Will Kroger Tow My Car

There are many reasons you wonder if you are in danger of Kroger, or another mega store, towing your car. Some may need to make the parking lot more of a temporary home for overnight parking, those passing through and needing somewhere safe to spend the night, and finally, you could be in a situation where your car broke down. A need arises to leave the car in the parking lot unattended. Whatever the reason, read on to know whether your car is in danger of getting towed at Kroger.

Kroger will tow your car if left unattended for an extended period. The time it will take and who will call the towing company will depend on a couple of things. 

Continue reading to know more about potential policies, correct procedures, and other exciting things about leaving your car in a Kroger parking lot. This short, to-the-point information piece will help you avoid some charges, teach you what to look out for, and show you some common unspoken best practices if you are ever in a situation that will require you to leave the car in the Kroger parking lot.

Why You Would Need The Kroger Parking Lot

One of the most obvious reasons for parking at the Kroger parking lot and not being a store patron is that you may be experiencing some car trouble and thought that might be a safe place to leave the car. Unforeseeable circumstances may be at play, and leaving the car in a big store’s parking lot may seem more reasonable than leaving the car in the middle of the street.

Another increasingly common reason is the number of people living in their cars. Feeling in such a vulnerable housing situation may lead the person to look at alternatives, such as spending the night at Kroger’s parking lot. And with this, we are not just talking about single people in cars but even RVs that may be looking for a free parking alternative. 

Who Owns The Parking Lot

This may be hard to figure out because the reality is that many of the locations Kroger chooses to put their stores at are real property owned by a landlord, and they are just renters there. Although some locations might be owned by Kroger, which means they make up their own rules, most of these locations are being leased. This means that the landlord makes up the rules.

In either case, the one that owns the land is usually the one that creates the rules of whether they allow extended parking or unattended parking and also the one that will call on the tow truck after they discover that there is authorized parking there.

The Reality of Leaving Your Car In the Parking Lot

There are several stories regarding what happens exactly from the eyes of the people that have lived it. In one of those, the person successfully used the Kroger lot for a week’s time for the night period.

This person lived in his car and was not there during regular working hours but would turn up at night and successfully stay there without catching anyone’s attention or getting towed.

Another story that I encountered about parking at Kroger was the person had to leave the car unattended because of car problems and left the car for two full days, and on the third day, when she showed up to pick it up, the car had been towed. Mind you, these were two different locations which mean that rules really will vary quite a bit depending on the location of the store.

Who Is Responsible If The Car Gets Towed

The ultimate responsibility lies with the car owner. It is the responsibility of the car owner to first check the parking lot for signage that shows if there are any particular rules against extended-hour parking or overnight parking. If no such signage is visible, the next common sense place to check would be online at the store’s website. And finally, if neither is giving you a clear answer, check inside the store with the management.

If it is an emergency that your car breaks down, it is a good idea to put the store on alert, so if it is in their hands, the car does not get towed. And if Kroger’s policy does not allow extended or overnight parking, you can look elsewhere or make other arrangements.

How Much Can It Run You If The Car Gets Towed

If you have ever gotten your car towed, then you know how inconvenient it can be, both in time and money. If you have never been there, let this be a warning of how expensive and inconvenient it can be. First is the headache of figuring out who towed your car and where the car is physically. This will require you to call the local police, provide location, and point you to the company and possible location of the car.

These towing companies will charge a couple of hundred dollars just for the towing and also charge storage fees daily. This means the longer you leave the car there, the higher the tab. Additionally, the inconvenience of possibly getting your car broken into and stolen from. This happens more often than you would imagine. 

Common Courtesy Tips If You Can Park And Not Get Towed

If you end up at a store that allows for extended hours or overnight parking, here are a few common courtesy tips you may follow. The first order of business, try and buy something from Kroger. They are letting you use the lot, so the lease you could do is buy something in exchange, even if small.

If you are using the lot because you live in your car, common sense will tell you not to abuse the privilege and try and alternate between lots, so you are not a permanent fixture in your one.

While there, try to avoid making a mess and leaving the space the same as you found it. Look for a well-lit part of the lot and partner with other cars that may be doing the same thing. Remember, Kroger and any other store’s parking lots are also playgrounds for low-level thieves that will roam around checking for unlocked cars they can steal or steal from. So be careful.

Overall, getting towed from a Kroger lot will depend on that store and who manages the lot. Know that the ultimate responsibility will always lie with you, so be careful and find out the information before deciding to leave the car. Tend to the space as the temporary home it is to you and your car, and always try to make friends with others with the same need, keeping safety as the utmost priority.