PITTSBURGH —Thanksgiving looks a little bit different this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Shoppers at Waterworks Market District in Pittsburgh grabbed turkey, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie filling, but they also got items such as toilet paper and paper towels that are in high demand.Giant Eagle workers said last-minute holiday shoppers, combined with what they call “panic shoppers” because of the COVID-19 pandemic, could create an increase of shoppers in grocery stores.
But they said workers are strictly following Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, have put safety measures in place such as plexiglass shields, and are using alternate vendors to keep what shoppers need on hand.
“Going into these busy winter months, we were prepared, and we have everything our guests need to feel safe and secure and stocked up in their homes,” Giant Eagle spokesperson Jannah Jablonowski said.
Many people said they are having smaller turkey dinners because they are celebrating with just their immediate family to stop the spread of coronavirus.
“We tried to plan ahead for that. We figured we would get a lot of those smaller sized frozen and fresh turkeys, stock up on those breasts and just make sure we have a lot of options across the store,” said Jablonowski.
Other shoppers are changing the menu altogether.
“Doing something a little different. We’re going to have London broil for Thanksgiving dinner,” shopper Harvey Adams said.
Some shoppers are buying prepared meals for minimal work in the kitchen.
Giant Eagle said that, along with sanitizing carts between uses, the store is also hiring more workers, especially with its curbside service picking up because of the pandemic.
Source: Increase of last-minute shoppers at Pittsburgh grocery stores
