Safeway

Every time we come here it’s almost impossible to find a parking space. When will they begin to enforce the patrons only signs?

Let’s have 2 cashiers with nearly 15 people in line and not open another register. This is so frustrating and its happens EVERY SINGLE TIME. The employees are generally helpful and pleasant but they need to figure out that whole register solution.
This location has no bakery, very small, but offers more organic items than the other locations.
But honestly, I don’t like going here because of the line issue.

24/​7, surprisingly good liquor selection, but the Doritos selection is very lacking. Friendly staff.

This is my neighborhood Safeway so I use it quite often but I continue to be disappointed with the long lines, lack of customer service and poor quality produce. I was hoping with the «Grand Re-​Opening» that things would improve, but I’ve yet to see it. There are too many unfriendly checkers; I’ve encountered checkers talking to each other and not even acknowledging my presence. Most of them only offer the Monopoly game pieces if you remember to ask for them. This Safeway needs a customer service makeover!

The assistant manager running my register at the store needs lessons in customer curtesy. He didn’t want to explain things and was quite rude. Maybe it was just a bad day? To be honest I live nearby but only shop here for certain items only Safeway has. Other area stores are much better in every way.

The employees are so sad, poor customer service with bad attitudes.
Produce is lame.
At least it’s open 24hours.

Sing it Barry:
Oh Safeway
Well I came and picked up some carrots
but they weren’t so fresh
Oh Safeway
Well the price was right
So I bought them anyway
This Safeway is about as good as Safeway gets. On the one hand, that’s sad and demoralizing, but if you’re suffering from Andronico’s related wallet trauma, it may be just what the doctor ordered.
The good:
1) No self-​serve lanes: Yup, only flesh and bone cashiers here.
2) A fair percentage of the employees are nice-​ish: one guy actually helped me the other day, and no one’s ever called me a «cracka mutha fucka» under their breath in the check-​out lanes. Take your victories where you can.
3) The stock is exactly what you expect at Safeway.
4) The prices are reasonable enough to draw in people like me.
The bad:
1) The stock is exactly what you expect at Safeway. Prepared polenta? Decent cheese? Fresh vegetables? HA. Andronico’s is up the street, buddy.
2) Parking in the lot out front can be Kafkaesque, and even occasionally Lovecraftian.
The ugly
1) There are occasional cashier shortages at key moments. I personally have experienced delays of up to 30 minutes on more than one occasion, and not during the lead-​up time to holidays either. If you have your cell phone on you, (510) 525‑4107 will get you the store, then press 8 «for all other inquiries.»
2) Despite the nice-​ish employees, this Safeway has a couple of winners on staff at all times.

Dear newer checkers, I am terribly sorry to interrupt your inane conversations with my business. How horrible it must be for you to have to service the public when you have more important things to do like talk about your hair. Since Safeway was bought it has gone down hill in my opinion. Sure they are dolling it up a bit, but I don’t give a crap about that. I would just like to have the old lower prices back and checkers and baggers who didn’t have their heads up their butts. I will say this — there are still some of the old checkers there and anytime I can, I’ll get in their line. Also you new carts suck. They are too wide for your narrow isles and make navigating around others much harder. If TJs sold Coke 0 and the cat food my cat likes, I would never shop here again.

Big improvement w new management! Lines go faster, employees more helpful n more positive. I actually enjoy coming here now whereas before it was a dreaded chore

This location has the most embarrassing produce section I’ve ever encountered. Why is it that in the heart of produce heaven this store can only manage to stock half rotten, and often times downright moldy, produce? You shouldn’t have to pour over every single piece of fruit in hopes that one of them isn’t wilted. I bought some blackberries yesterday that looked better than most of what they had there, only to find today that the berries in the middle were seemingly glued together with mold. What’s more is that box of berries cost me $ 5. What a rip-​off.
The staff here is always kind, but for mold-​laden produce and lines that wrap around the store at all hours, I think I’ll pass.

