What's the consensus on dependents using rank based reserved parking at exchanges/commissaries?

Good question, Sir. These are people that think the "world" spins around them in the civilian world. Wearing your husband's rank does not happen so much in the civilian world...but it's still out here too.

Funny, I hadn't thought of it much until now. I've always operated under the assumption that if the parking space is for a specific position (e.g., base CO, division commander, command duty officer), then it's intended only for the actual officeholder, because the intent, as the OP alluded to, is to get that specific person in and out of the facility quickly; the other spaces (I assumed), that are more generically labeled (CO, CO/XO, O-6, etc.), are not so much functional as honorary, and thus could be used by any dependent. The idea, I suppose, is that the rank holder has an interest in his or her spouse's being able to use the facility quickly, and is somewhat affected by it. I'm not saying this is an ironclad argument, and I'm not appealing to (or persuaded by) arguments about who earned the rank. The argument about expectant mother parking does not apply; it's not equivalent. That space is much more akin to the specific position parking spots. Consider this: If the husband of the pregnant woman parked in "stork" parking, how would you respond? Perhaps he's getting the spot to pick up his wife! Same with any of the other spots. Maybe the base CO's spouse parks there, and then picks up the base CO who is inside the exchange. Hopefully, this will be moot for my wife and me within the next few years—we may both end up at the same rank, which would get us nice parking in some places!

Here's a question I always had. Twenty years Army, E1 to field grade officer retired.
Why are there such reserved parking spaces to begin with?
Any senior EM or officer that can't walk across a parking lot shouldn't be leading troops in my view of military service.
Rangers Lead the Way!

Forgot to mention, my wife doesn’t drive so I am the one using that spot. Also, at 80 it’s nice to park close to the BX/Commissary.

I have mixed emotions. There's nothing wrong with reasonably earned privileges, and nothing unreasonable about one's spouse sharing some of those benefits. Many installations have solved the dilemma surrounding the "purpose" of the slots by designating "on-duty" spots.

AGAINST: I came up through the ranks and one thing that pissed me off were Officer wives thinking they held the rank of their spouse. NO. NO. NO. The wife is a civilian and parks with the remainder of the non-serving flock., as did my wife when I was commissioned.

A really sore subject with me. For countless mileniums wifes, children and assorted other dependants and used the "RHIP" parking spaces at will. Just because they are married/related to general officer or E9s, means they get to abuse what they want, anytime they want. Bull shit! Those little rank stickers that are earned by the men or women who earned them, doesn't mean you get to abuse them ladies. Especially retired folk. I retired an E5, does my rank mean two lumps of ant shit at anytime. NO. Do I get any special privilege other than the disabled parking plaque for my car/truck? NO. And that plaque doesn't always garuantee a spot for me to park in. Pregnant/expectant women get the same treatment as non pregnant women do. RHIP belongs to those who are active duty, not to every Tom, Dick and Mary dependant. I respect everyone no matter race, color, creed or rank. But pull that RHIP crap with me, when you never served day one, and it's "Let's get ready to Rumble!"

There should not be any rank based parking spaces. Especially for dependents.

Nope! They don't qualify; spouse is not a rank.

Sorry but in the 25+ years that my husband served he probably went to the PX and Commissary a handful of times. It is the wife that holds down the fort and should be able to park there. Better yet have no ranks on any space or put ranked spaces at end of a row. I don't know how many times I driven by thoses spaces and always empty.