Giant Eagle

Drive thru pharmacy is usually hit or miss, but today was AWESOME. I needed my meds refilled ASAP because I am the worst and forgot. Pulled in to drop it off and my window dude, Prime K., asked for pick up tomorrow. I asked if it would be possible to get it tonight. He told me to hang on a minute. I thought he was checking order statuses to give me a time estimate… He came back with my script filled and ready to go. BEST DUDE EVER. Thanks, Prime, for your friendly and expeditious service. You rock.

If you like massively overpaying for the same groceries you can get up the street at Kroger (which is unionized to boot)* then this is the store for you. If you don’t have a Gian Eagle card and you want to get past that hurdle at the self check out (which us usually all that’s open)* I hope you have a boatload of patience and an extra half hour to spare.
I went there reluctantly today to buy some marshmallow fluff (the proper stuff from Lynn, MA; not that jet puffed crap from Kraft) to make some fluffernutters (it’s a New England thing; you wouldn’t understand it)* and left in a fit, actually acting a bit rude like a New Englander should. I only lived in Boston a few years but it sure rubbed off on me. It was the second time I stormed out of there, and certainly the last. It takes a lot of moxie to tolerate this store.
I drove up the street and bought Kroger brand marshmallow cream.
Attention yuppies! If you really want to needlessly overpay for your groceries go up to Lucky’s.
I detest Giant Eagle!!!
* I am aware that I overuse parentheses (I’m working on it)*

They are just terrible at check out. They don’t have anyone to run the register; every lane is self check, and you have to have a card to check out. I have sat with a blinking light waiting for someone to clear the error with the register, over and over, but they staff a greeter at the door??? You have to bag your own groceries, but the register opens as soon as you pay, so the next person’s stuff just starts rolling down the belt towards yours when you bagging your stuff.
Today the light started blinking (probably because the belt was full, but I don’t know, I’m not a a clerk). While I am bagging, the guy comes up and cards me, I let him know that is not the problem, and he grabs one of the items I already rang up, and tries to scan it again (without asking or saying anything). I told him, if he thinks I didn’t ring that up, he needs to count before he double charges me. He said he saw me skip this item. He was nowhere near my lane, he couldn’t have seen, so I insist he check. He just says «OK, but I saw you skip this item» (I did not) and walks off without checking.
I have shopped at this store for the last time.

I’ve had to go shopping for events a few times within the past year. I usually go to Kroger near North Broadway. Today, it occurred to me that I could go to this Giant Eagle instead. I decided to try it out.
I did all of my shopping — tons of soda, some breakfast items, water, candy, dish soap, paper items, etc. It was 2 carts full of groceries. I had a hard time finding a variety of breakfast breads — they only had blueberry. I also couldn’t find those little bagged Enteman muffins. After going through all of the aisles they should have been in a few times, I found them randomly placed at the very front of the store near checkout. A little frustrating. I didn’t encounter anyone I could have asked.
We started to load the groceries onto the conveyer belt, and the checkout guy is finishing up with the person ahead of us. He sees our order and looks a little uncomfortable. I thought it was because my order was so huge. As he gets to us, he says, «I have to check, but you’re going to have to put half of this back.»
At this point, I’m already a little on edge. I have to shop the day before a big event, and the shopping trip takes up to 2 hours. I’m trying to estimate how much of everything we’ll need and not buy too much or too little. And now I’m going to have to put some of it back and go elsewhere, doing it all again?!
I was very nice about it, but I start asking what he means and why I’d have to put things away. He says there’s an 8 item limit on pop. I’m trying to figure out what what means — 8 altogether? A certain number of types of soda (Pepsi, coke, etc) because of promotions (they were 3 or 4 for $ 12)? Does it matter that I’m using a company card? He says, «well, not to be racist, but a bunch of Muslims were coming in here and buying a ton of pop and then selling it at their prices, so we lost a lot of money.»
Long story short, a manager came and told me that I could buy all of the soda because I was buying other groceries, and I’m a normal customer. I imagine that looking the way I do didn’t hurt my case. I don’t know… I was pretty uncomfortable with the whole thing.
That, coupled with everything else (not the cheapest prices, the store setup isn’t the most user friendly, not a lot of people around to help) made it not great for me. I think I’ll continue to go to Kroger for event shopping.

Like the fact that there’s a gas station attached to this location, and it’s definitely bigger than the other location near me (which is further south on Neil Ave.), but I find that the staff at that location are friendlier. The people here don’t seem to be as accommodating when issues come up, such as during check-​out. So, not my go-​to location (it’s also a bit more inconvenient to get to), but worth the drive if I also need gas.

I can’t even tell you how much I loathe the complicated food aisle and annoying self checkout. I hate you. .Giant Eagle.