Wish this place had better management. On a Friday evening, extremely long lines and only two checkers working. Yes, serving since 1929 but not providing QUALITY service. Terrible prices for produce too. Do not recommend.

I think this is a great store.
Is is one of those oversized brand spanking new stores that take way too long to find stuff and don’t have enough employees walking the aisles to help you find items? no it is not. It is a small safeway that has friendly/​knowledgeable people that work there.
Does it have staff that turnover and always seem to be new and clueless? No. many of the staff there have been there for years and are a pleasure for patrons like me to see their familiar faces.
Does it support the local community in supporting the local non-​profits, including schools? Yes
Does it have 15 different types of mustard and 25 different brands of yogurt to pick from? No. .Do you need/​want that many choices? I certainly don’t.
Net. I personally love the personal feel of this grocery store. I know it is part of the big corporate Safeway chain, but it has a decent ‘mom-​and-​pop’ feel to it that the fancy mega-​stores just can’t pull off.

I feel so sorry for the people that are forced to work at this dilapidated location. It’s old, dirty, small and ill stocked. They never have enough checkers which puts the ones here under enormous pressure. This is why too nice of an area to have this crappy of a store. 30 minutes in line. No joking. It’s the closet to me so that’s why I come here. Oh yeah and all the computers are done so cash only… wtf?!

While in the check out line the cashier gave three Asian girls his employee discount, and no Tax, then the next person was an Asian Male. He also gave this person his employee discount without charging tax! I am a white female and did not receive his employee discount. The cashier is Asian.

It’s after 1:00am, and it’s open.
Corny old grocery, still open, serving the community, still employing the community.
I hope that doesn’t change.
NB, in the 1930’s, my Dad had a job at Safeway in SoCal. He thanked his lucky stars. He left to join the Marine Corp in 1940.
He survived, obviously.
Promise, there’s worse things than working at Safeway.

Dear Safeway:
I want to take this opportunity to thank you for your generous donation to the Albany Middle School Wrestling Team Luncheon.
**Daryl**, I believe she’s the store assistant manager, was very attentive, kind and without any hesitation, agreed to give us a gift card donation, which I used to buy a delicious tray of cut up fruit so we can serve in the event. We hold this luncheon once a year to honor and give thanks to all the coaches and volunteers who make the wrestling program happened in our beloved schools.
I was very impressed by your kindness. Other big businesses on Solano Avenue (which benefit from the patronage of Albany residents), simply turned us down due to plain bureaucracy. I thought it was imperative other Albany residents see this posting and get inspire to continue supporting your business!
Many Thanks,
Johanna Valle
Parent/​Volunteer Luncheon Coordinator

This Safeway is lame. The lamest one I’ve ever been to.
The oranges I saw were so old and dry.
Lots of the berries had mold.
Most of their produce was half stocked.
It’s a tiny Safeway with extremely limited selection.
Not even worth the trip!!! (Across the street from bowl’d).
If you want to be disappointed and surprised, stop by here!

old small safeway. not much microbrews, no cheap allergan generics either.
buy: «arrogant bastard» (4.49)
–strong, aggressive brew with a bite, really stout.
notes:
–found cashier with no one in line, just, in an out
–other cashiers had 3+

This Safeway definitely need to remodeled urgent. Besides I cannot find anything I want. Very small, disorganized and no much options to buy thongs.
Sorry but no reason to give more the two stars !

The Mother needed an AC Transit bus sticker. We stopped by the Safeway store in Berkeley. Alas, they were out, or so we were told. (You know who did not buy that story.) I asked the check-​out clerk if she know of any other place that we could obtain a sticker. She recommended the Safeway on Solano Avenue. So off we went.
I am pleased to report «Success!» The check-​out clerk told me that they had the sticker and even went as far to leave the till to get it for me from customer service.
One happy parental unit who is skeptical. One happy me who was going to persevere. I know I can usually count on this Safeway to find what I am or what The Mother is looking for.