People love to dissect the shopping habits of younger generations. And much of the criticism paints millennials with a broad and often inaccurate brush. They eat too much avocado toast. They’re too lazy for in-person retail. They have an unhealthy obsession with Trader Joe’s. Let's be real: many observations about millennials' grocery shopping just aren’t rooted in reality.
But there’s one generalization that might actually track. Younger shoppers everywhere are skipping the standard shopping cart in favor of a new two-tiered model. Posts on social media have dubbed this type of trolley the “millennial shopping cart.”
TikTok users echo the same sentiments in the comments, with some writing: “okay but why doesn't every store have these... I hate the long ones.. this also feels more personal space saving…”
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Another user chimed in with: “They handle like a dream. The regular size are like station wagons!”
The justification for why millennials opt for the two-tiered cart can vary. Some like the cart because of its small footprint, which makes it easier to navigate through the aisles of the supermarket. It can also prevent the awkward dance of passing by other shoppers.
Others like the millennial cart because of its ease of access. Placing items on the conveyor belt is much simpler than having to bend over to reach into the depths of a larger cart.
The small baskets can also have practical and financial perks. For the many millennials that only shop for themselves, there’s no need to fill an SUV-sized shopping cart. The limited space encourages some to stick to the essentials and avoid overspending.
We wanted to know if this trend was true for our millennial-filled office. And indeed, several Delish editors expressed their love for the two-tiered model. Our test kitchen assistant Alejandro Valdes Lora loves it for its practicality. He reserves the top basket for produce, while meat stays on the bottom.
However, we also had some contrarians. Video producer Marc Stauble prefers the roominess of a regular cart and argues that the millennial shopping cart doesn’t offer enough space for his groceries.
“I never use the two tier,” says senior food editor Makinze Gore. “If I do, I don’t ever put anything in the bottom. So why use it?
While Team Delish provided some helpful insight, we wanted to increase our data pool to account for shoppers that live outside New York City. So we took to social media and asked our audience for their thoughts.
The responses were varied, but the general consensus leaned toward preferring the two-tiered cart.
One user commented, "The little one on the left, mostly just because they usually ROLL WAY MORE SMOOTHLY!"
Another added, "Left one. Always choose it. Even if I have a lot to buy!"
Which shopping cart do you use at the grocery store? Let us know in the comments.
Gabby Romero is Delish’s editorial assistant, where she writes stories about the latest TikTok trends, develops recipes, and answers any and all of your cooking-related questions. She loves eating spicy food, collecting cookbooks, and adding a mountain of Parmesan to any dish she can.
