[Cody Dawg]

Do you like your grocery store? Why? Which one is it?

My favorite grocery store is Larry's in Seattle, but since I'm in Florida right now, I shop at a local Publix store which is only okay. I like things like having a salad and soup bar option, wider selection of fruits and vegetables, organic foods, all of the things that Publix is lacking.

BUT, a new Whole Foods is opening up about 10 minutes away and I'll probably shop there after it opens up.

What about where you are?

[mindwaves]

I dislike going to any store which uses those cards to get even better discounts....soo annoying to take it out and swipe yet another card so I try to avoid those cards as much as possible (and when I do go to those stores, I input my phone number so it is one less card to carry). I prefer some Chinese grocery store or Farmer's Market ocassionally (mainly for the fun aspects of it).

[Stradlater]

I like Whole Foods a lot for produce and fish (and sometimes other meats -- having dry-aged steaks and ground bison around is a plus), and sometimes they have better wine deals than the plainer market down the road, but the rest of what they sell is usually overpriced and unless it's a specialty item (wasabi powder, etc.) or on sale, I usually get what I need at the cheaper (and drabbier) market.

I also like Trader Joe's. Cheap and good-quality.

Farmer's markets are great, but not convenient to my schedule.

[Cody Dawg]

I wish we had Trader Joe's down here...



And I agree about those STUPID "membership cards" that some places want you to use - Albertson's is one of them.

[ghporter]

I too like Whole Foods, but there's only one in San Antonio in the other end of town, so I don't get there very often. I go to HEB, mainly the store at Loop 1604 and Culebra Road. HEB is a very large player in Central Texas, and they do a good job of it. HEB tries to compete with Whole Foods in a few ways; their Central Market store offers a lot of the same kind of specialty and organic foods, for example. But for basic toilet paper and milk grocery visits, I stick to a basic HEB store.

By the way, I have been to the ORIGINAL Whole Foods store in Austin, and to their newest store, the Mothership at 6th and Lamar-WOW what a difference!

[Stradlater]

Originally Posted by ghporter

By the way, I have been to the ORIGINAL Whole Foods store in Austin, and to their newest store, the Mothership at 6th and Lamar-WOW what a difference!

I can imagine! All the Whole Foods I've been to have been nice, but some of the newer ones have chocolate fountains and other supreme niceties.

[turtle777]

I hate those membership cards, too. I refuse to buy from these stores, even though I found a cards on the street that I could use.

I mainly shop at local grocery store chain, Farm Fresh. Great selection of fresh vegetables and fruit, with quite a nice choice of international foods. Good wine section.

-t

[ghporter]

Originally Posted by Stradlater

I can imagine! All the Whole Foods I've been to have been nice, but some of the newer ones have chocolate fountains and other supreme niceties.

The original store was a little tiny grocery store-not much more than a co-op in an old "mom and pop" store. The new store is HUMONGOUS, with a chocolate fountain, a huge number of specialty bars that serve fish, veggies, beef, what have you, cooked right there, and an amazing selection of grocery items. It's kind of overwhelming!

[wdlove]

Roche Bros. is the store that is closest to us, it's a locally owned store. My wife likes their fruits, vegetables, and meats.

We have a Trader Joe's in the area also. They have a lot of specialty items that she likes.

Also belong to Costco. Usually go there once a month. A great place to shop.

[OSX Abuser]

Originally Posted by mindwaves

I dislike going to any store which uses those cards to get even better discounts....soo annoying to take it out and swipe yet another card so I try to avoid those cards as much as possible (and when I do go to those stores, I input my phone number so it is one less card to carry). I prefer some Chinese grocery store or Farmer's Market ocassionally (mainly for the fun aspects of it).

Speaking of those cards ( I work for a grocery store chain) A memo was sent down to the managers instructing them to remind all the checkers to stop using "unregistered Club Cards" for customers.
All of these unregistered cards are messing up the customer data that is collected. Even if you provide false info when you sign up. When you pay by check, credit or debit your personal info will connected with that card.
When I pay with cash, I enter the phone# 867-5309 (They allow you to enter the # you used when you signed up for the card)
///
//Anyone remember that song???
/Pays Cash, most of the time

[teney7]

I work at a grocery store... Fareway Grocery

[ghporter]

Originally Posted by OSX Abuser

Speaking of those cards ( I work for a grocery store chain) A memo was sent down to the managers instructing them to remind all the checkers to stop using "unregistered Club Cards" for customers.
All of these unregistered cards are messing up the customer data that is collected. Even if you provide false info when you sign up. When you pay by check, credit or debit your personal info will connected with that card.
When I pay with cash, I enter the phone# 867-5309 (They allow you to enter the # you used when you signed up for the card)
///
//Anyone remember that song???
/Pays Cash, most of the time

So, does Jenny complain about getting harrassing phone calls from the grocery store?

