What's the deal with the Safeway on Conn. Ave. in Chevy Chase DC?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Kensington Safeway is perpetually understaffed. They will have one, maybe two, lines open during peak times. They never open additional lines when it is 5+ people deep. It drives me crazy. Now, the staff they DO have are wonderful, friendly people.

This is true of every single grocery store I have been in with the exception of maybe TJ. All safeway stores have this problem for sure.

No, they don't. Giant almost never has this problem, IME. Every time I go to Snider's in SS, I breeze through the checkout line. WF is well-staffed.

It's why, even though we live five minutes from the Kensington Safeway, I almost never go there.

[Anonymous]

^^^

i am 5 mins from either the Kensington Safeway or the Wheaton Giant at the mall. I choose Giant. Safeway has been awful the entire 25 years i have lived near there, even when it was re-done about a dozen ago. And Giant is much cheaper. I really wish Wegmans would replace either one, though.

[Anonymous]

Isn't this just old vs new? The ones people mention that suck are all the older models, much smaller with fewer items and not remodeled at all. True for Giant too -- the Giant at Friendship Hts is way worse, and smells, but it is the same problem, small older, captive audience I assume. The other difference with respect to service is that Giant and Safeway used to be union where you got better service and more open lanes but that no longer seems to be the case, I think at most now, some of the more experienced workers are union but not the newer ones. It can make a difference.

[Anonymous]

I’ve lived in NW DC for 18 years. About 2 years ago, I broke down and shopped there. I needed chicken wings for a football game. I got home, opened the chicken and never smelled anything so rancid in my life. I went back to store since the chicken was not past the expiration date to make sure management knew to remove all the chicken. I remember telling them someone could literally die from food poisoning. They could have cared less. Never again.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Kensington Safeway is perpetually understaffed. They will have one, maybe two, lines open during peak times. They never open additional lines when it is 5+ people deep. It drives me crazy. Now, the staff they DO have are wonderful, friendly people.

This is true of every single grocery store I have been in with the exception of maybe TJ. All safeway stores have this problem for sure.

No, they don't. Giant almost never has this problem, IME. Every time I go to Snider's in SS, I breeze through the checkout line. WF is well-staffed.

It's why, even though we live five minutes from the Kensington Safeway, I almost never go there.

Agree on Snider's, was thinking the big chains. Which Giant is not understaffed? The one in SS one EW Hwy has about 20 closed checkout lanes every time I am in there and a line going down the aisle for self checkout. WF in SS also not well staffed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Kensington Safeway is perpetually understaffed. They will have one, maybe two, lines open during peak times. They never open additional lines when it is 5+ people deep. It drives me crazy. Now, the staff they DO have are wonderful, friendly people.

This is true of every single grocery store I have been in with the exception of maybe TJ. All safeway stores have this problem for sure.

No, they don't. Giant almost never has this problem, IME. Every time I go to Snider's in SS, I breeze through the checkout line. WF is well-staffed.

It's why, even though we live five minutes from the Kensington Safeway, I almost never go there.

Agree on Snider's, was thinking the big chains. Which Giant is not understaffed? The one in SS one EW Hwy has about 20 closed checkout lanes every time I am in there and a line going down the aisle for self checkout. WF in SS also not well staffed.

Really? I haven't ever had a problem getting through Giant. The ones I go to semi-regularly are by Wheaton Mall, at Georgetown Square (across from Wildwood), on Rockville Pike by the Chick Fil A, downtown Bethesda on Arlington Road. I usually do the self-checkout. Rarely go to the one in DTSS, though. I was just at the WF in SS yesterday and the express line looked long, but we only waited five minutes or so. That's usually par for the course.

As a PP noted, I would LOVE a Wegman's close by, though.

[Anonymous]

This is the closest store near a rental property I own & I rather drive all the way to whole foods than go here.

[Anonymous]

When I lived at Conn and VanNess we drove to the Giant in Bethesda.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Kensington Safeway is perpetually understaffed. They will have one, maybe two, lines open during peak times. They never open additional lines when it is 5+ people deep. It drives me crazy. Now, the staff they DO have are wonderful, friendly people.

This is true of every single grocery store I have been in with the exception of maybe TJ. All safeway stores have this problem for sure.

No, they don't. Giant almost never has this problem, IME. Every time I go to Snider's in SS, I breeze through the checkout line. WF is well-staffed.

It's why, even though we live five minutes from the Kensington Safeway, I almost never go there.

Agree on Snider's, was thinking the big chains. Which Giant is not understaffed? The one in SS one EW Hwy has about 20 closed checkout lanes every time I am in there and a line going down the aisle for self checkout. WF in SS also not well staffed.

Really? I haven't ever had a problem getting through Giant. The ones I go to semi-regularly are by Wheaton Mall, at Georgetown Square (across from Wildwood), on Rockville Pike by the Chick Fil A, downtown Bethesda on Arlington Road. I usually do the self-checkout. Rarely go to the one in DTSS, though. I was just at the WF in SS yesterday and the express line looked long, but we only waited five minutes or so. That's usually par for the course.