I used to only shop at this giant eagle when I first moved to Columbus because I didn’t know where anything else was and I was afraid to venture out of my comfort zone at the time. So sad.
Anyway. This store had a renovation several years ago and they’re constantly moving things around (wine dept)
I like the way the store is set up, but if you go in to do major shopping after roughly 9pm, you should hold off until the next day if possible because you will end up U-​scanning $ 150 worth of groceries while the employees stand there and look at you and talk to each other while the store is virtually empty.
I understand the idea of closing the registers after a certain hour, but if you have someone doing all their major shopping at night (i worked night shift for a long time and lived on this schedule) I would think they would offer to bag the items for you at least, but they don’t. They will just stand there and look at you. Whatever.
As far as selection goes, they have a lot of things for better prices that kroger doesn’t have, but kroger also has a lot of things that giant eagle doesn’t have, so it’s a double edged sword. I still mostly prefer Kroger, but stop here if I’m in the area.

I’ve been shopping at this Giant Eagle on and off for the past six years. I used to do the majority of my shopping here, but the prices became prohibitive.
Don’t get me wrong — I’m willing to pay more to receive better service, products, convenience, etc. This GE fails most of those criteria.
The good: I like the layout of the store, the aisles are always wide enough to accommodate carts going both ways, good selection of products, good quality products, and a great beer and wine selection. The interior is much nicer since the remodel. Having the gas station right there congests the parking lot, but adds a lot of convenience. Also, the location is excellent. It’s very easy to stop there after visiting one of the nearby restaurants.
The bad: never enough registers open, the U-​scans are very frustrating (par for the course almost anywhere, though), customer service is usually mediocre at best, store needs a better cleaning crew. I don’t like walking into a dirty store.
What this amounts to is paying too much for what’s delivered. I’ll still swing by to get an item or two if it’s convenient, but I don’t go out of my way to go here.

I give up on this place. I stopped going regularly a few years ago because their prices were getting higher than Kroger’s. I just went today out of convenience and realized I could have gone to Lucky’s across the street and spent less and gotten a much better lunch. Their prices are out of control. Oh, and their self check-​out is horrendous.

Giant Eagle overprices everything. Every location, I get that. But this location is directly across the street from Luck’s Market. Perhaps the best grocery store in Columbus. Also Clintonville Community market is not far away, along with two Asian grocers. So, you’ve got some options.
I live within walking distance. I now know better, but imagine going to get a staple – milk, bread, whatever – and wanting to pay, but being told you cannot because you need to scan your GE card. Yea. You can’t actually buy stuff at self-​scan if you don’t have a card.
Oh, but someone will come? That is my biggest issue with this store. They have 40 workers walking around the deli, bakery, food prep area and yet when you want to leave, no one. You can go to the self-​scan. have the light blink, and well… wait. wait. wait more. wait. OHHH. That guy is working? He just saw me and is walking away. Okay, I will go chase him down and ask if he can help. Because that is normal or acceptable at this GE.
Shop local: Clintonvile Community Market. Need staples? Kroger on North Broadway. Need Produce, good prepared foods, meat, and deli? Lucky’s. There is no reason this store should be on your list.

I’m going to be honest: I have never been to a Giant Eagle I’ve liked. I am so confused why people enjoy shopping here. It’s overpriced, the hot/​cold bar looks gross, the parking lot is chaos, and it is ALWAYS so crowded. The store is very clean, but it is so large that I have trouble finding things (go ahead and make fun but I never have this problem anywhere else). No matter what time you go there are lines at the checkout, and the staff is horrible. None of them are happy to be there and because of that they are some of the slowest cashiers ever.
However, this store is within walking distance to my apartment so it is nice to stop off for ingredients I need, or if I just need some produce for the week. The best thing about this place is the beer selection though. They always have what I’m looking for and they carry a ton a seasonal favorites that can sometimes be hard to find.

I was at Lucky Dragon for lunch and had to pick up a few items before heading home. So I whipped across the street to Giant Eagle. I was impressed with the parking lot and how they had the gas station so close to the store. It’s also very handy for the folks living in the apartments on the other side also.
Inside the store is laid out a lot better than my usual GE on Rt 161. The salad bar looked nice and I found the few grocery items that I needed in no time flat. A good experience!

Good consistent salad bar.
Note: The parking is rather limited, considering it is in a very populated part of Clintonville. This does sometimes erk me.

If you are going to coupon, this is a good place. They have a self-​checkout where you can do it yourself and there’s staff free to help if needed. Note: bring the coupon policy with you before you go.
Overall, as a store, it’s a great place. The people are friendly and they like having customers. I have never had a problem with things not being stocked or able to be gotten, so that’s a huge plus. Customer service is great. Five thumbs up!

GE, how I love thee. Open ²⁴⁄₇ for all my late night enjoyments.
It’s pretty standard for a grocery store, but here is why I specifically love this location:
–Size. Isn’t too overwhelming like the Market Distric, but still has the essentials (like the cheese selection — brie!)
–Location. Perfect for students and Clintonville dwellers, alike.
–Gas Perks. I never have to fill up without 20−60cents off. Amazing with these high prices, nowadays. Oh wait, Santorum said he’d get gas down to 2.00 if elected, LOL.
–Pharmacy. The automatically refill my monthly needs w/​o even needing to call it in!
—-
And here’s where it falls short:
–Parking Lot. Pretty crowded and poorly designed. And an expectant mothers spot? Really?
–Fresh/​premade foods: Market District/​SN Kroger are stellar in this department. I can stop in for a hot cup on soup and be on my way. Can’t do that here. Only have a salad and olive bar. BTW — do any of you actually use the Olive Bar?
–Staff. Hit/​Miss. Not entirely helpful. But I come here so often, I already know where everything is.

