 12 hours without being changed.
New Clothes
Are you excited to wear those new jeans bought that day? Think again before wearing them straight home from the store. The clothes have most likely been tried on multiple times, sometimes by people without undergarments. Additionally, clothes have been dropped on dirty floors and treated chemically to preserve them during the shipping process.
A gentle, quick wash might do that new outfit some good.
Produce
Technically, any food dropped on the floor should be thrown out. However, according to one production distribution manager, this rule is constantly flaunted. Blueberries, cherry tomatoes, and grapes are dropped on dirty warehouse floors and put back into containers frequently. This industry insider tip: wash your produce!
Packages
The fragile sticker might not protect your package as much as hoped. Those in charge of sorting mail and boxes throw items into separating containers even with the fragile sticker prominently displayed.
Homemade Food
Do you like those yummy cinnamon rolls and muffins from your local bakery you love because they are made in-house? Maybe not, according to one bakery employee. Baked goods arrived frozen via the corporate giant Sysco and served to unknowing customers.
Jewelry
That tennis bracelet you’ve been eyeing might be even more marked up than you realize. One jewelry insider said that when buying jewelry personally from their employer, the cost equaled production plus 10%.
This insider bought a pair of earrings sold for $950 to customers for $115.
Hotels
Comforters on hotel beds are not changed between every guest. Unless housekeeping notices a distinct stain on the top of the bed, the comforter gets reused from guest to guest.
Additionally, if pillows are placed on a chair, housekeeping can assume they weren’t used and keep them the same with the new check-in.
Locks
Last time you locked yourself out of the house, how long did it take the locksmith to get you back in? According to one locksmith the drill and toolkit are just for looks. Any locksmith should be able to open that door in 30 seconds or less.
Sales
Waiting for Black Friday to make a purchase? Those savings might just be the original price. A retail employee noticed that prices of items were quietly increased during the fall only to be reduced to the original price in time for the post-Thanksgiving spending frenzy.
Cargo Transportation
Airlines have stricter contracts to transport cargo than they do passengers. Airlines will typically boot passengers before dropping their cargo load if a flight is too heavy.
Grocery Carts
The child seat of the grocery cart is less clean than you hope it is. Between leaky diapers, dirty little feet, and small pets who can ride along, the fold seat is not an ideal place to put groceries. Once a month, the carts get sanitized; that is it!
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