Trader Joe’s CEO Settled the Debate—Are Its Employees Actually Flirting With You?

Look we've all been there—you just waited in a long line to checkout with your Unexpected Cheddar and Joe Joe's cookies at Trader Joe's. You get up to the register, and rather than the usual silent ringing up of your purchases, the cashier starts a running commentary of funny, friendly observations on your product selections. "Have you tried this fried rice before? Oh my gosh, it's so good with the Mandarin Orange Chicken. And try it in the air fryer—it's even better." Perhaps they make a comment on what great taste you have, and make you blush.

It's all perfectly harmless, but for a cynical city-dweller like myself, I can't help but wonder, at a certain point, is this cashier flirting with me? Trader Joe's employees have a reputation for being extremely kind and going out of their way to make customers happy. But when does friendly turn into flirty? Before you start telling me to play that Carly Simon song, I'm not the only one who has had this thought.

It's become somewhat of a meme online and on social media that Trader Joe's checkout seems to breed more pick-up lines than your local dive bar. From videos mimicking this ritual to Reddit forums dedicated to debating the topic to podcast fodder, the theory has reached critical mass. Some conspiracy-minded individuals went so far as to claim the flirting is to make customers buy more.

Well, Bryan Palbaum, the current CEO of Trader Joe's, went on the brand's official podcast, Inside Trader Joe's, this week to set the record straight. Here's what he had to say on the hot-button issue.

Are Trader Joe's Employees Flirting?

"Can you please tell us once and for all, are our crew members told to flirt with customers?," asks Tara Miller, one of the co-hosts of the podcast.

Bryan Palbaum quickly responds, "Definitively, no."

Both Palbaum and Jon Basalone, Vice CEO and president of Trader Joe's, insist that those friendly behaviors are merely a result of them telling crew members to be genuine, be nice, and most importantly, be themselves. Basalone adds, "The last we're going to do is provide scripts for people," and tell them what to say to customers. "It works so much better when you get to be yourself."

"To go into a Trader Joe's store, and feel that everyone is genuinely interested in whether or not you are having a good day—compared to perhaps other retailers—I can see how that might be misinterpreted," concludes Palbaum.

"I can only imagine the motivational poster you'd need if that were a formal practice," Matt Sloane, the podcast's other co-host, jokingly adds.

So, it turns out—just like Taylor Swift predicted—we're the problem, it's us. Are we flattering ourselves by thinking this behavior equates to flirting? Perhaps we've all just gotten accustomed to being treated with a sense of curtness in the grocery store, so TJ's crew members' positive attitudes and willingness to help catch us off guard.

My theory? Trader Joe's is consistently rated one of the top grocery chains—and companies in general—to work at, and praised for its benefits, pay, and schedule flexibility. Its crew members can act genuinely nice towards customers because they're genuinely happy. Plus, they get a sizable discount to shop in stores, and since the chain famously never hosts sales, who wouldn't want to get S'mores Bars and Patio Potato Chips on the cheap?!