Any grocer who is open 24hrs deserves a hug. Being a huge fan on insomnia I find myself doing a lot of grocery shopping at 3am. To the point where Im starting to think the workers here are setting their watches to my arrival.
This store has an awesome selection of beer and produce that doesnt look like its been beaten by a gang of grapes in the alley.
I recommend everyone start shopping at 3am… or at least at this store :)

In the Columbus area, Giant Eagle is definitely my preferred of the every day grocery shopping establishments. They have a fairly good number of locations, they always have what I’m looking for, and I really dig the fuelperks and foodperks. Also, if I had to pick one grocery with the best bakery and deli, Giant Eagle would definitely win.
I like this location because of the GetGo in the same area but I hate the traffic that getting to it sometimes involves. I also love the larger selection of beer and alcohol as well as interesting cheeses and organics. That’s probably what makes this my favorite location in Columbus.
But, at the end of the day, it’s just another grocery store.

This is my neighborhood store, so I will probably keep shopping here, but it’s getting harder and harder to deal with all the negative issues. There are some positives: They did a major remodel a few years ago and that did wonders for the LOOK and the organization of the store. It is laid out very nicely, and makes a lot of sense as you move through it. It isn’t as big as most stores, so you can usually get in and out in a reasonable amount of time. Also, the hot food section is awesome. The food is great and the people that work there are REALLY helpful and are more than happy to give you a sample or suggest good pairings for food. Also, there is one blonde male cashier who is awesome. He is always kind and happy and helpful, and it makes me wonder why he isn’t the General Manager of this store every time I see him. For these reasons, this review is NOT 1 stars.
I won’t dwell on the INSANITY of the parking lot, that is CRAZY at the slowest of times. I don’t even understand how someone allowed that thing to be designed, and can’t believe how more people don’t get into fender benders getting into and out of spots.
What they need to do is fire 80% of the employees and hire people with common sense, kindness, and decency. I can’t tell you how many times I head to the bakery counter and have 2 or 3 women behind it LOOK straight at me, and then continue to do what they were doing. I am NEVER greeted and, more times than not, I walk away without getting what I needed. if you are lucky enough to find someone else in the store to answer a question, more often than not, they don’t know where anything is.
Then there are the front lane «managers.» I don’t know why these guys are so mean, but there have been so many times where I am there, with a big load of groceries, my 2 year old going crazy, and them standing at the end of the self-​checkout lanes watching me struggle to bag things so they’re out of the way for more items. I can’t believe how they deliberately ignore issues like this — and it doesn’t just happen to me. I have seen this happen to other people, with obvious need for help, and these guys see it, and ignore it — almost as if they are too good to lower themselves to bag groceries. They literally stand at the end of the lanes and watch people struggle. Very uncool.
Like I said, I’m unwilling to drive out of my way to get groceries — and the fuel perks are a nice plus — but this place has a long way to go to be great.

After the remodel to the Clintonville Giant Eagle, this is my new favorite chain grocery store!
I just went to the Clintonville Giant Eagle for the first time since I left Clintonville last year, and OH, EM, GEE! Gone is the campus-​y hell of a grocery store that I left a year ago!
The new store is laid out very organically and intuitively; it’s just a natural flow. I was super impressed by the produce! They even had some fresh fruits and veggies raised at local Ohio farms! But the biggest win for me was the fact that they had big, beautiful, ripe MANGOES! I usually have to travel to an Asian or Hispanic market to get mangoes that even closely resemble the ones I left in my beloved Philippines.
The dairy/​cheese section was also fantastic — they have Snowville Creamery milk!
Next, the booze. They have a decent wine section, but more importantly, they stock my girly drinks that I love: Strongbow and Framboise!
Way to go, Clintonville Giant Eagle! I may even pass up looking at the hot boys at the Brewery District Kroger for you!

This was the best grocery store in Columbus before it’s renovation… now nothing else even comes close. The layout is so much more inviting! The aisles are wider, items are sorted better, and best of all, the microbrew section got a LOT, and I do mean a LOT, bigger. Like, it’s as big as the domestic, yellow fizzy section.
Giant Eagle offers a fair amount of organic produce — all indicated by green shelving as opposed to the standard black or reddish/​brown colors. The deli puts out some good stuff, particularly in the doughnut department. I used to do breakfast here regularly when I lived in Clintonville.
Oh! They also have that cool gas station store now too. You can get market district teas in there for one dollar! That’s ossim! I stop in here a lot of times while I wait for my bike to receive repairs up the street at Bike Source. I love this place. So sad I no longer live anywhere near it. =(
edit: How could I possibly forget… it’s also some of the best «people» watching in Columbus. And by «people,» I mean college age girls doing their grocery shopping in not near enough clothing. Hey, I’m only human. You’re welcome, duders!