This is such a sore spot with me. The local JoAnn's here has been hiring young guys for a couple years now. I find they are better at giving you the full measure BUT.....someone needs to know how to train ALL their employees how to cut different mediums. This goes for Hancock's Fabrics as well (not to be confused with Hancock's of Paducah). Can't count how many times I've stopped someone with their scissors ready from cutting plaids and panels. One lady even cut a panel as it was folded for the woman in front of me. It was a complete waste. Plaids should be measured so that you will get the full yardage on the shorter side of the cut. The store will lose the amount of fabric on the longer cut according to how warped it is when the bolt was wrapped. Plaids are cut on the line, single thickness. And burlap? I doubt if even the store manager knows how to snip and pull a cord.
Keep your eyes on Walmart also and any place that hires people who can fill out an employment form or pages someone from sporting goods to cut fabric. Many of them are unaware that the position of the fingers/thumb they are using against the measuring line can make a difference of up to an inch per yard. Independent fabric stores and quilt shops tend to hire people who know about what they sell and I've rarely had a problem in those types of stores.
We're the only ones who are going to prevent wasting our own money.