The 12 Worst Supermarkets in America

The Fiscal Times ^ | April 13, 2012 ?!? | Blaire Briody

[Daffynition]

...All ratings are based on 24,203 responses, and the four categories – service (includes employee courtesy and checkout speed), perishables (food quality), price and cleanliness – were scored from “very satisfied,” “fairly satisfied,” “neutral, “fairly unsatisfied” and “very unsatisfied.” All scores are out of 100. The highest-rated supermarket, Wegmans, received a score of 88. The following are ranked from bad to worst....

[deport]

Lowes is a Regional chain in NC/SC/VA. Whole Foods is an advocate of
organic and natural foods and their prices reflect that.

[Adder]

Isn’t that pathetic,in a sad way?

I run into it all the time for a variety of products. And worse they can’t tell you where they stocked items.

I realize there are thousands of items and no one will know where exactly each one it but sheesh...many act like they just can’t be bothered or they direct you somewhere just to get you away from them.

[Moonman62]

The Fresh Market is a wine store with a deli.

[Jed Eckert]

[Moonman62]

There’s a budget grocery chain in my area that targets food stamp rich neighborhoods for its locations.

I pretty sure that's why Walmart started selling groceries.

[Fightin Whitey]

Dude---look at the face on that beast...

Helen Thomas lives!!

[CatherineofAragon]

Our options here in central Virginia are Walmart, Food Lion, Kroger, and Fresh Market.

Walmart is just fine for many groceries, and the prices are cheap, of course. Food Lion-—meh. Don’t go there much. Kroger has good produce and meat, but some of their prices are ridiculous; probably because it’s a union store. Fresh Market is a visual treat, but overpriced, IMO.

Oh, there’s also Sam’s Club, and my local Target expanded to put in a grocery section. But the quality of their produce is often poor, and the package of ground beef I bought there was spoiled.

We used to have Harris Teeter before they closed their Virginia stores. Those were very nice supermarkets.

[CatherineofAragon]

"Lowes is a Regional chain in NC/SC/VA."

We don't have Lowes grocery stores in this part of Virginia, but my husband worked at one of the NC locations during high school, when he lived with his dad for a while.

[deport]

We don’t have Lowes grocery stores in this part of Virginia,

**************

Not surprising as they only have two stores in VA, four in SC and 99 in NC.

[Freestate316]

Thanks for the warning!

[WhiskeyX]

Debit cards do not “do the job” because they are so much more dangerous to use when compared to credit cards. Walmart stopped accepting personal checks without using a debit card to put a hold on the funds in your checking account, the exact same as using the debit card without the personal check. Since then we use only credit cards at Walmart, because we will not use a debit card transaction due to the risk of fraud and having the checking account funds being put on hold or the funds being drained out of the account by fraudlent transactions.

Before anyone uses a debit card for anything, they must read the articles about the dangers and see what risks they face by using a debit card.

[Dr. Sivana]

Before anyone uses a debit card for anything, they must read the articles about the dangers and see what risks they face by using a debit card.

I have had attempted ID fraud with both (most recently someone tried to buy $2,000 worth of sneakers at a Foot Locker in TX, using my debit card info. Fortunately, the bank figured it out before the transaction was made. However, similar has happened with CC info.) I do know there is a low ceiling for CC liability that may not apply to debit cards.

You have made good, valid points, and I withdraw my original statement. Pick the mode of spending that best fits your personal situation.

[mmichaels1970]

25 cents for a cart?

That's not entirely accurate. 25 cents deposit for the cart. Once you return the cart you get it back. This saves them from having to hire people to go out into the parking lot to collect carts.

[mmichaels1970]

Aldi's is the only place I've seen around here where the cashiers follow the European practice of sitting to do their job rather than standing at the register.

Very true. Never thought about that. Interesting.

[Verginius Rufus]

I generally use a personal check to pay at Wal-Mart without any trouble. Otherwise I pay in cash—I don’t think I have ever used a credit card there, and definitely never a debit card.

[mmichaels1970]

I generally use a personal check to pay at Wal-Mart without any trouble.

Ugh...personal checks...

My experience: You stand in line behind a nice older lady who gets her items scanned, and presents coupons (8 out of 10 are actually valid). After losing the argument over the two invalid coupons and after the total is presented she begins to fish her checkbook out of her purse and starts her search for a pen.

Once the cashier takes the check, and after what seems like an eternity for the register to print the amount on it (if she consents that that) she proceeds to fill out her check register to keep her account tidy. Finally her purse is repacked and zipped up before she is on her way and it is your turn at the register.

[Daffynition]

Oopsie. The one and only time I went to Aldi, the quarter was not redeemed upon my checkout...perhaps that’s b/c it was early-on in their existence here. I’m not sure.

[CatherineofAragon]

Ah, I see. Thanks.

[Ditter]

I guessed that is what he was calling me but he misspelled it.

[samiam1972]

I love Aldi’s for my family of 8. Because there are fewer choices, I’m able to get in and out quickly. I shop there first and then make quick runs into bigger stores like Hy Vee or Sam’s for bulk items or specialty needs.

Aldi’s is very inexpensive. I make almost everything from scratch and think their produce is pretty decent so being able to buy the staples there is definitely a good plan for us. My time is valuable so I don’t want to spend hours going up and down 25 aisles at the bigger markets.

Having said all that, every once in awhile I will go to the bigger stores for the sake of convenience and location. It always feels like Christmas. So many products. So many choices! I am horrible when I go in there and come out with a million items that weren’t on my list. Especially the fancy coffee creamers! :0)