I want to second that I have the impression the parent is speaking from a strictly american perspective. I'm an American that emigrated to eastern europe, and e

I want to second that I have the impression the parent is speaking from a strictly american perspective. I'm an American that emigrated to eastern europe, and even before I emigrated, I had already started to get _used_ to the way a lot of Europe has it. I lived in Russia and Armenia and Czech Republic for quite a few years now, and the difference in how the cities are laid out is quite apparent; having a small but well stocked market every couple hundred meters really makes planning _far_ easier, and frequent trips are not a problem. Before COVID hit, it used to be that I'd just stop at the market on the first floor of my building and grab the few perishable essentials I needed (meat, some vegetables) and had plenty to cook for myself and for friends/neighbors that would visit. This simply isn't the case in the US, even in the most modern cities. The corner markets/bodegas/whatever don't come close to what the common market in Europe has; you can get pretty alright quality _whatever_ at these markets, and leave the more exotic stuff (mostly asian ingredients/items or non-common spices) for when you go to a super market. That isn't to say that no one ever does the traditional hypermarket run outside of the US; seeing babushkas and their hand carts packed with a week's worth of food and drinks trudging down the lane is a normal sight, but just as frequently they're stopping by the meat market near their commie block or by the small shops at the base of their building to get a few quick essentials. It's honestly far more convenient; and at least prior to Ukraine situation, the home delivery options in Russia were fantastic, albeit a bit abusive of the work force when it came to wages.