[Cubeoid]

Grocery stores are great. We can buy groceries inside. In Australia my choices are Coles and Safeway and when in Los Angeles, I enjoy shopping at Vons, in Tokyo, I can't go past the local Life grocery store.

[TETENAL]

I shop at Penny Markt. I don't like it, but it's nearby and cheap.

[Ratm]

Cody Dawg, I thought you would have located a Costcos by now. Their fruit and vegetable section is really good. Much better than Publixs or Windixie. New York has excellent choices of both that you can find 24hrs on corner streets--small stores dedicate to selling only fruit and vegetables. Here in Cali the farms markets are the shizz. I would say that it's far greater in quality and selection. I even found a good Pizza joint, Italiano's Pizza.

[OSX Abuser]

Originally Posted by ghporter

So, does Jenny complain about getting harrassing phone calls from the grocery store?

She wont be getting any calls, but I'm sure she shows up at a lot of stores.
When I use that # the name that comes up is Jenrie. Some slacker probably entered the name incorrectly
FYI:
Checkers are supposed to not allow the use of any Club Card except for the customers own card.
They are to ask/tell the customer when they come back with their club card they will receive the saving they should of received in the first place.
Checkers will be written up if caught using a generic card for customers.
Employee club cards are look the same but employees will not win those prize contests that are sometimes promoted.
Most people are ignorant of just how valuable that information is individualy and in the aggregate.

[pathogen]

I miss suburban grocery stores. New York has some weird cartels running things at inflated prices with really restricted selection. D'Agastinos, Food Emporium, Key Foods, Whole Foods, etc.

I long for a Stop and Shop, Big Y, or even a Safeway! Let alone the best ever...

Real Canadian Superstore.... *drools at the selection and great prices*

[dampeoples]

I go to Food Lion, it's close

[ghporter]

Prices in NYC are probably related to shipping costs. Especially in Manhattan, it's difficult to get large volumes of products into a store in a reasonable amount of time. I've read where most Manahattan groceries run on the same sort of deliveries that used to suffice in the early 1970s! Of course they have to have more of them, which means a bunch of runs, and a bunch of Teamster drivers getting really good pay for driving smaller trucks to the same store several times in a week. That's business.

Except for Whole Foods, which charges a premium in its home town of Austin. It's their cost of doing things differently, and for a lot of people it's worth it.

[finboy]

Originally Posted by dampeoples

I go to Food Lion, it's close

Food Lion is an OK store. They're based in my hometown, and you should see how nice the stores are outside the gate of the home office.

Publix was my favorite store in NC and SC, but I like HEB here in TX too. Randalls is to be commended for opening their stores ASAP after the hurricane evacuation, and I think HEB worked at as well. They're a little far from us just yet.

CostCo does pretty good with food, but getting in and out is so time consuming. We don't have one here (on this side of Houston) that I know of. Even if we did, I'm sure it would be hard to get to.

[finboy]

Originally Posted by ghporter

That's business.

No, that's probably "The Mob". Just a guess.

[Kerrigan]

Whole Foods is a great spot if you are cruising around for some sausage *wink wink slurp slurp*

[The Godfather]

It must suck to have such refined tastes

I shop at Super Target, Super Walmart, Winn Dixie, Albertsons, Publix, Kash and Karry, Save-a-Lot and the Flea Market for vegetables.

[Dork.]

In this corner of the world, it's all Wegmans. All their stores are friggin' huge. They've got everything. Their biggest store in town is a tourist attraction. And people actually like working there.

Danny Wegman can probably be Mayor of Rochester if he wanted the job.

[Angelo78]

When I lived in RI I went to Whole Foods. Now I live in SC and the only one around is in Charelston, SC! Soooo, I go to Kroger's and Publix. There's a Fresh Market not too far from me but they, or at least this particular one, can't compare to Whole Foods, IMO.

Angelo

[Kerrigan]

Scotmid is probably the store I visit most frequently, since it is a short walk away.