As a PP noted, I would LOVE a Wegman's close by, though.

I was in the WF in SS yesterday and noticed the all the poorly stocked shelves, partially empty. Brown meat in the open coolers (that aren't broken), over ripe fruit and almost no bananas. I don't think I can shop there anymore. Not to mention I could barely get into the parking lot and the express line was wrapped around the store at 3-4pm. I abandoned my cart and left. I think it's the beginning of the end for WF.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The Chevy Chase DC safeway cannot sell beer or wine. It is in their permit from the neighborhood. (Permit probably isn't the technical word, but they aren't allowed to sell it.) Go across the street to Magruders if you need that.

I've lived near that dreadful safeway since 2004 and it just keeps getting worse. The general neighbors complain, but the immediate neighbors don't want a huge store going in on that small footprint. I've gotten to the point that I only buy canned/bottled goods or packaged things like cereal or pasta there and only when I have no other option. Their garlic rots in days. (Ok, it's been a few years since I've bought it, but it doesn't look much better.) Their fruit isn't ripe or sweet tasting. I bought a particular cut of meat there one evening. When I went to put it in the crockpot the following morning, it had turned green. The staff is surly, with a few exceptions. And now they've made the aisles so narrow that they're going to have to make them one way!

Safeway is awful. You wonder why they are still in business? Even the ones that renovate sell a whole store full of crap food ( everything has dyes, preservatives, sugar and fillers in it) and awful produce and have long lines with surly employees.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Chevy Chase DC safeway cannot sell beer or wine. It is in their permit from the neighborhood. (Permit probably isn't the technical word, but they aren't allowed to sell it.) Go across the street to Magruders if you need that.

I've lived near that dreadful safeway since 2004 and it just keeps getting worse. The general neighbors complain, but the immediate neighbors don't want a huge store going in on that small footprint. I've gotten to the point that I only buy canned/bottled goods or packaged things like cereal or pasta there and only when I have no other option. Their garlic rots in days. (Ok, it's been a few years since I've bought it, but it doesn't look much better.) Their fruit isn't ripe or sweet tasting. I bought a particular cut of meat there one evening. When I went to put it in the crockpot the following morning, it had turned green. The staff is surly, with a few exceptions. And now they've made the aisles so narrow that they're going to have to make them one way!

Safeway is awful. You wonder why they are still in business? Even the ones that renovate sell a whole store full of crap food ( everything has dyes, preservatives, sugar and fillers in it) and awful produce and have long lines with surly employees.

At the renovated Bethesda store a woman that works there told me that she would ‘never buy any of the crap that is in this store’...
Ha

[Anonymous]

When we go home to visit family, the first place I want to go is Publix. There simply are no good grocery stores in or near DC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The Chevy Chase DC safeway cannot sell beer or wine. It is in their permit from the neighborhood. (Permit probably isn't the technical word, but they aren't allowed to sell it.) Go across the street to Magruders if you need that.

I've lived near that dreadful safeway since 2004 and it just keeps getting worse. The general neighbors complain, but the immediate neighbors don't want a huge store going in on that small footprint. I've gotten to the point that I only buy canned/bottled goods or packaged things like cereal or pasta there and only when I have no other option. Their garlic rots in days. (Ok, it's been a few years since I've bought it, but it doesn't look much better.) Their fruit isn't ripe or sweet tasting. I bought a particular cut of meat there one evening. When I went to put it in the crockpot the following morning, it had turned green. The staff is surly, with a few exceptions. And now they've made the aisles so narrow that they're going to have to make them one way!

There is a weird quirk in DC's Alcohol Licensing where only one branch of a chain store can sell alcohol in the city. So it has nothing to do with the neighborhood.

that is not true at all. I know of at least 5 other safeways that all sell booze in dc

You are clearly referencing MoCo Maryland’s absurd ‘give me money’ tax based alcohol laws. Those laws also extend to businesses. So - you open up a BBQ restaurant and if does well do you expand and the next BBQ restaurant you open up CAN’T sell alcohol of any kind. Absurd and extremely anti business.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When we go home to visit family, the first place I want to go is Publix. There simply are no good grocery stores in or near DC.

Everything that Publix is filled with fillers, preservatives and sugar just like Safeway. The only difference is that they are well stocked and the store is well lit. The bakery and deli foods are gross ! I had to endure many Publix bought food based beach weeks with southern relatives - yuck.

Please try a farmers market or a Whole Foods some time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When we go home to visit family, the first place I want to go is Publix. There simply are no good grocery stores in or near DC.

Everything that Publix is filled with fillers, preservatives and sugar just like Safeway. The only difference is that they are well stocked and the store is well lit. The bakery and deli foods are gross ! I had to endure many Publix bought food based beach weeks with southern relatives - yuck.

Please try a farmers market or a Whole Foods some time.

None of the Boar's Head deli meats are "filled with fillers". I shop at Farmers Markets weekly. I also grow about 70% of our vegetables. Whole Foods is overpriced and yucky.