Information about the Panamanian boys
who bag in the grocery stores

Just so you know how things work, most checkout lines have a boy who bags your groceries & I must say they are a ton better at bagging properly than anyone back home, although I have to say they are the best in Riba Smith. Not all grocery stores are created equal, Riba Smith is the best in my opinion.

Many of the bag boys switch from one cashier to another.

They also collect the carts & put them back.

They also offer to carry out the groceries for you on a weird looking carriage and they will put them in your car, so yes you need to tip them. They don’t make a lot of money.

I don’t know what the rate is, but I’ve given them a dollar before, once two dollars when he tried to help me get a taxi in the rain & it took forever. Then again, I don’t have a lot of money, I’m sure (I hope) the rich Panamanians give them more than I do.

They are also the only ones who sometimes have change when you need change for your taxi driver.