Scotmid is definitely one of the best stores out there, it has a whole range of tabloids stacked on the floor, there are delicious falafals in the back, and the crisp selection is second to none.

[waxcrash]

I most frequently shop at Potash - it's locally owned and a 2 minute walk from my building. I also go to the Treasure Island on Wells and the Jewel on Division, but for meat I go to the butcher on Wells in Old Town.

The Jewel on Division is just down the street from Cabrini, so it can be interesting some times.

I'm curious how prices compare. How much do you pay for a gallon of milk or a pack of cigarettes? A pack of smokes is $7 and a gallon of milk is $4.

[pathogen]

Back to NYC, Whole Foods is generally the nicest and the fastest, but it's also the most expensive. Depending on which one you go to, you can find an amazing selection of gourmet items, and yuppies who are willing to pay more just to avoid the other stores' bad service. Some of the Dags and Gristedes are just disgusting and the lines move slower than anything I've ever seen elsewhere on the planet... the concept of home delivery ruins the game, especially once idiots start tying up a line by filling out delivery forms for just one or two bags of groceries.

There are many specialty grocery stores that cater to expensive appetites / people with more money than brains (Citerella, many of the gourmet markets in TriBeCa, etc), but on the low end, it's shocking how terrible some of the grocery stores are, especially in Brooklyn. Goya brand everything, Kerr's instead of Doritos, etc. But what's worse is that the stores themsleves don't look like the belong in New York, it's as if they belong in some small fishing community in the 60's: wood panelling, cramped aisles, no selection, no fresh veggie sections, etc.

[Ratm]

Originally Posted by The Godfather

It must suck to have such refined tastes

I shop at Super Target, Super Walmart, Winn Dixie, Albertsons, Publix, Kash and Karry, Save-a-Lot and the Flea Market for vegetables.

They actually all get it from more or less the same suppliers. But it's the other little things that makes you return again and again. Like the fine females that work there. I'm studying to become a chef so I have to be picky about my selection.

[Cody Dawg]

I DO shop at Costco - forgot to mention it! LOVE IT.

In fact, I shop there weekly.

[Cubeoid]

Originally Posted by dampeoples

I go to Food Lion.

Can't go wrong with the Food Lion.

[The Godfather]

Oh. Did I mention that when I lived in WA, my favorite by far was Safeway?

[Cody Dawg]

Food Lion was the place that was busted some years ago for having THE most UNsanitary store - remember that? I think they had worms in the meat or something disgusting like that.

[Ratm]

eewwwww but I'm sure Cuboid will poop it all out nice and healthy.

[JoshuaZ]

My grocery store is nice... though I wish I could read the labels. Sigh...

[DigitalEl]

I've never found a grocery store I like as much as the Pittsburgh-based Giant Eagle chain. Love those stores. Fry's Marketplace (a Kroger store) is nice, here in Phoenix, although Safeway is closer to home. Safeway seems overpriced.

In Kansas City, the oddly-named Hy-Vee was pretty nice, too.

There's a great Chris Rock bit on how grocery stores can tell you a lot about a neighborhood.

Oh... And with the exception of Wal*Mart, every major chain that I've heard of makes you use those darn cards. Personally, I'd rather swipe my card at [insert *any* store name] than patronize the World's Largest Corporation.

[Warung]

Originally Posted by Stradlater

I like Whole Foods a lot for produce...

Same here (different shops though, - obviously). I really enjoy shopping at Farmer's Markets and "Health Food" stores like "Allnatura" here in Germany.

I just can't stand the fact that everything is so much more expensive than the processed crap you get at regular grocery stores. Why should one pay a premium for healthy food?

[Ozmodiar]

I shop at a place called the Metro Market. It's a sub-store of a large chain in Wisconsin, and it's really fancy (and probably over priced). It's medium-sized but there's a giant selection of everything, and when they don't have some kid playing piano at the entrance they're playing big band and Rat Pack over the speakers.

Oh, and I pay for groceries with my fingerprint.

[Cody Dawg]

Fingerprinted groceries.



Well, at least if you're a criminal the FBI knows where you're shopping and what you're buying.

[Ozmodiar]

That's the beauty of Nigerian e-mail scams. No fingerprints!

[Randman]

Glenn, is that upscale grocery store in SA? Used to love going there. Used to go there some Saturdays when I had to go into the office. Some co-workers would also go and we'd all get different stuff and share the bounty. I'd get some freshly baked bread and basil pesto dip and some chewy chocolate chip cookies.

