"We counted a thousand people waiting this
morning," a Costco employee said as he paused while wheeling a hand truck
past racks that were emptied of the toilet paper and bottled water they'd held
at 9:30 that morning. At Smart & Final, which opens at 6 a.m., toilet paper
was gone by eight o'clock.
"The doors open at eight," said a Trader Joe's
manager, "and it's first come, first served." Buying for the store
was automated now, he added, and they just put out what they're sent. There,
too, toilet paper shelves were vacant, as were breads, and some canned and
frozen goods.
At Ralph's, cashiers rang customers through and employees scattered throughout the store, jumping in to help restock goods and produce when they could. Signs taped to empty water and paper-product shelves announced limits on what people could buy.