Nowadays, I go to a couple of different stores and we have stuff delivered once a month or so (gotta love Internet shopping).

[ThinkInsane]

I do most of my shopping at Wegman's for meats and the staple stuff, and I get my vegetables at the downtown farmer's market. Well, at least through the end of the month. Then I'll be getting those at Wegman's too I suppose.

[phantomdragonz]

I work for a natural foods grocery store, we have 6 total natural foods stores in boulder colorado, kinda scary...

however I dont shop where I work, I shop at albertsons or safeway, I dont live near my store.

we have A LOT of hippies and homeless walk into our store, makes me busy all the time because I have to watch a lot of them... damn thieves...

Zach

[ghporter]

Originally Posted by Randman

Glenn, is that upscale grocery store in SA? Used to love going there. Used to go there some Saturdays when I had to go into the office. Some co-workers would also go and we'd all get different stuff and share the bounty. I'd get some freshly baked bread and basil pesto dip and some chewy chocolate chip cookies.

Nowadays, I go to a couple of different stores and we have stuff delivered once a month or so (gotta love Internet shopping).

Whole Foods is the only really "upscale" grocery store in San Antonio. They moved into the Quarry Market when it opened a few years back, and they're in a much bigger space than when they were off Wurzbach. And it's a really nice store with a good selection of a lot of stuff. (I get my organic peanutbutter there 'cause it's the only place I can find unsweetened peanutbutter that doesn't have extra peanut oil added to it - curse you, Smuckers!).

It's nice to be able to find exactly the right ingredient for a special dish, and you certainly can at a Whole Foods store! They have a bunch of stuff I'd never heard of until one particular recipe or another called for it. And their wine departments are run by people who not only know their products, but know wines as well!

The one thing I think Whole Foods has over every other grocery store anywhere (at least that I've seen) is that they have what you want. Semisweet chocolate? Organic pesto dressing with cranberries? A nice little wine called Sauternes? You got it! Any sinful, decadent, mouthwatering item you can think of-and it's all made of FOOD instead of ingredients!

Crap. Now I'm hungry!

[wdlove]

Originally Posted by Cody Dawg

I DO shop at Costco - forgot to mention it! LOVE IT.

In fact, I shop there weekly.

Hi Cody,

Yes, Costco is awesome. Do you also have a Costco American Express Card. It's a great advantage for shopping. Love the benefits.

[Cody Dawg]

Maybe? I'm not sure. I got a check from Costco today for $35.73 for some kinds of member rebates. Apparently there are certain items that they then mail you rebates on later on? Kind of cool to get a check from a store - after you shop there because not only is their food superior, but up to 30% less expensive than comparable grocery stores!

[Stradlater]

Originally Posted by Warung

Same here (different shops though, - obviously). I really enjoy shopping at Farmer's Markets and "Health Food" stores like "Allnatura" here in Germany.

I just can't stand the fact that everything is so much more expensive than the processed crap you get at regular grocery stores. Why should one pay a premium for healthy food?

There's always the logic that you're saving money in the end. Stay healthier and be less apt to need expensive medical procedures or habits in the future (diabetes, heart issues...).

[jcadam]

Shop at the f'ing commissary here in Heidelberg (I'm in the Army). It sucks donkey schlong. Vacuum-packed meats that have a greenish-hue to them. Fruit that is ALREADY SPOILED while sitting out for sale (I'm pretty sure they freeze it for transportation/storage, so it goes rotten fast once they thaw it and set it out). They freeze the bread too (Sometimes it still slightly frozen while sitting on the shelf). Yep, within a few days of purchase, the bread has gone bad.

I suppose I could shop on the German economy if I felt like getting a$$-raped by the USD-Euro exchange rate.

[turtle777]

Originally Posted by jcadam

I suppose I could shop on the German economy if I felt like getting a$$-raped by the USD-Euro exchange rate.

You seriously should try that. The prices in German grocery stores are quite good. Especially if you buy low price / high quality like you get from Aldi, Lidl or Penny.

I'm feeling a$$-raped here in the US buying milk products, fruit and vegetables. Meat on the other hand is much cheaper here.

-t

[MacNStein]

http://www.freshmarket.com/

Lots of organic meats and produce, killer bakery, and a great beer selection. Plus, it has that nice small local store feel.

there's one near you Cody.